Hells Canyon and the Ringold Formation

CWU's Nick Zentner presents 'Hells Canyon and the Ringold Formation' - the 27th talk in his ongoing Downtown Geology Lecture Series. Recorded at Morgan Auditorium on April 24, 2019 in Ellensburg, Washington, USA. www.nickzentner.com

[@spencerhardy8667]

Nick Zentner...turning Geology into the new Rock n Roll

[@kswsquared]

Rock n Rill too 🤣

[@jmitchellsavageful]

@@kswsquared ooo

[@jimagnew1643]

You are so right, I have rolled of of a few rocks quite a lot, the last time I got quite a noticeable collaflower Ear, skint up elbow, and a bad Headache.. Rock and roll,. Wow. It's not what it's made up to be, or maybe I just stepped wrong,.

[@kreshokresimir7139]

Rock n Ringold

[@robk.5467]

Mr. Zentner, you have turned a lifelong factory worker in Ontario into the kind of guy who watches geology lectures. Suddenly the Niagara escarpment has my undivided attention, being the most prominant feature in my region. It's no longer a rocky hill that I glance at on my drive to work. It's nice to get up there on foot and appreciate the amazing stories locked in rock. As an added bonus, I'm actually reading again! This is totally your Fault. Thank you for opening my eyes to the natural history right under foot.

[@Jablicek]

Having been an adult educator, this brings tears to my eyes. It's never too late to start learning something new - and to appreciate the world around us with new eyes. Upward and onward! Best of luck to you. :)

[@bonnyd.5334]

I love the series "Roadside Geology". The only one I could easily find was for the North Shore of Lake Superior. I know that the Roadside Geology of New York State has a good bit of information on the Niagara Escarpment. I lived on the Heldeberg Plateau, which is geologically related to the Niagara Escarpment.

[@jimagnew1643]

IT'S EVERYWHERE, BUT IT TAKES A WHILE TO REALIZE WHAT YOUR LOOKING AT.

[@dianebriggs8797]

Your "fault" Mr. Zentner getting us all into 🪨 lol. Roadside Geology books and a Sunday drive are fun!

[@TomLuTon]

Keep an eye out for a book called "Ontario Rocks" by Nick Eyles, published in 2002. All about Ontario's geology

[@markwhite6782]

Nick Zentners videos are so interesting and addictive. I watched his Ancient Rivers of the Pacific Northwest video with my 7 year old grandson who says he want's to be a geologist (before we watched the video). The kid never got up or walked away. When you can hold a 7 year olds attention for that long your really good. I've been a chemist for 35 years but now I find myself wanting to go back to school and get a geology degree. Wouldn't that be a sight watching a grandpa take classes with his grandson!

[@StarfireReborn]

That Would Be Amazing.

[@peacenow4456]

You are such a great orator and a gifted communicator, Nick! Truly! So glad I stumbled upon you on You-tube a few years ago... I wanted to know more about WA and I've been a devoted follower of all things Zentner ever since. Rocks tells stories! Nick tells their stories...

[@SkylinersYeti]

Nick, you truly make Geology come alive. When I took Geology 101 in 1969 I believed it was an old science and they knew all that has happened in the past. Now I know that is not true but it is a living science with new information coming to lite all the time. Thank you for the chance to grow in my knowledge of geology.

[@briane173]

The beauty of geology is that volcanic and tectonic forces in the movement of continents happens so slowly that the speed with which the science is evolving is going to allow us to catch up with most, if not all, of what we need to know -- and will create accurate models for the future of Earth's lithosphere and the time line for those dynamic changes. Heavy on the word "dynamic." It's so easy for us to assume that the Earth's surface is a static monolith that never changes except through erosion, when in fact movement is occurring at all times. I'm left to sit here and ponder from my house in SW WA that my house is now roughly 3 feet further northeast than it was when I bought it. That's what keeps my interest in NW geology -- that and Prof. Zentner's enthralling method of teaching it, to laypersons as well as students. Nick is as jazzed to learn about some of the new research being piled up by other professors in their fields as we are to learn from HIM. It's a beautiful symmetry in scientific research, study, and teaching happening before our eyes and ears in real time, and it's a joy and pleasure to take this journey along with Nick and his colleagues.

