Leavenworth Moraines

CWU's Nick Zentner visits glacial moraines of different ages above Leavenworth, Washington. Filmed on October 28, 2023.
Picnic Table location: maps.app.goo.gl/MvZFdTqREmtVV...
Cle Elum Moraines video: • Cle Elum Moraines

[@brianfinch1087]

The land in front of the picnic table is private land. The owner was going to build a theme park and the city shut him down but he did a lot of building without permits. I'm sure you saw the narrow gauge railroad tracks and to your left is a concrete tunnel with the locamotive inside. Further to your left and up on the hill is a small church he built and his excavator is up there also. I was exploring on my motorcycle and discovered the story by talking to the firefighters parked in front of the gate. Totally off topic, just a random story I stumbled upon

[@dabmane]

That railroad track you claim to be up there is clearly just another moraine!

[@kirklaird8345]

Kinda depends on what you mean by "in front of". The picnic table is located very close to the boundary between property owned by the Johnson Family and Forest Service land.

[@KenakaElric]

It was going to be a golf course. Issue was water. And then 2008 happened. To my knowledge mr johnson is interred in his church now. Looks like Nick was here the day I was riding my horse is down below at the fish hatchery. From my house I can ride my horse right to where he is.

[@KenakaElric]

I live in the other side of mountain home and our orchard is against this moraine mountain. We have a Sandatone wall Our dirt is sandy loam.

[@lethaleefox6017]

Just got my power back on after 11 hour outage last night... saw Nick's tweet for this while I was asking SnoPUD why the outage. I was tucked in under extra covers when the power went off before we were headed for 27°F overnight temperatures... feeling the cold a quick mushroom soup and green beans and oatmeal is heating up for breakfast. A nice Nick video to listen to.

[@philipketchum1407]

Years ago we found a great Glamping location there. And Luckly the forest fires where a long way off. Nothing but clear blue skies.

[@jaymacpherson8167]

Good camera work Nick. Thanks for the stabilizer! The benches are clear.

[@charliebartholomew1564]

good morning Prof Nick at Pleistocene Leavenworth; really a nice fall day

[@williampool3080]

I was in that area in 1988's to 2004. Thanks Nick.

[@ksphinney1]

Reminds me of searching for Crystal Springs. So beautiful! Thanks again for sharing.Kathi from Orem

[@annemariem5084]

Beautiful Nick Zentner

[@garypaull9382]

Its great to see Steve Porter getting his work from the 60's and 70's resurrected! His PhD professor at Yale was none other than, Bretz nemisis, Richard Foster Flint. I am very interested to learn more about why you would have the Cascade alpine glaciers making their most extensive advances at times that were out of synch with the continental ice maximums. I would also add that the bedrock under Boundary Butte is Chumstick not Stuart granite! Leavenworth fault just to the west.

[@billmartin9087]

We live in the little canyon just east of where you are filming. It’s called Mundun Canyon. At the west end of the canyon there is a spring only creek that come out of a pretty good sized rock out cropping at the end of the draw.

[@DanFarrar]

Well done Nick! Great job with size and scale. Holy WI. cow!

[@joesample3796]

Beautiful presentation Nick - Have a wonderful day!!!

[@spamletspamley672]

Fabulous scenery Nick! Thanks for sharing it with us!

[@rayschoch5882]

Thanks, Nick. Gorgeous scenery, as usual, and more tidbits of information to add to my meager existing supply.

[@sidbemus4625]

YES !!!!!!!!

[@Anne5440_]

I first went on a trip up this moraine and was shown all the levels as we drove up the road. I understood little that day. That was in the 70s, I was impressed with going up a to me, large moraine. I was most impressed at the top to see granite old enough that it was crumbling. I've been watching alone with you that today I could see each of the moraine levels and visualize the ice in my mind. Your charts are making sense to me now. Im finally learning with understanding. The exotic terrains and Baja to BC are still a good bit confusing, but I feel that going back over all these videos will bring me more understanding. Thanks, Nick, for teaching me this. I'm still learning.

