Quick Guide to 2007 East Carolina - UNC Geology Field Course

May 11 to June 27, 2007

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING FEES AND EXPENSES FOR THE 2007 FIELD COURSE, PLEASE CONTACT THE GEOLOGY FIELD COURSE DIRECTOR, Dr. Stephen Harper

Departure Times and Locations

Departure: Friday, May 11.
All students/staff/vehicles will assemble in the parking lot of the Friday Center, UNC Chapel Hill by 8:00 A. M (sharp!). Departure will be at 9 A.M.
Pickups later in the day at Statesville and points farther west on I-40 can be accommodated if arranged for in advance. Notify your professor or Dr. Harper.
The Statesville, NC pick up will be at Exit 148 off I-40 in the parking lot of the West Park Shopping Center. Exit north from I-40 at Exit 148 (US64/NC90), the third exit west of the I-40 and I-77 intersection. Proceed about 200 meters up hill straight through the first stop light and turn left into the West Park Shopping Center. Please wait in the outer portion of the shopping center parking lot directly behind the Shiki Japanese Cuisine Restaurant. We will lunch at some of the fast food restaurants surrounding this location. Please be there at 11:00 AM and wait!!"

IF YOU ARE FLYING - Students, who need to fly out, should plan to fly to Albuquerque, NM and take a shuttle over to Santa Fe, NM for pickup late in the afternoon of May 13, 2007. Students, who need to fly back after completing the field course, should plan to book his/her return flight from Colorado Springs, CO on the afternoon of June 25, 2007. Flights and shuttles will be at the student's expense. Those students, who plan to fly out to and/or back from the Summer Geology Field Course, should also contact Dr. Stephen Harper, the Field Course Director.

Transportation

Fifteen-Passenger Vans
There will be NO PERSONAL VEHICLES accompanying the field course. This is a North Carolina state mandate and there are NO EXCEPTIONS.

Vehicle (Van) Policy

No Smoking!
A plastic trash bag will be available in each van/truck. Vans will be "cleaned out" at the end of each day. Don't leave anything in the vans!!!
All riders must have fastened seat belts before a vehicle is allowed to move!!

Costs

$3100 (~ 2006 cost - updated cost by February 2007) for the Geology Field course. This covers transportation, camping and housing, most of your meals, tuition (either at your North Carolina university or as an out-of-state student registering through the Friday Center) and other costs for the field course).
$1000 deposit required by MARCH 31, 2007 - see section on Fees and Expenses on Field Course Homepage for further information.
You must register and pay for the credit hours for the field course at the University through which you intent to enroll. Do not forget to do this. It is a real problem to convince the registrar after the fact that you attended the 2007 Geology Field course.
Remaining $2100 due by APRIL 28, 2007. Field Course fees are non-refundable after May 05, 2007, barring extenuating circumstances. After March 31, 2007, students will be accepted as enrollment numbers allow. Each student is required to carry medical insurance at his/her own cost

Registration and Sign-Up Information

ECU - all In-State students register at their respective universities. At this time the tuition for these schools for 6 credit hours is unknown.

All students, who are not enrolled at ECU, will have to register at the UNC-CH Friday Center. In essence, then students from UNC-CH, JMU, ECSU, UNC-C, WCU, and any other institution will register at the UNC-CH Friday Center (the 2006 cost was $662.14) for Geology 128-129 (6 credit hours).

If you have any questions regarding where or how to enroll, please contact Dr. Harper.

Project Locations

Abiquiu, NM. Camping (tents) and conduct geologic mapping projects.
Sipapu Lodge (Taos, NM area). Bunk rooms (or tenting) and conduct geologic mapping project and slope stability exercise.
Cuba, NM. Hostel/camping. Geologic mapping and hydrology projects.
Gunnison, CO. Campground (tent camping). Geologic mapping projects.

Field Trips

Day field trip to Chaco Canyon National Historic Site during stay at Cuba, NM field area (Circle A hostel).
Field trip to Jemez volcanic rocks and caldera on travel from Circle A hostel (Cuba, NM) to Sipapu Lodge (Taos, NM). This trip includes visit to Bandelier National Monument.
Field collection trip to Harding Pegmatite Mine in Taos field area on free day in Sipapu.
Field trip to Great Dunes National Monument and Creede Mining District on travel from Sipapu Lodge (Taos, NM) to Gunnison, Colorado.Tent camping for two nights.

Meals

Students are responsible for the costs of all meals on the trip out West and the return to North Carolina (that's about 6 days travel time - plan accordingly).
Taos/Cuba, NM and Gunnison, CO. All meals provided. In addition, on field trip days you will be able to make your "brown bag" lunch to take along with you.

