Geology Run
​September 12th, 2020
Write up by Len McFarlane

This was the second of 2 unique all-day runs (the first on August 13) along the South Okanagan Valley’s highways and backroads. We were 7 cars on this one (9 on the first) driving through and around evidence of our Okanagan geological history dating back 2.5 billion years. 
We met up at Okanagan Lake Shopping Centre on the westside for a briefing from our geology expert, Dan Vukadinovic, on what lay ahead for us.
We are fortunate to have Dan and his wife Colleen in our membership as they were able to document our geological history by pointing out evidence of ancient volcanic activity, a glacial lake, river systems, alluvial fans, faults and tectonic plate collision. At the end of our tour we were left with a better appreciation of the mountains and valleys that we drive through every day.
This day we visited Mt. Boucherie, Giants Head, McIntyre Bluff and Sumac Ridge Estate Winery with a  picnic lunch stop at Kenyon Park in Okanagan Falls.

Looking south on our first stop of our geology tour we overlook the extinct volcano of Mt. Boucherie. Current height of Mt Boucherie is 759m above sea level; some speculate that it may have towered more than 2000m above sea level when it was active 50 million yrs ago.

Our club's resident geologist, Dan Vukadinovic, provides historical details to participants of the tour.

This is a Google Earth’s view of the ~ 60 million year old Giant’s Head of Summerland, BC, resting in a sea of modern development. Giant's Head is also a good example of a roche moutonnee, an erosional feature due to flow of glacial ice (right to left)

Discussion regarding catastrophic volcanic eruptions with extinct Giant's Head volcano looming in the background.

The trestle bridge over the Trout Creek valley stands within a couple of metres above the level of Penticton Glacial Lake that once filled the Okanangan Valley.

Barb and Kayleigh.

With Skaha Lake in the background we exercise good physical distancing while socializing at our picnic stop in Okanagan Falls.

McInyre Bluff demonstrates the “plug" the once held back Penticton Glacial Lake.

At the end of our tour at Sumac Ridge, Dan brings us up close and personal to some fascinating geological evidence.