Roadside Geology of Idaho

About this book

Learn about the remarkable geologic diversity of the Gem State with the completely revised, full-colour edition of Roadside Geology of Idaho. Excellent graphics, spectacular photographs, and straightforward writing describe and interpret the rocks and landscapes visible outside your car window, whether you're speeding across the Snake River Plain or following a narrow canyon en route to a weekend getaway. The authors, a trio of experienced field geologists, guide you to outcrops and roadcuts where you can stretch your legs and expand your minds.

The rocks of Idaho span a vast chunk of Earth's long-lived history and tell stories with many plot twists. Time and time again, geologic processes transformed the landscape – mountains grew to towering heights only to be levelled by erosion, vast lakes drained in massive floods when ice and sediment dams failed, and lava poured into river valleys, creating new dams. With Roadside Geology of Idaho as their travel companion, residents and visitors alike are sure to understand and appreciate Idaho's sprawling plains, forested hills, and deep canyons in a completely new way.

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Biography

Paul K. Link was a professor of geology at Idaho State University (ISU) from 1980 to 2020. He has a BS from Yale, a BSc (Hons) from the University of Adelaide, South Australia, and a PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Before coming to ISU, he was a mountaineering instructor at the National Outdoor Leadership School in Lander, Wyoming, and he returned to the Wind River Range in the 1980s to conduct geological research with students. For 15 years he directed the ISU Geology Field Camp at the Lost River Field Station north of Mackay, Idaho. He is co-author of the Geologic Map of Idaho, published in 2012 by the Idaho Geological Survey, and Rocks, Rails, and Trails, published by the Idaho Museum of Natural History.

Shawn Willsey, a geology professor at the College of Southern Idaho, also teaches whitewater rafting and rock climbing courses. Shawn lived all over the western United States during his childhood as an Air Force brat. He earned a BS in geology from Weber State University and an MS in geology from Northern Arizona University. Shawn has travelled and led geologic field trips to a variety of locations including Scotland, Iceland, Hawaii, and Costa Rica. He is the author of Geology Underfoot in Southern Idaho, now in its second printing. Shawn lives in Twin Falls with his wife, Erika, and three children.

Keegan Schmidt is a professor of earth science at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. He earned a BA from the University of Colorado, MS from Idaho State University, and PhD from the University of Southern California. He has worked for the Idaho Geological Survey numerous summers mapping Idaho's spectacular geology. Highlights of his career include working in the Peninsular Ranges batholith of Baja California on a suture zone analogous to the one in western Idaho. One of Keegan's passions is leading field trips for students and community members to showcase the geology of Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. He lives in Lewiston – with his wife, Karen, and son, Liam – where he enjoys recreational pursuits on the rivers and in the mountains.