The Pacific Northwest (roughly Northern California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, parts of Idaho) is geologically one of the most spectacular regions on the planet, in my humble opinion. Despite growing up and completing my undergraduate in Oregon, it took moving away for graduate school and then moving back to fully appreciate the geology here.

A few years ago my friend and graduate school colleague Leslie (who was curator at the Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals at the time) emailed me and mentioned she had been contacted by Timber Press, a book publisher in Portland, OR, about potentially authoring a new guide book on the geology of Oregon and Washington. There are plenty of great geology books about the region (there is a list of links at the bottom of this page), but there had not been a general guide published in quite some time!

So we wrote one!

Rocks, Minerals, and Geology of the Pacific Northwest

From the publisher:

• The essential reference for rockhounds, hikers, climbers, and outdoor/ geology enthusiasts
• More than 400 photographs, illustrations, tables, and maps showcase and explain everything from minuscule crystals to regional tectonics
• Interprets the geologic histories of well-loved regional landscapes and iconic rock formations
• Profiles more than 100 minerals and rocks in detailed entries with photos, descriptions, identification graphics, and mini-indexes
• Explores the geology and geography of 13 physiographic regions in Washington and Oregon

We wanted more than just a guidebook to identifying rocks and minerals (though this is really useful!), so we added in sections that describe different aspects of structural geology and geomorphology to help interpret the overall geologic history of the Pacific Northwest.

Super fun project- kind of like writing a second dissertation… but at least more people will read this one!

More books and fun information about the geology of the Pacific Northwest:

• Roadside Geology of Oregon, by Marli Miller
• Roadside Geology of Washington, by Marli Miller and Darrel Cowan
• In Search of Ancient Oregon, by Ellen Morris Bishop
• Geology Underfoot in Western Washington, by Dave Tucker
• “Washington 100”- 100 unique geological sites in Washington State, Washington Department of Natural Resources

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