> Department
of Earth Sciences
GEO 429C – Field
Geology
Summer 2010
Field Course Director:
Dr. Steve
Custer (scuster@montana.edu)
Instructors: (Instructors for 2009 -
will probably differ for 2010)
Dr. Jim
Schmitt (jschmitt@montana.edu)
Dr. Dave
Lageson (lageson@montana.edu)
Dr. Bill Locke
(wlocke@montana.edu)
Dr. Colin Shaw
(colin.shaw1@montana.edu)
Overview:
Field Geology (GEO 429)
is a senior capstone field-mapping course for geology, paleontology and
geohydrology majors in the Department of Earth Sciences at MSU and for
upper-division geology majors from other institutions. Students are
required to have successfully completed courses in sedimentology and
stratigraphy, structural geology, and geomorphology. The course covers
a variety of field problems and mapping techniques. Extensive hiking
and outdoor physical challenges require that students be physically
fit. A fee for transportation and materials is required (see fees
below). Due to the demands and rigor of this course, it is
strongly recommended that students plan no other activities or trips
for
the entire duration of the field course. The course
studies a variety of field sites at several locations, does not
necessarily return to Bozeman (see the schedule below), begins each day
early in the morning and returns at the end of the day to a camping
site near the field site. The evenings are spent inking maps,
reviewing field notes, and preparing cross sections and reports.
Tuition and Fees (are expected to be): In State -
$1,613.80 Out of State - $4,529.80
Class Fees (are expected to
be): $750.00 (covers materials and transportation)
Registration
Living conditions and meals:
You will need to arrange for lodging while
in Bozeman and be prepared to camp in the field at other times, as per
the field course schedule. You will be responsible for your own meals
throughout the course. Be prepared for extreme weather variability and
a variety of topographically challenging, strenuous field localities. Students
are
required to carry personal first-aid kits at all times.
Grading:
- Block 1
- Block 2
- Block 3-4
- Block 5
- Block 6
- Block 7
- TOTAL:
General field camp conduct and
expectations:
- Mature, responsible behavior in the field
and out of the field that reflects positively on the MSU geology
program!
- Absolutely no alcohol drinking in MSU
vehicles (and obviously no open containers)
- Absolutely no smoking in the field (fire
hazard)
- No personal firearms allowed in the
field, in the MSU vehicles, or in camp
- No rock rolling
- Don’t mess with snakes – it’s their home
- NO graffiti on rocks (personal initials,
etc.)
- Treat the landscape with respect – tread
lightly and don’t leave trash
- Be on-time at pick-up points – wear a
watch and plan your daily traverses accordingly
- If a gate is open, leave it open; if it
is closed, then be sure to re-close it; be careful crossing fences
- Dig deep holes for “personal disposal”
needs
- Assignment turn-in deadlines are hard
deadlines
- If you are going to succeed in this
course, it is imperative that you work in the evenings on your map,
cross-sections, explanations, write-ups, etc.; you will certainly not
succeed if you procrastinate till the last day on each exercise
Typical mapping products
(“deliverables”) to be turned in (note: may vary as per instructor):
- Lightly colored (burnished) geologic map
- Key or explanation for your geologic map
and cross sections
showing all units and symbols used on the map
- One or more structural cross-sections
through the field area
- Stereonets for structural analysis
- One-page write-up on a topic pertaining
to your field area
- Field notebook
Expectations for all deliverables:
- Neatness counts - a lot! Sloppy and
careless work will
receive the grade it deserves!
- Accuracy of contacts and field relations
- Thorough, detailed rock descriptions in
key and/or write-up
- Well-written, well-organized,
well-illustrated field notebooks - written in ink or hard pencil that
does not smudge nor smear
- Read your field camp manual for more
information…
DATE-RANGE OF THIS SCHEDULE IS CORRECT BUT
DATES OF ACTIVIES MAY CHANGE (depending on weather)
|
2009
Montana
State University Field Camp - SW Montana
(The 2010 calender will look very similar to 2009 as for the types of
excercises that will be performed and time spent at each location)
|
|
DATE
|
Day
|
LOCATION
|
GENERAL
TOPIC
|
LODGING
or
CAMPING
|
INSTRUCTOR(s)
|
|
Block
1:
Stratigraphy of SW Montana and sedimentary facies analysis
|
|
May
18
|
Monday
|
Bozeman
area
|
Stratigraphy
&
facies analysis
|
TBA
|
Dr.
Jim
Schmitt
|
|
May
19
|
Tuesday
|
Bozeman
area
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
May
20
|
Wednesday
|
Bozeman
area
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
May
21
|
Thursday
|
Bozeman
area
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
May
22
|
Friday
|
Bozeman
area
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
May
23
|
Saturday
|
Day
off
|
|
|
|
|
Block
2:
Structural mapping of sedimentary rocks in the Sevier
fold-and-thrust belt
|
|
May
24
|
Sunday
|
Travel
to
Dillon early a.m.
|
Structure
mapping
|
TBA
|
Dr.
David
Lageson
|
|
May
25
|
Monday
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
May
26
|
Tuesday
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
May
27
|
Wednesday
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
May
28
|
Thursday
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
May
29
|
Friday
|
Day
off
|
|
Bozeman
|
|
|
Block
3:
Intrusive Igneous Mapping
|
|
May
30
|
Saturday
|
Madison
Range
|
Intrusive
Igneous
Rocks
|
Wisdom
|
Colin
Shaw
|
|
May
31
|
Sunday
|
Madison
Rng
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
June
1
|
Monday
|
Madison
Rng
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
Block
4:
Yellowstone Field Exercise
|
|
June
2
|
Tuesday
|
Madison
Rng
|
Extrusive
Igneous
Rocks
|
Yellowstone
National
Park
|
Colin
Shaw
|
|
June
3
|
Wednesday
|
TBA
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
June
4
|
Thursday
|
Day
off
|
|
Bozeman
|
|
Block
5:
Tectonic Geomorphology
|
|
June
5
|
Friday
|
BHP
|
Surficial
Dep.
and Landforms
|
Dillion
|
Colin
Shaw
|
|
June
6
|
Saturaday
|
BHP
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
June
7
|
Sunday
|
BHP
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
June
8
|
Monday
|
BHP
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
June
09
|
Tuesday
|
Day
off
|
|
Bozeman
|
|
|
Block 6: Metamorphic Mapping
|
|
June
10
|
Wednesday
|
TBA
|
"
|
Gravelly Range
|
Colin Shaw |
|
June
11
|
Thursday
|
TBA
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
June
12
|
Friday
|
TBA
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
June
13
|
Saturday
|
TBA
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
Block
7:
The final test of your field skills
|
|
June
14
|
Sunday
|
Day
off
|
|
Bozeman
|
|
|
June
15
|
Monday
|
TBA
|
Final
Mapping
|
Dillion
|
Colin
Shaw
|
|
June
16
|
Tuesday
|
TBA
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
June
17
|
Wednesday
|
TBA
|
"
|
"
|
"
|
|
June
18
|
Thursday
|
TBA
|
"
|
|
"
|
|
June
19
|
Friday
|
TBA
|
"
|
|
|
|
If
you would like to see the schedule in a calendar format, follow this
link:
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=epe7gvrnol2igj0vs96cp2cr9k%40group.
calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Denver
Data Folder and GIS Map for Surficial
Geology exercise: CLICK HERE
|