[@SkylinersYeti]

@@briane173 Now you got my attention. I need to find data on how much my home in Central Oregon has moved in the past 30 years. Back in the mid 70's I lived in South Bend, Washington, got a 100 year flood first winter. House stayed drive barely

[@chrisschene8301]

Who would ever think Geology could be so fascinating. Love these lectures!

[@braddblk]

When I was a kid in SE Portland spading my Mom's garden I wondered with my brothers if those "spuds" were petrified potatoes. Later on, still a kid wondered where all the river rock came from. With a lot of reading and your lectures 50+ years later I have some answers and even more questions, its great. Thank you.

[@jimagnew1643]

You mean the little round one's are not baby rock Eggs? Looks like the little one were planted and grew up and became big Rock's? I have seen round River rocks that have been cracked into, and inside was the side of a smaller rock, a old man told me that rocks grow,. But really a rock in a mountain stream , will get covered up in the bank for many years, then it gets hard, then one day it gets broke loose from the bank and gets washed back in the creek, then rolls down stream, until it also gets round,

[@mwilson14]

YES! A brand new Nick Zentner lecture! I love these uploads.

[@gerryjamesedwards1227]

I love how Nick's early hominid illustrations all feature a sombrero! Actually, I just love Nick. The best educator I know of.

[@billiondollardan]

Nick's New River story was HILARIOUS! I learned the same thing during an oral surgery rotation. Never BS someone and it is OK to say I don't know. "I don't know" is an incredibly valuable tool to have in your mental toolbox

[@mpetersen6]

I liked how he described the continuous rock layers as Illinois. AKA Flatland

[@williammontgrain6544]

It gives you the opportunity to learn when you admit what you don't know. Amazing tool to have and know how to use. It's like a universal key.

[@jonathangraf7671]

Nick's KZbin videos have really helped me survive the isolation during COVID-19 2020.

[@tharealBDOGG]

66m people in the UK and they couldnt find a single person capable of keeping my attention in place to learn anything in school, I wish there were more teachers like Nick. thankfully we have youtube to catch up on and surpass what we would have learnt in school.

[@stevennelson8479]

Lol you betas are such dumb little animals

[@adrianhowell6662]

Hello Nick Zentner, I have been watching your series of lectures on the geology of the Pacific Northwest. I am on my holidays in the Canary islands , specifically lanzarote,& my hotel is situated at the base of a (hopefully)dormant volcanoe. In all my 64 years ,have i been so intrigued, excited, enthralled,&" gobsmacked "with the volume of information that you have enlightened me with. I will try to convince my wife, that our next holiday HAS got to be the Pacific Northwest. To me it is far more interesting, & also a beautiful part of America. Thank you for posting the lectures on YT. keep up the excellent work.

[@rodgers1161]

I truly enjoyed this guy's lecture and some of his other ones on this subject that interests me as I was born and raised in beautiful lewiston idaho. You can go any direction from here and end up in a totally different environment, it is my paradise and thank you for your lectures as I now have a clearer picture on how it may have been created,

[@lisavalentine8877]

As a person approaching retirement age, I keep thinking I should indulge my love of rocks & go be a geology major! All Mr. Zentner's fault!

[@Declan-pg8cg]

Ever since becoming fascinated by the the dynamics behind the channelled scab lands I can't seem to get enough of the whole area's ancient history and geology. And I'm not even American. All your KZbin content is amazingly good and you make the subjects completely engrossing. Thanks Nick. BTW, I never knew there where great Irish elk outside of here (Ireland) and post ice age Western Europe. Love your series of lectures so please keep it up.

[@WildBillCox13]

This lecture kept me awake and interested. There is no higher compliment.

[@kenjoannejones3372]

I never get tired of Nick. Fascinating! We aren't even a tiny blink in time. Make the best of your time, and learn lots!

[@StereoSpace]

Great lecture. Fascinating, interesting, informative, and leaves me wanting to know more.

[@craigbowlby1465]

If you are a true blue rock hound, you have to love this guy. Though he does not very often touch on the agates and jaspers that this region is so famous for, he gives a lot of information that can educate us about their formation if we do a little sleuthing. Great job, Nick! P.S, How about some talks about the rocks that us lapidaries and mineral collectors are primarily interested in, such as formation etc? A little geology at the micro level?

