Sacramento Mountains - A Tale of Two Side Canyons

[Kato]

It’s winter and time to explore as many canyons as possible before it gets hot here. As always; in search of exercise, fossils and other items of interest. A visual summary of the ascent of one side canyon and the descent of the another.

 

The entrance to the two canyon loop

 

Today I had to share the trail

 

Ordovician formations with small cave

 

Ordovician staircase walkway in canyon bottom, Silurian cliffs at top of pic

 

As the main canyon ascends, the hiking eventually meets where Ordovician contacts Silurian

 

At the top of this Silurian dry falls is the Devonian but not much of it.

 

This Devonian area is just before the canyon splits into two canyons

 

 

 

 

 

[Kato]

The bottom of this bowl (Onate Formation)

 

Continuing south (right turn) brings one to the first canyon. Here loaded with nodules and occasionally a brachiopod

 

On the shady side of the canyon bottom, cold enough to form ice at the dripping formations

 

Yet, in the sun with no wind it was almost too warm. Just past this was the main collecting area

 

Entire north side of canyon is nothing but crinoid formations (100 feet tall?) + some horn coral. Here's maybe 6 feet worth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kato]

 

I can’t decide if this is a thin clump of shells or part of a calyx. Indeterminate.

 

Climb above this dry fall for more collecting

 

This too tall falls, signals the end of the ascent in the first canyon...bushwhack uphill, to the left and over to the next canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kato]

On top of the ridge, topping out at 6,000ft in the Pennsylvanian Gobbler formation between the two canyons, I spotted this quartz matrix / contact zone I am learning to associate locally with permineralized material.

 

Nearby a small piece of permineralized material. Odd just to find just one piece of each.

 

Carefully sorting a path through a cholla grouping before descending to next canyon. The top of this area is littered with crinoid column bits.

 

On the beginning of the descent I took a little time to admire this

 

Entering the down climb I spotted this rock and thought it was worth 10lbs of pack weight.

 

Then I saw this elliptical quartz nodule with crinoids and had to have that. Another 10lbs

 

[Kato]

Spotted some nice fenestrate. More weight.

 

Some brachiopods. More weight.

 

Groan, getting hard to down climb the dryfalls with all those specimens. Haha

 

Took my pack off to admire this formation and gain back 2” of spine compression.

 

The last and biggest Mississippian dryfall to down climb. Lowered my pack with small diameter rope before descending.

 

Looks like horizontal slickendside. Nearby igneous intrusion causing unconformities

 

 

 

[Kato]

Igneous rock cooked some rock layers. Maybe it was shale once.

 

Back into the Devonian. This specimen looks like the mud had just dried entrapping a tiny panorama of brachiopods, bryozoans and corals. Biggest brach is 10mm wide. Specimen into the pack.

 

A small bowl just at the Mississippian – Devonian boundary. Rumors of conondonts near here but not yet found by me.

 

At the final exit of the canyons. Did I scare it (packrat?) to death or did some critter leave it behind when it heard all my huffing and puffing due to the pack full of specimens?

 

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Lovely report and great photographs. 

Nice specimens too. 

[Manticocerasman]

thx for taking us along on your trip. great pictures.

[Monica]

Stunning photos - thanks for taking us along!

 

I especially like the Devonian specimen with lots of little brachiopods on it - beautiful! 

[Al Tahan]

Funny how you have to hunt in the winter to run from the heat. I never took that into consideration lol.. great report!! looks like you found some goodies to take home  

[Fossildude19]

Great report!

Thanks for the field trip.  

[Wrangellian]

2 hours ago, Monica said:

Stunning photos - thanks for taking us along!

 

I especially like the Devonian specimen with lots of little brachiopods on it - beautiful! 

I was going to say the same!

 

[gwestbrook]

It has been enjoyable reading your reports and viewing the great photos.  Your methods, observations and associated adventures bring to mind those of the geologists who first scouted and mapped these areas. Very interesting! 

[ynot]

Very nice report.

Thanks for sharing the adventure.

[Kato]

13 hours ago, gwestbrook said:

It has been enjoyable reading your reports and viewing the great photos.  Your methods, observations and associated adventures bring to mind those of the geologists who first scouted and mapped these areas. Very interesting! 

Once I start getting the hang of this paleontology stuff (haha), I'd like to repeat my trips just to see how much I missed or labeled incorrectly. 

[gwestbrook]

3 hours ago, Kato said:

Once I start getting the hang of this paleontology stuff (haha), I'd like to repeat my trips just to see how much I missed or labeled incorrectly. 

You did a great job! Looking forward to more. 

[PFOOLEY]

That is some gorgeous country you've got to roam.... Excellent report...I like your style.

[goatinformationist]

When I come up for a hunt I'd like you to come along to carry my specimens too.  Sound good?

[Kato]

19 hours ago, goatinformationist said:

When I come up for a hunt I'd like you to come along to carry my specimens too.  Sound good?

Works for me. You carry my brew and, if you can make it into the spots where I collect, I will carry at least one of your specimens out. Hint start working on your pull-ups and walking on iffy ledges.

 

Most of my meanders (and best finds) are in the 7-10 mile round trip range with 1,500-2,500 ft elevation gain/loss typical. For the most part, the going up is darn decent, it's the descents with loaded pack and technical down climbs that can get dicey.

[-AnThOnY-]

10 minutes ago, Kato said:

Works for me. You carry my brew and, if you can make it into the spots where I collect, I will carry at least one of your specimens out. Hint start working on your pull-ups and walking on iffy ledges.

 

Most of my meanders (and best finds) are in the 7-10 mile round trip range with 1,500-2,500 ft elevation gain/loss typical. For the most part, the going up is darn decent, it's the descents with loaded pack and technical down climbs that can get dicey.

 

All of that sounds fantastic!