Calavera Hills
Virtual Lab Introduction
Introduction
This
is written as a field guide at a level appropriate for an introductory geology college
student or for a person that has no formal training but is interested in geology. Whats
amazing about this area is that it’s very close to the college (about 1 mile
away) yet has so many fantastic geologic features that can be observed and
interpreted in the field by students. It’s an observational trip, meaning that
we will observe characteristics of the rock units/features and then apply them
as the fieldtrip progresses in other areas. Heres a drone overview of the site.
The
hike is about 1 mile roundtrip, is easy to occasional moderate in terrain with
well-marked trails with an elevation gain of about 300 feet. There are some
hazards here as the area is very popular for mountain bikers, who are generally
very respectful and there are rattlesnakes here so stay on the trails and keep
an eye out for both.
All
figures and pictures are public domain or produced by myself for this website
unless noted. Special thanks to Larry Hernandez for shooting the drone footage.
Location
The
Calavera Hills Volcanic Dome is between MiraCosta
College and Sage Creek High School. (Google Earth Image)
Here
are the stops and layout of the Fieldtrip. The trailhead is at an elevation of
265 feet, the low point is at Stop #1 at 197 feet, and the top of the volcanic
dome is 502 feet at stop 5. Stop 5 is optional and has a nice view of the area.
(Google Earth Image)