Spending Money

In theory, you should be able to complete the course without spending "extra" money".
In practice students should have $200 to $300 to cover expenditures for food on the trips out and back and for items of personal interest.
Carry about $50 cash for the trip west and the balance in Travelers Cheques.
Cash-card machines will probably be accessible the towns and touristy areas such as Cuba, Taos and Gunnison. Such machines may or may not be available elsewhere. Do not expect the van/pickup caravan to drive all over town looking for a debit/cash card machine. Depending on location, mailing/wiring money can be very awkward.

Packing Advice and Limitations

Think about basic needs and comfort. However, avoid the concept of pampered luxury . This is a Geology Field course and not a guided tour with all of the comforts of home.
Pack all clothing and personnel items in one soft duffel bag. DO NOT BRING A HARD SUITCASE!! Your bedroll and tent are not counted as duffel bag items. Please remember that you should be able to carry/lift this bag by yourself! Make sure you can!
For the trip west and return, pack required clothes and personnel items in your day pack; in all probability your duffel bag will be "unavailable" until arrival at the end destination.
Clearly identify/label/tag your day pack, duffel, and tent to show ownership. All luggage/gear should have a BIG name tag.
Two complete outfits for working in the field; shorts are usually O. K. but be ready for tough, thorny vegetation and cool weather.
Bring enough field socks and underwear for a week between laundry trips.
You will need a Brim hat/Bill cap; protection against the sun.
Lightweight waterproof jacket for rain protection and heavy shirts/jacket for keeping warm. Rain can come at any time. Cool weather can be anticipated in the New Mexico locations and in Gunnison. However, depending upon the season it can also be usually dry and (very) hot.
One pair tough, sturdy field boots/shoes and one or two pairs casual, everyday footwear. Be sure to wear/break in new shoes/boots.
One "expendable" pair of old "tennies" is very useful for the hydrology project in Cuba.

Camping and Hostel Living

Two-Person tent if you have one.
Bedroll, air mattress/foam pad for cushioning.
A good flashlight or headlamp - surprising where you need to go in the middle of the night while camping.
Solar shower - a nice hot shower after a long day in the field is extremely refreshing.

There will be shower facilities at Abiquiu, Cuba (Circle A ), Sipapu, and Gunnison campground - however, some of these require you to be patient and wait your turn - so, a solar shower might be an option to explore.

Towels, hand soap, shampoo, tooth paste, etc.; personal items are your responsibility.
Watch, small alarm clock, laundry bag/pillow case, camera/film or digital camera (with extra batteries). A set of flatware, plate, bowl, cup and pocket knife can be very useful.

Field and Office Supplies

10X Handlens. An essential and required piece of equipment. DO NOT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!
Rock hammer, hand lens, field notebook (bound not loose-leaf; have two), and flat board/clipboard (your choice). ZIP-LOCK's for protection of your maps/field books against rain, perspiration, and dust .
Inch/Centimeter scale/ruler, protractor for plotting bearings/angles, and one or two small triangles for drawing straight lines.
Pencils (2H or harder), new, soft erasers. Device for sharpening pencils. Set of colored pencils. Ink pens for drawing maps; 00, 0, & 1 sizes are adequate (PENTEL and SHARPIE manufacture these for about $1 each).
Calculator (with trig functions). Bring extra batteries or have a solar-powered calculator.

Sample/Specimen Collection

The Geology Field course provides opportunities for shipping/mailing home rock, mineral, and fossil samples.
Field course vans/trucks WILL NOT indefinitely transport large, heavy personal samples.

Remember, no collecting or "defacing" of any kind is allowed in National Parks, National Monuments, and National Recreation areas.

Other Items to Bring

Highly-rated sunblock (SP 30 or higher). Do not subject yourself to high-altitude, ultraviolet radiation and painful sunburn.
Lip protection; protect your lips from day one.
Sun glasses. Daylight brightness levels will be much higher than in "green", vegetated areas. Please use sun glasses.
Soft-frame day pack for field gear, canteen, and lunch. Do not bring hard-frame backpacks.
Canteens/Water Bottles. Plan on carrying at least two quarts of water for field days in Prescott. One quart is usually adequate for the other localities.
Gloves. Soft steer/deer hide leather gloves will save your hands from countless nicks, cuts, and bruises

Geology/Earth Science Programs Providing Faculty and Staff

East Carolina University
UNC Charlotte
UNC Chapel Hill
Western Carolina University
Elizabeth City State University
James Madison University (Virginia)