Really great video, it’s really amazing to think that in a blink of an eye geologically speaking a lot of the northern hemisphere was ice covered, and not just alpine but continental ice sheets, thanks as always for great work
Some great minds of the 19th century started developing the theory of continental glaciers with simple observations...I am always amazed at what previous generations could accomplish without "power tools"!
I just discovered your channel. I have watched three or four of them so far. They are excellent! As a CT resident, teacher, hiker, and paddler who is always on the lookout for new outdoor experiences, I greatly appreciate the detail that you put into your work.
Thanks for watching! I have had a lifelong passion for exploring the outdoors and teaching natural history and am honored to share my adventures. I often look for areas that are new to me and less explored by the masses. Best wishes
Since you're looking for outdoor adventures, did you know that there are Rockhound/Mineral clubs in CT, perhaps 7, around the state. They often offer club members opportunities to go on field trips for collecting minerals, not only in CT; but also in New England and eastern NY state. Some clubs also have other amenities, like bus trips to museums out of CT. Over the years I've belonged to several in both MA and CT. Currently belong to 3 in CT. Most are online except Manchester which is a very small club. The other 6 clubs are online.
Thank you Joan for the information on these clubs. My time is limited on weekends right now but I could certainly consider joining these clubs on their fieldtrips in the future. Having spent 30+ years in the land of sedimentary rocks I could use some expert advice on identifying minerals in metamorphic and igneous rocks!
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 It is possible that you might know some of the club members of the: Bristol (CT) Gem & Mineral Club and Lapidary & Mineral Society of Central Connecticut as at least one member of several CT clubs, including the two aforementioned, is a State of Connecticut geologist.
@tedgoemer7983 Several weeks ago I read your comment above. Since you are interested in the outdoors, are you aware that CT has 7 rock, gem and mineral clubs which also might get you into areas you are not aware of, if you were to become a member of any of them. Elsewhere on this page, I have made reference to three of the clubs which I've been a member of for many years. Most of my comments are in response to comments others have made, including "letsdigalittledeeper" . Search them out if you are curious.
A big like. Very familiar since I hiked Mt Tom and the Holyoke range. I currently live in the Northampton area. Growing up in eastern Massachusetts, black spruce as well as larch poked up along flooded "swamps". As a ten-year old, I dug up one one of these miniature "pines" (a black spruce) and brought it home. My tolerant mother allowed my to plant it near the patio. Decades passed, my parents passed, and this denizen added only centimeters to it height and girth. Its overall shape remained the same, a bit more needles, hardly a change in height. Along with scattered larch that hauted edges of "swamps", eastern Massachusetts offers odd groves of Atlantic white-cedar... and again, cedars pop up in corners of scattered "black-water" ponds that dot the area. Many years later while vacationing on Cape Cod, a piece of a beach was off limits because of what was described as "ice-aged" stumps of Atalntic white cedar now exposed due to beach erosion... Looking, I saw that their girths and pattern of distribution matched exactly to the familiar "cedar woods" we ice-skated through every winter on the local "black-water" pond. Let's say a cheer to the local (eastern Mass) black spruce, the larch, and the Atlantic white cedar.
Thank you for watching! Yes Mount Tom and Holyoke Range are similar to the Barndoor Hills in age although the lava on those ranges did flow out onto the sands and muds filling the rift valley at that time. I know kettle hole bogs are common in Southeast Mass. however most of my exploring has been west of Narragansett Bay and I-495. I am glad this video brings back fond memories from your youth. SE Mass. would be the kind of place I like to explore for this channel so I will start perusing information on preserves in that area. Atlantic White Cedar swamps are common along the CT/RI border. I visited several of these in 2022 and posted my findings on my tree ID channel. That channel is called BARKIN' UP THE RIGHT TREE and the video is titled ATLANTIC WHITE CEDAR. Best wishes
Love this.I haven't explored in CT, but lived up in the Pioneer valley in MA, and love the hills there. One fun remnant that dovetails with your description of the lowlands created by the rift is the presence of dinosaur track fossils up in the Holyoke are, created as they moved in and around the shallow waters once there. Thanks for bringing us along on this trip.
Thanks for watching! Those tracks in Holyoke have been on my radar for a while. And yes the ridges near the Connecticut River in Massachusetts have the same geology as those in Connecticut...ancient lava flows and sills!
This is an awesome video! I’ve read about the geology of CT many times but your demos with objects (ie the pieces of wood), made it much easier to understand!
Thank you for watching! I try to use props, cookies, heck I even used a Bavarian Cream Donut once to help people visualize the concepts of geology. Best wishes
Thank you for this. I’m a recent retiree and have newly relocated to SE CT. Looking forward to start hiking in CT. Your video has motivated me to get out for a hike today!
Glad you enjoyed the video of my hike in March. Plenty of hiking opportunities in Connecticut. Most towns and regions have land trusts, often with trail networks. The Connecticut Forest and Park Association maintains hundreds of miles of Blue-Blazed hiking trails. Most state parks have good trails as well. Best wishes!
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 thank you for the info. CT state parks have been a wonderful surprise for me. I frequently visit Patchaug in eastern CT and Arcadia just over the state line in RI. Looking to visit more of CT’s excellent state parks.
