You can support my educational videos by clicking on the "Thanks" button just above (right of Like button) or by going here: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EWUSLG3GBS5W8 or here: buymeacoffee.com/shawnwillsey
The Hurricane name comes from Paiute Hurra Cano (guess at the spelling) which translates to "hot house". A reference to the hot springs where the Virgin River crosses the Hurricane Fault. You mentioned a UGS field guide in your video and said the URL would be in the comments. Thanks for this video, and all your work on this.
Everything I've found online (the usgs link he gave and the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers) say that it was named after the strong wind they experienced after arriving there
I’m the former geology major who donated a few weeks ago. My field camp was based in Cedar City. If you’ve never explored Spring Creek Canyon near Kanarraville, there’s a fold on the south wall near the canyon mouth/trailhead that nicely replicates the S. Utah Overthrust. Great teaching tool!
Awesome! Such a defining feature for our local topography. Every time we climbed it on family trips I would point out to my kids how remarkable that this million year old structure moved about a foot each thousand years. They would just roll their eyes and get back to their Gameboys.
As a former Utahn I approve of the first discussion point. I refused to call it that when I first moved there. But i have since returned and accept the correct pronunciation.
@@spikespa5208 Place names often get abbreviated like that -- if you're saying it dozens of times a day, you start to cut corners. A great example of this in England is Appletreewick, which is pronounced "APP-trick" by the locals.
This is so interesting. Your vids solve so much mystery and questions I have of every place I’ve been. Fascinating I love this stuff and you do great definition of the area surrounding.
Excellent explaination of the geographical area of Hurricane! I remember learning same info when I was in middlecschool in Cedar City. Your video, narration, math & written charts deserve an A+
For folks who can't hike rugged country any more, there is a spot where the highway from Hurricane town to Zion or Fredonia AZ crosses a fault exposure so you can see it from a comfortable seat in your car. Head out of Hurricane on Hwy 59. You will climb steeply up from Hurricane and just about 3/4 mile after you turn from Main Street onto Hwy 59 the highway starts to make a curve to the right. Along in this area you'll see steeply pitched shiny rock face on the right side of the road. If sun is shining on it in late afternoon, it may seem almost mirror-like. That is a slickensided portion of the fault -- the rock that Shawn showed that appears to be polished. That is the old fault surface. The slickenside results from incredible heat caused by friction as rock surfaces rub past one another and briefly melt. But you do need to slow down, drive carefully, and keep your eyes open. IF traffic is light, you may be able to safely pull to the right shoulder for a much better look. Just be careful. In this part of the country, many people are going to looking more at the incredible scenery and not paying as much attention to driving as they should.
Utah is one heck of a beautiful state. Some parts may be a little worrisome if you happen to live in those earthquake prone areas however. Thanks so much professor for a study of the geological feature regarding faults here.
Thanks for the new video. I just moved here and have been wondering about the various rocks and topography here and what kinds of things might have happened. This helps me understand a part of the puzzle. I’d love to learn more. Thanks for taking the time to make these videos.
Southern Utah is phenomenal. I have considered moving to Hurricane when - and if - I ever retire. It will probably never happen, but who knows? Thank you, as always. Do you suppose knowing about the fault will get me a property value discount?
This is an exceptionally amazing video, and the amount of great information you provide is a learning experience not to be missed . You’re work is so exciting to see. Thanks so much! Lynn in Naples Fl.
Haha the first part is appreciated ! When I moved here (and even now), I thought/think it’s a very interesting way to pronounce “hurricane”. On another note, I appreciate and enjoy watching your content!
Another nice exploration and description. Thanks. I've traveled that area many times and noted the amount of vertical relief. The La Verkin River seems to follow along part of the bottom of that area. I recall a quake in Springdale somewhat recently.
FANTASTIC video! Amateur geologist here with a special interest in seismology, volcanology and plate tectonics. It's been a while since I've gone on a geology road trip. Definitely need to check out places I've seen in your videos before I get too old to hike in rough terrain. Geology has been my passion for 50 years and I've been to some amazing places. Thank you for posting.
