publications San Diego Association of Geologists - home
SDAG home   |   Meetings   |   Field Trips   |   Announcements   |   Sponsors   |   Jobs   |   Publications   |   Geologic Links

Field Trip Guides and Research Reports


SDAG Publications sorted by senior author    |     SDAG Publications sorted chronologically

The Peninsular Ranges: A Geological Guide to San Diego's Back Country 2nd Edition
editor Michael J. Walawender (2022)
ISBN: 9781941384671

-------List Price 2022 $24.95-------



The Peninsular Ranges: A Geological Guide to San Diego's Back Country was originally written by Dr. Michael J. Walawender and published by Kendall/Hunt in 2000. Following Mike's death the publishing company elected not to reprint the volume. SDAG recognized the need to republish this book. For this 2022 second edition, some revisions were necessary since the original printing over 20 years ago. Specifically, graphics were redrafted in color, and photographs were re-shot in the field to improve image quality, replicating the original view to the extent possible. For the field excursions, information regarding access was updated to reflect current conditions. Finally, although not actual edits, footnotes were added where needed to provide updated information and detail based on recent scientific research. This book is the only stand-alone guide to the granitic and metamorphic uplands of eastern San Diego County. Those who appreciate the natural beauty and history of San Diego's mountain country will enjoy this book. SDAG hopes that Mike would be proud of our efforts to celebrate his legacy and introduce San Diego's Peninsular Ranges to new generations of explorers!

Geology & Enology of the Temecula Valley, Riverside County, California, 2nd edition cover
Geology & Enology of the Temecula Valley
Riverside County, California, 2nd Edition

Luke Weidman, editor (2021)
ISBN: 9781941384619

-------List Price 2021 $29.95-------



The Temecula Valley's ideal combination of well-drained soils and unique microclimate helped it become the successful wine-producing region that it is today. The San Diego Association of Geologists returns to the region after 20 years with this updated and expanded collection of self-guided road logs and articles to interest and inform the experienced geologist, the casual traveler, and the wine enthusiast.

Geology & Enology of the Temecula Valley, Riverside County, California, 2nd edition cover
Mojave Desert Unfolded
Geology From Cajon Pass to Calico Mountains

Ken Haase, editor (2020)
ISBN: 9781941384602

-------List Price 2020 $19.95-------



This guidebook covers the 2018 San Diego Association of Geologists annual field trip to the Mojave Desert. It will take you across tectonic plates, faults and folds. You will be able to observe the geology of the Mojave Desert and also the impacts humans have had in its history. This guidebook covers an area that the San Diego Association of Geologists has rarely covered in its history and is a great addition to the publications of SDAG.

Mojave Desert Unfolded: Geology From Cajon Pass to Calico Mountains cover
Julian-Banner Mining District: A Road to Gold
Christopher D. Livesey, editor (2017)
ISBN: 978191384404

-------List Price 2017 $25-------



The "Julian-Banner Mining District: A Road to Gold", provides a written history of the San Diego Association of Geologists 2017 field trip, supplemented with professional quality papers that enhance the guidebook and understanding of the area, as it relates to geology and mining. The book highlights points of interest (including hiking trails with commentary) along California State Route (Highway) 78 from Ramona to Julian, California.

Julian-Banner Mining District: A Road to Gold cover
Geology and Geologic Hazards
of Northwestern Baja California
Gold Coast and the Agua Blanca Fault, 2ed

John A. Minch, James R. Ashby, and Rupert S. Adams, editors (2016)
ISBN: 9781941384275

-------List Price 2016 $34.95-------



San Diego Association of Geologists returns to Baja California with legendary field geologist John Minch. San Diego Association of Geologists returns to Baja California with legendary field geologist John Minch. We reexamine geologic hazards including ancient and modern landslides, activity on the Agua Blanca fault, and shoreline erosion. Baja's rapid population growth puts coastal development issues front and center. Three field trip logs are supplemented with new papers and noteworthy historical papers.


Geology and Geologic Hazards of Northwestern Baja's Gold Coast and the Agua Blanca Fault cover
Geology of the Coyote Mountains.
Southern California

Randall Wagner, ed. (2015)
ISBN: 9781941384213

-------List Price 2015 $35-------



Anyone interested in the rich and complex geology of the Coyote Mountains will find this book useful for interpreting the Paleozoic metamorphic rocks of a rifted continental margin, Mesozoic igneous rocks from a magmatic arc, and Cenozoic continental red beds and volcanic rocks overlain by marine, riverine, and lake sequences. All these capped by fanglomerates and cut by faults. No other location in the region showcases such diverse rock types and so much geologic time in such a small area. As USGS geologist Walter Mendenhall said in 1910, the Coyote Mountains' "exposures and structures are so clear that its geology will be an open book to the fortunate student to whom falls the pleasant task of deciphering it in detail."

