Brachiopods in the Big Snowies

[Alex S.]

Over labor day weekend my wife and I decided to go camping at Crystal lake in the big snowy mountains near Lewiston Mt. We got there late Friday night to get a camping spot and Saturdays morning we decided to hike to some Ice caves that were 5 miles away. Along which there were ample exporsures of mississipian madison limestone. About a mile in I turned over a rock during a water break and there was my first brachiopod. Now that we knew what were were looking for we kept our eyes peeled and were rewarded with this large hash plate full of brachiopods that I think some are spirifera. 

 

 

 

100 feet further and my wife found this large hash plate that was much to big to carry but had some large external molds on it. 

 

 

 

I was thrilled with what we had found so far but got even better in the format of some gorgeous and delicious sarcodon imbricatus, and some dried out ramaria coral mushrooms

 

 

 

The later of which has several edible and poisonous species.

We finally made it to the Ice caves and were rewarded with one of the most beautiful ice caves I've ever seen. 

 

 

 

The way back was uneventful with the exception of my dog Koda who got a little tired and needed to be carried for a while.

 

 

 

The next day we hiked around crystal lake and enjoyed the views as well as fitting in a little more fossil hunting where we found a very pretty fenestella specimen, a plate with a bit of coral? And my wife found a rock that looked to be covered in tiny crinoid columns.

 

 

 

While that was the end of hunting on Monday we drove out to Jordan to meet a lovely rancher and TFF member whom I bought some plaster jackets from to work on while my wife is on her clinical rotations for PA school all winter. I will make another post in the preparation section when I get around to working on them. But they they appear to be a hadrosaurid pubis and a bundle of ribs that might be pachycephalosaurus

according to the seller.

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

The ice caves look lovely. 

Yes, a coral, Syringopora or the ilk, I believe. 

Definitely a lot of spiriferids in that first piece. 

Thanks for sharing.

Edited September 7, 2022 by Tidgy's Dad

[Alex S.]

Thank you @Tidgy's Dad I was a little lost on the coral.

[Peat Burns]

Could the rock that you think looks like it has crinoid columnals be, rather, oolite or pisolite?  

Edited September 8, 2022 by Peat Burns

[Alex S.]

@Peat Burns it very well could be I haven't had the time to set up my stereo microscope and get a better look. Thanks for the suggestion.