Jump to content

Brett Breakin' Rocks

Recommended Posts

It has been some time since I posted anything of note. I'm still adjusting to my new surroundings here in Colorado but I did at least join a local Paleontological Society (WIPS) Western Interior Paleontological Society. My first field trip with the group was out to Baculite Mesa in Pueblo, CO. A location that is famous with a storied history, that is still giving up its ancient treasures. 

The weather here in Colorado can be touch and go at best, and our trip was almost delayed/cancelled by a late winter storm. This was our neighborhood in Denver the day before the trip. But temperatures rose fairly quickly (?) and the rain/snow abated enough for a window to open into the past. 

280277952_429994585134434_934159453755115977_n.thumb.jpg.f41062ae249f083b0c3f96d7cdf1f7e3.jpg

 

I brought the kids along on this trip. Here are the kids speeding along the ancient ocean bottom, which reverted to 4-6 inches of mud after the rain/snow. It returned to its roots you might say, and in the process my children grew 6 inches that day !! ... until dad had to scrape the sticky mud off of their shoes. 30 minutes later ?? .. yes, they were 6 inches taller once more.

 

Screaming across the muddy ocean bottom. 280638980_747587846422297_3678231071151008887_n.thumb.jpg.b253dc2fe944371d254383bc70b92629.jpg

 

Here is our fearless leader Malcolm Bedell braving the mud and standing in front of one of the many "teepee buttes" that dots the landscape. These ancient methane seeps were built up by small communities of worms, bivalves, gastropods, crabs and the like. Food provided by the methane fixing bacteria at the seeps, and the communities of critters creating these limestone mounds. 

280934706_766592194715269_7943949112162210860_n.thumb.jpg.8d63a0dc59b7867e303fb817b1814a0a.jpg

 

A closer look at one of these small communities. 

281530362_791541612217935_2674318467108074517_n.thumb.jpg.5fe4058454f27c1ae60127e1b31f3e81.jpg280532939_1152464648630745_5318130801211835937_n.thumb.jpg.372a477211a4f2e85e7ce82c5dc2a4fb.jpg280755314_411940374313978_6335266979632761705_n.thumb.jpg.df577cd4de70e74c99d4b87239e6be58.jpg281470407_1375243099547719_4974300444483232673_n.thumb.jpg.1e2e03fac71140eccede43ebab2ad611.jpg

 

The baculites (mostly Baculites scotti) can be found eroding out of the shale and concretions that dot the landscape. This is how they typically present themselves at the site. 

280532013_441536014360991_7325156018133684356_n.thumb.jpg.c232035f3e1f120bae66924f98722ec0.jpg281161987_1198563587585034_6465835277977623633_n.thumb.jpg.f19b7b16bd317faa206a9457de164c54.jpg282532921_773730903617591_4821602531335444803_n.thumb.jpg.7dd4a8d89ea9be22d91dc1f3c1839b0f.jpg282164597_309758251357494_167371830643263084_n.thumb.jpg.4bf8c20655362f54680286ccb7687d90.jpg282185164_378633640891693_1689747409807439779_n.thumb.jpg.b180605f621dbb7a2a7cef5a197dad87.jpg

 

It is rare, but occasionally you can find the Baculites with some of their original nacre still attached. But something to "fix" the nacre to the core is recommended. I think the wet mud helped to preserve this shell until I could return to the car and consolidate it .... the exercise was akin to lifting a shattered pane of glass lying on the ground to safety. Next time something to consolidate the nacre in the field and tin foil would be advised. 

