Geological Excursion to Pocahontas County, West Virginia

Beautiful Pocahontas County, West Virginia

SATURDAY, JUNE 18 – Geological Excursion to Pocahontas County, West Virginia

Meeting Time & Place: To Be Announced, once you register for the trip, we will send you directions to our meeting place.

$70/student, participants arrange own lodging and meal costs. Contact Rob for information about multiple sibling or scout group discounts.

Hello Geology Enthusiasts!

We take great pleasure in announcing our June Geology trip.

This amazing region is Rob’s undergraduate field research area. The geology and scenery are simply spectacular. Our last trip was a real pleasure and highly rated by the participants! 

On this trip you will experience the best outcrops east of the Grand Canyon! There will be opportunities galore for mineral and fossil collecting. We will identify and help you label all your exciting finds.

We will meet you at a pre-arranged location for a day trip on Saturday. then we will caravan to a series of outstanding outcrops of Paleozoic rocks including limestone, sandstone, shale and coal. These rocks record a series of rises and falls of sea level at a time before the supercontinent Pangaea formed. Uplifted by the formation of the Appalachian Mountains, subsequent erosion has cut gorges and canyons providing us with spectacular outcrops to visit and explore. If time allows we will also visit the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

On this trip, we will visit picturesque locations, where you can climb an anticline, explore and swim in clear mountain streams, and collect fossils, minerals and rock samples, as many as you wish to carry home. We will interpret the geologic events for you along the way and you will leave with an increased understanding of and appreciation for the geology and history of the area. 

Depending on the group's' interest, on Sunday we can also arrange to visit a cave and explore its depths.

Camp at Watoga State Park or stay at a nearby motel. Participants will arrange their own lodging and meals. Camping, cabins and other lodging options in the area are available. Pick your own level of comfort. There are plenty of dining options along the way during our day trip. Plan to bring enough snacks and water along with you to keep your family well hydrated and comfortable.

If you are interested in this trip, please register in advance and and let us know how many will be in your party*** . 

To register, or if you'd like more information, please contact rgreengeology@gmail.com. Two forms of payment are accepted for this adventure: PayPal or check. If you are not using PayPal, ask for information on paying with a check. Send your email to Rob with JUNE GEOLOGY TRIP in the subject line.  

When you register, please provide Rob with the total number in your group, including number and names and ages of students. Please provide us with your email address and cellphone number - just in case we need to check in or contact you!

Rob's email is rgreengeology@gmail.com

Rob Greenberg and Mary Watson

Helpful Lodging & Information Links:

http://www.watoga.com/
http://www.watoga.com/accommodations/accommodations.html
http://www.watoga.com/camping.html
http://www.wvstateparks.com/lodging/cabins.html
http://www.pocahontascountywv.com/
http://www.pocahontascountywv.com/lodging.aspx

May Geology Trip - Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area and Few's Ford in Eno River State Park.

Historic quarry at Occoneechee Mountain

Liz Stabenow and student at Few's Ford

SATURDAY, MAY 21 –  Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area and Few's Ford in Eno River State Park.

Meeting Time: 10:00 am

Meeting Place: To Be Announced, once you register for the trip, we will send you directions to our meeting place.

Hello Geology Enthusiasts!

Our next field trip on Saturday, May 21st is an investigation of two sites along the Eno River. Both sites show off the natural beauty of the preserved lands along the Eno River.  The meeting time is 10am. 

We should be done with both of our site visits by 2pm, perhaps earlier, however you may leave whenever you need to.

On this trip, we will explore the fascinating geology of the Hillsborough area which is well exposed along the Eno River. The bed rock of the area formed more than 600 million years ago, in the center of a large and extensive chain of islands composed of actively erupting volcanoes. Geologists call this area the the Hillsborough Caldera located in the Central Volcanic Complex of the Carolina Terrane. 

We will visit the tallest spot in the area and check out the quarry where pyrophyllite (talc mineral) was mined. We will also explore the outcrops along the Eno River at Few's Ford and interpret their meaning in terms of the assembly of the supercontinent Pangaea. Easy to moderate hiking involved. 

Bring a lunch to enjoy, Few's Ford is a great place to picnic!

The volcanic rocks have been "baked" due to their proximity to an ancient supervolcano, similar to the ones that erupted at Yellowstone. The Eno River is a fine example of an incised river with several distinct terraces.  

At both sites, we’ll investigate metamorphosed volcanic rock of the Carolina Terrane and its transecting mineral veins.  We’ll discover traces of a nineteenth century mills, as well as visit an old quarry. We will be in the Eno River State Park, so this is a 'look, see and learn' trip instead of a rock collecting trip.

What to bring:  sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, mosquito/tick repellent, comfortable shoes for hiking, water shoes (optional), towel, water bottles, lunch and snacks.  We will provide hand lenses  and mineral guides as well as maps and information.

We will send out another email to those signed up for this field trip closer to the date.  In that email I will include a description of the geology at both sites as well as driving directions..  

Thanks so much for your time and interest.  Enjoy the fine weather this week!

The cost of the Geology Field Trip is $35.00 per student. There is no charge to parents/drivers. Contact Rob at rgreengeology@gmail.com if you would like details about a multiple sibling or scout group discount. 

Please let us know as soon as you can, if you will be attending and how many will be in your party*** 

If you are interested in this trip, please register in advance. To register, or if you'd like more information, please contact rgreengeology@gmail.com. Two forms of payment are accepted: PayPal or check.

When you register, please email Rob with the total number in your group, including number and names and ages of students.  Please provide us with your email address and phone number - just in case we need to contact you! 

If you are not using PayPal, ask for information on paying with a check. Send your email with MAY GEOLOGY TRIP in the subject line.  Rob's email is rgreengeology@gmail.com

Rob Greenberg and Mary Watson

***We are very sorry but, we can no longer accommodate participants on a 'drop-in basis' for the geology trips. If you would like to join us, please register in advance, so that we can know how many to expect. This helps us offer the best-possible experience for everyone. We hope you will understand that this precaution is for everyone's well being and safety!!

Photos from the Geology Trip to Morrisville and Falls Lake, April 16th

All photos by Rob Greenberg

Triassic-age Alluvial Fan, Morrisville Parkway

Closeup Alluvial Fan

Falls Lake Leucogneiss

Graphite schist, Shelley Lake Greenway

Closeup of Graphite schist, traces of ancient life