[@johncloar1692]

Lovely scenery thanks for the video always a pleasurer.

[@SCW1060]

I really love this area, I've been there so many times and really enjoyed the view

[@williamasher9659]

I enjoy when you draw on your minds ability to place events in the great and expansive time scape . Bravo!

[@gordonormiston3233]

What a great snapshot of an area showing a group of moraines covering many stages of glaciation. Also beautiful scenery. Thanks Nick 🐻

[@lindsaymalone9371]

Wow Nick! Thank you for this video. I'm going to look at Mountain Home with a whole new lense. Love the new chart and map and color pencil combinations. Was up by the north face of Stuart last week and poking around Joe Watt Canyon this week and thinking about this coming winter series - what timing!

[@HobbiesHobo]

That's because us Canucks have less & less to ice to give you each time, because you never send any back, like the rocks & water we sent you! haha. Excellent stuff Nick, love this stuff!

[@Peter_S_]

That looks like a delightful picnic table to set a Coleman on and cook up some proper bacon, eggs, and coffee.

[@Rachel.4644]

👏🏻💞 Wonderful scenic glacial moraines and interesting helpful visuals, that always surprise me by how huge it all is. A basic fact I just learned: the ridges are moraines. Well, cool! (The Mountain Home area includes Chelan-Douglas Land Trust land. ) I'm glad you're enjoying getting out. Thank you, Nick!

[@pprehn5268]

I just drove it last week for the 50* times cuz I've lived here for 1/2 my life...Ypu've really helped me visualize our area over the eons. Great Photography

[@anaritamartinho1340]

Beautiful place and Morraine🥰

[@michaeltrboyevich7854]

Thank you Nick !! I love and just discovered you on KZbin . A wonderful presentation !!!

[@neebeeshaabookwayg6027]

Yeaaaaa, nick!! I was, yet again, busy with 96 year old mom, and, with my irish, SO---- here I go, to watch: you, yourself and YOU you...😅🙂🤗...

[@tomwoodrow5494]

You are a good teacher Nick!

[@ozzieulloa6088]

I love watching your videos.

[@jameskilpatrick7790]

Little by little, piece by piece. Every data point adds to the whole.

[@Vickie-Bligh]

Thanks, Nick. Thanks for helping me appreciate even more the loveliness of our state.

[@sheilatruax6172]

I have to smile every time I hear "Leavenworth". My immediate reaction is "Kansas?". Can't help it. I'm a military brat! Have to retrack quick to follow the lecture! Lol

[@Anne5440_]

I'm also an Army brat. I used to think about Kansas, too, which I was at in 1962. In the late 60s, I began coming to Leavenworth, Washington, off and on. Then, in 1984, I moved to East Wenatchee. Over the many years living here, I've managed to just think of Leavenworth Washington. This area has become home.

[@MaryAnn1174]

Thank you ❤

[@alexmacdonald258]

yes, it's private for the most part, owned by the Johnson family here in Leavenworth. Once upon a time, there were plans for an Alpine ski area there. I've lived near town for 16 years, and never heard of anyone having issues with trespass there though. Lots of us hunt that area. The views are indeed stunning!

[@derrith1877]

What a lovely outing. Thank you for taking us along. I keep trying to learn to read the environment like a geologist so thank you for showing us the wide shots and the relationships of what's under foot with what's across the valley.

[@sheilatruax6172]

This was great! I learned about glacial moraine in high school. Always thought it was interesting. Great to see remains in situ.

[@DonnaCsuti-ji2dd]

Thanks for the field trip, nice video good info.

[@oscarmedina1303]

What beautiful country. It's amazing how granite can decompose to such fine pebbles and dust.