Thank you for watching! I recorded a similar video a few miles south of the Barndoor Hills in Simsbury last year. SPRINGTIME EXPLORATION OF CONNECTICUT'S WEST MOUNTAIN TRAILS looks at falls, flowers, trees and geology of hills similar to the ones in this video.
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 I live in Colebrook…I’ll watch your other videos. They are excellent. Thank you for taking the time to make quality content.
I grew up in the Connecticut River Valley in East Haddam. I've been an avid outdoorsman and sportsman all of my life. I spent most of my youth exploring the area's woods. In 32 minutes, I learned more about geology and the landscape around me than I did in 12 years of school. You have a new subscriber.
Thank you for watching! I am glad this video helped you better understand the natural world around us. I often comment on geology and plants during on my adventures. Best wishes
Interesting vid. What a coincidence, I’m here in Central New Hampshire on a ridge above the Merrimack river. This is a sandy area. I learned this when they drilled well for my house 15 feet of sand before they hit soft ledge. In a 10 minute walk, Thanks to your enlightenment, are 2 kettle holes. And there’s a third lower on the ridge in the same area they give themselves away in the spring when the frogs are mating you can hear them from quite a distance.
Thank you for watching! Kettle holes are common in areas with sand deposits as chunks of ice were often slower to melt as the meltwater streams flowed around them. I'm sure much of the Merrimack valley was such an outlet for these streams to flow through. Where the Merrimack (and many other New England streams) hit bedrock, the resulting rapids and falls created the power needed to drive the textile mills. If all the streams in New England were slow moving there would have been no textile industry here! Best wishes
Thank you so much for watching! I know much of the area east of the Cascades in Washington has extensive basalt layers. One thing about basalt and other volcanic rocks...they are full of minerals the plants need to thrive. I was amazed at the number of circular croplands showing up on the satellite view of Eastern Washington. Best wishes!
LOL that is the tastiest description of a sill that I have seen. Great analogy. Just found your channel. I think I'm going to enjoy it and learn a lot here!!
Thank you for watching! I think I used a zebra cake on Pine Mountain Kentucky a few years ago to demonstrate an overthrust mountain. It does take alot of calories to climb mountains!
Thank you for watching. I was able to explore another area with fascinating geology recently in New Jersey. I expect to have it uploade later this week.
Thank you for watching! I often call steep, rocky and narrow trails 'goatpaths' when recording for this channel. Goats make it look easy to traverse such challenging terrain!
Roughly an hour ago, I discovered this site, was intrigued by it's title & discovered the printed narrative, so followed along. Very informative. Many years ago, mid-1970's, was a member of AMC-CT chapter & did a hike in Simbsbury, possibly in some of the area that this narrative covers, along the northern portion of Simsbury. Over many years, I've heard of the "Barndoor Hills", but not specifically where they are located along the northern tier of Simsbury. Can you give me better info? Enjoyed your presentation. When I have more time I will revisit this video, and check out the others, as well. Over the years, I've belonged to & still belong to three CT gem and mineral clubs.
Thank you for your interest in this video and channel Joane. According to the USGS topographic maps the Barndoor Hills straddle Barndoor Hills road in Granby. However the diabase sill that forms the Barndoor Hills extends from Manitook Mountain in Suffield to Pond Ledge Hill in Avon - about 20 miles. There are many named and unnamed knobs along this sill. Last May I exlpored the West Mountain Trails in Simsbury and hiked around and over one of these knobs. That video titled 'Springtime Exploration of Connecticut's West Mountain Trails' can be found on this channel. For this current video I started by hiking at the Western Barndoor Hill Preserve operated by the Granby Land Trust. It is a moderate hike (less than 1 mile) to the the summit of this hill with a great view. There is parking for 2 or 3 cars along Barndoor Hills road or you can access this preserve from the trail network of the adjacent McLean Game Refuge where there is more parking and opportunities for longer hikes. I also climbed East Barndoor Hill near the end of this video while hiking the summit trail at McLean Game Refuge. Best luck exploring this area...there are good maps available to print from McLean Game Refuge and the Granby Land Trust to assist in trip planning.
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 Thank you for the info. Over the years I was a member of AMC, I recall hiking with the CT chapter perhaps twice in the area you mentioned in your comment. I'm glad that for a number of years, I was able to hike & bike with the Chapter, seeing some areas of CT that I might not have seen otherwise. About 12 years ago, my hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, vehicle driving ended due to a neurological disorder involving my right ankle/foot. I'm glad all these activities happened when I was much younger & could do much more. When we are younger and much more active, we/I never thought what could happen if something quite unexpected, happens. Learn to adjust to what we can, do. At least, that's what I do.
I certainly appreciate your attiude toward your physical limitations Joan. I do hope watching videos like those on my channel allow you to see places you can no longer see on your own. I am honored to fufill requests on places and subjects to explore on this channel. Best Wishes
Thank you for watching! I am familiar with the Cheshire Cobbles along the Appalachian Trail but I have not hiked that segment yet. I believe those cobbles are made from quartzite which could look like chalk but is much harder. That is the kind of place I could consider recording for this channel.
I know what you are up here. Like it ! I am at 9 mins am still waiting to hear the word Triassic.... nice cookie action! I think you hit the Tr & J at 10:45. Solid work !
