Rowan Discovers the American National Parks

We began today in Gardnerville, Nevada with a continental breakfast at the Historian Inn.  Shortly after breakfast the group embarked towards California, where we spent the remainder of the day at a variety of different stops.  The first of our stops occurred at the Bridgeport County Ranch Rodeo.  Although the rodeo was not originally a part of our itinerary, the group agreed that it would be both fun and educational to witness a little slice of cowboy culture.

                Our next stop was in Bodie, California.  Bodie was once a quintessential American gold mining town, but has since been completely abandoned.  As the group walked around the ghost town, we were able to peer into the windows of each structure.  Some members of the group saw the church, others saw the school house and those with a sense of adventure spent some time walking around the cemetery.  One particularly interesting aspect of Bodie was the museum, which displayed a number of photographs and artifacts from Bodie’s heyday as a gold mining town. 

                 The next stop was for lunch at a small café called Nicely’s.  After lunch the group ventured on to Mono Lake.  We saw the lake from several different vantage points, including the visitor’s center, a lookout vista and from the shore.  While the lake itself was quite a spectacle, the group did not spend much time on the shore.  What scared most group members away was a combination between the smell of decomposing brine shrimp, and the swarms of flies that lived off the shrimp and inhabited the beach.  Although being on the shore was not the most pleasant experience on the trip, participants were able to observe a flourishing ecosystem between the various inhabitants of Mono Lake.

                Our final stop before the hotel was at Mammoth Mountain/Lake.  Although we did not spend too much time at this stop, the group was encouraged to hike a mile or so and see the Devil’s Postpile.  This extravagant rock formation was definitely worth a few pictures on each group member’s camera.  As we settled into the Vagabond inn, most of the group was excited to eat dinner and get a good night’s sleep.  The contrast between each of our stops today and the hiking they all entailed was undoubtedly enough to tire us all out.  

After a good night sleep, we were refreshed for another day. Breakfast was at 7:30 a.m. at Lulu’s, which was right next to our rooms. The food was a great kick start for our day . We left the restaurant around 8:30 a.m. and headed toward Lassen National Park.

Upon arrival, we were able to spend some time in the visitor center. Next we stopped at our first viewpoint. This is where Dr. Lemaire gave us some background information about the volcano and the park. This particular volcano is unique. It first erupted about 450,000 years ago and continued on a regular basis. In the course of its long history, the volcano collapsed twice in its empty magma chambers forming two concentric calderas. In the 20th century, it erupted from 1914-1917.  In 1920, more eruptions occurred which caused hot mudflows to flow down the rivers that formed on its flank.  The magma varied from one eruption to the other (andesite, rhyolite, dacite, and even basalt).

We were able  to stop at Emerald Lake, Bumpass Hell, and Sulphur Works.

After Lassen National Park, we drove to get lunch. While trying to find a good sandwhich shop on our way, we saw a fruit stand and had plums, blackberries, doughnut peaches, and nectarines. Because so many deli and cafes were closed for the holiday, we ended in Greenville, CA and had really good and fresh sandwiches.

We lunch was over, we piled into the vans again. On our way to Nevada, we stopped at Lake Tahoe for an hour where we were able to swim, walk around King Beach, or have an ice cream.

It was a nice break after a long drive. From Lake Tahoe, we drove to Reds 395 in Carson City, Nevada for our 4th of July celebration dinner. Everybody seemed to really enjoy themselves at the restaurant. To conclude our celebration, we drove a couple of minutes for fireworks. Unfortunately, due to a lack of parking spaces, only a few of us were able to view the fireworks from the park. Once the show ended, we drove to Gardenerville and settled down at the Historian Inn.

Happy Fourth of July!

I had almost forgotten the power of the California sun. We sit here at Lulu’s Steakhouse – an intimate restaurant furnished with décor of nearly every shade of red- and toast to another successful leg of our journey. Dr. Moore tells stories about Fourth of July celebrations back in Texas. We listen, amused, and allow the visions of our day to sink in.

We crossed the road at the beginning of our day to eat at the Chalet restaurant in Chemult, Oregon. Somehow the owners managed to clean up after us in time for our early morning feast of eggs, potatoes, gravy, and homemade biscuits.

We hit the road briefly, stopping by at a local quarry that mines the pumice that rained on the ground after a Crater Lake eruption more than 7,000 years ago. Our guide explained to us that sometimes the miners working at the site will uncover boulders from Crater Lake before it exploded. Holding pumice is an interesting experience.  Dr. Lemaire had us hold a sample of the typical volcanic rock in the region – rhyolite - with one hand, and the foamy pumice with the other. Pumice is surprisingly light, and is known to possess exfoliating qualities.

