Green River Trip

[Ptychodus04]

I just returned from 4 days of digging in the Green River Formation. The quarry we dug in has 18”, mini fish, and upper gastropod layers currently exposed. Coming from Texas, we anticipated cooler temps but it was downright cold. High temps in the 40s and 50s with lows as cold as 30F! We had 1 day that was an almost total rain out but we dug 3 days and 2 nights on the 18” layer. We dug every day in the mini fish layer and randomly picked up pieces from the Upper Gastropod layer.

 

On the second to last night, we went to bed in pouring rain and awoke at 3:00 AM to the tent collapsed on us due to heavy, wet snow! Everyone started pushing the snow off and the tent popped back up. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep much that night because we were now soaking wet and had to keep knocking snow off the tent. 

 

 

 

 

 

That was rather exciting g for Texans in July!

 

Here’s our own little corner of the world. This pad of 18” layer produced some really nice fish, leaves, and a feather.

 

 

 

 

 

Digging at night was a great experience, even though it was COLD!!!!!

 

All in, we had a great time and I have piles of fish to prep now! More to come as I get specimens sorted and prepped.

 

 

This was the view from the quarry after we finished digging on the last night of our trip around 1:30 AM.

[hadrosauridae]

19 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

I just returned from 4 days of digging in the Green River Formation. The quarry we dug in has 18”, mini fish, and upper gastropod layers currently exposed. Coming from Texas, we anticipated cooler temps but it was downright cold. High temps in the 40s and 50s with lows as cold as 30F! We had 1 day that was an almost total rain out but we dug 3 days and 2 nights on the 18” layer. We dug every day in the mini fish layer and randomly picked up pieces from the Upper Gastropod layer.

 

On the second to last night, we went to bed in pouring rain and awoke at 3:00 AM to the tent collapsed on us due to heavy, wet snow! Everyone started pushing the snow off and the tent popped back up. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep much that night because we were now soaking wet and had to keep knocking snow off the tent. 
 

 

You and I were hunting at the same time in separate quarries!  That snow fall was crazy!  

[aplomado]

Lovely scenery!

[Monica]

That leaf is gorgeous!!! 

 

And your photo of the Milky Way is amazing!!!  Thanks for sharing!

[Ptychodus04]

2 hours ago, hadrosauridae said:

 

You and I were hunting at the same time in separate quarries!  That snow fall was crazy!  

That’s funny! Snow in June makes for an interesting camping experience!

 

1 hour ago, aplomado said:

Lovely scenery!

I sure is. We would just sit and look at it at the end of the day and enjoy the view along with the silence.

16 minutes ago, Monica said:

That leaf is gorgeous!!! 

 

And your photo of the Milky Way is amazing!!!  Thanks for sharing!

That leaf stayed with the quarry. It is going to get donated to the National Monument.

 

The Milky Way photo was a 30 second exposure on my iPhone 11. It’s every bit as good as my DSLR can do.

[AK hiker]

2 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

I just returned from 4 days of digging in the Green River Formation. The quarry we dug in has 18”, mini fish, and upper gastropod layers currently exposed. Coming from Texas, we anticipated cooler temps but it was downright cold. High temps in the 40s and 50s with lows as cold as 30F! We had 1 day that was an almost total rain out but we dug 3 days and 2 nights on the 18” layer. We dug every day in the mini fish layer and randomly picked up pieces from the Upper Gastropod layer.

 

On the second to last night, we went to bed in pouring rain and awoke at 3:00 AM to the tent collapsed on us due to heavy, wet snow! Everyone started pushing the snow off and the tent popped back up. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep much that night because we were now soaking wet and had to keep knocking snow off the tent. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That looks to be a neat experience and your got your AK merit badge on the trip too with the christening of snow!

[PrehistoricWonders]

On 6/21/2020 at 9:56 AM, Ptychodus04 said:

I just returned from 4 days of digging in the Green River Formation. The quarry we dug in has 18”, mini fish, and upper gastropod layers currently exposed. Coming from Texas, we anticipated cooler temps but it was downright cold. High temps in the 40s and 50s with lows as cold as 30F! We had 1 day that was an almost total rain out but we dug 3 days and 2 nights on the 18” layer. We dug every day in the mini fish layer and randomly picked up pieces from the Upper Gastropod layer.

 

On the second to last night, we went to bed in pouring rain and awoke at 3:00 AM to the tent collapsed on us due to heavy, wet snow! Everyone started pushing the snow off and the tent popped back up. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep much that night because we were now soaking wet and had to keep knocking snow off the tent. 

     

 

 

That was rather exciting g for Texans in July!

 

Here’s our own little corner of the world. This pad of 18” layer produced some really nice fish, leaves, and a feather.

