While living out in California I lived a 15 minute ride from Mormon Rocks. It got its name from Mormon settlers in 1851. This is an amazing place and really fun to hike around. Lots of different trails and climbing spots. My dog Griffey and I would go explore almost every weekend. Some of the small things I missed about living there.
So let me tell you about how the Mormon Rocks were created. These rock features are at the southern end of the san Andreas Fault in California. The San Andreas fault is the most important tectonic structure in California. It is a right-lateral strike-slip fault that has some subsidiary faults at the boundary between the Pacific and North American Plate.
The Mormon Rocks is a great example of how tectonic forces can uplift and tilt strata. Mormon Rocks are sandstone that has been pushed up by a sub-fault of the San Andreas fault. While climbing around you can see the uplifting and folding that is happening in the area. You can see the sandstone has been worn down by the winds and rains over time. It is a great place to see the forces of plate tectonics and climbing around it very fun.
Robbie
Reference
Field trip 3: San andreas fault, mormon rocks, and devil's punchbowl: Earth science field trips in southern california. (n.d.). Field Trip 3: San Andreas Fault, Mormon Rocks, and Devil's Punchbowl. Retrieved November 17, 2020, from https://cerritos.instructure.com/courses/31759/pages/field-trip-3-san-andreas-fault-mormon-rocks-and-devils-punchbowl
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