Solstice Hike in the Appalachians

[abctriplets]

On the winter solstice, we took the family out for a 7-mile winter hike. Luckily it was winter in name only, as the temps got up to almost 50 degrees.  We found a nice trail near Roanoke, Virginia, that took us into the Appalachians. As the kids are still excited about our giant fossil hunting trip out west this summer, I decided to pick a location where I knew there were fossils to be found. All I know is that these were Paleozoic formations, where 450mya it was swampy mud flats. So I could tell them we wouldn't be finding dinosaurs, but we might find some shells.

 

So they enjoyed the hike, and spent tons of time looking around for fossils when our climbing reached the tops of the ridgeline. Then we had to tell them they'd be carrying these rocks with them for the next 6 miles....

 

1st kid's finds:

 

(large flat-ish shells)

 

(these seemed to be the most common finds)

(trace fossils?)

 

(crinoid stems? - Near the 1" mark, top/bottom)

[abctriplets]

Kid #2's finds:

 

(more of the same...)

(we were debating whether this was a trace fossil or a geologic abnormality)

 

Kid #3's fossils:

 

And one that was different:

 

(We first thought it was nut-shaped, until we decided the protrusion on the left might just be mudstone, in which case it looks like a flattened coquina shell)

 

**Anyway** They are curious as to what these are. And as I've been reading up on the formations for our summer trip out west, I am no help. So I'll probably be posting a selection in the "Fossil ID" thread.

 

But the cool thing is that I pointed out to them that while they were so excited about finding these, that they might think these are "junk" after working on finding dinosaur bones and split fish this summer. They couldn't ever imagine thinking these would be junk fossils.

[Wrangellian]

Nice pic, and nice brachiopods and trace fossils. If you could pinpoint your location someone here will probably be able to figure out just what part of the Paleozoic these are from (or maybe they can tell just by looking at the fossils).. or else they can point you to a geologic map of the area so you can do that yourself. In any case it's a good idea to record the exact location of anything you find, not just keep it in your memory...

I will say those are crinoid stem 'discs' on that little square piece, until I see a bigger pic. No idea about the last one.

[Fossildude19]

According to this geologic map,  the area looks like it has outcrops ranging from the Ordovician to  the Mississippian, in age.

Lots of brachiopods, and trace fossils. 
This one has what I believe to be an orthocone cephalopod on it. 

 

 

 

Regards, 

 

 

[abctriplets]

2 hours ago, Wrangellian said:

Nice pic, and nice brachiopods and trace fossils. If you could pinpoint your location someone here will probably be able to figure out just what part of the Paleozoic these are from (or maybe they can tell just by looking at the fossils).. or else they can point you to a geologic map of the area so you can do that yourself. In any case it's a good idea to record the exact location of anything you find, not just keep it in your memory...

I will say those are crinoid stem 'discs' on that little square piece, until I see a bigger pic. No idea about the last one.

 

Ooh thanks for the tips. Any suggestions on how to keep records? (these days, do people just do a digital inventory, or I remember back in school putting a dab of whiteout on a rock and labelling it in finepoint sharpie...)

 

@Fossildude19 - Thanks for the map! And the id!

 

And here's the larger pic of the square piece.

[Wrangellian]

That's odd, I would have thought crinoid stems but they seem to lack the details of such. Maybe they are just weathered, or maybe there is something else that fits better?

 

As for record keeping, they recommend you use white acrylic paint instead of whiteout, but make sure that whatever you use is resistant to degradation and fading (The pen likewise).. You should keep water away from your fossils after washing them, but make sure the number/coating can't be washed off. Maybe coat it with a clear coat of Paraloid (do a search of the Forum or ask us for more info on that) or clear acrylic(?) - I use a simpler method which involves a white pen with as fine a tip as I can find, which I believe to be fade-resistant, and inscribe the number directly on the rock (my rock is mostly on darker side so it shows up well), then coat that with Paraloid. 2 steps instead of 3 steps. Then record the info in a notebook.