Metamorphic Rocks
Updated 14 February 2014
The east side of the Okanagan Valley is dominated by metamorphic and plutonic (igneous intrusive) rocks. The north Okanagan is dominated by the Monashee Gneiss, at more than 2 billion years old, is some of the oldest rock in the southern interior. The south Okanagan is dominated by Okanagan Metamorphic Complex rocks. These rocks are typically mylonitic gneiss, which are highly fractured and broken due to high pressures in the Okanagan fault zone.
Nice exposures of metamorphic rocks can be found along Naramata Creek below the falls, along Naramata Road, the cliffs to the East of Vaseaux Lake and McIntyre Bluff. Below are a few photos of metamorphic rocks found in the region.
References
Brown, S, Gibson, D and Thorkelson, D. 2010. Geology of the southern Okanagan Valley shear zone. Unpublished field trip guide. http://gac.esd.mun.ca/sgtd/page3/page40/assets/ctg2010.pdf
Roed, MA and Fulton, RJ (eds.) 2011. Okanagan Geology South. Okanagan Geology Committee. 238p.
Okulitch, AV. 2013. Geology, Okanagan Watershed, British Columbia (3 sheets). Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 6389. http://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/starweb/geoscan/servlet.starweb?path=geoscan/fulle.web&search1=R=292220
The east side of the Okanagan Valley is dominated by metamorphic and plutonic (igneous intrusive) rocks. The north Okanagan is dominated by the Monashee Gneiss, at more than 2 billion years old, is some of the oldest rock in the southern interior. The south Okanagan is dominated by Okanagan Metamorphic Complex rocks. These rocks are typically mylonitic gneiss, which are highly fractured and broken due to high pressures in the Okanagan fault zone.
Nice exposures of metamorphic rocks can be found along Naramata Creek below the falls, along Naramata Road, the cliffs to the East of Vaseaux Lake and McIntyre Bluff. Below are a few photos of metamorphic rocks found in the region.
References
Brown, S, Gibson, D and Thorkelson, D. 2010. Geology of the southern Okanagan Valley shear zone. Unpublished field trip guide. http://gac.esd.mun.ca/sgtd/page3/page40/assets/ctg2010.pdf
Roed, MA and Fulton, RJ (eds.) 2011. Okanagan Geology South. Okanagan Geology Committee. 238p.
Okulitch, AV. 2013. Geology, Okanagan Watershed, British Columbia (3 sheets). Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 6389. http://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/starweb/geoscan/servlet.starweb?path=geoscan/fulle.web&search1=R=292220
Simplified bedrock geology of the south Okanagan. Polygons with metamorphic rocks labelled with "M". Map based on information from DataBC overlayed on Google Earth.
Small S-fold and fault within Okanagan Complex metamorphic rock (mylonite). Garnet Fire trail, Penticton (Photo: T Redding)
Okanagan Complex mylonitic gneiss with large porphyroclasts. (Photo: T. Redding)
Foliated (light-dark bands) metamorphic rock in the parking lot at Munson Mountain. (Photo: T. Redding)
Cliff of Okanagan Complex metamorphic rock above Vaseaux Lake. (Photo: T. Redding)