Thank you for watching! I did record oak trees on West Rock in 2022 for my other channel (Barkin' up the right tree) but would be glad to add a video to this channel on the Geology and Natural History of these parks. I would probably wait till cooler months to avoid ticks, poison ivy etc.
Thank you for watching! Black Pond is unique as it lies just below the cliffs of Beseck Mountain. I was fortunate to visit the pond when the leaves were at peak color a couple of years ago. There appears to be a dam on Birdsey Avenue that was built to regulate the water in Black Pond however it also appears that the pond itself is natural and the dam only extended the pond westward but did not create the depression that is Black Pond. The map of Connecticut that shows sand deposits (where ice blocks that get left behind to become kettleholes) shows no sand in that area so the depression that filled with water would have been created by other forces. There is a layer of soft rock under Black Pond and a fault line as well. Both these can create a zone of weakness that could be hollowed out by the force of the glaciers pushing southward creating a depression (22 feet deep according to the fishing maps) that filled with water. The fault under Black Pond extends northward to create the gap between Higby and Beseck Mountains. This notch made a good route for Highway 66 as it avoides the cliffs of both these mountains. I think it is fair to say that Black Pond was not directly created by volcanoes but it's position between layers of volcanic rock contributed to it's formation. Best wishes
Thank you for watching! Alot to see in your area...I remember learning to ski on Mount Tom, riding the Alpine Slide in the summer and the amusement park. It is on my list of places to hike once cooler weather returns.
Thanks for watching! The surficial geology map of the area around Great Pond does show deep sand deposits so it is possible that a kettle hole is present however there does appear to be a low dam at the south end of the pond. Large ice blocks can create large kettle ponds or lakes. Often the larger ponds fill up with enough water to have outlet streams. Congamond Lake appears to have been formed by three kettles that form deep spots in the north, middle and south end of the lake.
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 You had showed in your video a map of possible rift valleys which included North Carolina. I was wondering if you could share a link to that map, I would like to try to document that landform one day. There is a granite monolith in Roaring Gap and some interesting pyrolites in Albermarle (both in state parks). Would either of these sites be inside the a rift valley?
I will be glad to try to help. The map in this video showing the rift valleys along the east coast (including North Carolina) is taken from an out of print book titled 'Landprints' by Walter Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan does a great job illustrating the geologic history of North America in words that are easy to understand. The map is on page 44. I used a copy of that map in this video but unfortunately I have yet to find a way to attach photos or links to replies on this channel. I was able to download a detailed map of the bedrock of North Carolina (NC-geologic-map-NCGS-1985.pdf) to help answer your question. I believe the state parks you are referring to are Stone Mountain and Morrow Mountain and both lie northwest of the rift valleys shown on the map I downloaded. There are however Jurassic age diabase dikes in the Morrow Mountain area that cut across the older metamorphic rocks there. The map does not show any of these dikes near Stone Mountain but the granite dome of Stone Mountain is much younger than the surrounding rocks. Ironically I visited Stone Mountain and Looking Glass Rock in the 1980's when working at a summer camp near Asheville. The rift valleys shown on the more detailed map are near Durham, Wadesboro and north of Greensboro. Eno River State Park near Durham is in one of the rift valleys and a pamphlet about the geology of that park is for sale but not visible online. Best wishes!
Thank you for watching! All the areas that I have explored for this channel thus far are open to the public. Occasionally I do explore off trail but on public lands.
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 I had a geologist tell me that the hill I grew up on wasn’t natural to the landscape. I always thought there was a possibility it was a burial mound. Many arrowheads in the area.
Thank you for watching! Perhaps when my schedule is more open and flexible I could consider offering guided hikes. For now I am glad to honor requests for subjects or locations to explore on this channel. This video actually broached two subjects requested by subscribers last year. Best wishes
Thank you for watching! The Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts is a rift valley that was flooded by basalt on several occassions. Basalt is similar to the rocks that flow out of volcanoes however in the case of Mount Tom the rock did not erupt but oozed out to cover a the rift valley for several miles. The cliffs on Mount Tom are part of that layer of basalt while much more the layer remains undergound east of Holyoke.
Wow I am from NY, I love this place, thanks for showing. Let's keep it a secret:-). I also think this is the perfect time to explore (after winter before leaves on trees).
Thank you for watching! Yes March is often a great month for hiking lower elevations in Southern New England and New York Metro area. Days are much longer so I don't have to rush to get out of the woods, no bugs, fewer ticks and no poison ivy leaves.
Thank you for watching! Yes there are almost continous deposits of sand and gravel in the valley occupied by the Farmington and Quinnipiac rivers from Granby to New Haven. These sands were deposited after the glaciers had melted back to a position north of Connecticut. Much the sand on Long Island would have been deposited before the glaciers had melted back that far when the source of the meltwater was closer.
Thank you for watching! The sandy soil in much of the McClean Game Refuge would have been workable by farmers but in need of more nutrients to be productive. I have seen Amish farmers in Pennsylvania and Ohio using horse drawn spreaders similar to the one in this video. Best wishes
Thank you for watching! There is supposed to be trace amounts of gold in alot of the metamorphic rocks of Connecticut and Massachusetts. Gold bearing rocks were found near Cobalt Connecticut when mining for Nickel and Cobalt. I could consider poking around in streams sometime to see what I can find. Good Luck
Yes most of Connecticut is full of ledge, boulder piles and rocks of all sizes just below the surface! The most notable exception is in the rift valley illustrated in this video. That valley is filled with much softer sandstones and shales that weather into decent soil. And of course meltwater streams left large sand deposits in many areas. Other than that it is tough digging!
