It was a beautiful day to fossil hunt with temps in the high 60s, very little humidity and sunshine! A group of 9 students boarded the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center bus and trucked on over to Whispering Winds, Spring Valley, to start their fossil hunt. Participants included a retired WSU prof (PapaDave on TFF), a current WSU prof, and a young lady, PJ, aspiring to be a geologist, and several experienced fossil hunts – lots of knowledge here!
PapaDave brought along some of his better finds from our Labor Day hunt to share and get photographed.
Including this incredible trilobite!
Trilobite Cast
We started at the fossil barn.
And made our way around to the different stations, this is not all inclusive.
Trilobite ID display.
Minnesota Geodes
Gastropods
The purpose being to accustom their eyes to the Ordovican fossils they are likely to find. It is important to see fossils in an unprepared condition, just as you would find them out hunting.
Then back to the fossil barn where they got to see, and if desired, practice with some prepping tools.
This group was in a hurry and wanted to get out on the rocks ASAP, so we went to S-1 (coordinated with my Spring Valley fossil hunting map).
PJ checking out the hidden spring.
Seven inches of rain in the last week and we had fossils!
Onto site S-2 where we split into two groups, half going to the Stewartville member of the Galena (noted for gastropods and cephalopods) and the other half to the Prosser member of the Galena Formation – noted for trilobites & crinoids.
A very nice Hormatoma sp. was found.
PJ working the rock.
Then we followed the Root River to site S-5.
It was a glorious day with fresh rock down from the face of this cut.
PJ investigating a fossil.
One gal even found a geode!
Opened geode.
Outside of the geode after breaking it.
Not the prettiest geode, but now she knew what to look for. 🙂
As the group moved down towards the lower end of the road cut a rock riddled with Fisherites was found!
Rock with layers of Fisherites.
PJ with a complete Fisherite.
Galena Formation Fisherite.
Excavating layers of Fisherites.
This group practically had to be dragged off the rocks! LOL 😀
As we trudged back up to the Eagle Bluff van, one lady found what we believe to be a fox skull.
This group went home with their bags heavy with lots of fossils!
Link to thefossilforum.com post:
http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/68473-7-days-of-fossil-fun/
