Geological Society of Nevada, Southern Chapter
Fall 2005 Field Trip
Geology of the Mojave National Preserve, CA
Saturday-Sunday, November 5 & 6, 2005

Download the Guidebook here!

Why the Mojave Preserve?
The Mojave National Preserve sits in a remarkably significant location in terms of the geological development of southwestern North America. A visit to the Preserve, affords one to observe Proterozoic rocks created during initial amalgamation of Rodinia, Neoproterozoic-Paleozoic platform sediments deposited on the newly formed continental margin following supercontinent fragmentation, plutonic/volcanic rocks associated with the earliest to youngest stages of the Mesozoic "California Arc" ocean-continent subduction system, folds, thrust faults, and normal faults related to various transitions from shortening to extensional orogenies, young basalt volcanism, strike-slip tectonism, normal faulting, and sand dune deposition. I realize that is a really long sentence, and I left some stuff out, but I just wanted to point out the extensive geologic history recorded in the mountains of the Preserve.

What will we be focusing on?
Well, I thought it would be nice to look at the rocks related to the intersection between the northwest striking magmatic arc, and the more northerly striking Cordilleran fold-and-thrust belt, as recorded in the Clark Mountains area. Also, emplacement of Cretaceous batholiths, such as the Teutonia and Granite Mountains batholiths hold tectonic significance. Examples of both shortening and extensional tectonics will also be readily observable. The Cima volcanic field consists Neogene lavas, however they erupted with xenoliths significant to the Mesozoic history of the southwest, so we can discuss their two part history. The Kelso Dunes are a rather large dune field just north of the Granite Mountains, that we can visit and even walk upon. I'm also going to look into a possible tour of the Mitchell Caverns in the eastern Providence Mountains.

LOGISTICS
If you are interested please contact Joe Kula at jkula@unlv.nevada.edu and let him know. Also, please fill out this REGISTRATION FORMand turn it in to Joe Kula at the UNLV Geoscience Department.
Ideally, this trip should cost attendees no more than gas for vehicles (we'll carpool, so please let me know if you have a vehicle with good clearance and are willing to drive) and food for themselves.

Transportation:
We're going to carpool, so if everyone can chip on for gas for the vehicle they ride in that would work out great!

Contact Information:
Joseph Kula: jkula@unlv.nevada.edu, phone (702) 895-4255.