I felt much the way you did.Then I really discovered how our forest and our geology work together. And now I find our state quite beautiful. The blue blazed hiking trails offers unique glimpses into our amazing forest here in Connecticut. We have a pretty good diversity of trees and ecosystems within the small area. The trees and the hills don't give a crap about all the negative parts of Connecticut, politics and lifestyles of the strange people who live here.
@@terrymorton7444I’m with you, I live in Danielson and started hiking around a year ago in the area, so many beautiful places rivers and forests areas to explore.
I lived in Connecticut most of my life and never heard of barndoir hills even though I frequented that area. I'm also a map enthusiast reading maps for the fun of it and never came across that in print either. Did he name it himself?
Thank you for watching! I am not familiar with the origin of the name Barndoor Hills but it does appear on USGS Topo maps. When one drives south on Barndoor Hills Road from Route 20 cliffs from these hills face the road on both sides perhaps resembling barn doors?
Thanks for watching! I was able to explore those falls last September while recording some Mountain Maple for my tree ID channel (Barkin' up the right tree). Beautiful and unique falls.
Ever heard of and/or follow Randall Carlson's work? He has a YT channel; really awesome stuff! Have you ever explored 'The Valley'? (Naugatuck/Beacon Falls/ Seymour/Derby/ect) Naugatuck/Beacon Falls has some pretty cool mountains, along the Naugatuck river, to hike.
Thank you for watching and for suggesting Randall Carson's channel. I was not familiar with his work but it looks interesting...I will watch some of his videos this summer!
Thank you for watching! Both the preserves in this video are in Granby CT and can be accessed from Barndoor Hills Road. The Mclean Game Refuge covers a very large area and their trail map shows many access points and trails. The West Barndoor Hill Preserve shown in the start of this video is smaller with limited roadside parking for 3 or 4 cars. Since these preserves are adjoining I was able to explore both without moving my car. I hope this helpful and you can visit these beautiful natural areas!
lets dig deeper,im from sw wisconsin,im in the driftless area,i used to live at cassville,w along the mississippi river bluffs,natural caves behind my parents house plus a natural spring that came down the bluff onto my parents property,cool eh?
Thanks for watching! I always found it fascinating that such a large area was bypassed by the ice sheets. Similar bluffs are found just south of where the glaciers stopped in Southern Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. I explored one of these bluffs in Indiana for this channel in 2020. 'Hanover College hiking trails' shows cliffs, falls and tons of fossils on trails behind that college.
Yes Lake Hitchcock extended from Rocky Hill Connecticut all the way up into Vermont. The Barndoor Hills and surrounding sand plains were high enough not to be flooded by this lake but I'm sure it was visible from the overlooks!
Really great video, it’s really amazing to think that in a blink of an eye geologically speaking a lot of the northern hemisphere was ice covered, and not just alpine but continental ice sheets, thanks as always for great work
Some great minds of the 19th century started developing the theory of continental glaciers with simple observations...I am always amazed at what previous generations could accomplish without "power tools"!
Yes it was known as the Laurentide Ice Sheet. That's what shaped the Great Lakes, Niagara Falls, along with many more Lakes.
I just discovered your channel. I have watched three or four of them so far. They are excellent! As a CT resident, teacher, hiker, and paddler who is always on the lookout for new outdoor experiences, I greatly appreciate the detail that you put into your work.
Thanks for watching! I have had a lifelong passion for exploring the outdoors and teaching natural history and am honored to share my adventures. I often look for areas that are new to me and less explored by the masses. Best wishes
Since you're looking for outdoor adventures, did you know that there are Rockhound/Mineral clubs in CT, perhaps 7, around the state. They often offer club members opportunities to go on field trips for collecting minerals, not only in CT; but also in New England and eastern NY state. Some clubs also have other amenities, like bus trips to museums out of CT. Over the years I've belonged to several in both MA and CT. Currently belong to 3 in CT. Most are online except Manchester which is a very small club. The other 6 clubs are online.
Thank you Joan for the information on these clubs. My time is limited on weekends right now but I could certainly consider joining these clubs on their fieldtrips in the future. Having spent 30+ years in the land of sedimentary rocks I could use some expert advice on identifying minerals in metamorphic and igneous rocks!
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 It is possible that you might know some of the club members of the: Bristol (CT) Gem & Mineral Club and Lapidary & Mineral Society of Central Connecticut as at least one member of several CT clubs, including the two aforementioned, is a State of Connecticut geologist.
@tedgoemer7983 Several weeks ago I read your comment above. Since you are interested in the outdoors, are you aware that CT has 7 rock, gem and mineral clubs which also might get you into areas you are not aware of, if you were to become a member of any of them. Elsewhere on this page, I have made reference to three of the clubs which I've been a member of for many years. Most of my comments are in response to comments others have made, including "letsdigalittledeeper" . Search them out if you are curious.
