Rocks, Minerals, and Geology of the Pacific Northwest highlights100 rocks, minerals, and fossil types found in Oregon and Washington. Each entry has color photography that shows a range of possibilities in appearance and a description of the defining physical properties and textures. Lists of minerals organized by other physical properties like habit, hardness, and cleavage are included. Rocks, Minerals, and Geology of the Pacific Northwest also includes 40 landscape features viewable along trails in Washington and Oregon that will empower hikers to make observations and interpretations about how these features came to be. The essential reference for rockhounds, hikers, climbers, and geology enthusiasts More than 400 photographs, illustrations, tables, and maps showcase and explain everything from minuscule crystals to planetary tectonics Interprets the histories of dominant landscape features along regional hiking trails Profiles more than 100 minerals and rocks in detailed entries with photos, descriptions, identification graphics, and mini indexes Covers the geologic composition and 13 physiographic regions of Washington and Oregon

The geologic history of the Pacific Northwest is as unique as the region itself. Created via tectonic plate movements and accretionary events, the original terranes were subsequently covered by sedimentary layers, ash, lavas, and glacial debris. These processes, begun millions of years ago, continue to affect the area, as seen in the eruption of Mount St. Helens and catastrophic Japanese tsunamis created by earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest. Understanding of the regions geology has led to new insight in volcanic eruption prediction, disaster preparedness, the environmental effects of mining, and urban development as it relates to geologic hazards. The Orrs detailed and informative writing style appeals to those with geologic training as well as beginners with an interest in the region. Each chapter covers a specific subregion, allowing for maximum flexibility both in the classroom and for the casual reader. The authors central theme that continental plate tectonics are the fundamental processes of Northwest geologic history permeates throughout the book.

This field guide is your introduction to the beautiful rocks, minerals and geology surrounding Port Townsend, Washington. A Victorian seaport near the majestic Olympic National Park, Port Townsend is a wonderful gateway to the natural history of the Pacific Northwest. This four-page, full-color guide features 31 photographs of agates, quartz, jasper, calcite and many more geologic treasures. www.cloudburst-publishing.com

Venturing through two of the most diverse and fascinating regions of North America, these activity books combine the subjects of geology and physical geography while making them captivating and fun. With a different approach, this series reveals the underlying processes for kids, explaining each region’s evolution and illustrating the different forces of nature that have changed the continent over time. The lush forests of the Pacific Northwest, the dry and arid deserts of the Southwest, and even the volcanoes and rainforests of Hawaii are all explored in detail as the chapters chronicle the effects of plate tectonics; landforms such as mountains, plateaus, and canyons; and the elements of climates and ecosystems. A plethora of hands-on projects ensure the learning process is both engaging and entertaining, including making a swamp cooler, creating a rift zone, building a seismograph, constructing basalt columns and water wheels to harness the power of a river, fashioning moving tectonic plates, and even mimicking nature’s process of carving an arch.

This lab manual provides students with hands-on experience studying Geology in a lab setting. The exercises provide instructional content for working with rocks and minerals. Several labs also focus on rock cycles, plate tectonics, rock forming minerals, igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks, fossils, and plate boundaries, all focused on the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The fifteen labs and three field trip modules in this manual are printed in color and have perforated pages for students to tear out and turn in.

This collection of essays on the geology of the Pacific Northwest is written by geologist Steve Reidel. Reidel is an expert on Columbia River Basalt, the primary rock of the Columbia Basin, the semi-arid region of Washington State where most of the essays are set. The book collects a series of highly readable and witty essays Reidel has been writing for more than a decade for the Tri-City Herald, the daily newspaper of the Tri-Cities (Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick), Washington. Written in plain language, Reidel makes geology, an often difficult field to understand, accessible for all readers. The book is divided into four parts. The Making and Shaping of the Columbia Basin, part one, covers the creation of the Basin from the massive flows of lava covering 100,000 square miles-the largest on Earth-to the walls of water 600 feet deep created by Ice-Age floods that sculpted the region. Landmarks, part two, describes the creation and stories behind Tri-Cities landmarks such as Rattlesnake Mountain and the Two Sisters. The essays included in part three, Geohazards, focus on Cascade Mountain volcanoes, such as Mount St. Helens; area earthquakes; and regional tsunamis. Part four takes readers from the Tri-Cities to explore geologic wonders scattered around the region such as the Gorge at George Washington, Gingko Petrified Forest, and Beacon Rock State Park.