Geological Tour of the Columbia River Gorge
Field Trip Sites
 Beacon Rock
Sketch of the Gorge: Observations of stand-out land features, patterns
emerging “geology determines biology” – high water marks, sloping,
weathering evidence, vegetation

Wahclella Falls:
Scavenger Hunt: Observations of three different rock layers along hike –
sketch and describe their differences (color, shape, texture, feel, smell),
evidence of erosion, vegetation patterns

Drive:
Data collection (water falls/landslides)
EXPECTATIONS FOR GEOLOGIC TOUR PROJECT
Overview: As a group you will become the expert on a given topic and stop along our
tour of the Geology of the Columbia River Gorge. Using the Getting Started Handout
for your topic given to you by your teacher, additional resources you will gather
from the field trip, class notes, activities, the internet, library books and your own
experiences outside of school, you and your group will design a lesson to teach the
community about your topic.
HOW YOU WILL BE GRADED
PROCESS
Team Work
-All individuals participate in gathering information, processing information,
reflecting, and presenting information.
-All individuals actively gather information on the field trip (photos, sketches, notes,
data, reflections)
-All individuals discuss and decide
-Make space for all voices
-Share ideas and listen to the ideas of others
PRODUCT
-Includes helpful visuals (diagrams, drawings, pictures, demonstrations, models)
-Explains geologic concept clearly, accurately and creatively
-Answers frequently asked questions accurately and thoroughly
-Includes and uses geologic vocabulary accurately in explanation
-Addresses multiple learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic)
Geologic Tour of the Columbia River Gorge – Getting Started…
Table Group __________
Names________________________________________________________
Geologic Concept #1
Location
Tilting to the South
From the Mitchell Point
Overlook look North across
the river to the hillside
sloping across the road. The
tilting to the South is
visible.
Frequently Asked Questions -Why are landslides more
common on the North side
of the river?
-What is causing this
North/South tilting?
-Why are waterfalls more
common on the South side
of the river?
Activity Ideas
-Tilting Landscape Station
-Pictures of the tilting
landscape
-Compression of plates
demonstration
-Book reading on faults
Geologic Vocabulary
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Faulting
Compression
Anticline
Syncline
Geologic Tour of the Columbia River Gorge – Getting Started…
Table Group __________
Names________________________________________________________
Geologic Concept #2
Rock Layers Formation
Location
Wahclella Falls hike
Frequently Asked Questions -Which layer is the oldest?
-What are the different
characteristics of the
layers?
-How is pillow lava formed?
-Why does finding pillow
lava in the Columbia River
Basalt Rock Formation
indicate that the Columbia
River was around during
the time of the Basalt Lava
flows?
-How was Ohanapecosh,
Eagle Creek Formation and
Columbia River Basalt
Layers formed?
-What is Columnar Basalt?
Activity Description
-Hike up the geologic time
scale and identify the
characteristics of three
distinctively different layers
along the way.
-Look for signs of sliding
along the clay surface
(ohanapecosh layer)
-Porosity Station
Geologic Vocabulary
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Superposition
Porosity
Columbia River Basalt
Eagle Creek Formation
Ohanapacosh
Geologic Tour of the Columbia River Gorge – Getting Started…
Table Group __________
Names________________________________________________________
Geologic Concept #3
Location:
Frequently Asked
Questions
Waterfall Erosion
Wahclella Falls
How are waterfalls
formed?
What happens to
waterfalls over time?
How do waterfalls affect
the landscape around
them?
What role do phase
changes play in the
erosion of the rock layers
around the waterfall?
Activity Description
-Hike to Wahclella Falls,
-observations about the
ways the waterfall has
shaped the surrounding
landscape
Geologic Vocabulary
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Weathering
Erosion
Boulders
Canyon
Rapids
Riparian
Geologic Tour of the Columbia River Gorge – Getting Started…
Table Group __________
Names________________________________________________________
Geologic Concept #4
Location
Frequently Asked
Questions
Lava Tube
Wahclella Falls Trail
How are lava tubes
formed?
What lives in lava tubes?
What crystals might grow
in this lava tube?
Where are lava tubes
found?
When was this lava tube
formed? What rock
formation is it apart of?
What influences the size
of a lava tube?
Activity Description
-Watching the video of
lava being poured on ice.
-Looking closely at
freezing water
-Observations of lava tube
at the end of the Wahclella
Falls Trail
 Viscosity
 Magma
 Channel
Geologic Vocabulary
Geologic Tour of the Columbia River Gorge – Getting Started…
Table Group __________
Names________________________________________________________
Geologic Concept #5
Location
Frequently Asked
Questions
Landslides
Bridge of the Gods
Why does the river curve
to the South here?
Why is the river narrower
in this location?
Which bridge is wider, the
Dalles, Hood River
Tollbridge or Bridge of the
Gods?
What were all of the
factors involved in
creating this enormous
landslide?
Which rock layer are the
majority of the landslides
in the Gorge sliding on?
Activity Description
-Map Scavenger Hunt
-Porosity of Rock Layers
Station
-Driving across Bridge of
the Gods.
-Counting the number of
landslides observed on
bus ride and noting the
side of the Gorge they are
on.
Geologic Vocabulary
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Porosity
Clay-Saprolite
Columbia River Basalt
Eagle Creek Formation
Ohanapecosh
Geologic Tour of the Columbia River Gorge – Getting Started…
Table Group __________
Names________________________________________________________
Geologic Concept #6
Location
Frequently Asked
Questions
Gorge-Scape
Top of Beacon Rock or
Bonneville Dam Viewpoint
-What are the forces that
have shaped the Columbia
River Gorge?
-How has geology
determined biology?
-Most rivers form Vshaped valleys. U-shaped
valleys are commonly
formed by large Glaciers.
What shape of a valley is
the Columbia River Gorge?
-Why do you think this is
the case?
Activity Description
- Make a landscape sketch
of the Columbia River
Gorge.
-Label the major
geological events that
have shaped the Gorgescape that we see today.
-Add color to your
landscape to show
vegetation patterns.
-What patterns do you
observe in the landscape?
-How does geology
determine biology?
Geologic Vocabulary
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Relative Dating
Uniformitarianism
Lateral Continuity
Subduction
Convergent Plate
Boundary
Geologic Tour of the Columbia River Gorge – Getting Started…
Table Group __________
Names________________________________________________________
Geologic Concept #7
Location
Frequently Asked
Questions
Porosity: Rock Layers
Wahclella Falls hike
-How does water
perculate through the
three different rock layers
we observed on our field
trip (Ohanapecosh, Eagle
creek formation, Columbia
River Basalt)
-What are the physical
characteristics of each
rock layer?
What is the cause of
saprolite?
Why do many of the basalt
lava flow layers form 5
sided columns?
How does water move
through columniar basalt
layers?
Activity Description
-Porostiy of Rock Layer
Station
-Wahclella Falls hike,
looking closely at the
different rock formations.
 Porosity
 Physical weathering
 Thaw-Freeze
weathering
 Saprolite
 Columnar Basalt
Geologic Vocabulary