Sharktooth Hill March 23 or 24

[Hunt4teeth]

Hello TFF members,

The family and I decided to book a trip to Las Vegas the week of March 21. I have to admit, part of the decision was due to the fact Sharktooth Hill was only a ~ 4 hour drive away. I had looked at the Ernst Quarry website and noted Slow Curve was open Tues-Thurs that week. I sent an email to Rob (quarry website) right after booking the trip, as I have wanted to get out there for many years now. I have not heard back yet, but I also left a voicemail and it stated it might take 7 days for a response. I'm looking to drive over either Wed. March 23 or Thurs. March 24, depending on the weather. I know this is short notice and during the week, but if anybody is interested in meeting up at the Quarry, I would enjoy having some company to dig and talk to on the adventure (family is staying in Vegas with friends, so I'm making the trip alone).

Jay

[ynot]

Hey hi Jay,

I would like to join You but am not able to do so this month.

If You have any questions I may be able to answer - so please feel free to ask.

Good luck with Your trip!

Tony

[Hunt4teeth]

Thank you Tony!

[digit]

I always enjoy fossil hunting with others but it looks like you may be doing this trip solo. You'll have crazy good fun. My wife and I were lucky enough to meet-up with Tony when were out there earlier this year and had a blast.

Even though it is only 4 hours away from Vegas, I'd suggest grabbing an inexpensive hotel in Bakersfield and driving out the night before. You'll be meeting Rob at the front gate area at 7:45am and digging from 8:00am - ~4:30pm which makes for a long day. Even with a generous dose of caffeine, driving for 8 hours and digging for 8 more in a single day would make for a punishing (though highly enjoyable) day. Driving over the night before and getting a good night's sleep would make sure you don't fade through the day--or drive off the road into the desert on the way back to Sin City. A bit of added cost but that would be my recommendation.

If the matrix at the quarry is dry enough, it would be a good idea to see if you could collect some micro-matrix from STH as there are some really cool micros in it--who wouldn't want to add a Basking Shark tooth to their collection? Some of the teeth from the Slow Curve area can have fairly fragile roots (especially when damp). I've learned that it is best to leave any nice teeth in chunks of the matrix so they can be prepped carefully at home. Working down the matrix to extract the teeth can be easily accomplished with dental picks or an X-acto knife with a sharp blade (sandy/silty matrix cuts like butter). You may also consider leaving some of the matrix as a presentation stand for your finds. I'd bring a roll of paper towels and some zip-top bags to wrap and protect your finds till you get them home.

Rob will explain the layout of the quarry and provide you the sledge and spike you'll use for digging. Bring sun protection (SPF and a hat), drinks and snacks to keep you powered through the working day, and possibly a change of clothes for the return trip as you'll be a bit dusty/dirty. And, of paramount importance, a camera to get some cool photos of your finds and some great in situ photos to make others on the forum envious enough to book their own trips to Shark Tooth Hill to try their luck.

Cheers.

-Ken

Edit: If you haven't read through it yet, I encourage you to view my recent trip report which will (hopefully) give you an idea of what to expect: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/60863-shark-tooth-hill-ernst-quarry-hunt-on-2016-01-22/?p=648580

Edited March 16, 2016 by digit

[Hunt4teeth]

Trip Report - Sharktooth Hill on March 23, 2016

Hello Everyone,

Well I finally had the opportunity to hunt at the famous Sharktooth Hill (Ernst Quarries). I have to start by thanking both Tony (ynot) and Ken (digit) for providing a wealth of knowledge through PMs and informative posts to this site. I felt going in I was prepared and well informed on the layout at Slow Curve, expectations, tools needed, collecting micro matrix for more fun later, etc. Thanks as well to the other members posting trip reports, I find these very helpful and fun to read, so I try to return the favor when given the opportunity and time.

Upon on the advice of Ken and pressure from the wife, I decided to drive to Bakersfield the night before, so I would not be tired for the 7:45am meeting time. This was good for obvious reasons, but for those who never been, there is no address or signs advertising the Quarry for good reason. So it is important to be on time and call if your not going to make it. If it where not for Rob (the owner) standing by the road at the end of the driveway, I would of never known that was the quarry. There was a group of 5 or 6 people that showed up late, but luckily for them, two of the guys lived in Bakersfield and have been to the quarry several times and knew where to go, as Rob took the rest of the group up promptly at 8 am.

Rob was a very nice gentleman and does a great job of taking everybody around the site, showing the lay of the land, talking about the history of the quarries, pointing out productive spots in the quarry, provides many of the tools needed and demonstrates technique used while digging into the premium area of Slow Curve. I chose to dig/chisel the premium area. It was a beautiful day that started close to 60 and got up to the mid 70s. Below are a couple pics showing the overview of the premium area at Slow Curve and view towards the East Quarry (You can see campers in the area of East Quarry, not sure if people where actually over there or not, but the East Quarry was closed to the public that day). (Note: Sorry about the quality of the pictures. I lost the battery charger to by good camera and used an iphone to take all of the following pictures).