            

Digging at night was a great experience, even though it was COLD!!!!!

 

All in, we had a great time and I have piles of fish to prep now! More to come as I get specimens sorted and prepped.

 

 

This was the view from the quarry after we finished digging on the last night of our trip around 1:30 AM.

 

NICE FINDS!! Did you get to keep the feather? What quarry was it at?

[Coco]

On 6/21/2020 at 9:56 AM, Ptychodus04 said:

 

Surreal !

 

 

On 6/21/2020 at 9:56 AM, Ptychodus04 said:

I notice that you gave up your kilt, I wonder why!

 

 

 

On 6/21/2020 at 9:56 AM, Ptychodus04 said:

 

 

For the fish and this magnificent view, I imagine that it was worth facing these winter temperatures ! guys !

 

Coco

[Randyw]

Looks like a great trip! And great finds!

[Ptychodus04]

edit... we did get to keep the feather.
 

@Familyroadtrip we were at In Stone Fossils quarry.

 

@Coco the kilt stays home on these trips because we spend too much time on the ground to have bare legs!

[RuMert]

June snow is incredible. And the sky is great, we forget about clear sky with billion stars

[jpc]

summer in Wyoming!  Looks like you got some great fossils and tales to tell.  

[Ludwigia]

Looks like you all had a great and adventurous time! Looking forward to seeing your finds.

[Ptychodus04]

Here’s a pic of the feather for anyone interested.

 

 

[Randyw]

Of course we are interested in seeing it!  can’t wait to see your finds prepped! And love the feather!

[FossilNerd]

What an awesome experience and great report! I’m not a big fan of the cold, but looks like it was more than worth it. Can’t wait to see some prep work. Thanks for sharing!  

[The Jersey Devil]

Really cool experience. The feather is neat.

[Reebs]

Really enjoyed that glimpse into your wonderful adventure. Great finds and beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing. 

[Pemphix]

Cool fotos, cool finds and cool adventure - what you need more...

[Ruger9a]

Excellent trip report and photos, I almost feel like I was there.  Thanks for sharing.

[RJB]

  Hey Kris, you can keep the cold nowadays. Been there done that except the time I was there in the snow it dropped to -12!!!    I was just thinking the other day how I would like some more prisci's to prep and here you go bring home a bunch.  You lead a charmed life my friend.  that one multi slab your son is holding looks to be a most awesome slab of rock!  Looking forward to seeing that one done.  Hang on to these really nice slabs.  years from now you will be glad you did. 

 

RB

[Ptychodus04]

4 hours ago, RJB said:

  Hey Kris, you can keep the cold nowadays. Been there done that except the time I was there in the snow it dropped to -12!!!    I was just thinking the other day how I would like some more prisci's to prep and here you go bring home a bunch.  You lead a charmed life my friend.  that one multi slab your son is holding looks to be a most awesome slab of rock!  Looking forward to seeing that one done.  Hang on to these really nice slabs.  years from now you will be glad you did. 

 

RB

We found a pile of priskys and came home with more than half of them. The slab with 4 priskys remained with the quarry. All part of digging for shares. The pad we were digging was about 10’ square and there was 12 Priscacara and Cockerelites at that layer on it. I have one slab with what looks like a Cockerelites and Diplomystus on it and the fish are dorsally correct. That might be the first one I prep from this trip.

 

The other one that was superb that remained with the quarry was a roughly 16” Diplo, mouth wide open and what looks like verts sticking out. We are 90% convinced that it was an aspiration fish. I would love to prep one of those suckers.

 

I agree with the charmed life though. My boys are now 17 and 18 and couldn’t give a rip about digging. They both spent 8 days on the road, sleeping on the ground, freezing their toes off with me just because I like it. A dad can’t ask for more than that. I guess all the time I spent with them doing their things over the last 15 years is paying dividends. 

[Randyw]

3 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

My boys are now 17 and 18 and couldn’t give a rip about digging. They both spent 8 days on the road, sleeping on the ground, freezing their toes off with me just because I like it.

Now that’s love and a sign you raised them right! All this Prisci and cockerels! 

[Ptychodus04]

1 hour ago, Randyw said:

Now that’s love and a sign you raised them right! All this Prisci and cockerels! 

Yah, they are outstanding young men. I may have one of these little fish to push your way eventually. It will take me a bit to get these all sorted out though.

[FossilNerd]

5 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

 

I agree with the charmed life though. My boys are now 17 and 18 and couldn’t give a rip about digging. They both spent 8 days on the road, sleeping on the ground, freezing their toes off with me just because I like it. A dad can’t ask for more than that. I guess all the time I spent with them doing their things over the last 15 years is paying dividends. 

What more could a dad ask for?! I can only hope that I have such a good relationship with my kids when we all get older. Well done!