A big like. Very familiar since I hiked Mt Tom and the Holyoke range. I currently live in the Northampton area. Growing up in eastern Massachusetts, black spruce as well as larch poked up along flooded "swamps". As a ten-year old, I dug up one one of these miniature "pines" (a black spruce) and brought it home. My tolerant mother allowed my to plant it near the patio. Decades passed, my parents passed, and this denizen added only centimeters to it height and girth. Its overall shape remained the same, a bit more needles, hardly a change in height. Along with scattered larch that hauted edges of "swamps", eastern Massachusetts offers odd groves of Atlantic white-cedar... and again, cedars pop up in corners of scattered "black-water" ponds that dot the area. Many years later while vacationing on Cape Cod, a piece of a beach was off limits because of what was described as "ice-aged" stumps of Atalntic white cedar now exposed due to beach erosion... Looking, I saw that their girths and pattern of distribution matched exactly to the familiar "cedar woods" we ice-skated through every winter on the local "black-water" pond. Let's say a cheer to the local (eastern Mass) black spruce, the larch, and the Atlantic white cedar.
Thank you for watching! Yes Mount Tom and Holyoke Range are similar to the Barndoor Hills in age although the lava on those ranges did flow out onto the sands and muds filling the rift valley at that time. I know kettle hole bogs are common in Southeast Mass. however most of my exploring has been west of Narragansett Bay and I-495. I am glad this video brings back fond memories from your youth. SE Mass. would be the kind of place I like to explore for this channel so I will start perusing information on preserves in that area. Atlantic White Cedar swamps are common along the CT/RI border. I visited several of these in 2022 and posted my findings on my tree ID channel. That channel is called BARKIN' UP THE RIGHT TREE and the video is titled ATLANTIC WHITE CEDAR. Best wishes
Thank you for a very informative and delightful video on our state's geology.
Glad you enjoyed the video. Connecticut has a fascinating natural heritage...I will do my best to document it in my videos. Thanks for watching!
Love this.I haven't explored in CT, but lived up in the Pioneer valley in MA, and love the hills there. One fun remnant that dovetails with your description of the lowlands created by the rift is the presence of dinosaur track fossils up in the Holyoke are, created as they moved in and around the shallow waters once there. Thanks for bringing us along on this trip.
Thanks for watching! Those tracks in Holyoke have been on my radar for a while. And yes the ridges near the Connecticut River in Massachusetts have the same geology as those in Connecticut...ancient lava flows and sills!
You do an excelent job explaining your topic here. I just want to thank you for the education you just gave. Im subscribing.
Thank you for watching and subscribing!
I appreciate you doing this for us. Life long CT resident here 😊
Thanks for watching! I have more adventures planned for this channel this fall in southern New England and New York State.
This is an awesome video! I’ve read about the geology of CT many times but your demos with objects (ie the pieces of wood), made it much easier to understand!
Thank you for watching! I try to use props, cookies, heck I even used a Bavarian Cream Donut once to help people visualize the concepts of geology. Best wishes
Thank you for this. I’m a recent retiree and have newly relocated to SE CT. Looking forward to start hiking in CT. Your video has motivated me to get out for a hike today!
Glad you enjoyed the video of my hike in March. Plenty of hiking opportunities in Connecticut. Most towns and regions have land trusts, often with trail networks. The Connecticut Forest and Park Association maintains hundreds of miles of Blue-Blazed hiking trails. Most state parks have good trails as well. Best wishes!
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 thank you for the info. CT state parks have been a wonderful surprise for me. I frequently visit Patchaug in eastern CT and Arcadia just over the state line in RI. Looking to visit more of CT’s excellent state parks.
EXCELLENT video! CT resident, I love geology and trees this was a great video!
Thank you for watching! I recorded a similar video a few miles south of the Barndoor Hills in Simsbury last year. SPRINGTIME EXPLORATION OF CONNECTICUT'S WEST MOUNTAIN TRAILS looks at falls, flowers, trees and geology of hills similar to the ones in this video.
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 I live in Colebrook…I’ll watch your other videos. They are excellent. Thank you for taking the time to make quality content.
I grew up in the Connecticut River Valley in East Haddam. I've been an avid outdoorsman and sportsman all of my life. I spent most of my youth exploring the area's woods. In 32 minutes, I learned more about geology and the landscape around me than I did in 12 years of school. You have a new subscriber.
Thank you for watching! I am glad this video helped you better understand the natural world around us. I often comment on geology and plants during on my adventures. Best wishes
Interesting vid. What a coincidence, I’m here in Central New Hampshire on a ridge above the Merrimack river. This is a sandy area. I learned this when they drilled well for my house 15 feet of sand before they hit soft ledge. In a 10 minute walk, Thanks to your enlightenment, are 2 kettle holes. And there’s a third lower on the ridge in the same area they give themselves away in the spring when the frogs are mating you can hear them from quite a distance.
Thank you for watching! Kettle holes are common in areas with sand deposits as chunks of ice were often slower to melt as the meltwater streams flowed around them. I'm sure much of the Merrimack valley was such an outlet for these streams to flow through. Where the Merrimack (and many other New England streams) hit bedrock, the resulting rapids and falls created the power needed to drive the textile mills. If all the streams in New England were slow moving there would have been no textile industry here! Best wishes
Greetings from WA State. Great to discover your channel for all things geology including ancient lava flows. We have a few, too over here in the PNW.
