Large Rock Fall in Grand Canyon on November 12 Captured

Dust cloud coming from the eastern rim of Grand Canyon near Carbon Creek Canyon. Temple Butte is
the high-standing pyramid left of the dust cloud and Carbon Creek Canyon is hidden in front of it.

On November 21, 2024 the National Park Service at Grand Canyon National Park reported a large rock fall that occurred on Tuesday, November 12 just downstream from the confluence from the Little Colorado River. National Park Service personnel were on a river trip stopped over on river left at River Mile 66 at Espejo Creek. They looked upstream and saw a huge dust cloud coming down the west-facing slope of the east rim of the canyon. 

The rock fall and dust cloud appeared to be opposite of Carbon Creek Canyon, a popular and often use campsite on Grand Canyon river trips. Any river runners camping there or passing by the spot in their rafts would have been affected by debris and dust from the rock fall. No reports of incidents involving river runners or of rocks entering the river channel have been reported. 

The NPS released a video of the latter portions of the event and it can be viewed here. Thanks to the NPS for reporting this geologic event!

A Fully Revised 2nd Edition of "Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau"

"Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau" was first published in 2008 and is now available in a fully revised and completely updated 2nd Edition! Published by the Grand Canyon Conservancy, it is being featured as a special Holiday offering here. The book will make a fantastic gift for your Earth-minded friends and family! (I recommend buying directly from the Conservancy as proceeds go directly to support Grand Canyon National Park. 

New cover of the 2nd Edition of "Ancient Landscapes"

We continually have to answer the age-old question, "So if I own the 1st Edition, why should I buy the new one?" Here are the main reasons:

1) All of the more than 70 paleogeographic maps are fully updated with new information included - Ron Blakey is continually updating his maps using the latest geologic information and more advanced computer tools. Additionally, we have enlarged the area covered in each map to include more of Nevada and California, areas that figure prominently in the geological history of the Colorado Plateau. 

A paleo-map from the 1st Edition (left) and the same map in the 2nd Edition. Note that much more landscape
is included to the west, north and south with better color renditions.

2) The paleo-maps have moved to their own dedicated Atlas section in the book, such that flipping through the maps yields an animation through time. And, each maps' explanation now resides adjacent to the map on the opposite side of the spread.  

Sample page of the Coconino Sandstone - all of the information shown on the map is described on
the opposite side of the spread including a photo of the deposit.

3) Most of the photographs throughout the book have been upgraded and replaced. The photos are of much better quality and at higher resolutions (the 1st Edition in 2008 relied heavily on photos scanned from film slides with the resolution being less than optimum). Two examples are shown here.

From Chapter 1 for the Precambrian

From Chapter 5 for the Triassic and Jurassic

"Ancient Landscapes" has had a tremendous run in its 16 years! It came out one month after the financial collapse of Lehman Bros. in October 2008. At $35 per copy, we fretted that it would fail commercially. Exactly the opposite happened and it has become a valuable tool for professional and avocational geologists. Expanded with 46 additional pages, the price has only gone to $38 per copy! Get your hands on this valuable resource here.