[@joemcmurtrey1]

Watching this (listening lol) as I drive 84 east headed back to Spokane then off to Nebraska. Glad I found these, as every time I come put west I become more interested in these formations. Last week I went near TumTum to a place overlooking St Helens and was just in awe of the landscape. Looking at the lava formations and river flows may seem boring to some but to some of us ots better than anything lol.

[@bonniebabird]

YAY! Nick takes us on another geological adventure! Thanks to all for making the video possible. I'm learning so much. namaste

[@areceemaz]

Fascinating. Can't get enough of Nick's lectures.

[@colleennobbs7218]

Fabulous darling, simply fabulous. So much amazing information. You are the BEST Mr. Zentner!

[@ryanquantz1011]

Thank you so much for these. Please don't ever stop! I love your lectures Nick and would move to Washington just to take your classes.

[@JasonCarlson]

Amazing I was unaware of these lectures! These are very well done and so easily understood! Don't stop doing this!!

[@lavenderluna5311]

Thank you for the upload! It is always a pleasure to listen to Prof. Zentner. Although i studied Geology in Europe fourty years ago i did not know much about American Geology. Prof. Zentner closes that gap in a very entertaining way.

[@robertwhite1810]

One more in a long list of amazing lectures! Thank you! Love them!

[@brygfal]

I cannot express my appreciation and gratitude for these uploads sufficiently, they are absolutely fantastic.

[@antonioarroyas7662]

Nick, your awesome!

[@eviscerations]

nick is so great at what he does! thanks for putting these online for everyone to enjoy!

[@gooba0]

Yah new video!!!! My fav professor! Couldn’t wait to click and watch.

[@TheShootist]

not Freeman Dyson

[@torque350hp]

I love watching these episodes. Much appreciate the work that must go into them.

[@TheTane2]

Nick you are so addicting to watch seen all of your material in 2 weeks. We need more of your stuff! Can’t wait till next year!

[@thecman26]

I could listen to this guy talk about anything!

[@olechuga2]

Mr. Zentner. Sir, thank you for your expertise and great information provided on Hells Canyon. Even with a complete year in Geology 101, I have pleasantly learned more from you thru your lectures than from some of the Geology professionals who "lectured" us just to "collect a paycheck" and breathe my air. Great video indeed. Thank you Sir, for your hard work. Oscar

[@javierharth3647]

Thank you Prof. Zentner, you're a brilliant lecturer. Geology is wonderfull; so many things to discover.

[@charlottenasise5105]

Love all the information he gives in all his lectures, drove thru Hell's Canyon one time last time, it is named well.

[@CrispsApples]

Tuning in from Ohio. Love the lectures. One day I will join one of them

[@whalesharksurfer]

Thanks Nick. Great to see your new geo youtubes.

[@bobjohnson9820]

Loved it. Nick always makes these lectures interesting.

[@IronClad292]

Fantastic lecture!! Can't wait to hear the outcome from Lydia's research. Since purchasing a home and property in the John Day valley with all of it's interesting geology, these lectures really hit home. I'm learning so much and appreciate the landscape that much more. Thanks!!

[@otrame]

Another excellent lecture, Nick. Thanks for all the work you put into this. One tiny thing. You proved you are not a paleontologist. Neither am I, but this is something I do know about. That was not a mastodon tooth. Mastodon means "breast tooth". Mastodon teeth have a series of "breast-shaped" points along the molars. That you showed in this lecture was a mammoth tooth. Both species were fairly common through a good deal of North America during the Pleistocene, but their teeth show that they were not all that closely related, even though they were both a type of elephant. Anyway, thanks again for the excellent presentation. I look forward to each new lecture that gets uploaded..

[@gilbertarnold-percy]

Let's see: Cup of coffee: check: bowl of hot steaming oat meal: check; head phones: check; a new Nick Zentner lecture, check. What better way to start off your Sunday? Repeat as necessary....