I found your channel through AZRA who shared one of your Grand Canyon videos on FB and I'm so glad I found your channel! I've been fortunate to have been rafting down the Grand more than once and have always wondered about the geology (if you have any Grand Canyon geology reference book recommendations, I'd love to hear about them). It has been great to learn so much from your videos. Love your real world examples and it is even more helpful when you overlay your descriptions/text on the video. Your presentation style is fantastic and the knowledge you share is amazing! Please keep up the great work and continue creating these awesome geology videos!
Thank you kindly. I have a 2025 river trip through the Canyon already booked but look for a 2026 trip if you are interested. Also there is my Grand Canyon playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLOf4plee9UzDeaEYBHtkhGCiFbD4TcI0x.html
Fascinating! I think there may be 3? Faults converging in the Salida Colorado area between the Sangre De Cristos, the Pikes Peak batholith, the southern Sawatch Range, as well as the Rio Grand Rift, and the 39 mile volcanic field to the east of Salida.
Shawn, We’re over here on the Carolina coast watching (and supporting) your channel because of your gifted way of conveying your knowledge of Geology. Having watched many of your videos I’m struck by a non-geological question; do you EVER encounter snakes during your hikes? If you do and you’re editing out the encounters, you’re also a gifted editor.
It's a very special part of the world. Thank you for making this even more clear. This isn't the geology of my childhood this is the big picture right down the plate tectonics and how to all relates to what is underneath our feet.
Incredible. Thanks for sharing your expertise with us Prof. I wonder how many locals trundle along the highway, oblivious to the amazing geology just to their East (I would have been one, half an hour ago). Let's hope they watch your video Shawn Many thanks from one of your metric friends.
All the places that you go to broaden our view of our amazing Planet and its incredible geologic drama that has happened so excruciatingly slowly through deep time. We barely even get to glance at it all and then we too are history.
Fantastic exposure, thanks for getting us an up close view! It'd be great to learn more about the historical earthquakes here and how large a movement would be expected, also I'm interested in how the rock gets so polished- is this from the movement of the fault alone or is weathering playing a role?
Thanks Shawn, 18mos ago drove this way to visit N Rim Grand Canyon from San Diego area and noticed these walls. 2 years from retirement and studying TH-cam geology from primarily YOU! Now I have some intentions to revisit this area. Love your lessons.
This was so fun to watch! We mtn bike over there every week. I’m going to make sure and stop to see it. I always knew southern Utah had a fault but I had no idea it was so big and could cause such a big earthquake! They don’t even do earthquake drills here! Have you ever gone to what they call “glitter mountain” the gypsum mine in Warner Valley (by the airport).
It’s really interesting that the town and fault you’re discussing here I would pronounce the same as the weather phenomenon being from the North of England. They’re both the same pronunciation to me similar to how you’re pronouncing the fault and town name.
Thanks Shawn, great to see a segment close to home! One thing confuses me, geologists frequently refer to the movement as the foot wall going up and and the hanging wall going down, that is true for the movement relative to each other, but like in this case there is no indication that the foot wall actually rose, its just that the hanging wall, including the town of Hurricane is going down?
Wonderful presentation as usual!! I stumbled upon y our channel by watching a widely watch geology professor named Nick from Eastern Washington University. I'm chasing a long lost interest in geology I developed while studying for a degree in Civil Engineering. I live just North of CDA and have a chunk of ground in the Walipai Valley North of Kingman. The line you drew on the map depicting the fault's location in northern AZ appears to run West of the Music Mountains South of the Grand Canyon which further got my attention since that's my neighborhood. I'd be most interested in hearing more about the Southern end of the fault. Also, thanks for the excellent coverage you've done on the Iceland seismic/volcanic activity. Used to fly into iceland when I was in the USAF back in the 60's.
Super faulting examples, so distinct. Thanks for the distant views. That conglomerate is gorgeous. In the SW, I've seen "desert varnish" on rocks, and the slickensides had that color in places. ( What is desert varnish?) Strikingly pretty country. Thanks, Shawn!
Shawn, is there a listing of the relative dates of the more significant earthquakes along this fault and if so, when was the last quake of significance?