Geology of the Coyote Mountains cover
Coast to Cactus Regional Tectonics.
San Diego to the Salton Trough

Jennifer Bauer Morton, ed. (2014)
ISBN: 9781941384060

-------List Price 2014 $35-------



This field trip from Tourmaline Beach to the Yuha Desert explores the interaction of the major faults of southern California to accommodate for motion between the Pacific and North American Plates. We consider the tectonic evolution of the region and observe resulting landforms. Highlights include the Kitchen Creek PRB suture zone, Desert Tower, ground rupture evidence of the M7.2 Easter 2010 quake, and Imperial County Museum

Coast to Cactus cover
San Luis Rey on Display:
Geoscience in Northern San Diego County

Brian J. Olson, ed. (2013)
ISBN: 9780916251369

-------List Price 2013 $35-------



The self-guiding road log and geologic maps provide insight into the geology, paleontology, and archeology in the heart of this 55 mile-long watershed. It travels east from Interstate 15 along California Highway 76 to Lake Henshaw with a loop through the mile-high Palomar Mountain region.

San Luis Rey cover
Waiting for Tsunami:
Coastal Hazards of Northern San Diego County

Cari Gomes & Dave Bloom, eds. (2012)
ISBN: 9780916251239

-------List Price 2012 $25-------




A self-guided driving tour of coastal San Diego County. Start at Guajome County Park. Explore coastline from San Onofre to La Jolla. Hike to volcanic Cerro de la Calavera, Carlsbad. Technical papers range from a Plio-Pleistocene asteroid impact, landslides, and spelunking, to archeology at Mission San Luis Rey.


Tsunami cover
Palms to Pines:
Geological and Historical Excursions through
the Palm Springs Region, Riverside County, California

Scott Snyder, Bryan Miller-Hicks, and Jeff Miller, eds. (2012)
ISBN: 9780916251246

-------List Price 2012 $35-------



SDAG Field Guides 2008/2009 and
SCGS Field Trip - 2012

Road logs cover over 200 miles with 17 papers plus maps, photos, and diagrams. Topics range from Coachella Valley groundwater to the structure of exposed shallow to mid-crustal crystalline rocks of the mtns; a geologist's view of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Pines to Palms Hwy, Indian Canyon, San Gorgonio Pass, and the San Andreas Fault.

Palms to Pines cover
Picacho and the Cargo Muchachos:
Gold, Guns, and Geology of Eastern
Imperial County, California

Editor: Todd A. Wirths (2011)
ISBN: 9781941384077

-------List Price 2011 $35-------




The subtitle says it all about the harsh beauty and history of this little-known but intriguing southeast corner of the vast California desert. Its red and purple volcanic and granitic landscapes range from Picacho State Park on "Old Red" (the Colorado River) west to the Algodones sand dunes, one of the largest sand dune complexes in North America. A drive of less than three easy hours on I-8 from San Diego brings the explorer to the ancient portals of the southeastern Chocolate Mountains and the Cargo Muchacho Mountains, guarded by the Quechan People for thousands of years and now accessible via graded dirt roads, 4WD trails, and just enough asphalt to appeal to less adventurous souls.

Cargo Picacho cover
Roadside Geology Along Sunrise Highway,
San Diego County, California

Michael J. Walawender (2011)
ISBN: 9780916251192

-------List Price 2011 $13-------




This self-guided tour, a favorite for beginning geology students to emeritus professors like the author, starts just 47 miles from San Diego. It clearly explains the mountain-building geology of the region with abundant photos, maps, and illustrations and offers sweeping vistas into the largest below-sea-level depression in the Western Hemisphere.

Sunrise Highway cover
Geology and Lore of the Northern
Anza-Borrego Desert Region

Monte L. Murbach and Charles E. Houser, eds. (2010)
ISBN: 9780916251161

-------List Price 2010 $30-------




"The Lows to Highs of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park" field trip produced studies of the geology, mines, groundwater, geologic structure, faulting, and paleontology-inspired "Sky Art" metal scuptures of Borrego Valley. Vistas from Fonts Point and the Salton Sea Overlook range from deep basin "lows" up Banner Grade to the "highs" of mile-high mountains.

