GSM Tours and Fields Trips in 2015

The following field trips and tours were offered by the Geological Society of Minnesota in 2015:

Randy Strobel and Joanie Furlong, with assistance from Sherry Keesey, planned and led 21 members on a week-long trip to Southern Nevada from March 8 through 14. We explored both the natural beauty of the area as well as some mining history. Field trip photos:

–          Day 1: Red Rock Canyon;

–          Day 2 AM: Valley of Fire State Park;

–          Day 2 PM: Lost City Museum; Valley of Fire State Park;

–          Day 3: Colorado River raft trip; Hoover Dam;

–          Day 4: Frenchman Mountain; Rainbow Gardens; Gypsum Wash; Redstone;

–          Day 5: Pahranagat NWR; Cathedral Caves; Kershae-Ryan SP; Little A’le’Inn Bar;

–          Day 6: Tonopah; The Sump; Silver Peak; Cinder Cone;

–          Day 7: Tonopah Historic Mining Park; Rhyolite ghost town; Death Valley NP.

See the Summer 2015 and Fall 2015 newsletters for Maria DeLaundreau’s and Dave McGill’s field trip descriptions.

Dave Wilhelm arranged three tours of the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory on April 8, November 9, and December 9, with about 11 GSM members participating in each. For Mary Kay Arthur’s report on an earlier tour of this lab, see the Spring 2015 Newsletter.

Randy Strobel organized and led 18 members on a three-day trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula from Sunday, July 19 through Tuesday, July 21. The trip was centered on Munising and highlighted the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Field trip photos:

–          Day 1 AM: Wagner Falls; Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore;

–          Day 1 PM: Munising Falls; Glass-Bottom-Boat Shipwreck Tour; Alger Falls;

–          Day 2: Sand Point Marsh; Autrain Hydro Plant; Log Chute; Grand Sable Dunes;

–          Day 3: Toonerville Trolley; Tahquamenon River riverboat tour; Junkyard Art.

See the Winter 2015 Newsletter for Vernon Schaaf’s article.

Dave Wilhelm arranged a four-day field trip of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Upper Michigan, running from Wednesday, July 22 through Saturday, July 25, led by Dr. Bill Rose and Erika Vye, both of Michigan Technological University. Twenty eight GSM members explored the area by both land and water, with the water portion done on the MTU research vessel Agassiz. Erika & Bill organized the four day-trips into four geothemes of the Keweenaw – the Lake, Jacobsville Sandstone, the Keweenaw Fault and Lavas, and the Keweenaw Rift, described HERE.  Field trip photos:

–          Day 1: Copper Mining Waste; Torch Lake; stamp mill; stamp sands; Gay Bar;

–          Day 2: Keweenaw sandstones; Calumet, MI;

–          Day 3: Keweenaw Fault; Grinnell Bluff; Lac La Belle; Hungarian Falls;

–          Day 4: Keweenaw Rift; Manitou Isl.; Brockway Mtn.; Hunter’s Point; Bond Falls.

See the Winter 2015 Newsletter for Frank Janezich and Roxy Knuttila’s article.

Randy Strobel and Joanie Furlong arranged a Sunday afternoon field trip to Oheyawahi/Pilot Knob Preservation on September 20. (MAP) The site is a high bluff overlooking Pike Island. It is a site of cultural significance to the Dakota and importance in Minnesota History. The oak savannah habitat is currently being restored by the Pilot Knob Preservation Society, who were our hosts. The site is also of geological significance as it overlooks the site where glacial River Warren waterfalls split, one branch migrating up the Mississippi to become St. Anthony Falls. Further information: Pilot Knob Preservation Society home page; tour photos. See the Winter 2015 Newsletter for Diane Lentsch’s article.