[@catibree1]

Mr. Zentner, your programs are absolutely attention grabbing pieces of information of geology of the makeup of our world... seeing as every inch of this world can say it has had the same changes at one time or another... I find your seminars so very interesting.. and I thank you for sharing with us your knowledge in this field... my final comment.... Wow !!!!

[@kenmarapese9085]

Enjoyed these lectures, interesting science and an on going story! I have watched nearly all of your KZbin lectures, thank you for the entertainment!

[@SCW1060]

Thank you, Nick, for all of these great lectures. You can keep my attention on a subject that is outside of my main interest and that makes me an even better Amiture geologist

[@kelp4est]

Thanks for all your effort to bring geology to the public. You and your colleagues enrich us with many information videos that I can apply to my favorite hobby here in BC. Every time I see your presentations and lectures I'm thrilled to discover more about our planet.

[@juniorballs6025]

These videos are just fantastic. Nick is such a great communicator 👍

[@Karisutin]

Thankfully I found you and your most interesting lectures several years ago while searching for information on the high desert in Oregon, Journey Through Time, John Day National Monument, Picture Gorge, Columbia River Gorge etc. Was fortunate enough to visit Oregon and now want to live there!

[@pamelamorke9174]

Wish the University of Minnesota would do these lectures. Great job keep it up.

[@lynnmitzy1643]

I emailed Penn State and told them about this... a local geology series...what could be better...beside professor Nick♥️👏🏼👏🏼👍🏼

[@johnlord8337]

Most excellent presentation ... and tying up all of the many loose ties into a geology fabric of history ... 10*

[@shadowraith1]

Playing at catch-up on your geology lectures. Even though I live on the east coast. Your presentations are informative and enjoyable to watch. Thanks for sharing.🙂

[@davidwatson8118]

Thank you from Australia. 😎👍

[@cavalgurlca775]

Great lecture. Cute how he ends with "see you next year". That was back when we thought we could plan for 2020.

[@kennethflorek8532]

I regret that I have but one thumbs-up to give. I live in southeast Michigan, and though we don't have elevated rock with strata to tell us geologic tales, we do have lots and lots and lots of sediment. I do know (from reading) that Michigan, under the sediment, is the result of a geologic bowl, the general shape of which you can see on a map when you know that, and that the great lakes (other than Lake Michigan) follow a titanic unconformity where two ancient continents fused, even before the first break up that created the Atlantic, the second of which, at the time of the dinosaurs, is the more well known. I have had reason to dig some holes on my lot (to plant some ornamental trees) of about 150' x 150' and there are very prominent strata just going down 3 feet. What I thought was an extravagant foot of top soil, rather than the 2-3 inches often put over the clay to facilitate a lawn, must really be native dirt, which makes more sense. At the base of that, in much of the lot, is a few inches of rounded gravel, some places strewn through the dirt, like half and half, and some places all gravel except for sand filling the spaces. Originally, I couldn't believe the extravagance of spending the money and dumping tons of gravel as a base for the topsoil, although its not a bad idea. Most of the lot has a layer, about an inch, of what looks likes concrete made with far too little cement. I could not figure out why they would have washed that tremendous amount of excess concrete into the ground, as they sometimes do, when they poured the foundation for the house, before they put in the top soil. A chunk of this stuff looks like very sandy concrete, or mortar, but if you put some effort into it, it will crush into sand. At about the same depth, the rest of the lot has a layer of gray clay, maybe a half inch, but it takes some serious chipping at with a shovel to break though. I spent most of my time digging the holes getting through this stuff, and I think young plants would have a hard time too. There are a few more thin layers of distinctively colored clays until you get to a base which is a yellowish clay. It was those very distinctive and thin layers that got me thinking the lot was mostly undisturbed and a record of what had taken place apart from what man had done. The gravel makes sense as the bed of a quickly flowing stream. The dirt with the gravel makes sense as the time of floods. The hard gray clay makes sense as the base of any body of water, like a stream and a pond. They say this bed formation is aided by whatever lives in the water, and as the process continues, it largely seals the bed, so that water no longer simply seeps into the ground, and you have a pond or stream. The stream and pond have come and gone.

[@cruehead196701]

Excellent Lecture as usual 🤘🤘 Still enjoying all the way from Western Australia (Yilgarn Craton)

[@gregpascotto9325]

Your not the only one sitting on the yilgarn craton watching..wish nick had one on our wa.