After our dusty trek through the quarry, we finally arrived at the centerpiece of our day – Crater Lake.

To describe the waters of Crater Lake as blue is an understatement; Crater Lake glows. I had to take a moment to catch my breath before resuming my routine of catching the site on video and my still camera, juggling the devices in a frenzy, while trying to take everything in.  After viewing Crater Lake from three vantage points and checking out the visitors center, we rolled out and drove south, stopping for Subway in Klamath Falls, Oregon before jumping state lines into California.

After meandering through the town of Weed, we drove into the Lake Shasta region which is currently feeling the effects of a drought. We observed Mount Shasta and Mount Shastina – both andesitic volcanoes – before finishing our journey south into Redding.

We are back in civilization, but I believe that we all miss the charm of rural life from the past few days. But with still so many parks ahead, it is time to relax and bask in the majesty of a warm California night.

Enjoying cell phone service, Michael Pfister.

We started the day off with a delicious breakfast in Hood River, Oregon. What a beautiful town! If only we could have been there for the ski season! Next we made some stops along the road to  get breathtaking sights of Mount Hood. We got some great pictures like the one you can see attached below.

Next, we stopped in the Warm Spring Indians Reservation where we visited the gift shop of the museum and then had lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Bend, Oregon.

We then stopped 21 miles south of Bend in Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and took a hike through the lava flows that gave us a great view of many cinder cones and strato-volcanoes. Visitors are allowed to drive to the top of Lava Butte. Once there, we noticed  that the butte has a lot of hungry chipmunks residents. After feeding them and posing for some pictures, we said good bye to our furry friends and headed to the Chemult Motel in Chemult, Oregon for some much needed rest.

After a fine-dining dinner at Michael’s restaurant and plentiful night’s sleep, the group reconvened at seven thirty this morning for breakfast.  As usual, breakfast consisted of bacon and eggs for some and pancakes with syrup for others.  All in all the group was satisfied as we departed from Bob’s cafe in Moses Lake, Washington and embarked on the day’s journey. 
        On the road, many members of the group expressed their excitement to see the volcanoes of the Cascade Mountain Range.  For this reason, the 171-mile drive seemed to zip by quite quickly, especially because of the scenery along the way.  One such sight that sparked some conversation was the field of some fifty-plus giant wind turbines.  In addition, the towering peak of Mt. Rainier stood in plain sight as the interstate approached such a ponderous volcano.  As some members of the group took note of the signs that marked the interstate at over 2,000 feet above sea level, it was clear that today we would be standing atop some serious elevation. 
        Just before we reached the base of Mt. Rainier, the group stopped at a fruit vendor in the famous Naches Valley.  Well known for their verdant vegetation and luscious fruit selection, the Naches Valley provided an excellent venue for shopping as members of the group purchased a variety of exotic fruit products.  As our vehicles ascended the mountain that overlooked Rainier, the first point of interest was Sunrise Point. This particular location checked in at 6,100 feet above sea level.  Although our caravan went slightly further than Sunrise Point, most of the attractions we encountered were closed.  Unfortunately, we were just shy of the open season that lasts from July 3rd until September 7th. However, the group was not deterred from enjoying themselves as we spent some time at Sunrise Point. 
        After taking a windy descending road down the mountain, our group decided to stop for lunch.  Today we enjoyed a do-it-yourself picnic.  The following ingredients were served: Turkey & Cheese sandwiches on French bread, a variety of salads including macaroni, potato, tropical chicken, and assorted lettuce, peanut-butter as well as strawberries, bananas and watermelons.  Between the abundance of food and our choice of prime picnic location, the group was incredibly satisfied with the lunch experience. 
        However, the group ran into some difficulties after the picnic.  Because of road closures, our caravan was unable to get very close in proximity to Mt. Saint Helens.  Instead we stopped at a place called Bear Meadow, which overlooked the volcano.  From Bear Meadow, Doctor Lemaire gave a short lecture on the eruption that occurred there in 1980.  Afterwards, the group enjoyed another quick stop that overlooked Gifford Pinchot National Forrest before our final drive towards Hood River, Oregon. 
        All in all, today was filled with plenty of education facts on volcanoes and plenty of time spent traveling in the vans.    

The eye of the storm floated above us toddy.  A little bit past he midpoint of our journey through the West, the clouds opened up and allowed our group to break from the hurricane of geological sites, national parks and whistle-stop roadside finds to enjoy an afternoon of recreation at the Moses Lake Water Park.

As we cruised along the highways and byways of the western Idaho panhandle and passed into the barren landscape of Washington, dust devils touched down along the horizon observing us from a distance before abandoning us on our 6,000 mile adventure.

