Field Trips
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Past Fieldtrips - 2005
Gunnison Area
Trip Leaders: Bruce Bartleson and Alan Stork. Western State College; and Pete Modreski, USGS
September 22-25, 2005
The 2005 CSS fall field trip will be to the Gunnison/Crested Butte area in central Colorado. The first day will
include traveling to Gunnison, then a half-day tour of the Powderhorn carbonatite. The second day’s topic will
be the structure of the Ancestral and Laramide Rockies as seen in the Elk Mountains near Crested Butte. Proposed
stops for the second day include discussions of the structures around Almont and Jack’s Cabin, Crested
Butte/Gothic, and Schofield Park. We may go on an optional hike up to Schofield Basin and the Hasley Pass
area to see an excellent view of the Elk Range thrust fault. The third day’s topic will be on the Tertiary
volcanism and igneous activity in the Gunnison Basin. Stops will include the Ohio Creek valley to see the West
Elk laccolith cluster and a series of 10 Ma basalt flow on Red Mountain. We will also see the ash-flow tuffs
from the San Juans near Blue Mesa Reservoir and a drive up Red Creek to a great view of the 30 Ma West Elk
Volcano. The fourth day will include the travel back to Denver with stops along the route.
Western State College will be hosting the 2006 Rocky Mountain Section Meeting of the GSA. The CSS fall field
trip will be a preview of some of the field trips associated with this meeting.
Because of the decrease in motel room costs in September, the cost for the trip is $250 and this includes
transportation, lodging (double occupancy) and lunches. If you wish to have a single room, then the cost
will be $345, but please note that the number of single rooms is limited. Dinners and breakfasts are not
included, but we will be staying all three nights in Gunnison that has many good restaurants.
If you are interested in attending this field trip, please fill out the following form, make out a check
to the Colorado Scientific Society for $250 per person and send them to: Emmett Evanoff, Department of
Earth Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639, no later than September 15. You will
receive additional information concerning the trip after you register.
South Platte Country field trip, white Cloud Pegmatite + the 1996 Buffalo Creek fire and flood
Led by Pete Modreski
June 11, 2005
Some Fieldtrip Images
A field trip to visit (1) the White Cloud Pegmatite, part of the South
Platte Pegmatite District within the Pikes Peak Batholith, and (2) to see erosion, sedimentation, and
ecological recovery in the aftermath of the June 1996 Buffalo Creek forest fire and flash flood. The trip will
involve a 2-3 mile (round trip) hike beginning at the Colorado Trail footbridge just south of the confluence of
the North and South Forks of the South Platte River. The hike will take us partly on the Colorado Trail,
off-trail down a steep 400' hillside, and downstream along the wide gravel bed of Spring Creek.
Meeting places for car-pooling will include
(1) Cold Spring Park and Ride, 4th and Union, Lakewood at 7:15 AM with a 7:30 departure;
(2) Safeway parking lot in Conifer - southwest corner nearest Hwy 285 - 8:00 AM;
(3) Colorado Trail trailhead at foot bridge over the South Fork of the South Platte River about a mile south
of the confluence of the North and South Forks of the South Platte - 8:45 AM
Cost : $8. See registration form under
Fieldtrips.
contact: phone 303-202-4766, email pmodreski@usgs.gov
Spanish Peaks
Led by Dr. Brian Penn
May 14, 2005
Some Fieldtrip Images
View of West Spanish Peaks showing radiating dikes and an igneous plug.
www.spanishpeakscolorado.com
Volcanic and Plutonic rocks of Table Mountain
Led by Harald Drewes
April 23, 2005
Some Fieldtrip Images
Southward view showing the Ralston "dikes" and North and South Table Mountains.
The lava flows capping the Table Mountains are thought to have originated from Ralston dikes.
Questions or comments? E-mail us at info@coloscisoc.org
<http://www.coloscisoc.org/>
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