[@briane173]

I'm naturally inclined to ask how much of the granite boulders that were sent down with the glacial moraines were from the Stuart Range. I have a horrible memory in terms of which formations and outcrops are which out there, but the Stuart Range is the only one I remember that is solid granite and more-or-less exotic compared to all the other formations surrounding it.

[@katherinea5011]

Great video! I’m flying in to Sea-Tac next week and am planning to go to Leavenworth via the Yakima River Valley so I’ll be rewatching your I-90 Rocks series. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, experience and passion for geology.

[@sdmike1141]

The teacher with “The most descriptive/instructive fingers on the interweb!” Thanks Nick.

[@LanceHall]

Stunning views.

[@myersred8]

This episode is a video painting masterpiece of sculpture it took eons to cut and buff and shove around earth's crust.

[@tadpolefarms631]

Fantastic explanation and video presentation. I have often wondered how large boulders became placed st the tops of ridges. At the time I did not appreciate that those rocks and boulders were "rounded" in their shape. Excellent teaching!

[@jennyk2022]

Dating (to the agreement of the geological community) morainal material and other glacial deposits to the actual time they were deposited must be very difficult. Seems like if that was easier, it would unlock and separate the glacial footprints (and their consequences... like floods) from each other around the globe like waving a magic wand. Perhaps that also would help unsnarl the confusing naming conventions. And we need to get rid of that Canadian border. It didn't exist in the Pleistocene.

[@Poppageno]

Beautiful! What was the source rock for this moraine, Mt. Stuart? Thanks Ned! ;^)

[@user-ph6vz6qx3x]

Brilliant work, Nick. Caught the "Perturbation" video two days ago, finished "Bretz's Flood" yesterday. Had watched the Cathy Troost video when it came out. Loving the flow of the storylines.

[@daytonlights-peterwine468]

Working on my autumn/Halloween light show (new song by Duran Duran being added,) and THIS pops up. Made my day! Thanks, Nick! Your burst of sunshine is very welcome, too, as it's cold and dreary here in Dayton, Ohio today.

[@Multipleization]

Nick, each video I watch leaves me with more questions than I have answers. I love it and I love you and your content.

[@richardstephens3642]

That's Absolutely beautiful scenery up there

[@doncook3584]

Crazy the forces of Mother Earth. Fascinating. Impossible to find adequate adjectives to describe NZ. Really appreciate each and every video

[@wishbon77]

I’m so excited for A to Z this year. Omg

[@alanrobbo6980]

What Fantastic Views ❤

[@Julian_Wang-pai]

The content and commentary almost as scintillating as that chocolate / candy box scenery. I'm bowled over - and unexpectedly better informed. Thank you 👏👏👏👍🙂

[@garglefraxthestrong]

One of the finest climbing areas in the PNW. Thanks for educating a rock jock

[@Trinity-Waters]

It's so exciting to see and understand all this natural history in a pile of earth! Thanks for the background explanation. Beautiful country.

[@lowellpearson8782]

So cool , thank you Nick.

[@sdrx903]

its great to see some more field videos! cant get enough of em lol

[@kaferine]

I love this channel! Thanks for sharing.

[@vinmansbakery]

The map at 9:30 is becoming a fast favorite. Keep ‘em coming, Nick! Is there LiDAR of the moraine area?

[@vinmansbakery]

Yep. Washington LiDAR portal.

[@garypaull9382]

Jeff - take a look at the LIDAR where Ingalls Creek comes into Peshastin Cr. too. Another thesis for somebody there someday?

[@e.k.4508]

Beautiful map, great resource. Thank you for the tip

[@_Michiel_]

Besides being amazingly interesting and addictive, this is an advertising channel for the Washington tourist bureau! I love it, love it, love it! I am busy reading Bretz's notes by now (after having read his reports). Text on a tablet, Google Earth on my phone. And then films like yesterday and today come along, enticing me to hop on an airplane to experience it myself, see it with my own eyes, feel it with my own hands. Loving you all the more for that Nick! Thank you.

