Tahoe Geology Tours

07/18/2022

So much beauty in this world!

07/18/2022

Beautiful tiger lily on the volcanic trail!

07/17/2022

When you want to get a nice family photo but the rocks are just way too interesting.

07/17/2022

Rocking Stone in Truckee has all kinds of stories. It is an important place for the first nation Washoe people and has been enchanting to many people sense. The story of this roadside attraction stretches back 100 million years and has been waiting to share with you. Join the adventure!

07/17/2022

Found some pretty awesome dinosaurs on the Fire and Ice trail today! Porter was hiking up the 2 million old lava flow from Mt. Pluto (Northstar ski resort) here.

07/13/2022

Quartz Crystal! This beautiful specimen came from the Jurassic Jeep Crystal Mine tour up to Crystal Peak in Verdi, NV.

07/10/2022

We stopped to see some xenoliths along the Pacific Crest Trail on the Fire and Ice tour! Xenoliths are the dark inclusions in this granite. The granite of the Sierra Nevada formed miles underground during the time of the dinosaurs! The dark xenoliths are pieces of the magma chamber that were incorporated into the granite before it cooled.

07/10/2022

Spectacular views on yesterday's Fire and Ice tour!

07/08/2022

Fun Friday fact about Sierra Nevada "granite": There are many types of rock we call granite, and in a home design store this could include just about anything. The actual mineralogical composition of granite is clearly defined in geology. What we have in the Sierra Nevada is primarily granodiorite. The distinguishing mineral recipe for granodiorite versus granite is that it has more plagioclase feldspar than potassium (orthoclase) feldspar. This is why Sierra Nevada granodiorite doesn't have the classic pink flecks of granite!

07/08/2022

This field of rounded lava was once under the surface of Lake Tahoe! We searched for the ancient "paleo" lakeshore yesterday and found it. This lava flowed into the lake, causing rounded "pillow" basalt as it cooled underwater and giant columns of basalt above!

07/08/2022

On the Fire and Ice volcanoes tour yesterday we ran into some rock climbers. Little did the climbers know, they were scaling the ancient shore of Tahoe. These columns of basalt form above ground and the hike in was through pillow basalt that flows under water. Learning more about the geology can expand your experience, even as an advance climber! tahoe

07/05/2022

Happy Birthday America!

06/30/2022

We have to give a special acknowledgement to Steve Ellsworth for the use of his amazing landscapes for Tahoe Geology Tours. This incredible shot really captures the diversity of the granite compositions. The Sierra Nevada granite formed during the time of dinosaurs! But it was miles beneath their feet. Book a tour today to learn more about Tahoe geology! 📸 check him out on Deviant Art to order prints https://www.deviantart.com/sellsworth
Please follow on Insta as well!

06/30/2022

Here is an example of an ichthyosaur in an artists recreation and an fossil skeleton.

06/30/2022

In honor of the Nevada state fossil on our logo, here is a photograph of Dr. Hodges on a recent (June 2022!) ichthyosaur dig in Nevada with some rib bone fragments. Many people don't know about their state dinosaurs. Come learn about the Nevada state dinosaur (an ichthyosaur) and the California state dinosaur (a hadrosaur) on your a tour with us!

06/30/2022

Couldn't be more excited about the online soft launch today. Our logo features beautiful Lake Tahoe, as well as the California state dinosaur (a hadrosaur) and the Nevada state fossil (an ichthyosaur).

06/30/2022

06/30/2022