A Utah Trilobite

[ober]

We are just back from a delightful fossiling experience in Utah and Colorado. I want to share just one find now, an Elrathia Kingi from  the U-Dig site outside of Delta. There are great descriptions of the quarry in other posts, with directions. I have been here before and always had a satisfying experience. The arrangement this year is that you can either locate yourself someplace in the quarry and break piles of shale the U-Dig folks have conveniently collected for you, or you can break shale out of the quarry yourself and then further split it to see what it might hold. You can break a lot of shale with modest success, so you have to be patient. But if you hit a productive layer it pays off. This is the largest trilobite I’ve found there, or for that matter, the largest I’ve found anywhere. The photo is of the quarry so you can get an idea of the terrain. And the views from the quarry down to the flats are dramatic. Going out there on the BLM road off Rt 50, I saw no sign to the  New Dig site, another pay to dig site, which might be further up the road. U-Dig is open without reservation required whereas all the New Dig signs we saw in Delta said you needed a reservation. This is a great family activity and both days we were there this month had lots of kids enjoying the experience. It is big enough that no one need get in anyone else’s way. 

[triplefacepalm]

That's a very good looking specimen, and nicely placed too. I visited U-Dig in early May, and every time I found one close to that size it seemed to break in half where the shale split. Thanks for sharing!

[minnbuckeye]

On ‎6‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 2:52 PM, ober said:

the U-Dig site outside of Delta

I count 15 cars. Is this typical? Kinda takes the thrill away if you are packed in  like sardines. Let me know how it is when you split the shales... elbow to elbow??? Nice trilo by the way!!!!!

 

Mike

[ober]

19 minutes ago, minnbuckeye said:

I count 15 cars. Is this typical? Kinda takes the thrill away if you are packed in  like sardines. Let me know how it is when you split the shales... elbow to elbow??? Nice trilo by the way!!!!!

 

Mike

This is the most crowded I’ve ever seen it, but it is definitely not packed in. When I mentioned I had been there before, the manager suggested I head over to an area where I was alone (and successful) and I both split chunks that had been broken off and used a pry bar to break off larger pieces from a quarry shelf and further split them. I was actually surprised when I walked out of my area, in a depression and by then shared with only one other person 15-20’ away, how many people were there. I was there this time on a Friday and Saturday and the visitor numbers were similar both days. The quarry was big. The first time I was there, several years ago, it was just after it opened for the season. It was 39 degrees, sleeting and windy and it was a great experience. Then I had it all to myself. This time school was out, so more people. One of the things I appreciate about U-Dig is that each time I’ve been there the manager, different each time, cut slabs into manageable size for me. I have to mail things home (fixed price medium USPS priority mail). This time I had a larger slab with a nice complete trilobite I wanted to get out intact and the cutting he did preserved a good specimen. I wouldn’t be put off. 

[Kane]

Finding an Elrathia with cheeks intact is always a good day.