[@BKPrice]

"Autumn in the Cascades. You gotta love it." Meanwhile, in Arizona. "Oh, it's just 102 today? My it's cold."

[@Aglassact77]

That’s some beautiful country there in Leavenworth. I try and go there 2 times a year usually. Great town, shops, bars, scenery, and driving there is got some good views too 👍 Dave from Spokane

[@jackblackpowderprepper4940]

I live about 30 minutes from that picnic table in Valley HI. This is called Mountain Home Road and is good hunting. I have lived here for 20 years and it is a rockhounds paradise. A stone throw from my house are hudge burms of conglomerate formations created by glaciers. From a distance they look like lava domes black in color.

[@2HighNoon]

I fought a wildfire on that slope back in 2014 I believe.. We were there near the bottom just behind the residential area butting up against those slopes. Beautiful town.. Great food too.

[@longbellycaster]

I miss that area! Loved fishing on the Wenatchee for steelhead.

[@hestheMaster]

Not any type of geology student of any sort here but you explained quite beautifully exactly what we are seeing and more importantly how and when it came to be. Stunned by the looks of this area in Autumn. Thank you Nick.

[@tanukhan]

I love watching your videos from the flat wastelands of the midwest

[@robynknits]

Just drive through there yesterday. So glad I knew a wee bit of what I was seeing. Thank you for my new geology obsession. Rocks in my head too!

[@scottowens1535]

First thing that I ponder is the fragmentary nature.

[@arnarninson4413]

graduated from Cascade HS "Partied" in that spot many a times back in the day but with a view like that could you blame us? on a full moon it is so awesome!!

[@laurafolsom2048]

Hey all! Miss everybody.

[@BudKnocka]

Mountaineers creek has features like that Nick up towards lake Stuart n lake Colchuck.

[@PlayNowWorkLater]

This is great! It’s just what I needed. I’m checking out some local moraines in my neck of the woods, so it’s nice seeing your perspective with material and locations I’ve been following with you. Nice video quality BTW, what camera are you using. And what a steady shot! Nice.

[@robertrohler3644]

Beautiful place Mr. Me, Myself, and I (Good tune by G-Eazy X Bebe Rexha)

[@richardmerrill4036]

Nick, non-geologist here. Is it possible that each succeeding glacier was not as high because the preceding glacier made the valley deeper?

[@DyreStraits]

yes, or also wider?

[@garypaull9382]

Or mountains rising? Good question

[@malcolmcog]

I like your talk on the glacial moraines ! I started in geology as a sedimentary petroligist, as working in oil exploration was about the only route in the early 1970s in Britain. I left geology for a career as a programmer. In the past few years I joined a local group that is looking at local glacial erratic boulders, and now I am mad on the history of the glaciations of the Pleistocene and Holocene

[@rockweiler777]

This looks like you are having too much fun. Your next video is going to... *ahem*... rock.

[@whitby910]

Thank you.

[@estruble]

Visited Leavenworth for the first time on Tuesday, 10/31 (you picked a better day, snow and low ceilings on Tuesday would have made this presentation a little "gray"). Kept loving all of your presentations of Eastern Washington and especially the I-90 Rocks series. Kept searching for Episode 4 but read in your comments that you had the presentations filmed but not completed. Would love to see the rest of them in the future. I've even got my wife interested in them. Of course I couldn't resist, as we were heading over the hill to Leavenworth, every time I saw a "ROCKS" sign on I-90, I kept asking her where's Nick? Love your presentations and hope to be able to follow then for years to come.

[@Welcometothewild]

I love this so much, can’t wait to be out in Washington with you

[@charlesflorian1758]

Very Interesting……

[@BrewGuyMike]

How about the METHOW valley. I do excavation work and I’ve learned alot over the years about what I’m digging in from your videos. Thank you

[@RoyPierce-fb8mt]

Loving the visual. You know how much it is going to cost us to get all those Stephen Porter papers? Add to that the McDonald. We cannot keep up with this, gorgeous visuals aside.

