Roadside Geology - Yakima River Rocks

[@nonmihiseddeo4181]

Where I live in Missoula, Montana, there are beautiful colored rocks everywhere at Grant Creek Road and I-90. These are gorgeous purple, pink, blue, mint green, and salmon-colored rocks, in various sizes from basketball to large watermelon. They're marvelous for landscaping, and I've collected many Jeep loads, as they're not so heavy that I can't lift them. (Practicing proper body mechanics, of course, so I don't get hurt.) Some are striped. Some are bleached out by the sun, but when you uncover them fully from the sandy soil, they're still brilliantly colored. Most are roughly round, but they can be flat or triangular, with rounded edges. These rocks sit in a low area (picture Nick's chalkboard with a "V" to show water cutting through a landscape, with the rocks in the bottom of that "V" and a bit up on its sides) between rolling hills covered with grasses, which go on for miles and miles. They're really building this up, so if you come this way, take the Grant Creek Exit and find a vacant lot. At least for now, they're all over the place. EDIT: Going to 4:32 of the video, Nick has a blue stone with layered color. This is the same type of rock that I called "blue" above, but it is way smaller.

[@mkilptrick]

Great videos. I've lived in Oregon and Washington over 60 years and I never learned much about the basic geological history of these areas. I had heard of the Missoula floods and how they formed the areas of eastern Washington but never knew the enormity of it.You do a wonderful job of creating a narrative, and the video representations are well done. The occasional humor is good too. Wish I had a teacher like you in school. Mike in Oregon

[@Ellensburg44]

Nice comment, Mike. Thank you!

[@henrywight4057]

I lived in Washington when I was in the Army and traveled to Yakima often. Washington is my favorite state.

[@Rockhounding-with-Bigfoot]

I've watched all your lectures, you taught me a LOT. Thank you x100

[@quantanamara]

You "rock"...stumbled upon your videos, I truly appreciate you sharing your years of knowledge & appreciation for the PNW!

[@Ellensburg44]

Glad that they are helpful to you!

[@bradleyhannah8713]

Dr Ring taught me Geology at CWU in the eighties, I spent many hours out at Green Canyon finding blues. I have collected rocks since I was a kid, I have found Jade and tortquoise and many ageats all in western washington.

[@washnon]

best youtube channel ever

[@DRTMaverick]

Nick we need More videos! We want to learn more! I've watched all of them so far...

[@jordanburros3147]

Love your nick on the rock segments!

[@lynnmitzy1643]

I get out my atlas and follow along. Your chalkboard maps are really quite good . Thank you. 📚😍

[@darlenericotta7550]

You are a great speaker, I really enjoy your videos and have learned much about Washington from them. It is a beautiful State. Thank you.

[@Ellensburg44]

Thank you, Darlene.

[@malcolmmarzo2461]

Good teaching that makes us more observant of the Earth around us.

[@alpenjon]

Really informative and well done, thanks!

[@BoiseG]

There's a guy named Randall Carlson with many videos on KZbin which discuss catastrophic events that makeup the landscape. One is near you at a place called the Camas Prairie which has giant ripples in the countryside that are similar to the ripples created by water rushing on a sandy beach. Thanks for the interesting video.

[@Ellensburg44]

Thanks for watching. I will look at his videos. Yes, the Giant Current Ripples at Camas Prairie were created catastrophically....but most in geology were not.

[@509SD]

Randall has some awesome theories!! Great recommendation.

[@michaelmacdonald9252]

I was floating the river with my cousins, in the canyon on the day that slide happened in 98, the weather got real bad real fast and we had to get out early and got a ride from a guy in a state vehicle as are car was parked much further down the canyon at the Rosa dam/spillway. the rode washed out just behind my cousin as he drove out towards Yakima. Pretty wild.

[@triple_A_rockhound]

Nick on the rocks Roadside Geology such cool names for a show

[@paulwinger1605]

FANTASTIC! If we had the money, we would donate in an attempt to encourage posts of Roadside Geology. I'm having trouble grasping the difference between igneous and metamorphic rocks, the wife understands well. Your posts are appreciated and helpful keep her interests while she is taking other supportive courses, i.e. math. Please keep-up the good work.

