Wyoming Day Hike

[AK hiker]

My wife and I did a trip to several western states this summer and will share a a few pictures from a visit with @JPC at the Tate Geological Museum in Casper, Wyoming as well as a day hike

 

Ammonite display at the Tate Geological Museum.

 

 

 

I have seen several of these species of ammonites in Alaska.

 

T. rex at the Tate 

 

@JPC showing me an ammonite that is from the local area. Thanks for making time for a visit and museum tour.

I got up early to beat the heat to go for a hike near Casper. On the drive I saw a fox den with pups hidden in the grass along the back road.

 

Antelope were plentiful 

 

Almost there in the rental car.

 

The exposure that has ammonites.

 

No longer any water flowing.

 

This was the first of several wildlife mortalities is saw, bring plenty of water.

 

More antelope

 

I hiked down one draw and completely missed the ammonite deposit zone in my haste to get done before 10 am when the temperature was forecast to go above 80 F. 

 

 

I planned a circular route and started up an adjacent gully being more mindful of the formations and where the ammonites would be present.

 

The first sign that I am in the right layer seeing concretion nodules.

 

 

Here is the first of many broken ammonites with a borrowed rock hammer thanks again to JPC.

 

More of the same fragmented ammonite species.

 

 

 

Interesting mineralization in this concretion.

 

Still looking for one to bring home.

 

The Prize! One to remember the trip by and easy to carry out. I ended up hiking seven miles and had to carefully pace myself on the way back up as the temperature went above 85 F and I am not accustomed to that much heat. Hope you enjoy the day trip as much as I did.

Antelope skull.

 

A young mule deer buck leading the way out of the gully.

 

 

Edited November 6 by AK hiker
Remove extra picture

[PFOOLEY]

Looks like a great adventure! Nothing like a sweet ammonite find, down the end of a dirt road through some beautiful country.

[jpc]

Glad you had a good day out, and hey.. it was great to meet you.  

[Moth.11]

Nice finds and museum specimens

[C2fossils]

Been to the Tate it is a great museum. And it looks like you had a good fossil hunt as well.

[AK hiker]

 

10 hours ago, PFOOLEY said:

Looks like a great adventure! Nothing like a sweet ammonite find, down the end of a dirt road through some beautiful country.

So true. Fun to relive the trip now that the ammonite exposures here are covered in snow and ice.
 

8 hours ago, jpc said:

Glad you had a good day out, and hey.. it was great to meet you.  

Thanks for making time to visit with me just before your trip to Europe.

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Moth.11 said:

Nice finds and museum specimens

5 hours ago, C2fossils said:

Been to the Tate it is a great museum. And it looks like you had a good fossil hunt as well.

The Tate Geological Museum is a gem and worth a visit.

 

Edited November 7 by AK hiker