Geology of the Piedmont Tour, March 9th
Image: Courtesy of Clifton Institute
Saturday, March 9, 2023
9:00AM – 12:00PM
The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187
Cost: FREE
It’s winter and that means that rock season is upon us! This year, it would be nice to branch out and check out a whole new geologic province. The last two years the class took a close look at rocks of the Piedmont Plateau and learned that several times in the geologic past, huge mountain ranges rose up where the Piedmont is today. Where did those mountains go? The sand and silt washed down from those soaring peaks must have gone somewhere and this class is going to find it! Join this tour for a journey off the western edge of the Blue Ridge Anticlinorium and into one of the world’s great thrust/fold belts, the Valley and Ridge Province of the Appalachian Mountains. you will be looking at layers and layers of ancient sediments laid out in a vast river delta. Like the pages of a book, these layers have a fascinating story to tell about life in the Paleozoic.
The tour will be heading out to Front Royal to begin the geology tour this year and making its way up into Fort Valley, stopping along the way. A few of the stops will involve a short hike but nothing too strenuous.
Participants can EITHER meet at Clifton at 9 a.m. and carpool to Front Royal, OR meet the tour in Front Royal around 10 a.m.
Hi–just curious–who is leading the class? I am a longtime USGS geologist who has led field trips around NoVa–but am not a Valley and Ridge expert.
Clifton Institute arranges for the guides or leaders. You could call them to ask.
Jerry Nissley