Week 6 - Cascade Range

The Cascade Range in Northern California, Source: Shannon Utley

The area of California I decided to visit was the Cascade Range in the northern part of the state.  This area is the end of a series of volcanic cones which begins in Canada.  The area is comprised of volcanic rock which originated from the process of subduction on the Gorda plate and consists of peaks up to 14,000 ft as well as the carved canyon of the Pitt river which is known for its depth. 

Pitt River, Source: Bubba Suess

In order to help with my analysis of the region I would require a few tools.  First, I would need to utilize index fossils or a fossil assemblage in order to help determine the relative age of the layers.  Second, I would request information regarding the rock layers found along the Canadian, Washington and Oregon sections of the Cascade range in order to find correlation in the California section.  By determining correlating layers of material, I could further understand the geologic story of the region.  Finally, I could incorporate the use of radiometric dating by utilizing unstable isotopes to form a more detailed understanding of the age of the igneous rocks found in the region.


Lutgens, F. K., Tarbuck, E. J., & Tasa, D. (2018). Essentials of geology. NY, NY: Pearson.

California State Parks, State of California.
California State Parks. Retrieved August 11, 2018, from https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/734/files/GeoGem Note 24 Cascade Range Geomorphic Province.pdf

Suess, B. (n.d.). Pit River Falls : Photos, Diagrams & Topos : SummitPost. Retrieved August 11, 2018, from https://www.summitpost.org/pit-river-falls/280159