I love your content! Is there any chance of you coming to the Lewistown area? There are some basalt layers that I'd like to see you talk about that have been exposed by the 95 road cuts to the north and some really interesting layers exposed by a gravel mining operation on Lapwai rd. I'd also really love to learn about the geology around the Clearwater River. The gorge is every bit as impressive as Hells Canyon, but I haven't found anything on how it was formed. I know that the Bonneville flood would have pushed up the Clearwater, but I wouldn't think that would be capable of carving out all of that material.
Interesting that TH-cam recommend this video to me two weeks after an earthquake here in Southern Utah! Idk if this fault line was the source as the usgs listed Brian Head as the site of measurement. Appreciate the video, very informative -so. Utah resident
Beautiful Utah! Although I live in Colorado and enjoy our many and varied mountain ranges, particularly the San Juans, i think Utah's geology is the most fascinating of all the states. You mentioned the Wasatch Fault and I was wondering if you could cover that one also since it is a potential threat to all the cities just to the West along the I-15 corridor.
“Slickenside” sounds like a word a German poet would come up with. Of course I can’t also help but think of the kids’ toy “Slip ‘n Slide.” OK, whatever helps memorize the term! 😂 Seriously though, this was another GREAT video! You’ve inspired me to read up on further geology texts. Thank you so much!
What are the interactions between the northern limmit of the hurrikin fault and suthern washach fault and southern sevear fault( triple junction at about i70/ i15 junction)?
These plains are riding on top of what’s left of the Jaun de Fuca and things underneath there are causing a rise in the landscape to make the fault split?
There are slickensides from this fault on the side of Hwy 9 as it crosses the fault east of LaVerkin. But it is on the side of a busy highway without a good pullout.
Do you encounter many fauna related threats while scrambling about? I live in critter-infested South Australia, relatively near the Flinders Ranges, and I always worry something will bite you!
Very interesting , so say a 7.2 quake happens does or can this slip move something like 10 to 20 cm at a time ? Or we would have to see a 9.0 size quake.
I loved that area I'm from Florida so it's a bit different here but my husband's son and I got to drive from California through Death Valley through to Las Vegas and then up through the Virgin River Gorge into St George where we stayed and then drove right up to where you're at and then through Mount Zion then we went out to the Grand Canyon camped out on the north rim then went to Bryce Canyon drove up scenic route 12 all the way through Capitol Reef Escalante Moab we saw the grand staircase and then we drove I-70 through Colorado and then we went cross-country down through Tennessee in the Appalachian Mountains all the way back down to Florida. It was such a fascinating trip that my son who's only 10 decided that this year his science fair project would be a working model of the Grand Canyon on how it began with all the layers but the St George area absolutely fascinated me because from what I understand it's not only where the Basin and Range and the Colorado Plateau merge but it's also where the Mojave desert meets up with them it was all amazing I just wish I had more time to explore like I did with my parents when I was young I really do like your long form videos better but thank you do you happen to have a video on the grand staircase I would really love to see more videos of some of the features that I was mentioning I can't find anything on the grand staircase that doesn't end up being Bible related obnoxious when I want science please continue making more videos
You've talked about how these features are related to extensional forces, and it's kind of logical that the hanging wall falls, but what causes the footwall to rise, or is the "rising" of the footwall only relative to the hanging wall?
I was wondering, I understand that the Colorado Plateau was pushed up by the subducted plate sliding underneath it. Is this still going on? I live near Denver, and I've noticed ground deformation accumulating along the route of I-76 from Thornton towards Arvada. The once-smooth freeway path now has small dips and thrusts that are perceptible as you drive, and they are getting more pronounced over the last decade.
Have you done a video on Pinnacles NP? I was told that they used to be in Los Angeles, but have moved up to San Jose. Is that right? Condors there. --charles johnson, sacramento
Is that location the radio towers whose trail Matt from Matts Off Road Recovery has warned people to avoid because the trail's in extremely bad shape and is extremely dangerous to drive up.
Really cool. The fault surface shows shearing , but does the heat generated in a slip change the rocks much or is most of the texture , colour and other features a result of the shearing ? And when was the last recorded, or calculated , large earthquake ?
