Hosted by our friends at the Molalla River Alliance.

The Molalla River Corridor offers visitors exceptional and easily visible examples of Western Cascades geology and hydrogeology. Lavas in the canyon date back over 15 million years and evidence one of the largest outpourings of volcanic material in North American history. Originating as glowing streams of extremely hot lava from vents as far away as Idaho, some of the lavas eventually formed most of the headlands on Oregon's coast. Details in the Molalla River Corridor allow us to determine the temperature, thickness and even the source of the flows.

Much of the local terrain here is Columbia River Basalt. You will see how the swirling basalt columns allow us to interpret what the ancient topography looked like. You will also have a stunning view of the river's famed Rosette "eye" of Columnar Basalt.

Rivers, with their fascinating and powerful hydraulics, do important work shaping the landscape. The Molalla River is no exception. The Molalla features a classical steep canyon cutting through resistant volcanic rocks. The stream changes from a gently flowing summer mode to a powerful wintertime current. During the latter phase, stones of remarkable size are rolled down the canyon along the bed of the river.

You will see how the stream bed becomes a "rock library" of the geology of the river. Field trip participants will come away with an appreciation for the enormous amount of information a flowing stream can yield…..and maybe even with some gold!

Your guides on this field trip are William N. Orr and Sheila Alfsen.

Bill taught Geology and Paleontology for 30 years at the University of Oregon, where he retired after a full career of teaching and research. He has written several books on Oregon’s Geology and fossils, coauthored with his wife, Elizabeth, and remains the director of the state’s Condon Museum of Fossils.

Sheila has been in education for 26 years and has taught Geology in local high schools and community colleges. Sheila is currently developing and conducting classes at Chemeketa and Linn Benton Community Colleges. She is bilingual and has led many local area field trips.

We invite you to come and experience the geological spectacles of your Molalla River Corridor while gaining a glimpse of earth's mysterious past.

When: Saturday, July 30, 2011
Time: 8:45 am - 3:00 pm
Where to Meet: Bus transportation from downtown Molalla
What to Bring: Lunch, water, camera (optional), notebook, pencil
What to Wear: Sunscreen, sunglasses, shade hat, comfortable walking shoes
Dogs: We love dogs, however, they are not allowed on the field trips