2010 cover
Geology and Natural History, USMC Camp Pendleton,
2nd edition - 1994 SDAG Field Trip

Phillip S. Rosenberg, ed. (2010)
ISBN: 9780916251147

-------List Price 2010 $25-------


The trip loops south from San Onofre State Beach to explore geology of the USMC Base including surrounding beaches and coastal plain. Technical papers and a full-color fold-out geologic map along the I-5 corridor describes natural and historic features of the northern coast including updated archeology, water resources, earthquake faults, and ornithology.


1994 second edition cover

GEOLOGY and HISTORY of SOUTHEASTERN
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

David Bloom, Phil Farquharson, eds. (2005-2006)
ISBN: 9780916251789

-------List Price 2006 $30-------


From the huge La Posta pluton, this guide travels old Hwy 80, paralleling much of the route of the SD&AE Railway, "The Impossible Railroad". At Desert Tower, routes drop precipitously into the Yuha Desert, mysteriously described as "This is the desert; there is nothing out here; nothing". Canyon Sin Nombre and the Volcanic Hills beckon "where the road ends".

2006 cover

MINES & GEOLOGY OF THE RANDSBURG AREA:
An Historical Gem of the Mojave Desert

D.D. Trent (2006)
ISBN: 9780916251772

-------List Price 2005 $13-------



Named for the fabulously wealthy mining district in South Africa, Randsburg takes its place in the storied history of major Old West mining booms in this volume, rich with historic maps and photos. The area, 50 miles northeast of Mojave, experienced 5 mining booms from 1893 into the 21st c with riches from the earth including gold, silver, and tungsten.

2005 cover

MINING HISTORY AND GEOLOGY
OF JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK


Margaret Eggers, ed. (2004)
ISBN: 9780916251703

-------List Price 2004 $20-------


JTNP, one of the Big Four of California's world-class desert preserves, protects over 1000 square miles of wilderness in three major ecosystems: the high Mojave Desert, the low Colorado Desert, and the pinyon/juniper uplands of the Little San Bernardinos. This book includes the park-interpreted "18-mile Geology Tour" and other self-guided routes.

2004 cover

GEOLOGY OF THE ELSINORE FAULT ZONE
SAN DIEGO REGION,
2003 SDAG/SDGS FIELD TRIP


Monte L. Murbach and Michael W. Hart, eds. (2003)
ISBN: 9780916251659

-------List Price 2003 $25-------


"Hot Springs & Tourmalines of Eastern San Diego County" starts in gemstone country near Warner Springs, plunges down Banner Grade into Earthquake Valley to Aqua Caliente Hot Springs and continues along the Elsinore Fault via Hwy S2. A return via I-8 leads into McCain Valley's dramatic overlook of Carrizo Gorge from the Pack Rat gem mine.


2003 cover

COASTAL PROCESSES AND ENGINEERING GEOLOGY
OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA


Robert C. Stroh, ed. (2001)
ISBN: 9780916251581

-------List Price 2001 $25.00-------


Explores the coastal plain from San Ysidro to Point Loma via Otay Mesa, SDSU, Lake Jennings, Black Mtn, and the Torrey Pines/La Jolla coastline. Papers address landslides, beach erosion and bluff retreat, feasibility of a water tunnel from the Imperial Valley, and a summary with brief descriptions of the geologic formations and units in western SD Co.

* Out of print

2001 cover

GEOLOGY AND ENOLOGY OF THE TEMECULA VALLEY,
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA


Barbara B. Birnbaum and Kerry Cato (2000)

-------List Price 2000 $15.00-------


This Publication was reprinted in 2020-2021

2K cover

WATER FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:
Water Resources Development


Greg T. Cranham, ed. (1999)
ISBN: 9780916251512

-------List Price 1999 $15.00-------

A concise historical summary of the three massive 20th c water projects for the burgeoning south and trip highlights including four new 21st c projects, three in the Inland Empire: Inland Feeder Tunnel (water transport), Seven Oaks Dam (flood control), MWD Diamond Valley Lake (6-mos emergency storage) plus Olivenhain Reservoir serving North SD Co.