Thank you so much for watching! I know much of the area east of the Cascades in Washington has extensive basalt layers. One thing about basalt and other volcanic rocks...they are full of minerals the plants need to thrive. I was amazed at the number of circular croplands showing up on the satellite view of Eastern Washington. Best wishes!
LOL that is the tastiest description of a sill that I have seen. Great analogy. Just found your channel. I think I'm going to enjoy it and learn a lot here!!
Thank you for watching! I think I used a zebra cake on Pine Mountain Kentucky a few years ago to demonstrate an overthrust mountain. It does take alot of calories to climb mountains!
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 😄😆
Thank you for this geology treatment!
Thank you for watching. I was able to explore another area with fascinating geology recently in New Jersey. I expect to have it uploade later this week.
About 30 years ago I lived in East Granby. I had a couple of big goats and I hiked Barndoor with them. They had lots of fun climbing those rocks.
Thank you for watching! I often call steep, rocky and narrow trails 'goatpaths' when recording for this channel. Goats make it look easy to traverse such challenging terrain!
Thanks a million for your video, very informative.
Thank you for watching!
I really enjoyed this video. Thank you for making and sharing!
Thank you for watching!
Fantastic! I am a (very) amateur student of geology and botany and this is exactly what Ive been looking for. Thank you so much.
Thank you for watching! I often comment on geology and botany on my videos where and when it makes sense to do so. Glad you enjoyed this video!
Lots of great information. Coming out of the Litchfield Hills on Route 7 there is a similar looking view toward the south.
Thank you for watching! Yes Route 7 follows a very scenic route from the Canadian border all the way south to Long Island Sound.
I grew up in the area. Brings me back.
Thank you for watching!
Very interesting. I learned something today, thanks so much.
Thank you for watching!
Great video. Really interesting and educational for people who live in Connecticut and have taken pics of the hill your on from the bottom.
Thanks for watching! Yes this area is very scenic as you drive down Barndoor Hills Road. The knobs really stand out with the rusty colored cliffs.
Nicely done sir!!
Thanks for watching! I am planning some more paddling videos for late summer this year.
Roughly an hour ago, I discovered this site, was intrigued by it's title & discovered the printed narrative, so followed along. Very informative. Many years ago, mid-1970's, was a member of AMC-CT chapter & did a hike in Simbsbury, possibly in some of the area that this narrative covers, along the northern portion of Simsbury. Over many years, I've heard of the "Barndoor Hills", but not specifically where they are located along the northern tier of Simsbury. Can you give me better info? Enjoyed your presentation. When I have more time I will revisit this video, and check out the others, as well. Over the years, I've belonged to & still belong to three CT gem and mineral clubs.
Thank you for your interest in this video and channel Joane. According to the USGS topographic maps the Barndoor Hills straddle Barndoor Hills road in Granby. However the diabase sill that forms the Barndoor Hills extends from Manitook Mountain in Suffield to Pond Ledge Hill in Avon - about 20 miles. There are many named and unnamed knobs along this sill. Last May I exlpored the West Mountain Trails in Simsbury and hiked around and over one of these knobs. That video titled 'Springtime Exploration of Connecticut's West Mountain Trails' can be found on this channel.
For this current video I started by hiking at the Western Barndoor Hill Preserve operated by the Granby Land Trust. It is a moderate hike (less than 1 mile) to the the summit of this hill with a great view. There is parking for 2 or 3 cars along Barndoor Hills road or you can access this preserve from the trail network of the adjacent McLean Game Refuge where there is more parking and opportunities for longer hikes. I also climbed East Barndoor Hill near the end of this video while hiking the summit trail at McLean Game Refuge. Best luck exploring this area...there are good maps available to print from McLean Game Refuge and the Granby Land Trust to assist in trip planning.
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 Thank you for the info. Over the years I was a member of AMC, I recall hiking with the CT chapter perhaps twice in the area you mentioned in your comment. I'm glad that for a number of years, I was able to hike & bike with the Chapter, seeing some areas of CT that I might not have seen otherwise. About 12 years ago, my hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, vehicle driving ended due to a neurological disorder involving my right ankle/foot. I'm glad all these activities happened when I was much younger & could do much more. When we are younger and much more active, we/I never thought what could happen if something quite unexpected, happens. Learn to adjust to what we can, do. At least, that's what I do.
I certainly appreciate your attiude toward your physical limitations Joan. I do hope watching videos like those on my channel allow you to see places you can no longer see on your own. I am honored to fufill requests on places and subjects to explore on this channel. Best Wishes
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277Have you done a vid on the chalk cliff up in Cheshire MA?
It reminds me of the White Cliffs of Dover in England.
Thank you for watching! I am familiar with the Cheshire Cobbles along the Appalachian Trail but I have not hiked that segment yet. I believe those cobbles are made from quartzite which could look like chalk but is much harder. That is the kind of place I could consider recording for this channel.
Excellent video. Central Connecticut glacial and bedrock geology is fascinating to me!
Thank you for watching!
I know what you are up here. Like it ! I am at 9 mins am still waiting to hear the word Triassic.... nice cookie action! I think you hit the Tr & J at 10:45. Solid work !
Thank you for watching!
Fantastic video! Well done!
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!