After talking with Ken and seeing pictures of the screen set-up used by Tony, I decided to make a compact sifting table with dual screens. Both where a quarter inch, but the bottom one had window screen. I used this to sift for smaller teeth that I may have missed when breaking-up the silt and sand, as well as, collect micro matrix for more fun back at home. The set-up was a back saver and helped me collect semi-processed micro matrix. This was extremely helpful, because pounding a spike into the hard matrix with a three pound sledge hammer for 8 to 9 hours is very tiring (at least to me and I was the last to leave). The pictures below show the screen set-up and a picture of it broken down in my suitcase (it was very light and did not take up much room at all).

I will not bore you with all the details, as I know many people just want to get to the pictures (insert smiley face here). But I would like to note that there were times I would go 45 minutes or an hour and not find a single tooth, or where I was finding a lot of broken teeth (as many know the teeth in this area have very fragile roots). But nothing beats the feeling of chipping away at the bone bed and having a nice mako or other fossil pop out encased in matrix and still whole. I had a lot of fun, and the people I meet while digging for fossils, including the owner Rob, were great to talk with and very friendly. Everybody would get excited whenever a nice fossil revealed itself and it was very motivating to keep digging deeper! I can't wait to go back now!

So here are some of the finds from the day. I will start with some of the loose teeth I found that day (I included a few with broken roots as the majority of the teeth you find look like this).

Here are a couple of Makos I found in matrix. Usually if you are going to find a whole tooth, this is how they come out. I had about 5 or 6 of the Makos come out like this and a few other smaller teeth.

Now for two of my favorite finds from the day. I believe these to be a sea lion molar and canine (Allodesmus kernensis) based of the ID sheet provided by Rob and the fact they came out of a small piece of matrix together (so I'm guessing they are associated as well). If I'm wrong or more pictures are needed, please let me know.

And last but not least, my favorite find of the day! A Big Tooth Mako (Isurus hastalis). The tooth came out encased in matrix as you can see, and measures in at just over 2.75".

Here are some cleaned up pics of the fossils above. I still have three decent size makos in matrix I want to prepare with the matrix left on. I will post pics whenever I finally get around to doing this.

Thanks for taking the time to view my post.

Jay

[sharko69]

Beautiful teeth! I love they large mako. Looks like you had a great trip. I am hoping to get back out there in May myself.

[jpc]

Great report...thanks for sharing.

[digit]

You really knocked that one out of the park. That huge mako turned out beautifully. Love the compact sifting screen setup too. I'm betting it was a worthwhile investment.

Seeing your excellent finds brought back great memories of my wife and I hunting with Tony. We found more meager (but still enjoyable finds) when we were there and now you've motivated me to head back as pinniped dentition is still on my bucket list (and a nearly 3" mako would find an honored place in my collection).

I'm just starting a new hunt tomorrow (far from Shark Tooth Hill). I'm up in Gainesville getting ready to start a week-long volunteer dig at the Thomas Farm sinkhole site with the FLMNH. We don't get to keep any of the fossils we uncover but we get the opportunity to work at a world-class fossil locality and know that all of our finds will go into the museum's collection for study. I've got a few other fossil hunting trips up my sleeve in the next couple of months but first a little rubbing elbows with the paleontologists.

Cheers.

-Ken

[ynot]

Hey Jay,

Looks like You did really good, congratulations. Nice trip report too.

Seal teeth are hard to find and Yours look great! I have yet to get a 2.5 inch mako.

Tony

[Hunt4teeth]

Beautiful teeth! I love they large mako. Looks like you had a great trip. I am hoping to get back out there in May myself.

The mako definitely made my day, I can't wait to go back. I might be back in that area in August, but I believe the Quarry is closed at that time.

Jay

[Hunt4teeth]

Great report...thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the response!

Jay

[Hunt4teeth]

Love the compact sifting screen setup too. I'm betting it was a worthwhile investment.

It was inspired by your posts of your trip to Sharktooth Hill and collecting micro matrix. It was an back/energy saver, wish I made it years earlier when making trips to Aurora (I may be going back again this year). Good luck with the volunteer dig and any other adventures your on, sounds like an amazing opportunity.

Jay

[Hunt4teeth]

Hey Jay,

Looks like You did really good, congratulations. Nice trip report too.

Seal teeth are hard to find and Yours look great! I have yet to get a 2.5 inch mako.

Tony

Thank you, Tony! I appreciate all the great trip reports you post, as well as, all the donated matrix and fossil contests you so generously provide to the forum and its members. I loved the matrix and extra fossils I won in the contests, as well as, the beautiful petrified wood pendant you made.

Jay

[caldigger]

Yes Jay, Bakersfield gets to be unbearably hot during the summer months (triple digits daily). I believe it opens back up around October.

That is an absolutely stunning "Big Boy" tooth you found. ( why is it the first timers seem to get some of the best finds?)

I have yet to find an Allodesmus canine. I have several cheek teeth, but the canines still allude me.

Hopefully within a few months I'll be fully recovered and can hit the quarries once again.

caldigger

[Ludwigia]

Thanks very much for the detailed report. For someone who probably will never get there it is very informative and gives you the feeling that you were there yourself. Nice finds too!!