[@cruehead196701]

G'day Greg - It would be fantastic if Nick did a tour of WA !!

[@Reziac]

I've turned into a rock addict! :D Argh, he mentioned White Bird Hill. Now I'm traumatized. I remember the old road all too well!!

[@Jenfuu]

Thank you so much. I have decided to finally pursue a degree in Geology. I love these lectures.

[@FarlandHowe]

Mesmerized again. Powerful information. Loved it. Rob

[@davidboerner2677]

Thanks Nick for another great lecture.

[@lynnmitzy1643]

I have to wait til next year? ...noooooooo Thank you very much for sharing your lectures professor Nick 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👍🏼♥️

[@traog]

Perhaps check out his podcast lectures, no visuals but it is still Nick.

[@edmc1000]

Still watching, still learning. Thank You !

[@kkonvicka25]

Dear Dr. Zentner, I think you are the smartest, best looking geologist in the whole world. I watch you all the time AND you are very funny. I'm writing this note with a crayon because the doctors won't let me have anything sharp. Thank you.

[@user-rt4kn8qc6o]

My brother and I used to find plenty of fish fossils (teeth, vertebrae about 1/2 inches) just like those photos, every-time we dug trenches for our hot wheels cars in the sand in the playgrounds at Mountain Home AFB in the 80’s. Pretty sure I kept them mixed in with my rock collection somewhere in my parents’ attic.

[@ryanmcnair3451]

LOVE all your lectures. I recently stumbled onto one of your geology lectures in the Pacific NW and now I'm hooked - lol so much good information presented in a way a non geologist (me!) can understand and digest. Kudos

[@troywigglesworth7268]

You remind me of the best, most entertaining teachers I've ever had. I love your videos. I live in northern Va. And I have been exploring the blue ridge and Appalachian mountains most of my life. It is my understanding that the name "new river" indicates the fact that it was the first river discovered that flowed west into the Mississippi river valley.

[@darvr5697]

I want to go see this guy's lectures so bad.

[@Tsass0]

Thanks Nick, looking for to next years lectures, even down here in Zealandia

[@billotto602]

OUTSTANDING ! THANK-YOU

[@gregpascotto9325]

Thanks for your 2019 set of lectures ive been waiting like the next season of GOT. Nice to see Australia finally bang into America ! Im coming to wa this summer to do a bit of roadside geology..Cheers greg

[@jeffbaran8036]

Awesome energy and your video followed suit. Thank you

[@judgegixxer]

Nick reminds me of my old Geomorphology professor from 1993. That's a good thing! I did very well in his program.

[@philbox4566]

The I don't know comment persuades me to elevate Nick in my estimation whether that means anything or not. Awesome.

[@mikitta47]

I love your lectures. Thank you so much for doing them. Would love to hear your answer now on why the New is the oldest river :D

[@rbollard1]

Love lectures & learning!

[@brendarua01]

What a delight! The Tyson of geology.

[@erictaylor5462]

11:00 Fun fact, the slope were the Gran Canyon sits runs from north to south. In fact, the north rim is 1000 feet high than the south rim, but the river flows east to west.

[@rbollard1]

Outstanding! He makes it so EASY!

[@patmacken5130]

I love these lectures. They are not only interesting in and of themselves but have aspects of stand up at times as well. I would love to see some on other parts of the state being up in Skagit Count (like each of the other cascade volcanoes just to start with). He should do something on hat rotation thing too.

[@odisy64]

cant wait for next years lectures now

[@joebainter]

Nick, Nick, Nick!!!! Yay!!

[@baseballhaha]

New drinking game. One sip every time Nick says fishes

[@ttamdude]

Does Nick still do these? I’d love to see one in person now that I’m old enough to appreciate this awesome stuff. Such a great presenter.

[@birgitmitchell5648]

Yes Mathew Powers - he just did some this spring break (from CWU) in March 2023 he does them at Our local middleschool here in Ellensburg WA. ( its pictured in his Rolling intro) they've been recently posted in the last 3 weeks. Today is April 26,2023.