NIce! have you made a video on east and west rock? always been curious about both
Thank you for watching! I did record oak trees on West Rock in 2022 for my other channel (Barkin' up the right tree) but would be glad to add a video to this channel on the Geology and Natural History of these parks. I would probably wait till cooler months to avoid ticks, poison ivy etc.
beautiful view and countryside
Thank you for watching! Lots of views in Connecticut from cliffs made of ancient lava flows.
Fantastic video!
Glad you enjoyed this video and thanks for watching!
Very interesting thank you
Thanks for watching!
is black pond in meridian a kettle hole or volcanic
Thank you for watching! Black Pond is unique as it lies just below the cliffs of Beseck Mountain. I was fortunate to visit the pond when the leaves were at peak color a couple of years ago. There appears to be a dam on Birdsey Avenue that was built to regulate the water in Black Pond however it also appears that the pond itself is natural and the dam only extended the pond westward but did not create the depression that is Black Pond. The map of Connecticut that shows sand deposits (where ice blocks that get left behind to become kettleholes) shows no sand in that area so the depression that filled with water would have been created by other forces. There is a layer of soft rock under Black Pond and a fault line as well. Both these can create a zone of weakness that could be hollowed out by the force of the glaciers pushing southward creating a depression (22 feet deep according to the fishing maps) that filled with water. The fault under Black Pond extends northward to create the gap between Higby and Beseck Mountains. This notch made a good route for Highway 66 as it avoides the cliffs of both these mountains. I think it is fair to say that Black Pond was not directly created by volcanoes but it's position between layers of volcanic rock contributed to it's formation. Best wishes
@letsdigalittledeeper2277 thank you
I was born in Holyoke Massachusetts...I love Mt Tom and Valley our ancient land is a lil slice of heaven
Thank you for watching! Alot to see in your area...I remember learning to ski on Mount Tom, riding the Alpine Slide in the summer and the amusement park. It is on my list of places to hike once cooler weather returns.
Is the Great Pond in Simsbury a kettle pond? Or is that too big?
Thanks for watching! The surficial geology map of the area around Great Pond does show deep sand deposits so it is possible that a kettle hole is present however there does appear to be a low dam at the south end of the pond. Large ice blocks can create large kettle ponds or lakes. Often the larger ponds fill up with enough water to have outlet streams. Congamond Lake appears to have been formed by three kettles that form deep spots in the north, middle and south end of the lake.
0:31 - Stunning view of the Pioneer Valley in CT and MA
Glad you enjoyed the view...I was blessed with great visibilty that day!
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 You had showed in your video a map of possible rift valleys which included North Carolina. I was wondering if you could share a link to that map, I would like to try to document that landform one day. There is a granite monolith in Roaring Gap and some interesting pyrolites in Albermarle (both in state parks). Would either of these sites be inside the a rift valley?
I will be glad to try to help. The map in this video showing the rift valleys along the east coast (including North Carolina) is taken from an out of print book titled 'Landprints' by Walter Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan does a great job illustrating the geologic history of North America in words that are easy to understand. The map is on page 44. I used a copy of that map in this video but unfortunately I have yet to find a way to attach photos or links to replies on this channel. I was able to download a detailed map of the bedrock of North Carolina (NC-geologic-map-NCGS-1985.pdf) to help answer your question. I believe the state parks you are referring to are Stone Mountain and Morrow Mountain and both lie northwest of the rift valleys shown on the map I downloaded. There are however Jurassic age diabase dikes in the Morrow Mountain area that cut across the older metamorphic rocks there. The map does not show any of these dikes near Stone Mountain but the granite dome of Stone Mountain is much younger than the surrounding rocks. Ironically I visited Stone Mountain and Looking Glass Rock in the 1980's when working at a summer camp near Asheville. The rift valleys shown on the more detailed map are near Durham, Wadesboro and north of Greensboro. Eno River State Park near Durham is in one of the rift valleys and a pamphlet about the geology of that park is for sale but not visible online. Best wishes!
Very interesting! Do you need permission for many of the areas you go to?
Best wishes from Rhode Island.
Thank you for watching! All the areas that I have explored for this channel thus far are open to the public. Occasionally I do explore off trail but on public lands.
@@letsdigalittledeeper2277 I had a geologist tell me that the hill I grew up on wasn’t natural to the landscape. I always thought there was a possibility it was a burial mound. Many arrowheads in the area.
Wow this is great. Looks like a lot of commenters as well as I would love to be on a guided hike like this!
Thank you for watching! Perhaps when my schedule is more open and flexible I could consider offering guided hikes. For now I am glad to honor requests for subjects or locations to explore on this channel. This video actually broached two subjects requested by subscribers last year. Best wishes
I heard Mt. Tom was an ancient volcano. Is that true?
Thank you for watching! The Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts is a rift valley that was flooded by basalt on several occassions. Basalt is similar to the rocks that flow out of volcanoes however in the case of Mount Tom the rock did not erupt but oozed out to cover a the rift valley for several miles. The cliffs on Mount Tom are part of that layer of basalt while much more the layer remains undergound east of Holyoke.
Wow I am from NY, I love this place, thanks for showing. Let's keep it a secret:-). I also think this is the perfect time to explore (after winter before leaves on trees).
Thank you for watching! Yes March is often a great month for hiking lower elevations in Southern New England and New York Metro area. Days are much longer so I don't have to rush to get out of the woods, no bugs, fewer ticks and no poison ivy leaves.
