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Geologic Trip, Mammoth
Area Hot Creek Gorge There are many hot
springs and geothermal areas in the Mammoth and Mono Lake areas. Most of
these were formed when surface water or groundwater from the eastern slope of
the Sierra Nevada was heated by magma at shallow depths. One of the best
known of these geothermal areas is Hot Creek Gorge, which lies within the
Long Valley Caldera. The gorge formed when a
part of the caldera floor was uplifted by volcanic activity. The creek flowed through this area
prior to uplift, and the gorge was cut as the creek maintained its
established course during uplift. _____ |