Scripps Beach Geology 101 Field Lab – Fall 2011

Mesa College

Date: Friday, October 7th @ 9:15 AM

Where: Meet at Scripps Beach next to Scripps Pier– On the beach directly in front of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

Note: There are fieldtrip guide maps and directions.

How to Get There:

Directions: Scripps Beach is located directly in front of Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

From the north, take Interstate 5 south and exit at La Jolla Village Drive westbound. Stay right at the signalized intersection where La Jolla Village Drive ends and Torrey Pines Road begins at the southwest corner of the UCSD campus. Very shortly after that turn left at the signalized intersection at La Jolla Shores Drive. Follow LJSD down the hill to the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Turn right at the signalized “T” intersection of El Paseo Grande. Find a parking space along the residential street.

From the south, take Interstate 5 northbound and exit at La Jolla Parkway. Turn right at the signalized intersection at La Jolla Shores Drive, then turn left at the signalized intersection at the signalized “T” intersection of El Paseo Grande. Find a parking space along the residential street.

For an in-depth description of how to get there go to:

http://libraries.ucsd.edu/hours-maps-directions/directions/sio.html

SIO map link:

http://www.lcso.com/current/CSRC_Scripps_Map_MJH.pdf

Parking: Limited residential street parking. SIO campus parking needs a permit. Lots of parking at La Jolla Shores Beach 1 mile south.

How long?: The fieldtrip will probably take about 2 to 3 hours to complete.

Cancellation due to Weather: The field trip will be cancelled if it rains.

Purpose: To familiarize students with the coastal geology of San Diego County: 1) better understand the concepts concerning shoreline processes and geomorphology, 2) tectonics and recent faulting, 3) depositional and erosional environments and local stratigraphy, and 4) the geologic history of San Diego County.

Activities: Observe, Study, Measure, and Discuss the nature of deposition and erosion of the beaches and bluffs, coastal geology, and recent faulting within coastal San Diego.

Pre-Fieldtrip Preparation: Study the material in this link prior to the fieldtrip. NOTE: you will have a much easier time on the fieldtrip if you have some background information about the geology of the area.

http://quakeinfo.ucsd.edu/~gabi/sio15/beachwalk-summ.pdf

Field Assignment: Students will be required to complete a field trip handout, which includes answering fill-in questions, and writing a short reflection on the field trip experience.

The worksheet that we will complete during this field excursion can be found at this link:

http://www.terrasonics.com/geolab_fieldtrip1_worksheet.pdf

What to Bring: Students should bring a clipboard, notebook and writing tools, a ruler, water, and sunscreen

What to Wear: Loose, comfortable clothes (T-shirt and shorts is good) along with a hat and sweatshirt or windbreaker. Beach weather may could range from sunny and warm to overcast and cool. So it is a good idea to be prepared either way.