Nine students and five faculty and staff are part of Desert Geology 2015, a week-long fieldtrip to the Mojave Desert. Here the nine students, joined by Cam Matesich (Wooster ’14) gathered at an overlook of Death Valley (Dante’s View). Cam joined the group on the second day to guide us through various sites and share his experiences working with Park hydrologists as part of GSA’s GEOCORP Program. We are missing desert expert and usual trip leader Dr. Wilson, and Patrice Reeder this year and greatly thank them for getting the trip organized and sending us off on the right foot.
After flying into Las Vegas on the first day the group approaches the red rocks of Red Rock Canyon.
At Red Rocks the group puzzled over the Keystone Thrust Fault that brought gray Paleozoic Limestones on top of the Mesozoic red sandstones.
A winter view of the same Keystone Thrust – photo courtesy of the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center.
The photographer takes a break.
Day two – The full group at Badwater in Death Valley. Lowest point in the Western Hemisphere.
Cam explains the spring and groundwater flow in Death Valley and how the park monitors and restores the hydrologic landscape in the Park.
The group strikes a pose on the Devils Golf Course – Death Valley.
Along Artists Drive in Death Valley photographers go to work.
Nick strikes a pose on top of a weathered basalt boulder.
Caitlin, the staff hydrologist, explains the hydrology of a large diameter well in a gravel wash.
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Glad the trip included Zabriskie Point, for all the Dead, Floyd and Antonioni fans.
And everyone looks marvelous!