Cool fault seeing where the Colorado plateau is getting shoved up in what is effectively in some sense an expansion of the basin and range. The lava flows here are thought to be a consequence of slab drip which is where lower sections of the continental crust getting heated from below by the low sheer velocity hot upwelling mantle ridge continuity beneath the Colorado plateau fall off allowing magma to fill in the gaps and rise to the surface along the points of least resistance. I think from what I've read, particular from the work of Robert Hildebrand, that the best explanation for the heat source and the context of the rest of the odd geology of the western US is that the heat source is the solid mantle continuation of the East Pacific Rise below the large silicate raft that is the continent of North America. Given that it is relatively aligned fairly close to where the Yellowstone hotspot intersects this ridgeline at what looks like an oceanic triple junction I wonder if the local heat flux intensity is getting enhanced by the the plume as well since it appears they both are in the same geologic frame of reference relative to North America.
Excellent! Hope it doesn't send my parent's condo down into the golf course in st George, or at least no while we're there! (And their house is on the Bonneville shoreline above south Ogden with the wasatch fault scarp at the bottom of their yard dropping down to the valley below - and then they worry about ME near Newport Beach.)
The saying about the southern Utah accent is that, "Born in a barn in St. George" is pronounced, "Barn in a born in St. Jarge." My great-grandfather came from England as a child and lived for a time in Leeds, Utah near Hurricane.
So the dreaded question is when can we expect more movement along this fault line? Do I need to be buying earthquake insurance if I live around the area? Also, I think you meant Hwy 15? 15 goes along the plates, if I remember correctly?
You can support my educational videos by clicking on the "Thanks" button just above (right of Like button) or by going here: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EWUSLG3GBS5W8
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The Hurricane name comes from Paiute Hurra Cano (guess at the spelling) which translates to "hot house". A reference to the hot springs where the Virgin River crosses the Hurricane Fault. You mentioned a UGS field guide in your video and said the URL would be in the comments. Thanks for this video, and all your work on this.
Everything I've found online (the usgs link he gave and the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers) say that it was named after the strong wind they experienced after arriving there
It's in the 'Description' above the 'comments', Bill. 👍 (click the '...more' link)
@@FinneasJedidiah My source is several elders of the Kaibab Paiute Band.
@@FinneasJedidiah I was told this by two elders of the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians.
If there's even a chance the Paiute elders are correct, then it's only respectful to share their interpretation, thanks!
I’m the former geology major who donated a few weeks ago. My field camp was based in Cedar City. If you’ve never explored Spring Creek Canyon near Kanarraville, there’s a fold on the south wall near the canyon mouth/trailhead that nicely replicates the S. Utah Overthrust. Great teaching tool!
Awesome! Such a defining feature for our local topography. Every time we climbed it on family trips I would point out to my kids how remarkable that this million year old structure moved about a foot each thousand years. They would just roll their eyes and get back to their Gameboys.
As a former Utahn I approve of the first discussion point. I refused to call it that when I first moved there. But i have since returned and accept the correct pronunciation.
I live in Illinois. At the bottom of the state is a town call Cairo - pronounced Ka-Row.
While residing in the area for 2 decades, I often heard it pronounced by the locals as _hurr- cun_ .
@@Magazine_stitcher Cairo, Nebraska is also "KAY-roh".
@@spikespa5208 Place names often get abbreviated like that -- if you're saying it dozens of times a day, you start to cut corners. A great example of this in England is Appletreewick, which is pronounced "APP-trick" by the locals.
@@beeble2003 Left the area almost a decade ago but I still find myself using the abbreviated pronunciation when talking about storms in Florida. lol
Awesome video! Much love to everyone and their families from Cedar City Utah USA 👍🤠
Yet another thing to look for and at close view when I visit Utah that I never learned previously: Slickenside lineations. Thanks again, Dr. Willsey
Fantastic explanation of geological processes!
driving through utah is what ignited my love for geology!
Very interesting. Some of those fault surfaces look like ancient abstract art. Really beautiful
This is so interesting. Your vids solve so much mystery and questions I have of every place I’ve been. Fascinating I love this stuff and you do great definition of the area surrounding.
