Fossils

[+georgeandmary]

OK, here's my idea for a new cache. There is a canyon near me where I know of an outcropping of sandstone that you can find fossils in. Not anything supper cool like trilobites or anthing but if you split the rocks open you can find fossile imprints of leaves and sometimes fish scales, but mostly just leaves.

 

I want to set up a cache with the coordinates of the outcropping, in order to claim a find you have to find a fossile. To prove it you would need to provide a picture of your find...etc etc.

 

What do you think? Is that a cache?

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.

[+Rebel]

Kinda involves a form of digging, huh?

 

Just MHO.

 

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"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." - Mark Twain

[Geo Quest]

There is a cache in my neck of the woods similar to what you are describing. Oddly enough it is called fossil. You may want to consider placing an actual cache at the location and make fossil digging optional. Either way, it sounds cool to me.

 

"There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

[Geo Quest]

There is a cache in my neck of the woods similar to what you are describing. Oddly enough it is called fossil. You may want to consider placing an actual cache at the location and make fossil digging optional. Either way, it sounds cool to me.

 

"There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently."

[+joedohn]

Interesting idea. I wonder if you can determine if the fossil site is being studied or otherwise valued? Maybe a call to a local university archaeology department or land management office could confirm if your area is important. I went on college archeaology field trips (while attending Stanislaus St.) to sites that weren't marked in any way. If a stray wanderer had discovered them while exploring they wouldn't have known they were significant to anybody.

 

The unfortunate thing about fossils is that once they're removed from their site they lose much of their informative value. It's also true though there are a lot of fossils and not all of them are important.

 

Out of curiosity, is this Del Puerto Canyon? I love that place.

[+georgeandmary]

quote:

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Originally posted by joedohn:

Interesting idea. I wonder if you can determine if the fossil site is being studied or otherwise valued? Maybe a call to a local university archaeology department or land management office could confirm if your area is important. I went on college archeaology field trips (while attending Stanislaus St.) to sites that weren't marked in any way. If a stray wanderer had discovered them while exploring they wouldn't have known they were significant to anybody.

 

The unfortunate thing about fossils is that once they're removed from their site they lose much of their informative value. It's also true though there are a lot of fossils and not all of them are important.

 

Out of curiosity, is this Del Puerto Canyon? I love that place.

---

 

Yup, I went to Stan State too. And I live in Patterson so Del Puerto is my back yard.

 

I didn't learn about the site through Stan, I learned about it during a Geology seminar/field trip. It's right along the side of the road just a couple miles up into the canyon. There is a nice big area so you can pull off to the side of the road and look for a fossils.

 

Doesn't require digging since you can just pick up any chunk on the ground and give it a whack to split it and see if you get lucky.

 

What's really interesting, and you probablly know about it, is the first dinosaur bones found in california were found in Del Puerto. The place where they were found has never really been dug up. I don't know why. The guy who found the bones was on the field trip that day and he told how he just stumbled upon the bones.

 

That's NOT where the site I was talking about is.

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.

[GeoStars]

However, I agree with the suggestion to make it an actual cache with fossil hunting optional. You could make it a themed cache. I put together a themed cache called Delt Church Dino Cache in which I placed several fossils and some toy dinos. Wish I were closer, my kids would love a place like that!

 

GeoMedic - team leader of GeoStars

[+welch]

fossil hunting is an nice hobby, but i think this cache is going to cause negative impact on the area from the "digging" and rock braking etc.

 

[+joedohn]

I would be there in a minute! I visited the fossil cache Geo Quest mentioned and it was very neat.

 

I have to agree with the others though if the idea is for cachers to collect fossils it would be better not to.

 

Joe

[+Web-ling]

I would not encourage collecting fossils unless you have obtained permission from the land owners / managers to do so. If you have obtained permission, go for it! Otherwise, absolutely not.

 

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

Go for it. Getting a fossil would be the same as writing in a logbook.

 

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

[+georgeandmary]

quote:

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Originally posted by welch:

fossil hunting is an nice hobby, but i think this cache is going to cause negative impact on the area from the "digging" and rock braking etc.

 

http://www.scubaboard.com/images/smilies/whack.gif

---

 

I recognize the concern but realisticly, one of the many field trips to this spot each year will break more rocks than a years worth of cachers. The cattle that graze this land will tear up the the earth, after one good rain, much worse than 5 years worth of cachers.

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.

[+majicman]

I am very surprised our tree-huggers haven't swarmed all over this thread and explained that breaking rocks is changing the environment there and not in keeping with our "leave no trace" policy. CRIMINAL, Where are you when I need you?

 

I agree with most of the above statements, especially about getting permission from the land owners and seeing if it can be tied to a local college / university.