[@blakebrown2445]

5:37 “Daddy needs his hat. it’s a little cold…ooo glacial erratic right there 👉” -Daddy Nick

[@daviddudley1655]

My 3 favorite people. Me myself and I

[@KenakaElric]

I know a guy that was cutting a Road cut in the past two years on the peshastin side of wapiti point or locally known as number hill, the mountain that faces Peshastin maybe I can get you in connection with him and you could look at all the different ages of the sediment as the rock cut goes up the mountain. I imagine this would be at the but end of where all the moraines were squished together.

[@paulliebenberg3410]

I'm perturbed that it took me a while figure out how to spell "grus" such that I might find it on the Interwebs. But thanks Nick for the pin on the shoulder of the Icicle Creek canyon, Google Earth makes it easy to spot those lateral moraines. (I'm really only familiar with the feature called a terminal moraine) But the hell with geology, I want to know about all those railroads cut into that ridge! (Must be from logging???)

[@KenakaElric]

On the blewett Pass side, maybe those are boulders and or sandstone wall there’s some interesting features they’re just so massive. It’s hard to imagine being boulders pushed.

[@Gizathecat2]

My husband and I were there for my birthday last month! I was wondering about the geology of the Icicle Creek

[@erikhilsinger9421]

Stevens Pass has some sexy stuff going on. So much drama in the post LGM retreat. And somewhere in there are Native peoples questing up into the former glaciated lands in search of food and resources, maybe leaving behind some discarded tools that persist to this day. Nice!

[@dannmarceau]

September 10, 1965? I was in my first week of kindergarten in North Seattle.

[@KenakaElric]

Behind the high school, and middle school is where there’s a toe of a Maureen from probably one of the last ice ages we would have to run up it known as Rattlesnake Hill

[@KenakaElric]

During the 94 fire that came through here, the fire was so hot. It caused some of those boulders to crack and half some of those are granite boulders that cracked shattered from the intensity of the heat.

[@KenakaElric]

Considering I am on the east side of the Mountain home range that means I’m on the east side of boundary Butte. That means I’m on the oldest side of all of that in our orchard has a rock cut that we call sandstone wall so if you want to come by sometime and take a look at some of that, I could let you have a tour. The backside to all that stuff there’s a little canyon that cuts up into it called mundun Road but it’s a private road unless you know the people 😊 I horse ride in between I guess the two Morian cuts there and it’s called the Cascade crest Trail if I remember, there’s tons of aspens between Mountainhome and boundary butte

[@DoubleADay]

Out of curiosity, was the Lewis River Valley ever glaciated anywhere from Mt Adam's to Mt St Helen's down to the Columbia River?

[@wesmahan4757]

I presume that all those rounded granite boulders must have been dropped by one of those earliest ice advances, since they are pretty high up? Maybe it's answered later in this talk, but I'm very impulsive and can't wait to watch the entire thing before I start asking questions. Yes, Mr. Zentner, sir, I will sit down and shut up!!

[@wesmahan4757]

(And I was right, you DID mention the "fresh-looking erratics" up by Boundary Butte.)

[@lauram9478]

❤❤

[@douginorlando6260]

I’m thinking the only reason the oldest glacier is the biggest and 2nd oldest is 2nd biggest, etc is not because older glaciers are bigger, but because bigger glaciers erased evidence of older glaciers that were smaller. Most likely, some glacier ice sheet advances are missing from the record for this reason. You could estimate the frequency of ice sheet advances by assuming small stage 2 glaciers occur every 20,000 years, every mid sized glacier occurred every 40,000 years, etc. Better still, correlate estimates of frequency by including where we are in the Milankovitch cycles and their calculated intensities.

[@roddixon368]

Given the ice flows are progressively smaller it would be interest to see if evidence of the four terminal moraines and associated out flows of water still exist and can or have been studied.