Search the Community

Over the weekend, I decided to take a trip to the Santa Monica mountains for a hike and a fossil hunt. There was information about the site in "NEW UPPER PALEOCENE SPECIES OF THE BIVALVE PLICATULA FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA" by Richard L. Squires and Louella R. Saul, which contains Late Paleocene marine life. This is probably a good opportunity to warn fellow hunters that it is not a smart idea to go quickly up a canyon in near 100 degree heat. Under the early afternoon sun I walked too quickly and made the mistake of not pacing out the hike! Despite plenty of water intake I was still lightheaded by the time I found the site, and a little dizzy. I rested in the shade immediately and ate the lunch I had packed while cooling off. Then I got to work examining the scree for a while before heading down the canyon to my sweet AC. The spot: Unfortunately, not much caught my eye this time. Marine fossils I took home: While splitting, these concretions popped out. Anybody know what they are? I've been enjoying rearranging them. Lower left may contain a fossil, I'll send closer pictures if anybody wants to see. As well as this, which I believe is one of the above split open. It has a ringed, deviled egg quality. I found a similar piece in the Badlands of SD and was surprised to come across this here. If there's a technical name I'd really like to know it! Do pack plenty of water if you hunt around here for the next month or so, you'll be doing yourself a big favor. And go slow!