[@Ellensburg44]

+Paul Winger Thanks for leaving such nice comments, Paul. Glad you enjoy these...

[@jazzcatt]

A very simple explanation is that Igneous rock is rock that was, at one time, molten. Metamorphic rock is rock that has been altered physically and or chemically by high temps and pressure, but it was not ever melted in the process. Hope that helps, even though I'm 2 years late in replying. LOL!

[@johnharris7353]

Very good Nick! Enjoyed that.

[@Ellensburg44]

Thanks John!

[@japanrockhunt8277]

Beautiful place, and cool hammer.

[@michaeldomansky8497]

You Rock, Nick!

[@Ellensburg44]

So do you, Michael!

[@1HorseOpenSlay]

Great video!

[@shadowjack8]

I lived in the northern end of Spokane county in the '70s, and I wandered the hills around Mt. Spokane, Elk, and Chattaroy. I found a few places that you would like to see I think.

[@joannepballard5170]

Fascinating. And very cool you have eyewitnesses who can tell what happened! Now we can use this analogy to interpret other older deposits like this.

[@Ellensburg44]

Agree. Thanks Joanne.

[@HoleN-zg2tf]

I am so glad I stumbled upon these C.W.U. geology videos. One of your cameramen, Rick Spencer, is a golfing buddy of mine. I'll have to ask him why he never mentioned these videos before.

[@Ellensburg44]

Thanks. Rick does good work at CWU.

[@bonblue4993]

When this slide event happened, was there any kind of a tsunami that was created and that anyone further down the river might have noticed?

[@paystreak]

hi yet another great vid ... helps me figure out rock deposits on my gold claim...i reckon you are a born teacher ..thanks ...mickey miner

[@Ellensburg44]

Nice to hear. Thanks Mickey.

[@michaelcurcio4025]

Was in Union Gap that July 3. Raindrops almost an inch across.

[@123Goldhunter11]

Just subscribed. I live on Whidbey Island but get over there once in a while. Been reading about the 12800 flood. Evidence mounting to a comet fragments melting the glacier not Lake Missula.

[@Ellensburg44]

Thanks. See nickzentner.com for all of our stuff. I don't see the evidence for the idea, but will keep my mind open.

[@dianajusselin3298]

Great teacher. Nice video from basic info. to an overall view of understanding. What type of boulder, go from the sand on up to boulders. Nice. Of course, I love geology. I live in Genesee, ID between Lewiston and Moscow, ID. God Bless.

[@bhaiyyu]

really cool !

[@Ellensburg44]

Thanks for watching.

[@papaadams2387]

In the Yakima Ellensburg Canyon there is a hole through a rock and it has a shape like it was used for a bell ! Do you know anything about how that was formed or history on those rocks?

[@GoddessStone]

Also, do you have thoughts on "Ellensburg Blue" stones?

[@Ellensburg44]

Yes, search KZbin for Ellensburg Blue Agates and you'll find my lecture on that topic.

[@lawofeffect]

Love this guy because, now I love geology

[@ColTravis]

9" per year in Central Washington compared to 12' to 14' in the Hoh Rain Forest on the Olympic Peninsula makes the Pacific Northwest truly a remarkable place both biologically and geologically. Both the mountains and the waters working together in harmony, mostly!

[@Ellensburg44]

+Mark Haushahn Yes, we are lucky to live here in the Northwest. Thanks.

[@BlGGESTBROTHER]

I'm always blown away when driving horizontally through the state just how many different biomes you go through.

[@lmendel58]

That was very interesting.

[@priscillaross-fox9407]

What is that pinkish/tan rock in your left hand at 4:30? And at 6:00 there's a rock that looks like it has a drawing on it in upper right corner.

[@Ellensburg44]

Quartzite. But almost everything else is basalt. Thanks for watching.

[@priscillaross-fox9407]

Thank you for the videos.

