Table of Contents
Preface viii
Introduction 1
Understanding the Earth 3
Rocks and Rock Formation 3
Plate Tectonics 4
Faults, Faulting, and Earthquakes 6
Geologic Processes in Desert Environments 8
Geologic Evolution of Southern California 12
Proterozoic Eon 12
Gneissic Basement Rock 12
Paleozoic Era 13
The Continental Shelf 13
Mesozoic Era 13
Subduction and Batholith Formation 13
Cenozoic Era 16
Crustal Breakup, Rift Vokanism, and Basin Sedimentation 16
Development of the San Andreas Fault 17
Rotation of the Western Transverse Ranges 20
The Present 21
Mojave Desert 25
Detachment Faults 28
Joshua Tree National Park 28
Road Guides fro the Mojave Desert 34
Interstate 10: Indio-Blythe 34
Interstate 15: Cajon Summit-Barstow 39
Interstate 15: Barstow-Baker 44
Interstate 15: Baker-Primm, Nevada 54
Interstate 40: Barstow-Needles 59
Us 66: Ludlow-Fenner 64
Us 95: Blythe-Needles 70
Ca 14: Palmdale-Mojave-Red Rock Canyon 77
Ca 58: Tehachapi-Barstow 83
Ca 62: North Palm Springs-Arizona Border 89
Kelbaker Road: Interstate 40-Baker 92
Ca 247: Yucca Valley-Barstow 99
Salton Trough 105
Salton Trough Earthquakes 108
Lake Cahuilla and the Salton Sea 109
Algodones Dunes 110
World Class Geologic Sites 111
Mecca Hills: Box Canyon and Painted Canyon 111
Split Mountain Gorge 123
Road Guides for the Salton Trough 128
Interstate 8 and CA 98: Ocotillo-Yuma, Arizona 128
Interstate 10: Beaumont-Indio 133
Ca 86: Coachella-Brawley 140
Ca 111: Calexico-Mecca 144
Peninsular Ranges 153
Peninsular Ranges Batholith 155
Elstnore, San Jacinto, and Rose Canyon Faults 157
The Old Erosion Surface, Pehrts Plain, and the Poway Conglomerate 158
Coastal Terraces 161
Road Guides for the Peninsular Ranges 162
Interstate 5: San Ysidro-San Clemente 162
Interstate 8: Ocean Beach-Ocotillo 171
Interstate 10: Los Angeles-Beaumont 180
Interstate 15: San Diego-Corona 183
Ca 78: Carlsbad-Ocotillo Wells 194
Los Angeles Basin 200
Formation of the Basin 200
Oil Fields and the Monterey Formation 204
Long Beach Oil Field and Signal Hill 205
Baldwin Hills and Inglewaod Oil Field 207
Huntington Beach Oil Field 208
Seal Beach Oil Field 209
Wilmington Oil Field 209
Los Angeles River 210
La Brea Tar Pits 212
San Juan Capistrano 213
Coastal Region of the Basin 214
Dana Point 214
Laguna Beach 218
Crystal Cove State Park 218
Newport Bay 220
Marshes and Lagoons 221
Polos Verdes Hills 222
Redondo Submarine Canyon and Sand Dunes 223
Marina del Rey Breakwater 223
Transverse Ranges 224
Western Transverse Ranges 225
Ventura Basin 225
Conejo and Santa Cruz Island Volcanics 227
Eastern Transverse Ranges 228
San Bernardino Mountains 228
San Gabriel Mountains 229
Road Guides for the Transverse Ranges 231
Interstate 5: Sylmar-Grapevine 231
Interstate 15 and Interstate 215: San Bernardino-Cajon Summit 242
Interstate 210: Sylmar-San Bernardino 249
Interstate 405: West Los Angeles-Sylmar 255
Us 101: Hollywood-Ventura 262
Us 101 and Ca 1: Ventura-Buellton and Lompoc 267
Ca 1: Santa Monica-Oxnard 287
Ca 2: Eagle Rock-Wrightwood 296
Ca 14: Sylmar-Palmdale 305
Ca 33: Ventura-Cuyama 311
Ca 38 and Ca 18: Redlands-Big Bear City-Lucerne Valley 320
Ca 126: Ventura-Santa Clarita 331
Channel Islands 337
San Miguel Island 338
Santa Rosa Island 339
Santa Cruz Island 340
Anacapa Island 341
Santa Barbara Island 342
Santa Catalina Island 343
San Clemente Island 344
San Nicolas Island 345
Natural History Museums and Exhibits in Southern California 346
Glossary 350
Further Reading and References 361
Index 371