Take a road trip through deep time and California history, with a friendly expert geologist at the wheel.
From its epic earthquakes to its famed epithet ""the Golden State,"" California as we know it would not exist without geology. Gary L. Prost, an expert geologist born and raised in California, embarked on a quest to better understand the state's rocky history. His road trips have culminated in Rocks and Riches, an accessible and entertaining look at the land that has shaped the lives of all Californians. With humor and abiding curiosity, Prost examines the workings of deep time, the fascinating and troubled legacies of the Gold Rush, and the ways geology continues to influence life in California today. Visiting 56 stops of geologic interest, he traverses the Marin and Sonoma coasts, the Central Valley, the Sierra Foothills, Yosemite, and the Basin and Range country, ending with an extended journey through Death Valley to meditate on the awe-inspiring intensity of California's deserts. Including dozens of illustrations and road maps, as well as guidance for fellow travelers, Rocks and Riches is both a practical handbook and an invitation to see California's landscapes with wonder.
By:
Josh Jackson
Imprint: Heyday Books
Country of Publication: United States [Currently unable to ship to USA: see Shipping Info]
Dimensions:
Height: 228mm,
Width: 152mm,
ISBN: 9781597146777
ISBN 10: 1597146773
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 29 October 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Preface A Very Brief Introduction to California Geology It’s About Time Jurassic Coast Plate Tectonics Means Constant Change Chapter 1 - Coast Ranges Marin Headlands Stop 1 - Pillow Basalts at Point Bonita Lighthouse Stop 2 - Deformed Franciscan Ribbon Cherts Mount Tamalpais and San Francisco Bay Stop 3 - Rock Springs Trailhead Serpentinite Stop 4 - Tamalpais Summit and the Evolution of San Francisco Bay The San Andreas Fault Stop 5 - Bear Valley Visitor Center and the San Andreas Fault Point Reyes National Seashore Stop 6 - Point Reyes Lighthouse Stop 7 - Drake’s Beach Mayacamas Mountains Stop 8 - Petrified Forest, Calistoga Stop 9 - The Geysers The Sonoma Volcanics Stop 10 - Palisades of the Sonoma Volcanics Stop 11 - Glass Mountain Napa Valley and the Terroir of Wine Stop 12 - Quintessa Vineyards Chapter 2 – The Central Valley The Great Valley Sequence Stop 13 - The Great Valley Sequence at Monticello Dam The Devil’s Thicket Stop 14 - Mount Diablo Chapter 3 - Gold Rush Country The Sierra Foothills Stop 15 - Empire Mine State Historic Park Stop 16 - Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park Stop 17 - Pre-Sierra Nevada Stream Gravels, I-80 Roadcut at Gold Run Stop 18 - Sutter’s Mill and Gold Discovery State Historic Park, Coloma Placerville Stop 19 Gold Bug Park and Mine Stop 20 El Dorado County Historical Museum Chapter 4 - Sierra Nevada Yosemite National Park and Yosemite Valley Stop 21 - Tunnel View Point The High Country Stop 22 - Olmsted Point and Tenaya Lake Stop 23 - Lembert Dome and Tuolumne Meadows Stop 24 - Glacial Till Stop 25 - Tioga Pass and Mount Dana View Chapter 5 – Basin-and-Range The Eastern Slope Stop 26 - Sierra Nevada Metavolcanic Roof Pendant at Tioga Lake Stop 27 - Pre-Sierra Nevada Metasediments, Ellery Lake Stop 28 - Lateral Moraine Mono Lake and Lee Vining Stop 29 - Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center Stop 30 - Tufa Pinnacles at Mono Lake Bodie and Travertine Hot Springs Stop 31 - Bodie State Historic Park and Ghost Town Stop 32 - Travertine Hot Springs The Long Valley Caldera and Sierra Escarpment Stop 33 Wilson Butte, Inyo Craters Stop 34 Sierra Nevada Fault View Mammoth Mountain and Devils Postpile National Monument Stop 35 - Earthquake Fault Stop 36 - Mammoth Mountain Stop 37 - Minaret Vista Stop 38 - Devils Postpile National Monument Owens Valley Stop 39 - Convict Lake Stop 40 - McGee Creek Scarp Stop 41 - Bishop Tuff and Volcanic Tablelands Stop 42 - Owens Valley Fault Stop 43 - Alabama Hills Stop 44 - Sierra Nevada Fault Death Valley National Park Stop 45 - Father Crowley Overlook Stop 46 - Mosaic Canyon Stop 47 - Mesquite Flats Dunes Stop 48 - Furnace Creek Visitor Center Stop 49 - Zabriskie Point Stop 50 - Artist’s Palette Stop 51 - Devil’s Golf Course Stop 52 - Badwater Basin Stop 53 - Mormon Point and the Copper Canyon Turtleback Stop 54 - Split Cinder Cone Stop 55 - Resting Spring Pass Epilogue Acknowledgements Bibliography Glossary
Gary L. Prost has been working as a geologist for more than fifty years, specializing in mineral and oil exploration. He studied geology at the Colorado School of Mines, obtaining his PhD there in 1986. His employers have included the United States Geological Survey and several oil companies, and his work has taken him to more than thirty countries. Now retired, he leads field trips and does public outreach on topics of geological interest. His books include The Geology Companion, The United Kingdom's Natural Wonders, South America's Natural Wonders, and the two-volume North America's Natural Wonders. He lives in El Cerrito, California.
Reviews for Rocks and Riches: Exploring California's Curious Geology
""Geologist Prost takes us on a road trip to better understand California's past. Blending science, history, and travel, he explores everything from the state's earthquake activity to the messy legacy of the gold rush. Making 56 stops as he travels from the Marin coast to the Central Valley, Prost offers an engaging, in-depth look at the geology that continues to shape California and the lives of those who call it home."" —Alta Journal ""A masterful and enlightening excursion through California's rich cultural and geological history, both above ground and under our feet."" —Gary Noy, author of Gold Rush Stories and Gem of the Sierra ""To fans of geology, California is a golden state. Follow a trail of nuggets across it with Gary Prost's treasure map."" —Andrew Alden, author of Deep Oakland
