Racehorse Fossil Fields- NEW UPDATE

Eocene leaf fossil at Racehorse landslide fossil fields.

Thanks to subscriber Craig O for a detailed update on access to the fossil fields east of Bellingham. Craig visited Racehorse Fossil Fields with a church youth group on July 21. For the second time this summer I have significantly updated the access directions on the field trip page. This is the place where we found the giant bird footprints left 50 million years ago by the 8-foot-tall flightless bird Diatryma giganteus after the 2009 Racehorse Creek landslide. Please keep me updated, and remember to send me photos of things you find or of the trail conditions. Craig says that the fossils remain abundant, that the 9-14 year old kids easily managed the hike in, and that the hike in is pretty easy to follow.

ALL LINKS ARE TO PAGES WITHIN THIS WEBSITE.

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Racehorse Fossil Fields- UPDATE

If you continue driving beyond the 5.1 mile point, you will reach the infamous red gate and have driven a mile too far.

I drove up the road to the Racehorse Creek Fossil Fields in the North Fork Nooksack today. It is evident from comments from many readers that they have been going the wrong way. Many went too far and came to a locked red gate; those folks missed the white ‘1’ on the tree just 1 mile after the turn at Racehorse Creek. The revised directions are in the edited original blog post. So if you struggled mightily and walked [or biked] for miles on gravel roads beyond the gate- go back! It is only 1 mile of road walking to get to the start of the fossil fields. If you visit, send photos of your finds and report on the conditions.

Dave

June 16 Geology Field Trip at Point Whitehorn, Whatcom County

Glacial erratics litter the beach at Point Whitehorn.

I will lead a field trip at Point Whitehorn on Saturday June 16 starting at 12:30. The Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve is a Whatcom County park, managed by the Park District. The Whatcom Land Trust has an oversight role under a conservation easement. The event on June 16, “What’s the Point” is organized by the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve Citizen Stewardship Committee, and supported by the Koma Kulshan chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society, the Land Trust, the Marine Resources Committee, the Audubon Society, Whole Foods and others. The Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve is one of eight on Department of Natural Resources aquatic lands. Read my post about Point Whitehorn from a few years ago.

The field trip will be on the beach and examines beautiful and varied erratics and the glacial deposits in the bluff. I will talk about Ice Age glacial advance and retreat in the Salish lowland, coastal bluff erosion [very dramatic here], and post-glaciation events that have shaped the landscape. The presentation lasts around 1 hour.

We will begin at 12:30, ON THE BEACH. There is a 3/4 mile flat trail through the forest the beach. Arrive at the parking lot by 11:30 and visit the info booths there. That leaves time to stroll to the beach to enjoy the views and poke around. Bring water, sun or rain protection.

Getting there: From I-5 Exit 266, drive west on Grandview Road 8.5 miles.  Follow the road as it curves left and becomes Koehn Road. Continue 0.5 miles to a parking area on the left. There is a 3/4 mile accessible trail through lowland forest, including a sizable (by modern standards) grove of large spruce, to overlooks atop the bluffs, with nice polished dunite benches. Finally the trail switchbacks 75′ down to the cobble beach.

Kids will enjoy the hunt for shell fossils at Point Whitehorn’s glacial deposits. No guarantees!

Organizations expected include: · Whatcom Land Trust · Marine Life Center (shell identification table on beach) · Marine Mammal Stranding Network (furs and skulls touch table) · Whatcom Conservation District (watershed model in trailer. http://www.whatcomcd.org/explorer) · Whatcom Marine Resources Committee · North Cascades Audubon Society · Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve Citizens’ Stewardship Committee · Surfrider, RE-Sources · DNR and Puget Sound Corps

Thanks for subscribing!

A big flood of new subscribers has occurred in the past couple of months. I am not sure what the impetus is but thanks for signing up!

This is a collaborative website. If you come across a good geology trip or a place worth sharing with others that is not already posted, drop me a comment and I’ll get back to you. If you have photos, so much the better!

I will try to post a new field trip for you soon. I am running short of places within a couple hours or so from Bellingham [my home] so I will need to range a bit farther afield. In the meantime, the new folks should browse the field trips I offer and get outside! There are a lot of handy tips and links on the website so be sure to check them out. I hiked the Rock Trail today in the Chuckanuts south of Bellingham and it is a great geology trip, as always.

Sincerely,

Dave

Book talk- Geology Underfoot in Western Washington

Next book presentation by Dave Tucker*:

Camano Island Library

Saturday, April 21: 10:00am – 12:00pm

848 N. Sunrise Blvd., Camano Island, WA 98282

Directions here.

*Yes, alive and well.

Guided Field Trip on Mount Baker: Fire and Ice in Morovitz Meadow

Dear friends,

Trailside volcanic ash deposits Morovitz Meadows

I will be leading a day-long hike for North Cascades Institute on July 22. The all-day hiking field trip explores the glacial and volcanic geology along the trail to the Railroad Grade moraine on Mount Baker’s south slope. Registration is $95.

 

Full information and registration at the NCI website: http://ncascades.org/signup/programs/geology-fire-and-ice-in-mount-bakers-morovitz-meadow

Thanks and looking forward to seeing you!

Morovitz Meadows on Mount Baker’s south flank. The Railroad Graqde moraine is the sharp green crest in the center, with Easton Glacier beyond.

Dave Tucker

Mount Baker Geology Guide Book by Dave Tucker

Dear friends,

Glassy margin of a 300,000-year-old dike along the Ptarmigan Ridge Trail.

I am working on my next book, a road and trail guide to Mount Baker geology. The book focuses on volcanic geology. Most of the road and trail description drafts are done. Now I need VOLUNTEERS before the snow flies to field check distances, descriptions, and get back to me with your comments. It would be helpful if you had a GPS receiver but not essential. To volunteer, leave a comment or email me:  dtchico    at       gmail     dot    com  to request a pdf of one of these:

Middle Fork Nooksack Road and Ridley Creek Trail to Park Butte Lookout

Mount Baker highway to Heather Meadows and Artist Point.

Trails in that area: Bagley Lakes Trail [1.3 mile loop]; Chain Lakes Loop starting in Heather Meadows; Chain Lakes Loop starting at Artist Point; Heather Meadows to Herman Saddle; Ptarmigan Ridge to the end [11.2 miles]; Artist Ridge [to Huntoon Point. 1 mile round trip]; Table Mountain [2.2 miles]; Lake Ann

Glacier Creek Road and the Heliotrope Trail to Survey Rock and the Hogback;

Volcanic ash layers along the Chain Lakes loop.

Baker Lake Road [driving trip].

Road to Schreibers Meadow, and the hike to Park Butte.

Rainbow Ridge Trail [unofficial trail]. Also known as Lava Divide.

I am still working on geologic descriptions of the Skyline, Scott Paul and Railroad Grade trails. I have a guide for Cougar Divide but the road is damaged and currently closed.