Mammoth Mt's Growing Pains despite California changing topography

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Mammoth Mt.s Growing Painsdespite California
changing topography!
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Mammoth Research Team

• Were your research team from
• Creekside Middle School in Patterson
• Cal Newberry
• Lori Martin
• Yvonne Del Santo

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Abstract

• Our team is addressing the topic of Volcanoes,
  Earthquakes and Mammoth Mountain.
• Our Rationale was to bring realia of these
  current issues, addresses it affecting
  Californias Geology/ Topography.
• Our methodology was to divide the topic into
  three subtopic, researched that topic and bring
  the information together for our final
  presentation.
• We found that Mammoth Mountain had very current
  issues from its volcanic and earthquake activity.
  News Headlines of after effects from Carbon
  dioxide gases lead to the death of three ski
  patrollers.

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O b j e c t i v e

• Our purpose was to incorporate the 6th grade
  standard 2.d
• that students know that earthquakes, volcanic
  eruptions, landslides and flood changes human and
  wildlife habitats and bring to life with real
  life examples from our California Geology.

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A Place Rich In History

• The evolution of Mammoth Mountain and the town of
  Mammoth Lakes is one diverse in background and
  history. From early settlers looking for riches
  in the form of gold, to spanning thousands of
  years back where volcanic eruptions formed the
  area out of molten rock.

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Mammoth Mountain

• Activities in Mammoth
• Skiing
• Shopping
• Dog-Sledding
• Snow-Mobiling
• Dining Entertainment

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Mammoth - A Place to Relax - Or - Is It?
Purchased in 2005 by InraWest Corp. for 365
million dollars, Mammoth has become one of the
Greatest Playgrounds in the Western
World. Mammoth has an regular population of
7,482 with an influx of thousands more every
winter.
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• Mammoth Mountain   (Long Valley Caldera)    
  11053 ft (3369 m) .
• Location Sierra Nevada, Eastern California,
• Volcanic Type Ash-flow caldera and lava dome
• Volcanic Status Active (fumarolic)

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• Mammoth Mountain is the highest point on the rim
  of Long Valley Caldera. It was formed by
  earthquake and volcanic activity over many years.

• The mountain itself is a large lava dome extruded
  up along the margin of the caldera. Mammoth
  Mountain is well known throughout the US, since
  it has been the site of a major ski area for the
  past 40 years.

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Volcanic Unrest
In May of 1980, 6 strong earthquakes struck the
southern margin of Long Valley Caldera causing
ongoing unrest accompanied by changes in thermal
springs and gas emissions.
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The Rocks tell a Story
Deposits and layers help scientist predict
similar types and sizes of eruptions in the area.
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Swarms of Earthquakes
In California's Long Valley, the earth
trembles every day where a volcano once
exploded.
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Recent Earthquakes Detected

• The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) seismologist
  tracks swarms of earthquakes that occur daily in
  a 10-by-20-mile crater.
• There are fifteen earthquakes detected
  these past two weeks.

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Two Signs of Volcanic Unrest!

• Earthquakes and CO2 seepage beneath Mammoth
  Mountain are only two signs of volcanic unrest in
  the Long Valley area.

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Mammoth Moving...
This aerial view of a glacial moraine has been
offset about 20-25 m. For scale, note cars in
the parking lot at lower left. The displacement
shown here has only occurred since the moraine
was deposited about 12,000 years ago.
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Ski Patrol Deaths at Mammoth Mountain

• Mammoth Mountain - Three ski patrol members died
  at the Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort

while trying to cordon off a potentially
dangerous area.
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• This is a sign similar to ones posted near gas
  vents on Mammoth Mountain. Three Mammoth Mountain
  ski patrol members died yesterday after they were
  overcome by noxious gases following a fall into a
  deep gas vent.
• (Brian Vander Brug / LAT)
• April 7, 2006

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Mammoth - A Place to Relax - Or - Is It?

• Concluding Thoughts Despite the Volcanic Unrest
  Mammoth Mountain is still going strong year round
  and even has future plans for an International
  Airport.
• Dave McCoy, It was always my intent to build a
  company for the ages, . . . to continue our work
  on Mammoth Mountain and in our community.

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C i t a t i o n s

• http//lvo.wr.usgs.gov/index.htmlglance
• http//geoweb.princeton.edu/research/geochemistry/
  research/fieldwork-CO2.html
• www.teachmefinance.com/Statistics/Crime/2003/2003_
  crime_Mammoth_L..
• http//www.twsbiz.com/twbiz/features/article/0,212
  14,1092633,00.html
• http//www.californiasnow.com/press_release.asp?id
  64
• http//abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?sectionspecial_
  coverageid4061879
• (Brian Vander Brug / LAT) April 7, 2006
• http//www.mammothmountain.com/company_info/histor
  y/
• http//www.skimountaineer.com/ROF/ROF.php?nameMam
  moth
• USGS long valley observatory http//lvo.wr.usgs.g
  ov/index.htmlglance