We paused for our routine picnic in the city of Spokane.  After our sandwiches in the visitor center parking lot, we got back on Route 90, briefly stopping at our motels in Moses Lake, and finally arrived at the water park.  As part of the group enjoyed a game of beach volleyball, the rest tested their nerves on the intertwining waterslides and diving boards.  Save for the occasional belly flop or random knee abrasion, today wound up being one of the more relaxing days on the trip.

Music flows from our radio and my van mates sing along and share a few laughs.  While we all know the storm will pick up again tomorrow, tonight we will dine outside under the clear twilight of Washington State. 

Miles to go,  far from home.

Today the weather is superb as we leave Choteau at 8 a.m. to reach Glacier National Park before the crowd arrives. We briefly visisted the Visitor Center in Saint Mary and began driving on the “Going to the Sun” road which crosses the park from east to west.  Many stops along the road allowed us to admire this exceptional landscape. Dr. Lemaire explained the formation of mountain glaciers, the origin of glacial lakes, the color of the water, how glaciers move, and the Lewis thrust fault that makes Precambrian cover Cretaceous terranes in Glacier National Parks.

After a picnic in the park, everyone enjoyed the ride, the BBQ, and learning how to rope (fake) bulls on the ranch.

We then drove to Yaak, Montana on the Yaak River where our group was served an Italian buffet dinner in a superb lodge in the middle of the forest. On our way, we saw an adult black bear.

Today we visited Hebgen Lake Earthquake Visitor Center and learned about the 1959 earthquake that caused a landslide and how it affected the surrounding area. We also learned about the alluvial processes of the Madison River and visited Virginia City, Montana, an old town from the Gold Rush.

The final topic we discussed was the alluvial processes of the Madison River. On either side of the river are two visible areas of the same elevation with flat tops. This U-shaped valley was formed by a glacier that deposited material as it moved through. Later on, the retreating glacier created meltwater streams that deposited outwash materials. As the Madison River began to flow through it formed stream terraces.

When rivers flow in a straight channel the fastest flow is in the middle slightly below the surface. Friction along the banks and the bed decreases the river velocity. Rivers can also meander. In this case the fastest flow is deflected toward the banks eroding the cut bank and causing deposition on the inner bank where the flow is the slowest. We learned how discharge, velocity, changes of climate, and tectonic movements contribute to erosion and deposition.

To conclude, we learned about the Hebgen Lake earthquake of 1959, the need for protecting geysers in Yellowstone, and the alluvial processes of the Madison River.

At dinner last night at the John Henry Restaurant in Choteau, Montana, Dr. Moore lectured on conservation and preservation movements in the 19th and early 20th centuries that led to the creation of the first national park (=Yellowstone) and the trend we observe today.

After visiting Grand Teton National Park, we spent the night in Driggs Idaho, at the Teton Valley Log Cabins. Today’s wake up call was at 6:30 a.m.  and we were all packed and ready by 7 a.m. We had breakfast at Nora’s Fish Creek Inn. Aroud 8:45 a.m. we started our journey towards Grand Teton one more time. It was a little chilly but the scenery on both sides of the road was incredible. We visited its lakes and made a couple of other stops where Dr. Lemaire explained how this mountain range was formed because of plate tectonics and how glaciation helped carve the mountains. There was much excitement when a mouse was spotted near the road.

We reached Yellowstone N.P. around lunch time and had a nice little picnic near one of its lakes. It was fun, but we had some uninvited guests, the mosquitoes. They were everywhere.

We visited the Yellowstone visitor center and waited for an hour to watch the Old Faithful geyser in action. It was awesome. We made a couple of other stops to see smaller geysers, boiling mud pools, and steaming springs. We also spotted 4 bisons, one grizzly bear, and two black bears. We reached West Yellowstone where our hotel was located and celebrated Lisa Falk’s birthday at the Wild West Pizzeria.

Happy Birthday Lisa!

