San Diego's First Peoples Tour Series - Geologic History: Sea to Summit

The geologic history of San Diego was dominated by the interplay of oceanic and continental tectonic plates that collided over millions of years to form a volcanic and mountainous terrain that was subsequently eroded and uplifted to expose the landscape that we see today. This tour will examine a geologic cross-section of San Diego County beginning at the coast and extending to the highest elevations of the Peninsula Range. Visits will be made to the major rock types present including coastal sediments, volcanics, metamorphic intrusives, pegmatites, and metasedimentary rocks. The use of these rock types for stone tool and pottery production will be discussed.

The tour will meet at the parking lot of the Old Town Transit Center. This tour includes easy to moderate short-distance walking. Transportation and lunch will be provided. Cost: $60; Members and Students $45

About the Presenter

Dr. John Hildebrand is a Distinguished Professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the co-Director of the Scripps Center for Marine Archaeology. He has been involved in local archaeology for more than 40 years. He has a BS from University of California San Diego and a PhD from Stanford University, and has conducted studies in marine geophysics, geoarchaeology and marine mammal biology.

About the San Diego’s First Peoples Tour Series

As a supplement to the By Land and By Sea exhibit at the San Diego Archaeological Center, this field trip series will explore the physical locations and landscapes that the first people in the America’s lived in. We will explore early survival strategies and ceremonial practices that archaeologists have uncovered in over 100 years of study in San Diego. We will also hear from the descendants of these First Peoples and their understanding of how they came to be in San Diego.