Thanks!
Thank you!
Excellent explaination of the geographical area of Hurricane! I remember learning same info when I was in middlecschool in Cedar City. Your video, narration, math & written charts deserve an A+
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Very well done, Shawn. Great editing and use of camera angles.
Loved the slicken lines in this one - so dramatic!
For folks who can't hike rugged country any more, there is a spot where the highway from Hurricane town to Zion or Fredonia AZ crosses a fault exposure so you can see it from a comfortable seat in your car. Head out of Hurricane on Hwy 59. You will climb steeply up from Hurricane and just about 3/4 mile after you turn from Main Street onto Hwy 59 the highway starts to make a curve to the right. Along in this area you'll see steeply pitched shiny rock face on the right side of the road. If sun is shining on it in late afternoon, it may seem almost mirror-like. That is a slickensided portion of the fault -- the rock that Shawn showed that appears to be polished. That is the old fault surface. The slickenside results from incredible heat caused by friction as rock surfaces rub past one another and briefly melt. But you do need to slow down, drive carefully, and keep your eyes open. IF traffic is light, you may be able to safely pull to the right shoulder for a much better look. Just be careful. In this part of the country, many people are going to looking more at the incredible scenery and not paying as much attention to driving as they should.
Very educational, sir. Thank you!
Utah is one heck of a beautiful state. Some parts may be a little worrisome if you happen to live in those earthquake
prone areas however. Thanks so much professor for a study of the geological feature regarding faults here.
Wonderful, absolutely amazing!
Thanks for the new video. I just moved here and have been wondering about the various rocks and topography here and what kinds of things might have happened. This helps me understand a part of the puzzle. I’d love to learn more. Thanks for taking the time to make these videos.
The more you know! Thank you again for adding to our collective knowledge.
Southern Utah is phenomenal. I have considered moving to Hurricane when - and if - I ever retire. It will probably never happen, but who knows? Thank you, as always. Do you suppose knowing about the fault will get me a property value discount?
@@drmichaelshea everything is ridiculously expensive in S Utah atm. Only thing it will get you is earthquake insurance on your house 😆
This is an exceptionally amazing video, and the amount of great information you provide is a learning experience not to be missed . You’re work is so exciting to see.
Thanks so much!
Lynn in Naples Fl.
Wow, Shawn, what an amazing site and sight! Thank you so much for this video!!
Haha the first part is appreciated ! When I moved here (and even now), I thought/think it’s a very interesting way to pronounce “hurricane”.
On another note, I appreciate and enjoy watching your content!
Another nice exploration and description. Thanks. I've traveled that area many times and noted the amount of vertical relief. The La Verkin River seems to follow along part of the bottom of that area. I recall a quake in Springdale somewhat recently.
If I ever go to Hurricane, Utah, I’ll look out for this fault. It looks so cool. And I will pronounce it like a native. 🤣
FANTASTIC video! Amateur geologist here with a special interest in seismology, volcanology and plate tectonics. It's been a while since I've gone on a geology road trip. Definitely need to check out places I've seen in your videos before I get too old to hike in rough terrain. Geology has been my passion for 50 years and I've been to some amazing places. Thank you for posting.
I was raised in St. George and the area around there began my interest in geology. The whole area is so intriguing. Good job.
I found your channel through AZRA who shared one of your Grand Canyon videos on FB and I'm so glad I found your channel! I've been fortunate to have been rafting down the Grand more than once and have always wondered about the geology (if you have any Grand Canyon geology reference book recommendations, I'd love to hear about them). It has been great to learn so much from your videos. Love your real world examples and it is even more helpful when you overlay your descriptions/text on the video. Your presentation style is fantastic and the knowledge you share is amazing! Please keep up the great work and continue creating these awesome geology videos!
Thank you kindly. I have a 2025 river trip through the Canyon already booked but look for a 2026 trip if you are interested. Also there is my Grand Canyon playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLOf4plee9UzDeaEYBHtkhGCiFbD4TcI0x.html
Fascinating! I think there may be 3? Faults converging in the Salida Colorado area between the Sangre De Cristos, the Pikes Peak batholith, the southern Sawatch Range, as well as the Rio Grand Rift, and the 39 mile volcanic field to the east of Salida.
