Views from Ice Cave Peak, Uinta Mountains

These are a few photos taken last week while out mapping along the south flank of the Uinta Mountains. Ice Cave Peak gives a great view of the Whiterocks River valley and the rocks that are exposed along that valley. Late June is a great time to visit because the mountains are so green and the temperatures are pleasant. In the higher mountains, rain clouds form almost every afternoon.

View to southwest from Ice Cave Peak across Whiterocks River valley. On the far side of the river you can see, starting at the far left on the far ridge, gray outcrops of the Pennsylvanian Weber Sandstone, then red outcrops of the Morgan Formation, also Pennsylvanian. At the bottom of the red Morgan cliffs is a thinner gray cliff of Round Valley Limestone, completing the Pennsylvanian outcrops.  The Round Valley Limestone sits above a dark streak of green trees that are growing in the strike valley formed by the soft shale of the Doughnut Formation (Mississippian). Then at the top of the closer ridge, and still dipping off to the left, is a somewhat covered slope (with trees and scrub) of the Humbug Formation sitting atop several ledges with some trees that comprise the Deseret and Madison Limestones, all Mississippian in age. These Mississippian units sit unconformably on a yellow orange unit, called the Red Pine Shale. The Red Pine Shale here appears to be almost horizontal. It is the oldest unit in the photo and is Proterozoic in age. That's probably more geology than you really wanted to know.

Another view to the southwest across Whiterocks River valley.

Looking to the north from Ice Cave Peak to the high rounded peaks of the Uinta Mountains with rain clouds gathering for their afternoon frolic.

A broader view to the northwest.

The storm clouds begin to dump their treasure onto the higher peaks.

Standing on the Mississippian limestones of the Madison Limestone that make up most of the outcrops around Ice Cave Peak and looking south. Below are a couple more shots to the northwest.

The Mountain in Our Backyard -- Mount Timpanogos

Here are a few shots I have taken over the years of one of nature's most beautiful mountains: Mount Timpanogos in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. Even though Timp is only 11,752 feet high, it rises abruptly from Utah Valley, with an elevation difference of over 5,000 feet. The upper parts of the mountain were glaciated during the last ice age, carving the top into its present form.

Most of the mountain is comprised of the Oquirrh Group, a series of Pennsylvanian-Permian age limestones and sandstones that were deposited in the ocean about 300 million years ago when Utah was at the edge of the North American continent. The rocks have since had an interesting history including deep burial, uplift, and erosion to form them into the current spectacular mountain. Several of the photos here were taken from my backyard and others as I have traveled around the mountain.