The biggest US state is full of superlatives. Denali, the highest peak in North America at 20,320 feet, is still rising, pushed upward as a tectonic plate collides from the south. The collision has also created huge mountains along Alaska�s Gulf Coast, where humid coastal air has produced the largest subpolar icefield in North America. The exceptional heights of Alaska�s mountains are mirrored below sea level by the 22,377-foot-deep trench of the active subduction zone along Alaska�s southern shore. Earthquakes associated with the subduction zone shake Alaskans frequently, and the magnitude 9.2 earthquake in 1964, with its epicenter in Prince William Sound, was one of the largest seismic events ever recorded.
Such an active geologic setting calls for an updated edition of this popular roadside geology guide. Since the first edition was published in 1988, volcanoes have erupted, faults have ruptured, glaciers have retreated, permafrost has thawed, and geologic interpretations have changed. Author Cathy Connor discusses the latest findings as she guides readers along the roads of Alaska and adjacent parts of British Columbia and the Yukon. In addition to roads and national parks, the book covers the �boatside geology� of Alaska, including the fjords of southeast Alaska, islands in the Bering Sea, and the Tatshenshini River. Roadside Geology of Alaska is a must-have for any Alaska rock enthusiast.

Author: Cathy Connor
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Mountain Press
Published: 09/01/2014
Pages: 317
Weight: 1.35lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9780878426195
2nd Edition

About the Author
Connor, Cathy: - Cathy Connor has a BS and MS in geology from Stanford University and a PhD in geology from the University of Montana. Since 1991 she has taught at the University of Alaska�Southeast in Juneau, where she was honored with the Outstanding Faculty Award in 2008. During summers she is on the faculty of the Juneau Icefield Research Program. When she�s not inspecting rocks, sediments, and ice, she�s surveying her beloved Alaskan landscape on skis or from boats, depending on the season.