Absolutely stunning view and discussion of the Hurricane fault
Shawn,
We’re over here on the Carolina coast watching (and supporting) your channel because of your gifted way of conveying your knowledge of Geology. Having watched many of your videos I’m struck by a non-geological question; do you EVER encounter snakes during your hikes? If you do and you’re editing out the encounters, you’re also a gifted editor.
But what about my question about snakes?🤔
Oh bless you, Shawn for honoring the local pronunciation!
I can't say it any other way when I am there.
It's a very special part of the world. Thank you for making this even more clear.
This isn't the geology of my childhood this is the big picture right down the plate tectonics and how to all relates to what is underneath our feet.
Very interesting shawn thanks
Thanks Shawn! I love this area! I've been in this area many times!
Thanks! I should have been a geologist. I am going to go look for any videos you have done about Colorado! Thanks! Have a coffee on me!
Much appreciated. Thank you.
Incredible. Thanks for sharing your expertise with us Prof. I wonder how many locals trundle along the highway, oblivious to the amazing geology just to their East (I would have been one, half an hour ago). Let's hope they watch your video Shawn Many thanks from one of your metric friends.
All the places that you go to broaden our view of our amazing Planet and its incredible geologic drama that has happened so excruciatingly slowly through deep time. We barely even get to glance at it all and then we too are history.
Fantastic exposure, thanks for getting us an up close view! It'd be great to learn more about the historical earthquakes here and how large a movement would be expected, also I'm interested in how the rock gets so polished- is this from the movement of the fault alone or is weathering playing a role?
Thanks Shawn, 18mos ago drove this way to visit N Rim Grand Canyon from San Diego area and noticed these walls. 2 years from retirement and studying TH-cam geology from primarily YOU! Now I have some intentions to revisit this area. Love your lessons.
Awesome. Thanks for learning with me.
Thanks for these videos I'm learning so much. Did you go visit Matt's Off Road Recovery while in Hurricane?
Nope. Did not know about this.
Hopefully Shawn will never have to use Matt's services!
Matt's Off Road Recovery is awesome!! I'll be attending the Off Road Games next month and am really excited.
Thanks!
Much appreciated. Thanks.
Iceland is a perfect example on how the Hurricane fault line developed. Great video Shawn. Keep up the great teaching. Appreciate you.
❤️🌋👍
Thx Prof ✌🏻 fascinating vid.
This was so fun to watch! We mtn bike over there every week. I’m going to make sure and stop to see it. I always knew southern Utah had a fault but I had no idea it was so big and could cause such a big earthquake! They don’t even do earthquake drills here! Have you ever gone to what they call “glitter mountain” the gypsum mine in Warner Valley (by the airport).
another most excellent fascinating video thank you
감사합니다.
Thank you kindly.
Most instructive Shawn, thank you!
Excellent,thank you.
This is very cool. Thank you Shawn.
Love seeing the slicken lines!
Really enjoyed this video! Especially well done!👍
thank you for the insight
It’s really interesting that the town and fault you’re discussing here I would pronounce the same as the weather phenomenon being from the North of England. They’re both the same pronunciation to me similar to how you’re pronouncing the fault and town name.
Yes, most British accents seem to pronounce it "hurry-c'n", just like the fault.
Thanks, stayed after the last Grindavik lesson... This was good. 🙂
Keep it up Shawn. Excellent par usual
Another great video
Great video!
Awesome video have you ever been talking about a fault an felt a quake at that location
This is an impressive and beautiful place!
Thanks Shawn, great to see a segment close to home! One thing confuses me, geologists frequently refer to the movement as the foot wall going up and and the hanging wall going down, that is true for the movement relative to each other, but like in this case there is no indication that the foot wall actually rose, its just that the hanging wall, including the town of Hurricane is going down?
