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| Overview of Las Vegas showing the Spring Mountains. |
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| Spring Mountains being the strip in Las Vegas. |
The Red Rock Canyons (pictured below) are at the eastern foot of the Spring Mountains. These mountains are made of sandstone that formed millions of years ago by the shifting sands that got petrified. Due to a continent-to-continent convergence millions of years ago, layers of older rocks were thrust on top of the younger rocks creating the rock layers of different age. This formation is true at the top of the Spring Mountains where the limestone can be seen. The limestone is one of the older rocks in the Spring Mountains due to this tectonic shift millions of years ago.
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| Sandstone in Red Rock Canyon. |
Images from: http://www.wall-maps.com/Unique_Media/LasVegas.htm
http://www.squidoo.com/las_vegas_strip
http://www.goldengatephoto.com/westus/redrock.html
Hey Briana, thanks for an insightful post. I have visited Las Vegas several times and I regret not paying much attention to the landscape. Like most people, I must have been too distracted by all the man-made beauties. The fact that continent to continent convergence resulted in the Spring Mountains help grasp the tremendous impact the tectonic shifts have on the landscape.As shown in the picture, it is intresting how we can observe distinct stratum of limestones on top of iron-rich rocks on top of the Red Rock Canyon. So how far does Spring Mountains stretch? Is it only in the city of Vegas or further? Next time I visit, I'll be sure to tour in the mountains as the Red Rock canyon looks ideal for rock hopping!
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Jaclyn Zelasko. Ever since I was born I visited Las Vegas every summer and every time I went the only thing that I noticed was the extreme heat. On my last visit however, I was actually able to visit the Spring Mountains. Although, when I was there all I did was complain and didn't take in the amazing scenery. It's nice to now know a little history behind the mountains and that they were formed by a convergent plate boundary. Another interesting fact that I learned from your blog was that the limestone was created from plate movements millions of years ago! It would be interesting to look at all the layers of rock and to be able to link them to the fact that they have been forming for such a long time. Thanks for sharing this information with all of us and I now think it would be interesting to go back and explore the mountains a little bit and actually notice the geographic forms and processes that they contain.
ReplyDeleteHello Briana My name is Bogar Elizondo. I enjoyed your blog because it gives insightful information of how the cliffs and peaks were formed at the beginning. You explain the process which leads to the final form quite well. I like how you explained how the limestone was created from plate movements that happened million of years ago. Last time I was in Vegas I definitely did not pay any attention to the landscape and basically did not leave the Vegas strip. Your blog makes it seem like there is much more to Las Vegas than just the strip.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for comenting! Like you, I too have been to Las Vegas before and I honestly never even realized the mountains were there. When I started researching Vegas, they were something new that I knew I would be able to learn about. I am not sure on exactly how far they spread exactly, but I too hope to visit them on my next trip out there. It is amazing how learnig to observe your geography can lead to such interesting discoveries.
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