[@kspfan001]

Makes me a bit sad that I didn't stick out another 2 years in school to finish Geology degree. I'm as crazy about the geology of Western Mass + the Grenville orogeny as you are about Washington Nick! Luckily, it doesn't take a degree to simply appreciate deep time and the history of Earth! Check out this beautiful piece of Grenville bedrock gneiss aprox. 1.1-1.2bil years old: i.imgur.com/AB3y89Y.jpg that sits on my desk. Can you believe people just drive right past this stuff on the highway never thinking twice? :D Love your videos and I'm thinkin of making a trip out to Washington to see all this great stuff you feature in your lectures in the future!

[@Ellensburg44]

Thanks much. Nice link. Come visit!

[@weswhite6244]

Nice Nick, Nice!

[@kevinklingner7712]

With the rocks being basaltic in nature.would they not be lahars?

[@thebestofallworlds187]

Awesome video! Are those semi-round rocks angular when they are deposited?

[@amacuro]

Well, you have to be careful with the vocabulary. When you say "deposited" it sounds like it could be their sort of "last resting place", so if they are round when you found them, they were deposited round. But when they are first transported because of erosion of it's original place, yes, they are angular :) If they travel short distances they remain mostly angular, if they travel long distances they start rounding up.

[@Ellensburg44]

Thanks for watching, John. We observe rocks are angular when originally entering a river system - and as they tumble down the river - are more and more rounded as they are transported. No rounding after they are deposited.

[@esquirroupetitossau-iraty2822]

A video about geology has no right being this interesting

[@Ellensburg44]

Thanks Mom.

[@DAYBROK3]

Why not? Our world is interesting, so shouldn’t a show about it be interesting too.

[@joshmoore6165]

Gotta be carful swinging a rock hammer on something small like that. Notice the bloody pinky at 4:29! lol

[@triple_A_rockhound]

Ha just found this by mistake. To funny Nick

[@Ellensburg44]

Our first video long ago...

[@triple_A_rockhound]

OHYA CLASSIC

[@011CJ]

I need to take some classes

[@BlGGESTBROTHER]

check out his website! Bunch of free materials there that is basically like a free geology course :) www.nickzentner.com

[@LabeilleCreative]

Reminds me of the nature walk video guy lol

[@WillyMcCoy50]

If I hadda hammer I'd hammer in the rivers I'd hammer on the hillsides All over this land But all's I got is a Harbor Freight Torque Wrench.

[@anoniconoclast2030]

I think that second rock was a tool made by someone that lived in a hut and stuff.

[@pavanatanaya]

I am not a geoliest but those rocks appear to be river rocks.

[@mikelouis9389]

I envy you your life. Enjoy.

[@markkmiecik9797]

You've been teaching Washington's geology for 20 years. So, what has it learned?

[@markkmiecik9797]

Simple observation -- all the rocks you pulled out of the river were wet.

[@BlGGESTBROTHER]

@@markkmiecik9797 Are you ok?

[@Sonam1234d]

After studying deep water of class 12 I came here

[@Sonam1234d]

Class 12 🤧🤧🤧welcome 🤧

[@JETZcorp]

Looks like Nick smashed himself pretty good on the pinky finger at some point.

[@danielhiggins4331]

"DISENGENUITY" DOESN'T BECOME YOUR ... OR YOUR LESSONS ... 😿

[@raybon7939]

I don't like those rocks..next to the river..lloll..the color indicates displacement and ancient geological trauma.

[@Ellensburg44]

Sorry to feature them then!

[@jeanyvesangers3885]

12 14 21

[@laurabunyard8562]

Scree.

[@Ellensburg44]

Checkmate.

[@laurabunyard8562]

I would like you to know, sir, that as a native of Arizona, I know more about Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana geology than I do Arizona.

[@stevetaylor1065]

3:40 " There's a beautiful, organized plan..." "....its not random"..."actual, systematic patterns.." Perhaps it is all an intelligent design, which requires an Intelligent Designer..

[@r0xjo0]

God's plan

[@Ellensburg44]

+David Trent I respect your opinion.

[@r0xjo0]

+Nick Zentner thank you. this was a really excellent and informative video. I very much enjoyed it.

[@Ellensburg44]

Nice to hear, David. Thanks.

[@MsFreedom4us]

David Trent so true GOD CREATION ...

I disagree. The floods were satanic. God would never create such destruction.

[@奇石保障房低保都给了]

外国石头多

[@Ellensburg44]

I agree.