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Geologic Trip, Lone Pine
Area Alabama Hills The rocks of the Alabama Hills are the same granitic and metamorphic rocks that
occur in the Sierra Nevada. However, the granite in the Alabama Hills is not
fresh like the granite at Mt. Whitney, but is deeply weathered.
The granite is cut by a
number of joints, and the deep weathering of the granite along these joints
has given the Alabama Hills their striking scenery. The joints provided pathways for weathering and
decomposition of the granite. Much of the weathering probably took place
prior to uplift of the Sierra Nevada. At that time the area had heavy
rainfall and the granite was covered by thick soil and vegetation. Under
these humid conditions, the joints were wet much of the time, accelerating
decomposition of the granite along the joints. The large granite
monoliths in this photograph are formed from wide-spaced
intersecting vertical and horizontal joints. Note wife at the base of the boulders for scale. Exterior Websites Earth Science Picture of the Day
Weathered Granites, Alabama Hills Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce: USGS: _____ |