Fieldwork in the US: A Map

fieldwork in 9 states
Create your own visited map of The United States

Short Geologist over at Accidental Remediation has started a new meme: US states you've done fieldwork in. She has excluded states where she may have only done fieldwork during grad or undergrad school, as have I, but she encourages you to use any definition you'd like when making your own fieldwork map. Additionally, I have left out two countries I've done minimal fieldwork in (I'd have to make a separate map). Some of you might want to make a fieldwork by country map.

I'd add Virginia, Michigan, and Hawaii to this map if I were to expand my definition to include states I've done field work in during my undergrad years (Virginia) along with states I've visited in a geological capacity, though either not for pay (Hawaii) or not doing actual fieldwork but going on field trips or for-pay trips to the field (Hawaii, Michigan).

As you can see, I'm primarily a western geologist. Anyone else want to join?

Where in the West: Big Hole, Hole-in-the-Ground, and Fort Rock

Just a quick recap of this month's WITW challenge, which was won by Oregon geoblogger Lockwood. The three circular features in the photo shown above, taken on a northbound flight from Reno to Seattle, are Big Hole, Hole-in-the-Ground, and Fort Rock. As noted by Lockwood, Big Hole and Hole-in-the-Ground are maars, and Fort Rock is a tuff ring.

You can read more about Hole-in-the-Ground here and here at Lockwood's Outside the Interzone, and about Fort Rock here and in several other posts (and see this compilation for all his 2013 Geo 365 posts, which cover many other locations in the area and elsewhere). Also, this USGS field trip guide is excellent for taking along on any road trips into the area.

View Bend OR to Winnemucca NV in a larger map

I've added the locations of the three features to an earlier map of mine. As you can see, they form a nearly straight line.

Where in the West: March 2014

I've got two photos for this Where in the West challenge: same location, slightly different viewing angle. If you enlarge these, you'll notice some distinctly volcanic features, three of which are nearly in a line and in Photo 2 start in the lower left corner and go toward the center of the photo.

Photo 1

Photo 2

I took these photos on a recent flight between Reno and Seattle; the general location should be fairly easy. I'd like the names of the three main volcanic features and what they are. There are, no doubt, other features that could be mentioned, some of which can't easily be seen in these airliner photos because of the washed out colors and distance. Also, for any of you really familiar with this area (and I know of at least one or two readers who are), the area in the lower center and right of Photo 1 and Photo 2, contain some features -- volcanic or otherwise -- which may or may not be of note.

A Where in the West Revisited: Rose Spit, B.C.

Flying back from Alaska on yet another recent trip, I was able to spot Rose Spit, which featured as a Where in the West challenge back in October of 2010. The shape of the northeastern tip of Graham Island — an island in the Haida Gwaii, or Queen Charlotte Islands, off of the coast of British Columbia up near Prince Rupert — always fascinates me.

The northern portion of Graham Island, with Rose Spit on the left below the wing, and Maset Sound in the upper right.

Maset Sound is a narrow, river-like entrance into the larger, saltwater body of water known as Maslet Inlet, which is somewhat visible beneath the clouds hovering over the central part of the island.

The waves around the spit were reflecting in a bright, yellowish glare from the mid-day sun.

A closer view of the convoluted shape of Rose Spit and its associated small islands.

A view of the spit, with a few of the small islands off its tip.

Related Posts:
Where in the West: October 2010
Where in the West: Rose Spit, B.C., Canada