Four Natural Geological Features Tour: Yellowstone National Park’s Old Faithful Geyser, Mt. St. Helen’s Volcano, and La Jolla Sea Caves

References

California's La Jolla Sea Caves Kayaking Day Tour, Retrieved November 12, 2006 from

http://gorptravel.away.com/xnet/one-product.tcl?product_id=118932

Geology. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Retrieved December 08, 2006,

from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/geology

La Jolla Sea Caves (La Jolla City to Sea) Retrieved December 8, 2006 from
http://localhikes.com/HikeData.ASP?DispType=

6&ActiveHike=0&GetHikesStateID=&ID=5474

Mount Saint Helens photographs 10-26-04 ©621 Mount Saint Helens in Alpenglow

Retrieved December 8, 2006 from

www.strengthinperspective.com/.../mpgal26a.html


Plummer, McGeary, Carlson., Chapter Four Volcanism and Extrusive Rocks., Physical
Geology Tenth Edition, pp 80-81 The McGraw-Hill Companies 2004
Table 1. Summary of Volcanic-Alert levels, U.S. Geological Surveys:
Volcano Hazards Program, Retrieved October 15, 2006, from
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/
Table 2: Aviation Color Codes, U.S. Geological Surveys:
Volcano Hazards Program, Retrieved October 15, 2006, from
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/

2004, Yellowstone National Park: Old Faithful Geyser. Retrieved October 29,

2006 From http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/tours/oldfaithful/oldfaith.htm

Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, September 2002. Retrieved

December 8, 2006 www.dannyburk.com/old_faithful.htm

Below is the dictionary.com’s definition of Geology. Geology is why we are on this tour. Understanding how the Earth works and how certain geological features were formed helps us to adapt and find resources we need to survive. It also teaches us how to take care of our planet and harvest the resources the Earth provides responsibly and with caution to the Earth’s delicate systems. If we are not careful we can deplete the worlds’ resources so much so that they cannot be replenished or will take too long to replenish. If that happens then the world could become a barren dessert where plants, animals and humans will not be able to sustain life. We can take care of our resources and our planet by learning to conserve energy, find new energy sources, recycle, and continue to study the Earth and its systems so we can learn more on how to protect our planet.

ge•ol•o•gy - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ jee-ol-uh-jee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -gies.
1. the science that deals with the dynamics and physical history of the earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the physical, chemical, and biological changes that the earth has undergone or is undergoing.
2. the study of this science.
3. the geologic features and processes occurring in a given region on the earth or on a celestial body: the geology of Mars; the geology of eastern Kentucky.

[Origin: 1680–90; GEO- + -LOGY ]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.


We are about to embark upon a tour of four of the United States most recognized geological features. On this tour we will visit three western states. Our trip will begin in Washington State where we will visit one of the country’s most famous volcanoes, Mount St. Helen. Next we will visit Wyoming to see an example of a ground water feature, specifically Yellowstone national park to visit their most famous attraction Old Faithful geyser. Our final destination is to Southern California where we will tour our coastal feature; we will take a kayaking adventure to visit La Jolla Sea Caves. On this trip you will learn more about these geological features and how we can preserve them for future generations as well as learn some interesting facts along the way. I will be your tour guide and I am greatly looking forward to this trip as I am sure you are. Included in your tour packet is a map of each destination as well as a description of each stop and a short history of each feature.

We begin our tour with a visit to Mount St. Helen’s volcano located in Castle Rock WA last erupted in 1980. Before this date the volcano had not erupted since 1857. We will be hiking up the side of the volcano on one of the marked trails. You will be able to see some of the volcanic rock and some ash may also be seen as the volcano has had some recent activity. On March 27 ash and steam eruptions began and lasted for six weeks ending in one monumental blast that caused a massive landslide killing 63 people and obliterated the northern face of the volcano. Trees and vegetation were wiped away. The actual eruption spread lava and the lateral blast of debris and gas destroyed everything near the volcano and beyond the 10-kilometer scorched zone (4.1 Environmental Geology Mount St. Helens Blows up)

Myths surrounding the volcano are begin with the Northwestern/Pacific Indians who believed the volcanoes to be warrior gods the legend goes that two volcanoes; Mount Hood and Mount Adam, fought over Mount St. Helen because it was the youngest and prettiest of the volcano Gods (Plummer, McGeary and Carlson, Physical Geology 10th ED, pp 81)

According to the US Geological survey, current conditions observed at Mount St. Helen’s suggest that she is indeed ready to erupt again. Currently her condition is labeled Volcano Watch and Code orange. Even though trails are still open, hikers and bikers are caution to be aware of falling ash and slight tremors. Below in tables one and two are descriptions of the alert levels. Although they are still allowing hikers to trek the trails they have issued cautious warnings and advised the public to be aware. Below is a photograph of the sleeping volcano. It appears to be waking up as you see the smoke billowing from the crater.




Mount Saint Helens photographs 10-26-04
©621 Mount Saint Helens in Alpenglow








Table 1. SUMMARY OF VOLCANIC-ALERT LEVELS NORMAL
Typical background activity of a volcano in a non-eruptive state
After a change from a higher level:
Volcanic activity considered to have ceased, and volcano reverted to its normal, non-eruptive state.
ADVISORY
Elevated unrest above known background activity
After a change from a higher level:
Volcanic activity has decreased significantly but continues to be closely monitored for possible renewed increase.
WATCH
Heightened/escalating unrest with increased potential for eruptive activity (timeframe variable) OR a minor eruption underway that poses limited hazards.
WARNING
Highly hazardous eruption underway or imminent.

