Specimen Ridge photos
These days, I'm busy getting things organized for my upcoming Regional Field Geology of the Northern Rockies class -- held next month in Montana and Wyoming. I'm taking the students to two new places that I've never been before, and so a lot of my prep time is learning more about those sites. One is Specimen Ridge in Yellowstone, where there are some petrified trees.
In researching Specimen Ridge, I came across the photos of thorton_3041, who posted an album of images online at Webshots. Look at this beautiful detail!
You can see the tree's rings in gorgeous detail, as well as the silica which filled in a rip (a dessication crack perhaps) in amorphous white, unconstrained by cell walls. My favorite is that little chunk of wood at the bottom, rotating into the void space like a xenolith stoping into a pluton. Check out Thorton's full album! I can't wait to see these trees myself this summer!
In researching Specimen Ridge, I came across the photos of thorton_3041, who posted an album of images online at Webshots. Look at this beautiful detail!
You can see the tree's rings in gorgeous detail, as well as the silica which filled in a rip (a dessication crack perhaps) in amorphous white, unconstrained by cell walls. My favorite is that little chunk of wood at the bottom, rotating into the void space like a xenolith stoping into a pluton. Check out Thorton's full album! I can't wait to see these trees myself this summer!
Labels: fossils, plants, wyoming, yellowstone
2 Comments:
My first ever summer geology trip -- summer 1984 -- we hiked to specimen ridge. The instructor had the route described to him, but had never been before. We wandered around, gradually making our way up to the top of the hill, and were rewarded with not just these lovely, still-standing petrified logs, but also with an incredible view of the glacial valley below. Being from southern California, this was the first time I really "got" the relationship between glaciated terrain and golf courses...
Great spot for your first ever summer geology trip!
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