Located here on High St. is a prime example of California's geological importance.
The Monterey Formation can be found all throughout California mainly, but not limited to, Coast Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, off-shore islands, or previously submerged mainland. This formation is made up of clay, dirt, soil, silt, and rock. The Formation is also potentially a rich provider of oil for California, and has had its strata (layer of sedimentary rock) researched repeatedly and mapped for petroleum potential. But analyses and efforts have been largely unsuccessful in producing Monterey-hosted oil. The oil contained in these rocks is packed in tightly between the crevices, and can be difficult to extract.
Its rocks are sedimentary, and can contain many examples of coastal fossils. More notable examples can be small crabs, kelps, and/or soft-bodied seaweeds. These sea plants are seldom seen as fossils in any other form of rock formation. With the information given, we can infer that this land was once submerged in water for a very long period of time.
The sediment is sometimes very soft, creating almost a dirt-like consistency.
Using your knowledge of Monterey Formations, go log this Earthcache!
E-mail with the following:
--The title of this Earthcache
--# of people in your group
--The answer to: If the formations are formed under water, how high did the water have to be at this location? (Take the elevation of your viewing point, and add the height of the formations)
Sources:
1. http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC2JWQ7_geo-lab-the-monterey-formation
2. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterey_formation
3. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/tertiary/mio/monterey.html
4. www.crystalcovestatepark.com/geologyguide112309small.pdf