EART 3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Paunsaugunt Plateau, Vermilion Cliffs, Kaibab Plateau
Document Summary
Although the parks of the colorado plateau share a common geologic history, the uplift of the plateau and dissection by rivers allow us glimpses into different parts of the sedimentary sequence that covers the colorado plateau. Combining both will give us a geologic history. Grand canyon - nearly 2 billion year old igneous and metamorphic rocks exposed in the depths of the gorge to think sequence of horizontal paleozoic sediments that make up the terraced walls of the canyon. Rim of the grand canyon is the kaibab plateau. Color coded of the grand canyon is referred as the grand staircase. Represents the erosional remnants of mesozoic and early cenozoic sediments that once blanketed the area. Zion - cuts through the white and vermillion cliffs. Sediments are from cenozoic period about 35 million years ago. More easily eroded because of younger sediments. Zion has been cut by a river. Which makes it different from bryce canyon.