This location in Hacienda Hills is home to a small patch of Monterey Formation Shale. The Monterey Formation can be found all throughout California mainly, but not limited to, Coast Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, off-shore islands, or previously submerged mainland. This formation is made up of clay, dirt, soil, silt, and rock. The Formation is also potentially a rich provider of oil for California, and has had its strata (layer of sedimentary rock) researched repeatedly and mapped for petroleum potential. But analyses and efforts have been largely unsuccessful in producing Monterey-hosted oil. The oil contained in these rocks is packed in tightly between the crevices, and can be difficult to extract. Its rocks are sedimentary, and can contain many examples of coastal fossils. More notable examples can be small crabs, kelps, and/or soft-bodied seaweeds. These sea plants are seldom seen as fossils in any other form of rock formation. With the information given, we can infer that this land was once submerged in water for a very long period of time.
Using your new knowledge of Monterey Formations and all they have to offer, go find this Earthcache! To claim this Earthcache as a find, a question must be answered by visiting the site and e-mailing me with thus information:
•The GC code and name of cache
•The number of people in your group
•The height of the sediment (units of measurement preferably in feet, but anything will do)
Remember to have fun, be safe, and do not disturb the Shale.
You can find information on the trail at the Punete Hills Habitat Preservation Authority.
Working on my Earthcache Masters. 5 BONUS POINTS FOR BECOMING AN EARTHCACHE MASTER BRONZE LEVEL, ADD ONE POINT FOR EVERY LEVEL OVER BRONZE (EIGHT POINTS AVAILABLE).
Sources:
1. http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC2JWQ7_geo-lab-the-monterey-formation
2. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterey_formation
3. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/tertiary/mio/monterey.html