San Andreas Fault

California's most famous and feared seismic fault! Here's a section just north of LA as it is seen to the right of the northbound I-5 at Gorman Post Road, The Pacific Tectonic Plate is on the left, the North American Plate on the right. The fault continues ahead left thru Frazier Park towards the northwest, seen along the left side of the two lane Cuddy Valley Road with the elongated valley including a sag pond, all formed by the fault! This is where the epicenter of "the big one", the Great Fort Tejon earthquake occurred in 1857 at a magnitude of 8.25 on the Richter scale (the most intense ever in California). The earthquake uprooted trees and knocked people off their feet several miles away! A similar event now would cause catastrophic damage throughout southern California!

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[latourguide]

To reiterate for the nonresidents and visitors, yes earthquakes are a concern and something to prepare for with strict structural building codes, safety precautions and measures to take!

Earthquakes are part of life here and have helped form our beautiful scenery, mostly along or near coastal mid and southern California! 

[thewizardqt]

where is it located?im scared of this happening if the fault line breaks up the 1/4of california will be gone.

[latourguide]

@thewizardqt The first part of the vid is along interstate 5 less than one hour drive north of Los Angeles, then continues a few miles north through Frazier Park. If the fault slips it may be just sectional as a small earthquake, or a moderate 'quake registering 5 to 6 on the Richter scale, or "the big one" at around 8 on the scale. Even with the worst case scenario...the damage being severe with many buildings and you'd loose your balance and fall down if in the area, there's no separation!

[sharanjack]

nice road trip to past

[latourguide]

@sharanjack Thanks for the comment which I agree since this is one of my favorite places to drive and hike around, a beautiful place formed by the uplifting of the earth. I especially wanted to review this vid after seeing the news about the earthquake along the east coast and hearing a prominent seismologist discussing the difference here with the visible surface fault features. The plate's movements causes the buckling, like wrinkles in a blanket, revealing layers of the past!

[Mrleafsfan71]

so is the pacific plate on the left of the road and the north american plate on the right of the road

[latourguide]

@Mrleafsfan71 The first part of the video along I-5 to the left is literally on the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate on the right, notice how the hillside goes down (like the tip of the iceberg and so much more) with the smooth portion of land to the right of and beside the road which is landfill in the crevasse including beneath the road in some places. The second part of the video shows the fault to the left side of the road, eerily more prominent with crevasse dips and ridges

[666Vredesbyrd]

nice road trip ;-))

[latourguide]

@ORANGEWOODFBS I hope to have a cabin up there also, that's a really awesome place!!! I don't fear the danger so much if the fault slips now with earthquake preparedness and seismic construction methods, as long as the property doesn't straddle the fault line for the offset separation potential as evidenced in the past. With this kind of fault and the landfill within it, the structures and roads would "float" on their isolated base construction. Just stay clear of the big rigs on I-5!

[latourguide]

@loco4vicodin1 Thanks for the nice comment!  Strangely I go hiking up there. :)