Dana Eker

Dana Eker was born in Utah and raised in Concord, Calif. parents had 2 sisters out in nature on every conceivable weekend or holiday. Camping, rock hunting, Death Valley mines, the Antioch Black Diamond Mine, Sierra Nevada caverns, Shasta Lake caverns, and places I’ve forgotten. There was no sissy resort for us; sleeping bag on the ground without benefit of a tent was the usual accommodations. However, the resources for teaching us how our adventures came to be, was not in our library at home. My goal is for geology to be enjoyable and within reach of and to stimulate minds who wish to view nature from a distance or the hands-on method.

Passing through Lake County for 25 years doesn't give one enough time to see and understand the geology and volcanics of the surrounding hills and mountains, just brief jaunts to pick diamonds, or camp at the State Park and maybe stop and gather some obsidian. Living in Lake County and the adventure is all around you, “can’t see the forest because the trees are in the way” sort of thing. One day in cold windy March while recovering from a minor accident; just bumps and bruises while taking out the trash and tripping. I sat gingerly in my bathrobe in a wing back chair near the wood stove, feeling sorry for myself, staring out the patio window and wondering what I could do with my time.

Staring back at me was my computer. And that is where I began my biggest adventure in Lake County for the next 3 weeks. I researched the rocks and then got out of the house to go see them for myself, take photos and on to the next rock formations. Having a particular place to focus on does make understanding easier. Mapping the locations puts the rock history all into perspective. It took 4 years to finish this adventure in the form of WANNABE A CLEAR LAKE GEOLOGIST? Enjoy!

2026 Continues with exploring the volcanics around Flagstaff Arizona with the CATALOG of SEDIMENTARY and VOLCANIC FORMATIONS of the COCONINO PLATEAU. A collection of resources used to explore the ancient ocean sediments prior to the volcanics in the Bill Williams, Coconino and Kaibab Forests, fault zones and what the formation of the Grand Canyon left behind. Amazing stuff.