U.S. Geological
Survey
Open-File Report 02-121
Field-Trip Guide to the Southeastern Foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains In Santa Clara County, California
By
Philip W. Stoffer and Paula Messina
| This field trip is an introduction to the geology of the southeastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains in southern Santa Clara County. Seven stops include four short hikes to access rock exposures and views of the foothills east of Loma Prieta Peak between Gilroy and San José. Field-trip destinations highlight the dominant rock types of the "Franciscan assemblage" including outcrops of serpentinite, basalt, limestone, ribbon chert, graywacke sandstone, and shale. General discussions include how the rocks formed, and how tectonism and stream erosion have changed the landscape through time. All field trip stops are on public land; most are near reservoir dams of the Santa Clara Valley Water District. In addition, stops include examination of an Ohlone Indian heritage site and the New Almaden Mining Museum. |
Download the 27-page field guide as a PDF document (7.5 MB)
For questions about the content of this report, contact Phillip Stoffer
Download a copy of Acrobat Reader version 5.0 for free.
| Help | PDF help | Geopubs main page | Open-File Reports for 2002 |
| Privacy Statement | Disclaimer | Accessibility |
This report is available only on the Web