Laguna Canyon and Beach, Santa Cruz Island, California, 3d Newsletter

Santa Cruz Island Schist, Willows Diorite, Blanca Formation, and reverse faulting

Laguna Canyon, Santa Cruz Island, California, Geology Notes,

September 18, 2022

TDAVISGEO’s Newsletter are a collection of field notes and videos describing the geology along trails and roads in southern and eastern California and Nevada.

Santa Cruz Island provides some of the most southwestward positioned subaerial outcrops of the North American land- mass, while displaying a rare glimpse of prehistoric coastal southern California and picturesque and seldom accessible exposures of Tertiary strata.  

Drive down upper Laguna Canyon (on The Nature Conservancy Property, landing permit required*). Driving over red soil of the Santa Cruz Island Schist and panoramas of the Schist, Willows Diorite, and Blanca Formation,

Beach at Laguna Canyon with Blanca Formation outcrops to the east and west of the beach,

Bottom of Form

Reverse faulting in Blanca Formation outcrops to east of Laguna Beach, two videos,

Drive out of Laguna Canyon and red soil of the Santa Cruz Island Schist,

Also, check out our recent Santa Cruz Island Geology Field Guide: Santa Cruz Island field trip: Geology, history, and research opportunities, Davis, T.L., Behl, R.J., O’Sullivan, K.M., Raskin, S., and Bryne, S., 2020, in Heermance, R.V., and Schwartz, J.J., eds., From the Islands to the Mountains, View of Geologic Excursions in Southern California: Geological Society of America Field Guide 59, p. 115–163,

https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/books/book/2279/From-the-Islands-to-the-Mountains-A-2020-View-o

THOMAS L. DAVIS PHD PG & ASSOCIATES LEAD AND ORGANIZE GEOLOGIC FIELD TRIPS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN USA AND BAJA CALIFORNIA FOR ORGANIZATIONS, COMPANIES, AND INDIVIDUALS, CONTACT US AT tldavisgeo@gmail.com or geologicmapsfoundation@gmail.com

Other sources of geologic information: https://www.nps.gov/chis/learn/nature/geologicformations.htm

* The Nature Conservancy portion of Santa Cruz Island requires a Landing Permit to go ashore. Landing Permit holders play an important role in helping to protect the island’s sensitive natural and cultural resources. Your continued stewardship and assistance is greatly appreciated. Please note: Santa Cruz Island Landing Permits are issued for private, non-commercial sailings only and are for a maximum group size of 10 persons. Landing Permits are valid for daylight hours only and camping is prohibited. No animals or pets of any kind may be brought onto the SCI preserve, due to high risk of animal disease transmission.

https://preserve.nature.org/page/86523/donate/