Topaz Mt. Utah Geology Backpacking Trip скачать в хорошем качестве

Topaz Mt. Utah Geology Backpacking Trip

This is my 50th hiking video and I wanted to celebrate it with a special trip to Topaz Mountain, Utah. My last visit to this site was in the summer of 1982 with my fellow geology student, Richard Carrol. At that time I fell in love with the beauty of this remote desert and its geology. Topaz Mountain is considered one of the best collecting sites of the world that is open to the public. Thirty-nine years later I drove my low-clearance vehicle within 4 miles of Topaz Mountain and had to hike in the rest of the way. Over the decades, the valley floor has been picked over by rockhounders, so I backpacked up onto the valley’s southern rim and setup my tent/base camp. For the next 2 days I found a small trove of crystals. According to the Bureau of Land Management, the crystals formed within cavities of the Topaz Mountain rhyolite, a volcanic rock which erupted approximately six to seven million years ago from volcanic vents along faults in the area. You should be aware that while topaz crystals come in a variety of colors, those found on the surface become colorless after extensive exposure to sunlight. Those crystals found underground are going to have an amber color that is breathtaking. Please note that you can watch this video, in addition to all my adventures (currently 50 videos) on YouTube by subscribing at my account at:    / @joseph_wright  . Love to all, Joe