[@birgitmitchell5648]

@Mathew Powers

[@briane173]

@@birgitmitchell5648 I attended one of them -- "How did the Rocky Mountains Form?" I watched the other three a couple weeks later. It was well worth the four-hour trip to see the lecture and meet Nick firsthand. CWU has a splendid Geo program with researches who are as preeminent at what they specialize in as Nick is as a teacher of the subject. To be this lucky to live in the state where Nick teaches has been nothing less than cathartic. I've learned a TON of stuff about the ground I stand on and live on and the stories are endless.

[@dwightmansburden7722]

I'm not your student, but this is incredibly fascinating. Thank you for the free education!

[@mbrown1519]

Very entertaining and a lot of food for thought

[@hipnlip]

wow!!! excellent presentation!!!!

[@n539rv]

Great lecture! I’m inclined that the initial route was 8M through the Hells Cyn route, but water falls / obstructions prevented fish passage until 3M yrs ago.

[@hertzer2000]

♥♥♥ Such a great surprise this morning!

[@robertblake1032]

hertzer2000 My god Frank Zappa lives !

[@michaelclancy4509]

Did some work at the Hanford site I was running a Cat D8 making a cut for the railroad and ran into the Ringold formation. It was as hard as concrete. I was just able to rip it with the D8.

[@russellmooneyham3334]

AWESOME! Thank you!!!!

[@realjaxon]

These lectures are the best. I'm not far from CWU. I'm in Yakima. I'd like to sit in on a lecture or two if I knew the time and topics.

[@gooba0]

Is there a way to nominate nick for anything?

[@johnlord8337]

Nick needs to get onto the The Master Scholar/The Teaching Courses/The Great Courses series .....

[@ian_b]

I'd be interested in a way to nominate Nick for *everything*.

[@workonitm8]

Rock star maybe ?

[@KathyWilliamsDevries]

He just won 2 emmys for Nick on the Rocks

[@jimagnew1643]

I have been digging,. Running a Backhoe for many years, once I was Digging out a spring Down in Chattanooga Valley, and I got into a area where the mud was real. Greenish Blue, I payed out a pile by itself, and kelped digging, then I got into a area where the rock was Greenish blue, but real hard, almost like Marble, looked like turquoise, I picked up a peace about the size of my thumb, and kelped it in my pocket for a few months, until I FINLEY lost it, It became real shiny, real neat looking. Then when I was Digging out the Drainage ditch from the spring, I started finding long round white Rock's that were bent, that looked like Elephant tusk, of all Different shapes, but of course they were not, but some of the ones that I was Digging out, I had broke,. Inside of was made of Flint, so I took a Big rock and picked it up in the air, with the backhoe bucket, and drops it on a big Rock, when I looked at it real close, it looked like a old bone, and another one looked like a tree root, something made it turn to almost like Glass, the ones that are like Flint, are real Sandy white, and you can rub them down with another rock, until you see that they are made out of Flint, the white Sandy outer edge is not thick, I found a big one, about 3 feet in diameter, and about 5 feet long, I rubbed it down in Different area's, and it was solid Flint, it weightd probably about a ton , I took it home,. Hoping one day that I might be able to find someone that could saw it into long ways, or maybe exray it, but never did yet,. That was around 40 years ago or so. I also one day dug up a crusty black brown with red and green streaks in it ,. It was a little bit bigger than a basketball, but it weighed 105 pounds, one day I had been welding, I took my side grinder and growned a flat spot about 3 inches across, it was real shiny, it was some kind of metal, later on I was talking to a Engineer on the job, he said that it was possible Nickel, mouth after mouth it never rusted. I still have both of them somewhere.

[@TheHillbillyEngineer]

Nick is a Rock Star!

[@deluxchickenwing4497]

hey nick thx facinating stuff keep on keepin on man!! ;)

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

Thank you Excellent You feel like studying

[@pat8988]

Clear the decks! I know what I'm watching first tonite!

[@SCW1060]

Another home run Nick

[@warrenosborne1539]

thanx, Nick, I loved this. Here, in central NC, It's not the ( Apa, lachian Mt's ,,, it's Aplalatchian Mts.. FYI,, tx, oz.

[@sticksstones8498]

we thank you