Wonderful presentation as usual!! I stumbled upon y our channel by watching a widely watch geology professor named Nick from Eastern Washington University. I'm chasing a long lost interest in geology I developed while studying for a degree in Civil Engineering. I live just North of CDA and have a chunk of ground in the Walipai Valley North of Kingman. The line you drew on the map depicting the fault's location in northern AZ appears to run West of the Music Mountains South of the Grand Canyon which further got my attention since that's my neighborhood. I'd be most interested in hearing more about the Southern end of the fault. Also, thanks for the excellent coverage you've done on the Iceland seismic/volcanic activity. Used to fly into iceland when I was in the USAF back in the 60's.
Such a cool region. Id love to hear your thoughts on the sawtooth mountains a bit north of there by Delta and how notch peak formed.
Wonderful .
Super faulting examples, so distinct. Thanks for the distant views. That conglomerate is gorgeous. In the SW, I've seen "desert varnish" on rocks, and the slickensides had that color in places. ( What is desert varnish?) Strikingly pretty country. Thanks, Shawn!
Awesome! Thank you
Very nice geologic area.
Shawn, is there a listing of the relative dates of the more significant earthquakes along this fault and if so, when was the last quake of significance?
I love your content! Is there any chance of you coming to the Lewistown area? There are some basalt layers that I'd like to see you talk about that have been exposed by the 95 road cuts to the north and some really interesting layers exposed by a gravel mining operation on Lapwai rd. I'd also really love to learn about the geology around the Clearwater River. The gorge is every bit as impressive as Hells Canyon, but I haven't found anything on how it was formed. I know that the Bonneville flood would have pushed up the Clearwater, but I wouldn't think that would be capable of carving out all of that material.
Interesting that TH-cam recommend this video to me two weeks after an earthquake here in Southern Utah!
Idk if this fault line was the source as the usgs listed Brian Head as the site of measurement.
Appreciate the video, very informative
-so. Utah resident
Beautiful Utah! Although I live in Colorado and enjoy our many and varied mountain ranges, particularly the San Juans, i think Utah's geology is the most fascinating of all the states. You mentioned the Wasatch Fault and I was wondering if you could cover that one also since it is a potential threat to all the cities just to the West along the I-15 corridor.
Yes, I can do that at some point.
“Slickenside” sounds like a word a German poet would come up with. Of course I can’t also help but think of the kids’ toy “Slip ‘n Slide.” OK, whatever helps memorize the term! 😂 Seriously though, this was another GREAT video! You’ve inspired me to read up on further geology texts. Thank you so much!
Interesting video, thanks. Where is the volcano that the Pintura flow came from? How close is it to this location?
What are the interactions between the northern limmit of the hurrikin fault and suthern washach fault and southern sevear fault( triple junction at about i70/ i15 junction)?
These plains are riding on top of what’s left of the Jaun de Fuca and things underneath there are causing a rise in the landscape to make the fault split?
There are slickensides from this fault on the side of Hwy 9 as it crosses the fault east of LaVerkin. But it is on the side of a busy highway without a good pullout.
Yes, I've seen those. They are very good but no shoulder and very spicy with cars zipping by. This is much more safe.
I'd love a discussion of Provo canyon. There is a huge exposed face on the south side of Provo river that might be a fault as well.
Are the sand dunes there made from the mud as they are the same color?
Yes, other units, like Navajo Sandstone are a similar color and weather to form sand grains that pile up in dune fields.
If I had taken a class from you, I would have definitely gone into geology rather than biology. 😊
Yikes. Love the rocks but very scary on those slopes.
Do you encounter many fauna related threats while scrambling about? I live in critter-infested South Australia, relatively near the Flinders Ranges, and I always worry something will bite you!
Not usually. I know what to look for.
Very interesting , so say a 7.2 quake happens does or can this slip move something like 10 to 20 cm at a time ? Or we would have to see a 9.0 size quake.
Great video. I keep worrying about rattle snakes as you climb over the rocks, distracted by shooting the video. Stay safe.
Your in some of the most geologically active areas, have you ever been out as an earthquake has happened? If so how bad was it?
Nope. Have felt a few at home in southern Idaho. And one at school in the Mojave desert when I was 12.
