Search Results for: Mojave

Exploring the Tecopa region … and finally the trilobites!

Mark Wilson March 14, 2013 10:39 pm

ZZYZX, CALIFORNIA–This was our last full day of geological adventures in the Mojave Desert for 2013. The weather was even warmer than yesterday, with the temperature in Baker at 4:00 p.m. a delightful 94°F. We began in the usual way … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Wooster Geologists in ancient lakes

Mark Wilson March 11, 2013 11:51 pm

ZZYZX, CALIFORNIA–Today Team Mojave studied the remains of ancient lake systems in the dry, dry desert. Early in the morning we drove west from Zzyzx to the Harvard Road exit off Interstate 15 and took a series of sandy roads … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Wooster’s Fossil of the Week: a cameloid footprint (Miocene of California)

Mark Wilson August 19, 2012 1:39 am

This fossil is from near my hometown of Barstow, California. It was collected many years ago loose in talus from the Barstow Formation (Barstovian, Miocene). I note this carefully because today collecting such specimens from the Fossil Beds of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Dancing Flowers of Makhtesh Gadol

Mark Wilson March 15, 2012 11:15 am

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–It was difficult to coax them into standing still long enough for their portraits. The wind kept everything moving, so for some of these shots I held the camera in one hand and used the other as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Another dusty day of fieldwork in the makhtesh

Mark Wilson March 13, 2012 3:21 pm

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–It was a little warmer today in Makhtesh Gadol, but the sun was still obscured by the dust blown across the southern Mediterranean from the Sahara Desert. I may have an innate tolerance for dust from my childhood … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The last stop of the field trip: Date shakes!

Mark Wilson March 18, 2011 9:33 pm

ZZYZX, CALIFORNIA–Apparently visiting China Ranch and having the famous date shakes is a tradition on at least a few other geology field trips. We were introduced to it by Matt James at Sonoma State, and today we met students and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

A favorite stop: the Resting Spring tuff exposure

Mark Wilson March 18, 2011 8:27 pm

ZZYZX, CALIFORNIA–We’ve visited this roadside outcrop on California Highway 178 in the Resting Spring Range on each of our field trips to the Mojave Desert. Meagen Pollock may explain more about this fascinating outcrop later in the blog, but for … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Back to granite on Cima Dome

Mark Wilson March 17, 2011 11:50 pm

ZZYZX, CALIFORNIA–Our last stop of the rapidly-cooling day was on the huge Cima Dome east of Zzyzx in the Mojave National Preserve. The dome is so large (about 70 square miles) that it is impossible to detect when you are … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A massive pile of sand: the Kelso Dunes

Mark Wilson March 17, 2011 11:41 pm

ZZYZX, CALIFORNIA–Later in the morning the Wooster Geologists visited a favorite location: the Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve. We arrived before noon so we could work up a hearty appetite for lunch by climbing the dunes first. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Deep in the heart of a lava flow

Mark Wilson March 17, 2011 9:51 pm

ZZYZX, CALIFORNIA–This morning the Wooster Geologists enjoyed an ancient lava flow from the inside. We found our way to a lava tube near the center of the Mojave National Preserve and explored the interior with flashlights and flash cameras. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment