On the weekend of October 8-10, Geology 107 students will venture to the St. Francois Mountains of Southeastern Missouri to observe excellent examples of intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks. We will camp at the picturesque Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park and visit many different field locations.

Click here to visit the in-progress web page for the field trip (not yet).

 

Here is the trip plan:

Friday, October 8: Leave campus by about 10:15 am. Continue to the Illinois/Missouri border and view Falling Springs and karst topography (sinkholes, springs, etc.). Arrive at the camp site and set up in the evening. Meals: Have breakfast before we leave in the morning, pack a lunch, bring cash for a fast food dinner stop.

Saturday, October 9: Field trip stops include the Johnson Shut-Ins, Taum Sauk reservoir and museum, and Elephant Rocks State Park. Meals: All meals will be supplied and funded by field trip fees.*

Sunday, October 10: Field Trip stops include the Silvermines Recreational area, Knoblick Mountain Quarry, and St. Francois State Park. Meals: Breakfast and lunch will be provided. We will return to campus in time for dinner (~6:00 pm).

Camping

Campus Recreation Outdoor Center (C-ROC) at 51 East Gregory has camping supplies available for rent - you should go to the C-ROC office and reserve the necessary items in advance. You must pay for the items in order to make a reservation. Here is a list of available supplies and rental costs (as of last year) for one weekend (pick up Thursday, return Monday; all costs reflect weekend rates-actually have not checked these so rates could be different):

Camping Gear	Cost for weekend
Sleeping bag	$7.00
Foam sleeping pad	$2.00
2-person tent*	$10.00
4-person*	$14.00
6-person*	$20.00

*Tents include stakes, rainfly, and ground tarp

The geology department has some camping gear, but another group will be on a field trip that same weekend. So, please talk to me soon regarding department supplies or go ahead and reserve items at C-ROC.

Here is a list of recommended items to bring on the trip:

Sleeping bag, tent (share if possible), outdoor clothes (think in layers - temperatures will vary between warm and cold, so be prepared for anything - you can always shed layers!) including jacket, heavy shirt, sweatshirt or sweater, jeans or heavy pants, boots or sturdy shoes appropriate for hiking, heavy socks, hat, rain gear, and gloves. You will probably get dirty, so don't bring your "designer" clothes, and be sure to bring a couple changes of items that might get wet (especially socks). Sandals are inappropriate for hiking.

Also bring toiletry items and a bath towel. It may be warm enough to go swimming, so bring a swimsuit. Bring insect repellent and sunscreen if you think you'll need it.

Try to bring a flashlight, and if you have a camera, hand lense, or sunglasses, bring them along as well.

Cash for fast food dinner on Friday and extra, just in case.

As part of your field trip assignment, you will need to keep a field notebook. Bring along a sturdy notebook (not too big or small) and pencils (also something with which to sharpen the pencils).

Do NOT bring:

Toxic or illegal substances, NO ALCOHOL (alcohol is illegal in the campgrounds).

Radios, TV's, or boom-boxes (walk-mans are OK for the drive, but bring them at your own risk).

Noise making devices - we will be sharing the campground with many other people who could care less about your kazoo skills.

Pets or other uninvited guests

Cost

There is a field trip fee that must be paid before we leave. This fee will cover part of the transportation costs, camping fees, and food costs. The department will supply some tents and cooking gear. All participants will be required to help cook, clean, and pack. I will let you know about the total fee as soon as all arrangements are made - expect to pay about $60 (not including camping gear if you need to rent something).

*People who must restrict their activities due to a medical condition should discuss their situation with me and consult a physician before going on the field trip.

 

More on the field notes assignment to come.