I loved that area I'm from Florida so it's a bit different here but my husband's son and I got to drive from California through Death Valley through to Las Vegas and then up through the Virgin River Gorge into St George where we stayed and then drove right up to where you're at and then through Mount Zion then we went out to the Grand Canyon camped out on the north rim then went to Bryce Canyon drove up scenic route 12 all the way through Capitol Reef Escalante Moab we saw the grand staircase and then we drove I-70 through Colorado and then we went cross-country down through Tennessee in the Appalachian Mountains all the way back down to Florida. It was such a fascinating trip that my son who's only 10 decided that this year his science fair project would be a working model of the Grand Canyon on how it began with all the layers but the St George area absolutely fascinated me because from what I understand it's not only where the Basin and Range and the Colorado Plateau merge but it's also where the Mojave desert meets up with them it was all amazing I just wish I had more time to explore like I did with my parents when I was young I really do like your long form videos better but thank you do you happen to have a video on the grand staircase I would really love to see more videos of some of the features that I was mentioning I can't find anything on the grand staircase that doesn't end up being Bible related obnoxious when I want science please continue making more videos
You've talked about how these features are related to extensional forces, and it's kind of logical that the hanging wall falls, but what causes the footwall to rise, or is the "rising" of the footwall only relative to the hanging wall?
I was wondering, I understand that the Colorado Plateau was pushed up by the subducted plate sliding underneath it. Is this still going on? I live near Denver, and I've noticed ground deformation accumulating along the route of I-76 from Thornton towards Arvada. The once-smooth freeway path now has small dips and thrusts that are perceptible as you drive, and they are getting more pronounced over the last decade.
Have you done a video on Pinnacles NP? I was told that they used to be in Los Angeles, but have moved up to San Jose. Is that right? Condors there. --charles johnson, sacramento
No video yet, but I was there in 2018.
Is that location the radio towers whose trail Matt from Matts Off Road Recovery has warned people to avoid because the trail's in extremely bad shape and is extremely dangerous to drive up.
Nice field trip Shawn. Is the uplift subduction related or does clockwise rotation pull the west into graben? Flat slab theory?
Really cool. The fault surface shows shearing , but does the heat generated in a slip change the rocks much or is most of the texture , colour and other features a result of the shearing ? And when was the last recorded, or calculated , large earthquake ?
Cool fault seeing where the Colorado plateau is getting shoved up in what is effectively in some sense an expansion of the basin and range. The lava flows here are thought to be a consequence of slab drip which is where lower sections of the continental crust getting heated from below by the low sheer velocity hot upwelling mantle ridge continuity beneath the Colorado plateau fall off allowing magma to fill in the gaps and rise to the surface along the points of least resistance.
I think from what I've read, particular from the work of Robert Hildebrand, that the best explanation for the heat source and the context of the rest of the odd geology of the western US is that the heat source is the solid mantle continuation of the East Pacific Rise below the large silicate raft that is the continent of North America. Given that it is relatively aligned fairly close to where the Yellowstone hotspot intersects this ridgeline at what looks like an oceanic triple junction I wonder if the local heat flux intensity is getting enhanced by the the plume as well since it appears they both are in the same geologic frame of reference relative to North America.
Thank you for using the the proper pronunciation of the town's name! 😁
Excellent! Hope it doesn't send my parent's condo down into the golf course in st George, or at least no while we're there! (And their house is on the Bonneville shoreline above south Ogden with the wasatch fault scarp at the bottom of their yard dropping down to the valley below - and then they worry about ME near Newport Beach.)
The pronunciation Hur-a-kin is more like we would say it in the UK. We would say Hur-i-kan
The saying about the southern Utah accent is that, "Born in a barn in St. George" is pronounced, "Barn in a born in St. Jarge." My great-grandfather came from England as a child and lived for a time in Leeds, Utah near Hurricane.
Incredible! I have to tell you I laughed every time you said “huricun”
So the dreaded question is when can we expect more movement along this fault line? Do I need to be buying earthquake insurance if I live around the area? Also, I think you meant Hwy 15? 15 goes along the plates, if I remember correctly?
What makes the surface of the footwall so smooth and polished? Is it the movement of the rock under pressure?
Grinding and pulverizing of rock as rocks slide past during quake.