Dispatch from Salt Valley, Utah

20 May 2023

All is well at SEOE Geology Field Camp.

The start of camp is always hectic, hence the predictable delay in my first dispatch from the field. Buckle up, this is going to be a long one.

Our 2023 iteration of the capstone geological sciences course began on May 8 and 9 back at the Columbia campus where para-professor, PhD student, and all-around wizard Lance Tully led the students on a two-day short course on groundwater and surface hydrology, while MS student and field camp TA Meredith “Guiding Light” Love and I coordinated the staging and packing of our cargo truck — affectionately named “The Badger” — aided by student bucket-brigades, a valuable skill with which we get much practice by the end of camp. Following in the footsteps of maestra Kelly Hamilton (now helping run the Biology department), the mighty SEOE Lab Manager Emily Baumann continued her proficient behind-the-scenes coordination, leading to probably the least stressful field camp departure I can remember.

Led by the steady hand of Professor Andrew Leier, Wednesday May 10 saw the start of our three-day drive west across the northerly route to camp, up and across interstates 26 and 40 before jogging northwestward to interstate 70 in central Missouri. Due in part to our smaller group this year, but mostly to their commitment and focus, we were able to get three hours past our intended site on the first night, making it all the way to Amidon Conservation Area in southeast Missouri. Unfortunately, our unexpectedly efficient progress meant skipping the ferry across the Ohio River to our usual Camp One in southern Illinois. The ferry has become a highlight of sorts the past few years, and well-represents the spirit of old-fashioned adventure that seems increasingly rare in this modern world. More on that, later.

Thursday May 11 saw us making our way across the southern Midwest reaching another favorite drive-out campsite at Sheridan Lake outside WaKeeney, Kansas by nightfall. We reached camp just in time to get tents up before a large thunderstorm cell grazed the edge of camp, raising anxiety amongst the Field Camp Administration, but ultimately passing without significant impact.

We reached Camp Three — the official start of Field Camp — on Friday May 12, landing at Saddlehorn campground in Colorado National Monument outside the Grand Junction suburb of Fruita. Saddlehorn is a developed campground with water (and showers most years, but alas not this one) which helps ease the students in before our transition to wild camping for the remainder of the course. The downside is that Saddlehorn is quite busy especially on the weekends, and densely packed, which adds to the hectic and anxious ramp-up of field camp. We tend to make quite a scene rolling up in our convoy of SUVs and The Badger, drawing understandably concerned looks from campers enjoying the quiet of western Colorado. Suffice it to say I took great pride in our group when later that day a camper approached Lance to let us know we turned out to be the opposite of what they expected from a group of college kids, noting that had girded themselves for disruption but instead found a very quiet and respectful group.

Our stay outside Fruita lasted through May 15. During our visit, the students learned how to describe units for the purposes of geologic mapping, and how to interpret them for a integrative geologic history of the Colorado Plateau, which they will complete upon our departure from the plateau for points west in the Sevier belt of central Utah in a few weeks. Having familiarized themselves with the stratigraphy, the students then learned to make their first geologic maps and cross-sections of the classic but straightforward structure that is exposed in nearly three dimensions in Fruita Canyon in the heart of Colorado National Monument. Great progress was made by all.

Tuesday May 16 saw our relocation to Camp Four on BLM land in the northern end of Salt Valley, outside Moab, Utah. This winter’s anomalously large snowpack and spring precipitation welcomed us with the most lush vegetation I can recall seeing here — usually it is a dust-devil-inducing sandbox. The greenery has been accompanied by some cow-calf herds that have provided some entertainment and occasional concern as they wander toward our tents.

Following a day and a half of examining Paradox Basin salt tectonics and the upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic stratigraphy of southeastern Utah, the students have been putting that knowledge to good use as they complete their geologic maps and cross-sections of the northern Salt Valley structure. Camp Four resides on the margin of the map area, which provides a nice respite from the heavy vehicle use we have logged thus far. It also provides the students and staff alike with easy access to shade tents and cold water during the sometimes scorching afternoons that are near universal during this stretch of Field Camp.

Field Camp has been joined by numerous visitors so far. (Recently tenured!) Clemson professor Alex Pullen joined camp to learn Paradox Basin stratigraphy and to help collect pilot data for a salt tectonics project and proposal that if funded will engage field camp students in stratigraphic architectural analysis and age model development. SEOE’s Emily Baumann has joined us to learn a little more about how field camp operates to help the SEOE Undergraduate Student Services office aid in preparing students for success in the experience, and to collect visual and audio media that will be invaluable in better explaining the Field Camp experience to students and other communities. EOG Resources’ Jon Pratt (USC Geological Sciences PhD, ’15) joined camp for an evening and morning and talked with students about job opportunities in the energy sector, and strategies for gainful employment and happiness in the geosciences.

Students and staff continue the USC field camp tradition of preparing some delicious evening meals as a reward for the hard work of the day, and to provide a small bit of luxury amongst our otherwise primitive — but fulfilling and refreshing — existence. Some favorites so far include Sonoran hot dogs with street corn, ribeyes with chimichurri and pan de chapa, and butternut, arugula and sausage penne rigate.

Onward.