Geology of Lompoc California

Take a virtual field trip of the geology of Lompoc, California or try it out yourself. Here are the stops:

Stop 1: San Miguelito Rd. Drive south on I St. and continue onto San Miguelito Rd. The folds in the video are about a half mile down the road before the diatomite quarry. To see them up close you may need to park in the neighborhood along I St. and walk in. Notice the numerous synclines and anticlines along the railroad tracks as well as the beautiful chert layers.

Stop 2: Lookout Point. Park on Z St. and begin the hike. On your left you can see an exposure of the Sisquoc Formation in the cliff and on your right you can see diatomite up close. Feel how soft it is, this is the good stuff.

Stop 4: Harris Grade Rd. Drive north on Harris Grade Rd. and carefully pull over at the first turnout overlooking the city. See if you can identify the same diatomite that’s behind you all the way across the valley in the quarry and look to your left to spot the Purisima Anticline. Enjoy the view!

[hoz]

When I lived in Lompoc in the early 70's we could drive up to Lookout point. The view of acres and acres of flower fields from up there was amazing.

[andrewdavidralph]

I’ve been a well pump contractor in southern San Luis Obispo county for 18 years. Holy smokes did you just open up a rabbit hole for me to go down and learn about! Iron Oxide Cementation is a game changer for helping to understand water qualities in eastern Arroyo Grande. Thank you! I have a lot to learn!

[rogercotman]

Fascinating information of the area. Thanks for your work. 170 like

[tm]

I've lived in Lompoc my whole life and recently I've been trying to learn more about the geography of the area, I was so happy to see this!

[TheTaleofCities]

Lompoc has some of the coolest landscapes you've ever seen, we went just about everywhere we could in the 4 days we were filming there but this video shows a few places we weren't able to get to, the baby wouldn't let us do the hike to lookout point!

[Still.No.Name.]

Have a connection to Lompoc and visit often. You can see vandenberg airforce base from harris grade road, where you can see SpaceX launches some times. It is also the location of the local town ghost. Very beautiful place in terms of geography and nature. Burton Mesa looks like the chaparral behind where i used to stay. Very fun to walk around out there and look for the abandoned car.

[fightingidiocy]

My brother did 10 years in Lompoc!

As a guard, not a prisoner! lol

[urvermin]

awesome video, gotta appreciate the interest in the town

[EricssonB]

That’s some major foldage. Dang. Didn’t know.

[pittbullking]

Are there any larger fossils like shells or sharks teeth in the shale? In Vicksburg MS there are road cuts from the Vicksburg Group of Oligocene age which are claystones, shales and sandstones. In it you can find fossil shells and I also found a fossil fish vertebrate.

[Savage-grim]

So that's what you are doing that day.

[mazer]

love these, slow down your camera work....less viewers will need Dramamine

[pappyscrappy]

This guy doesn't know what chert is.