* Out of print

99 cover

GEOLOGY AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
OF THE IMPERIAL AND MEXICALI VALLEYS


Lowell Lindsay and William G. Hample, eds. (1998)

-------List Price 1998 $15.00-------



* Out of print
98 cover

PALEONTOLOGY AND GEOLOGY OF THE WESTERN SALTON TROUGH DETACHMENT, ANZA - BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK,
Paul Remeika & Anne Sturz, eds. (1994)
ISBN: 9780916251482

------------List Price - $15.00--------


Includes a mostly off-road, detailed self-guiding field trip through the southern (Carrizo and Vallecito/Fish Creek) and northern badlands of ABDSP, largest state park in the nation. Accompanying papers, maps, and photos explore a variety of earth science topics which provided the groundwork for the ABDSP Fossil Treasures project a decade later.

cover photo

NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CORONADO ISLANDS
Lyne Perry & Thomas N. Lamb, eds. (1992)
ISBN: SDAG92

------------List Price - $10.00--------


Topics include history, archaeology, vegetation, vertebrate zoology, and geology with three fold-out maps detailing the geology of each of the three islands which lie 15 miles south of Point Loma.

* Out of print
Coronados cover photo

ENVIRONMENTAL PERILS, SAN DIEGO REGION
Patrick L. Abbott & William J. Elliott, eds. (1991)
ISBN: SDAG91

------------List Price - $10.00--------

"Geologic Hazards in San Diego" field trip stops include Mission Valley, Mt. Soledad, Rose Canyon, Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Sunset Cliffs, and Point Loma. Classic and contemporary maps and technical papers discuss landslides, sea cliff erosion, and flood control in Mission Valley, seismicity of northern Baja and the San Diego region, and early man.

Environmental Perils cover

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING CASE HISTORIES IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY
John H. Hoobs, ed. (1990)
ISBN: SDAG90

------------List Price - $5.00--------


While liquefaction, subsidence, and soil problems are major challenges for structural development, there are solutions and remedies as exemplified herein.

Geotech Case Histories 1990

SEISMIC RISK IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION
Glenn R. Roquemore & Susan E. Tanges, eds. (1989-Proceedings)
ISBN: SDAG89

------------List Price - $10.00--------


Contains "Proceedings" of the Seismic Risk workshop under the auspices of Southern California Earthquake Preparedness Project (SCEPP). Papers address regional and local issues of seismology and faulting and include the field trip, chaired by Diane Murbach, "Fault Features between La Jolla, U.S.A., and Ensenada, Mexico".

Seismic Risk 1989 proceedings

LANDSIDES IN CRYSTALLINE BASEMENT TERRAIN
James R. Evans, ed. (1988)
ISBN: SDAG88

------------List Price - $5.00--------


Describes field trips from SDSU to Ocotillo via Interstate 8, Hwy S-2 to Warner Springs, Hwy 76 to Pala, I-15 from Temecula to Welk Resort. Topics include the Goat Canyon landslide in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Landslides in Crystalline Basement field trip

1991

GEOLOGICAL EXCURSIONS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
GSA (1991)
------------List Price - $15.00------
* Out of print



Get eBooks of archive field guides

1973 San Diego Geology and Hazards ----$3.85 ----
Studies on the Geology and Geologic Hazards of the Greater San Diego Area, California


Download archive field guides - FREE

1972 Otay Mesa (13.2Mb)
Stratigraphy and Structure Southeast of San Diego, California

1977 SW San Diego (30Mb)
Geology of SW San Diego County, CA & NW Baja, CA. - Farrand & Kuper

1978 Coronado Islands, BC (18.8Mb)
Natural History of the Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico

1979 San Diego Region (49.9Mb)
Earthquakes and Other Perils, San Diego Region, 227 pages [editors Patrick L. Abbott and William J. Elliott].

1981 Geologic Investigations of the San Diego Coastal Plain (26.3Mb)
Geologic Investigations of the San Diego Coastal Plain, 166 pages [editors Patrick L. Abbott and Shannon O'Dunn].

1982 Geologic Studies in San Diego (21.9Mb)
Geologic Studies in San Diego, 160 pages [editor Patrick L. Abbott].

1985 Eocene in San Diego (92.9Mb)
On the Manner of Deposition of the Eocene Strata in Northern San Diego, 98 pages & 3 large maps [editor Patrick L. Abbott].

1987 Julian Gold (6.7Mb)
Selected Geological and Historical Aspects of the Julian Gold Mining District

1989 Fault Features: La Jolla - Ensenada (3.9Mb)
Faults and Geologic Features of the Continental Borderland between La Jolla, CA, USA and Ensenada, BC, Mexico

Home Meetings field trips Calendar Sponsors Jobs Links