Carol Hogsett describes the geological history of the Valles Caldera at the first stop on the geology tour.
The new Valles Caldera sign.
Taking notes about the Valles Caldera.
Carol shows the geological map of the Caldera region.
Attentive geology students.
At our second stop we collect pumice samples.
Carol shows that stratification does not necessarily imply sedimentary processes.
Juanama studies her piece of pumice.
Diego decides which piece to keep.
We like collecting pumice.
We study our rocks.
We learn lots about pumice.
A congealed shelf of pumice is strong enough to slow erosion.
The topsoil is only a foot thick over the pumice.
Now we start collecting fossils.
Christina finds a crinoid.
Carol holds a rock with multiple bryozoans.
A small bivalve.
An even smaller bivalve.
A larger bivalve.
A large rock that Galen wanted to take home because it had so many fossils.
Possibly a nautiloid (straight shell variety) in the large rock.
One of the many bivalves in the large rock.
Hannah found the first trilobite ever discovered in the Jemez Mountains!!!
A fossil museum!
A large rock with lots of bryozoans.
A large rock with lots of bivalves and crinoids.
View of Battleship Rock from our fossil collecting site.
Frank and Derek coming back from one of their many expeditions.
Cactus flower at our picnic site.
Cactus flower at our picnic site.
Another cactus flower at our picnic site.
The picnic on the geology tour.
The picnic at Spanish Queen.
Apache plume at Spanish Queen.
Lingering over picnic lunch.
Finishing up the picnic.
The waterfall beyond the Gilman tunnels.
The van and the tunnel.
Guadalupe Canyon.
Waterfall on the Guadalupe River at Gilman Tunnels.
Christina is eager to get her feet wet.
Hannah walks down the stream.
Juanama enjoys the setting.
Even Don takes bares his feet for the river experience.
Elizabeth enjoys the cold waters of Guadalupe.
The Guadalupe River waterfall.
Stephen seems uncertain about wading.
Chad enjoys the water.
The intrepid explorers (Christina, Hannah, and Juanama) return.
Frank and Derek atop their rock.
Hannah joins Frank and Derek.
Is Chad about to fall?
Juanama and Christina like rocks.
They linger by the pool.
Reluctant to leave.
The Gilman tunnels.
The Gilman Tunnels.
The Gilman Tunnels.
Guadalupe Canyon, cut through Precambrian granite.
The Gilman tunnels.
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Resting atop the knoll at Soda Dam.
Carol talks about Soda Dam.
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Soda Dam from the knoll across the road.
Carol at the hot spring.
The Earthwatch students eagerly await Ed Fenimore's talk on Gamma Ray Bursts.
Ed Fenimore teaches how to make a Gamma-Ray Burst
Ed Fenimore teaches us how to make a gamma-ray burst.
Hannah and Ellie both like Oppie.
Hannah and Ellie both like Oppie.
The whole gang, in the Hilltop House Lobby.
The whole gang in the Hilltop House Lobby.
At the end of a long night of observing.
We almost decided to leave Hannah there, she looked so comfortable.
Let's go home.