Doesn’t the sand and gravel run south from the river valley onto Long Island?
Thank you for watching! Yes there are almost continous deposits of sand and gravel in the valley occupied by the Farmington and Quinnipiac rivers from Granby to New Haven. These sands were deposited after the glaciers had melted back to a position north of Connecticut. Much the sand on Long Island would have been deposited before the glaciers had melted back that far when the source of the meltwater was closer.
great video sir, much thanks, Happy 4th of July 2024🎉
Thank you for watching and glad you enjoyed the video!
I have walked past that manure spreader a hundred times and never knew what it was.
Thanks 👍🏼
Thank you for watching! The sandy soil in much of the McClean Game Refuge would have been workable by farmers but in need of more nutrients to be productive. I have seen Amish farmers in Pennsylvania and Ohio using horse drawn spreaders similar to the one in this video. Best wishes
Thank you
Thanks for watching!
I understand that the Vermont gold belt New Hampshire gold belt Maine gold belt all run down into Massachusetts do you know where please sir
Thank you for watching! There is supposed to be trace amounts of gold in alot of the metamorphic rocks of Connecticut and Massachusetts. Gold bearing rocks were found near Cobalt Connecticut when mining for Nickel and Cobalt. I could consider poking around in streams sometime to see what I can find. Good Luck
I live in south west ct, and i am shocked of how absent the surface rocks are. Out in Fairfield county they are everywhere.
Yes most of Connecticut is full of ledge, boulder piles and rocks of all sizes just below the surface! The most notable exception is in the rift valley illustrated in this video. That valley is filled with much softer sandstones and shales that weather into decent soil. And of course meltwater streams left large sand deposits in many areas. Other than that it is tough digging!
It's always cool to learn something new about your home state... as much as it sucks to live in.
I felt much the way you did.Then I really discovered how our forest and our geology work together. And now I find our state quite beautiful. The blue blazed hiking trails offers unique glimpses into our amazing forest here in Connecticut. We have a pretty good diversity of trees and ecosystems within the small area. The trees and the hills don't give a crap about all the negative parts of Connecticut, politics and lifestyles of the strange people who live here.
Glad you enjoyed the video!
@@terrymorton7444I’m with you, I live in Danielson and started hiking around a year ago in the area, so many beautiful places rivers and forests areas to explore.
I lived in Connecticut most of my life and never heard of barndoir hills even though I frequented that area. I'm also a map enthusiast reading maps for the fun of it and never came across that in print either. Did he name it himself?
Thank you for watching! I am not familiar with the origin of the name Barndoor Hills but it does appear on USGS Topo maps. When one drives south on Barndoor Hills Road from Route 20 cliffs from these hills face the road on both sides perhaps resembling barn doors?
INTERESTING - I live right by Enders falls in West Granby. Beautiful area.
Thanks for watching! I was able to explore those falls last September while recording some Mountain Maple for my tree ID channel (Barkin' up the right tree). Beautiful and unique falls.
Ever heard of and/or follow Randall Carlson's work? He has a YT channel; really awesome stuff!
Have you ever explored 'The Valley'? (Naugatuck/Beacon Falls/ Seymour/Derby/ect)
Naugatuck/Beacon Falls has some pretty cool mountains, along the Naugatuck river, to hike.
Thank you for watching and for suggesting Randall Carson's channel. I was not familiar with his work but it looks interesting...I will watch some of his videos this summer!
What town is this?
Granby CT
Thank you for watching! Both the preserves in this video are in Granby CT and can be accessed from Barndoor Hills Road. The Mclean Game Refuge covers a very large area and their trail map shows many access points and trails. The West Barndoor Hill Preserve shown in the start of this video is smaller with limited roadside parking for 3 or 4 cars. Since these preserves are adjoining I was able to explore both without moving my car. I hope this helpful and you can visit these beautiful natural areas!
Where is the gold at
lets dig deeper,im from sw wisconsin,im in the driftless area,i used to live at cassville,w along the mississippi river bluffs,natural caves behind my parents house plus a natural spring that came down the bluff onto my parents property,cool eh?
Thanks for watching! I always found it fascinating that such a large area was bypassed by the ice sheets. Similar bluffs are found just south of where the glaciers stopped in Southern Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. I explored one of these bluffs in Indiana for this channel in 2020. 'Hanover College hiking trails' shows cliffs, falls and tons of fossils on trails behind that college.
They say the stone walls in new england as a whole are one of the largest archeological structures on the planet
I'm sure they must be as I find old walls, cellar holes, cemeteries and mill ruins on many hikes!
Old roots of really old mountains
Thanks for watching! Yes it has been millions of years since these hills were formed. What we see now are roots of much larger hills.
It all was lake Hitchcock long ago a glacier lake filled our valley
Yes Lake Hitchcock extended from Rocky Hill Connecticut all the way up into Vermont. The Barndoor Hills and surrounding sand plains were high enough not to be flooded by this lake but I'm sure it was visible from the overlooks!
Well educared for sure but I did not need quite so much proof ... :) Thanks the same
Thank you for watching!
HEY!!. YOU ATE THE BEDROCK!!! NOW WHAT R' WE GONNA DO?!🤷
Fortunately Drake's Cakes come 8 to a box so there is still some 'Bedrock' left. Thanks for watching!