 281360093_342918614538414_6989941909298893822_n.thumb.jpg.8e87c67e238f650daa0ba1b25062ec4b.jpg

Baculites_scotti_02.thumb.jpg.93b2344fb328dacba6d3c374a2df1b9c.jpg

281439338_434061815228798_8221610609034859904_n.thumb.jpg.bfde40667677d9250a81e7e0b79f28fd.jpg280955780_744178083605153_7046480074771378992_n.thumb.jpg.bdaa3b9b0bfa8391fa30655e22f56bcf.jpgBaculites_scotti.thumb.jpg.9a5f4c91ac057aec09a274be79225383.jpgBaculites_scotti_01.thumb.jpg.ffb9411a901e41fb5d430d41738c63e0.jpg

 

The second location we moved to in the flats, was cut by many small and large arroyos, and could at times be treacherous for man and beast. This poor cow twisted it's legs on the way down into one of these arroyos (steep-sided gully) and had been lying there in the mud for some time, unable to move.

 280440912_533529858263680_5932649580251845803_n.thumb.jpg.57288bde042292ba69d7ade0183cb98d.jpg 

 

These arroyos cut deeper into the Pierre Shale and most of the fossils here present themselves in hard concretions. I wasn't able to hang around for too long in this location. The cold and mud was too much for the kids and they retreated into the car. Next time I know what to look for and will be better prepared. I know next time will be more successful. Visually I know what I'm after and where to find it. The area is quite literally littered with fossils. I left most where I found them, eroding out of the muddy landscape. Next time I will explore the sides of the arroyo and bring a nice 3lb hand sledge.

 

Here are ammonite bits .. found within eroding concretions. 

281591276_495901942316906_8610300092541515863_n.thumb.jpg.4cfdf3a6c4c0e7eb4c84d865afbea9b2.jpg281956174_411433840850190_5633293667337793737_n.thumb.jpg.a48bbdbe5161c3dec4ee52e8d6d6402a.jpg280664197_437049198420302_8853255802270039719_n.thumb.jpg.6949608f550af9f77ba08328e29583ef.jpg

 

The desert has begun to bloom once again.

281544711_306519128318701_9186996162137990496_n.thumb.jpg.47ec2b04be79cdfde66de5f41db0540b.jpg
 

281849468_720972039055619_174594952961696998_n.jpg

 

Cheers,

Brett

Edited by Brett Breakin' Rocks
  • Enjoyed 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely lovely trip report with some stunning visuals and nice finds.

Thank you for sharing this. :)

  • Thank You 1

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Euhoplites said:

Great report, nice finds! Poor cow :(

I was once walking along a beach in North Somerset, England when I heard, "Baaaaaa!" and then "Splat!".

A sheep suddenly appeared ten metres in front of me on the rocks, it must have fallen, or jumped off the cliff. 

It was dead, unfortunately. 

Bizarrely, a few minutes earlier I had walked past the decomposing carcass of a dolphin. 

But I doubt it had jumped off the cliff. 

 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

But I doubt it had jumped off the cliff. 

Let us hope not ! .. haha. Unfortunately this land is not much good for anything else except cattle ranching. But with that comes a treacherous landscape. We noted one dead cow on the way down from the top of the mesa where we started and many assorted bones down in the flat arroyo location. Not an inviting terrain for anything with four legs. 

 

Cheers,

Brett

  • I found this Informative 1
  • I Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the trip report! Beautiful day - and the cow has my sympathies as well. :(

The more I learn, the more I find that I know nothing. 

 

Regards, 

Asher 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No to besmirch the reputation of this fine institution, but my daughter thought the baculites looked a little cold, so she made a pair of pajamas and a blanket for her find. She said it was was her fossil and I said, " But of course you can keep it in your room, and do whatever you'd like ... just be careful with it." 

 

281105863_567131291682629_8300405181164273377_n.thumb.jpg.23db797f2d83a88c9c34be63f6eb5f8e.jpg

 

haha

 

giphy-downsized.gif

 

Cheers,

Brett

 

Edit:  Ahh yes, he needs a hammock too ! 

280661081_565320538328119_5306104717348041571_n.thumb.jpg.583687e5e2889dbb3b10693a78708117.jpg

Edited by Brett Breakin' Rocks
  • Enjoyed 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...