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

[+Rockdoctors]

As a geologist/paleontologist (an expert in this matter) I would recommend a serious double think on this one. Pillaging fossil sites is illegal in most parts of North America. A site doesn't even have to be known. If you are found removing a fossil from an area it is an immediate fine. They are protected. Not only that but it will make a mess of the area. People will get carried away digging them up - the thrill of the hunt. I have a fossil cache myself called Rugose Coral cache. In this case the fossils are found on the ground eroded out of the rocks. I do not promote smashing them out of the rocks. Find one on the ground only. And do not remove it from the area - a big no no. My advise don't be digging for fossils. You don't want to be the one that promotes excavating for them - trust me. By the way, what do these fossils look like???

[+georgeandmary]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rockdoctors:

By the way, what do these fossils look like???

---

 

The fossils look like a long thin leaf.

 

It's on an outcropping along a country road that winds up Del Peurto canyon. The amount of disturbance cause by breaking a few sandstone type rocks is minor compared to the cows, dirt bikes, and wind and water errosion. It is public accessable, and is already visited often by various schools in the area. You're not going to hurt this lump of dirt and no one is giong to arrest you.

 

I just want to know if you think it would count as a cache.

 

Some of you people just think the worst. I don't know if you image some showing up with a backhoe to start trenching the area or what. Bringing a shovel would be pointless sine you can just pick up an clump on the ground and give it a smack. It would take more work to dig for one. It looks like a dirt clod more than anything else.

 

I'm one of the few people, on this forum, who has even seen this area and so I'm the one responsible with determining impact. That's part of my job as a cache placer. I've lived in this area for 25 of my 31 years, I know how the land is used, I know what kind of impact is acceptable and normal for the area.

 

BTW, my wife is a geologist.

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

I've broken more rocks than I can count in my life. Good grief, some people will worry about anything. Just have to be policitly correct on everything I guess.

 

I've also raced motorcycles across the desert with 400 other racers. The desert returned to it's natural state and years of efforts by tree huggers haven't stopped this particular race. Breaking up a few sandstones to find fossils and then being concerned about the enviornment is laughable.

 

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

[+Rockdoctors]

OK, OK, OK. Right - to the point. Is this a good cache idea - I think so. It would be a lot of fun to do thats for sure. It adds another aspect of the thrill of the hunt Looking for the fossils along with the cache site. Your also right in saying that this is your cache site and that in your judment if it is appropriate then so be it. There. By the way I think its cool that your wife is a geologists. Geologists are awesome. haha

[+Rockdoctors]

OK, OK, OK. Right - to the point. Is this a good cache idea - I think so. It would be a lot of fun to do thats for sure. It adds another aspect of the thrill of the hunt Looking for the fossils along with the cache site. Your also right in saying that this is your cache site and that in your judment if it is appropriate then so be it. There. By the way I think its cool that your wife is a geologists. Geologists are awesome. haha

[+glenn95630]

If George says that there will be no real damage, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. But here is a viewpoint that you may want to consider. What if the Press, for example the Portland Oregonian or 20/20 or 60 Minutes, was doing a piece and heard about this cache. I'm no media expert, but I assume they could spin it so that Geocaching doesn't look good.

[+Rockdoctors]

There are a lot of avenues that the media could try to take to make GC look bad. But, ultimately the picture that they would portray would make the owner of the cache look bad, not the entire GC community. It is an sport/game played by individuals, not special interest groups.

I would hope that GC could maintain an image of outdoorsman with respect for the surroundings.

[+joedohn]

Well George, you sold me. I can appreciate what you say about the canyon and your additional comments help clear up my personal reservations.

 

I think you should go ahead with it and I wish I was around to log it.

 

It's probably just as well you ran this idea up in the forums first. Might help it get approved.

 

Joe

[+Mr. Vic]

George, it's a novel idea. Go for it and if you get a bunch of negative posts you can always archive it.

 

As one who has enjoyed several of your caches, I have found them all to be well thought out and intellegently placed.

 

If you don't place a cache there, email me the coordinates, I'd like to take my Cub Scouts there.

-Mark.

 

Will cache for food

[+Rusty & Libby]

I know a spot in the UP of Michigan where the shore is just sheets of fossils. It's on an island and requires a mile hike in from the nearest 4WD accessable point. I found out about it when I saw it marked as a "starred" natural feature on a state map one time and we hiked till we found it. It would be a great place for a real cache but since I have only been there twice someone else can do it someday.

 

Rusty...

 

Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

GEorge will there be enough room for me to turn around while towing my backhoe??

 

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

[+georgeandmary]

quote:

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Originally posted by Lazyboy & Mitey Mite:

GEorge will there be enough room for me to turn around while towing my backhoe??

 

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

---

 

You might have to drive all the way to the chromite mine a ways up.

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

Well no problem then George, I'll bring the dozer and cut a new road instead.

 

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On