Thursday, Oct. 8th, 2026 – 6pm – at the Palisade Community Gym
The Palisade Historical Society’s September History Talk will be The Geology of the Grand Mesa, with Dr. Rex Cole.
Geologist Rex Cole grew up in the shadow of Grand Mesa. He received geology degrees from Mesa College, Colorado State University, and the University of Utah. He recently retired after a 25-year career at Colorado Mesa University (previously Mesa State College) and is now an Emeritus Professor of Geology. He also has extensive experience working in industry, including oil-and-gas, uranium, oil shale, and mineral exploration. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles, book chapters, and field guidebooks dealing with the geology of western Colorado and eastern Utah, plus has given many presentations to professional organizations, academic institutions, and community groups. Dr. Cole’s presentation will be based on a recently published (2022) general-audience book entitled the “Geology of Grand Mesa, Colorado.”
Topics covered:
- Size comparison of the Mesa to other mesas on the Earth. Is it actually the largest flat-topped mountain?
- A summary of the geologic events that shaped western Colorado
- Volcanism and genesis of the lava cap
- Erosional transformation of the lava cap into today’s towering landform
- Glacial history during the Ice Ages
- Present-day instability (landslides)
- Water storage