Table 1. Summary of Volcanic-Alert levels, U.S. Geological Surveys:
Volcano Hazards Program, Retrieved October 15, 2006, from
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/













Table 2. AVIATION COLOR CODES
GREEN
Volcano is in normal, non-eruptive state.
or, after a change from a higher level:
Volcanic activity considered to have ceased, and volcano reverted to its normal, non-eruptive state.
YELLOW
Volcano is exhibiting signs of elevated unrest above known background levels.
or, after a change from a higher level:
Volcanic activity has decreased significantly but continues to be closely monitored for possible renewed increase.
ORANGE
Volcano is exhibiting heightened unrest with increased likelihood of eruption,
or,
Volcanic eruption underway with no or minor ash emission [specify ash-plume height if possible].
RED

Eruption is forecast to be imminent with significant emmission of ash into the atmosphere likely.
or,
Eruption is underway with significant emission of ash into the atmosphere [specify ash-plum

Table 2: Aviation Color Codes, U.S. Geological Surveys:
Volcano Hazards Program, Retrieved October 15, 2006, from
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/


Yellowstone National Parks Old Faithful in Wyoming USA is our second feature. It is one of the most famous and frequently visited geological feature, people from across the country travel to Yellowstone national park to witness the eruption of the geyser. This feature was formed by ground water being heated by circulating deep beneath the earth’s surface near a magma pool. Some part of the geyser is nearly closed off and causes great pressure. As the pressure builds eventually steam can push the hot water up through the geyser and cause it to erupt. This can happen in a matter of minutes, hours, weeks, or months. Old Faithful continues to erupt to this day. There are no predictions related to this feature other than it will continue to be a tourist attraction.

Old Faithful gets its name because of its regularity of eruption and was named by members of the Washburn Expedition. It is said to erupt “faithfully” every 79 minutes and you can always be guaranteed to see it erupt every time. There is little or no potential for contamination of Old Faithful as it is in a guarded national park and protected by the Government. Below is a photograph of the famous geyser as it erupts.

Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, September 2002
Fuji GX680III, 100mm, Velvia


San Diego California’s La Jolla Sea Caves are to be the final stop in our tour. This feature was formed by waves eroding the Headland of coastal lines. Headlands are jagged coastlines that waves crash upon eroding them away and causing sea caves to form as well as straightening the coast line. We will join a kayaking expedition down the shore to explore the caves in depth, Sea lions, sea gulls, and other sea animals will be seen on this leg of the tour. We will get a chance to see how the waves erode the underlying bed rock of the coast.

These caves are ever transforming as the waves continue to erode the coastal shore. Also events such as earthquakes can also contribute to changes in the look of the sea caves and the shoreline. Caves may become deeper and some may collapse. Predictions for this feature are that the undercurrents of waves keep wearing away at the headlands the sea caves can keep getting deeper and deeper as much as a meter a year in growth. Maybe even more during heavy storms or if the rock the wave crash against is weak.

Ours is not the only group to tour the sea caves via kayaking, right now tourist can take kayaking tours along the shore line and explore the caves as well as see some of the marine life that I have indicated above who live in the area such as: sea birds, sea lions, seals and there is also the La Jolla Ecological reserve that is part of the featured tour were you can learn more about the sea caves and the marine life that inhabits it. As with any coastal feature there is always potential for environmental damage since beach front property is such a premium the pressure is on for there to be more and more homes built over this area which can cause the caves to collapse or break off into the sea. This can also contribute to landslides and homes being destroyed causing debris from these homes that wash out to sea polluting the water and endangering the marine animals. Below is a photograph of some of the sea caves we will explore.

La Jolla Sea Caves (La Jolla City to Sea)
Congratulations everyone that is the end of our tour. Let’s recap; our first stop was Washington State where we visited our fist geological feature Mount St. Helens, our volcanic feature, we talked about when it last erupted and learned some interesting facts about it. Then we took a hike up the side of the volcano seeing some of the volcanic rock and ash that had spewed from the volcano. (Remember volcanic rock comes from lava that has cooled and hardened). Our second stop was in Wyoming with a visit to Yellowstone national park to watch Old Faithful geyser, our ground water feature, erupt and learned what causes the water to shoot up out of the ground. Our third and final stop was to San Francisco California where we went on a kayaking adventure to explore the La Jolla Sea Caves, our coastal feature; there we were able to view some of the wildlife that inhabits the caves, air and the water in and around the water as well as see how the waves eroded the underlying bedrock along with the dripping water on the inside of the caves. Future tours may include trips to see such geological features such as the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountain belt, and the Appalachian Mountain belt.

It is my hope that everyone has learned a little more about Earth’s geology and how we can protect our planets natural features and resources. I also hope you enjoyed the tour and learned some interesting facts. Ultimately it is our duty to preserve the planet for future generations to enjoy and explore. You can find out more about these geological features as well as others by searching the internet and visiting your local libraries. The study of geology is very important to understanding and being responsible in how we treat our planet and our natural resources. Hopefully in this tour we have encouraged some of you to continue to discover more about our planet and how to take care of our many resources.