 As we stood upon one of the former beaches (formed about 8-9,000 years ago) of Lake Bonneville, the ancestor of the Great Salt Lake, the morning air was thick with sultriness and the somber clouds were imminent with the threat of rain.  Our location provided us with a vast view of the Salt Lake City and its renowned body of water, in which at that elevation, seemed like mere puddles.  Dr. Lemaire enlightened us on a information about the lake.  Did you know that the saltiest portions of the lake contain 28% salt?  One liter of water contains 283 grams of salt.
        After a short drive, we made a stop at the Willard Bay State Park to get a closer look at the Great Salt Lake.  Radiative clouds smothered the snowcapped tips of the Rocky Mountains.  The clouds are related to temperature only; the base of the clouds corresponds to the level at which the air is saturated with water vapor and this water vapor condenses into droplets we see in clouds.
        We continued on our journey toward Bear Lake, passing through the Logan Canyon.  At one time, the land was once covered by the Bonneville Lake.  Eventually, the lake dissipated and left behind its sediments.   The lush, green landscapes provide evidence to how those lake deposits now provide the land with superb farming conditions.  As we were about to say “goodbye” to Utah, the sun seemed to struggle to pierce through the atmosphere and illuminate the landscape.  In its defeat, Idaho greeted us with cold, misty rain. 
        Bear Lake was our next visit.  Residents of the area like to refer to the Lake as “mood-changing.”  In actuality, calcium found within the grey rocks thoughought Logan Canyon acts as a reflector, and depending on the weather and the angle of the sunlight that day, the viewer can witness a range of colors from blue, green, and aquamarine.
        Our last destination of the day was to be at the Grand Teton.  This name has derived from the three highest peaks of the mountain range in which offered French-Canadian fur traders/trappers an important recognizable landmark for navigation reference.  They named them, “Les Trois Tetons.”  The English translation means, “The Three…”  Well, you can look it up!
        We left the Grand Teton visitor center and continued on our way toward the Gros Ventre Landslide with the loom of a supercell directly in our path.  This is a type of thunderstorm that is distinguished by their tall, dense clouds and their deep, continuously-rotating updraft.  For miles we road on the edge of this impressive storm.  We were soon surrounded by fulgurating electricity and lightning struck from the heart of the cloud.  Our vans raced up the mountain as hail pounded against the metal.  It reminded us all of a scene from the movie Twister!  Unfortunately, once at our destination, the weather prevented us from getting a good look at our landslide so we made a general consensus to shorten our trip for the day and back and unload at the Teton Valley Cabins for the night.
        Everyone was feeling the effects of the dreary weather and the 390 mile drive, so we concluded our day with dinner at the O’Rourke’s in Idaho, a campfire at the cabins, and good sleep in our queen-sized bunk beds!

Today was , to say the least, an adventure. On the way to Salt Lake City. we made two geological stops. The first was to see a textbook anticline and the second was to see a bituminous vein of coal formed from organic matter,which contains 85% carbon. Dr. Lemaire explained that because there is 15% waste, it would not be profitable for mining companies to ship the coal for distances. They process it right in town, transforming it into coke. That particular vein of coal was formed when sedimentary rock spontaneously combusted and metamorphosed the surrounding rocks.

Then we headed to Salt Lake City and during our drive there, our van held a lesson hosted by Dr. Moore on fluvial processes. It was very informative and the whole van was taking notes and drawing illustrations. We arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah around 12:30 p.m. We grabbed a quick lunch and then got a tour of the Mormon visitor center. We sat in on an organ recital that played many classic works. The organ is currently the 12th largest in the world, containing 11,732 pipes.

We got to our hotel early today, which was a nice change. We received some much needed free time because one of our vans needed to be serviced. The brakes were shot!

Dinner at Sizzler tonight. Happy Birthday Nadine! RIP Michael Jackson.

Jenna and Zach.

We  woke up this morning to beautiful weather and the gorgeous San Juan River below us. After eating breakfast and checking out the trading post, we were on our way to Mexican Hat, a natural rock carved out of sandstone.  We then headed 4 miles away to Gooseneck  State Park where we learned of entrenched meanders and how they form while lizards lounged on the rocks.

On our way to Natural Bridges National Park, we drove through the Colorado Plateau on a crazy dirt road which offered spectacular views on the plateau. We got to the visitors center and encountered a little trouble with the park rangers. They wanted to charge each van an extra $40 because they said we were an “organized group” and not ordinary visitors, but after Dr. Lemaire talked to the park ranger’s supervisor, the fee was waived. We saw a lot of superb landscapes and took a lot of great pictures.

After Natural Bridges, we stopped for lunch at Subway in Blanding, Utah. Once everyone was re-fueled we were on our way to Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. Again we stopped at the visitors center to get our passports stamped. Right across from the visitors center the Moab fault can be seen.

In the park we stopped at three different well-known formations. The first one was Three Gossips, the second was the Balancing Rock, an the third was Delicate Arch. At Delicate Arch, we hiked in the 90 degree-weather to take in some of the scenic vistas. By the time we got back to the vans, we were all ready to go to our hotel in Green River and relax in the indoor pool.

After a relaxing afternoon spent swimming at our hotel on June 22, we went to bed and woke up early. We started the day by visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. On the way to the visitor centor, we saw a lot of animals! There were deer, antelopes, cows, and even a family of buffalo! We had a lesson about the different layers of the canyon. The youngest layers are at the top while the oldest are at the bottom. The Colorado River cuts through the Vishnu schist, which dates back to the Precambrian. The canyon walls that are steep are more resistant to erosion. The weaker layers that look as if they are crumbling are not as resistant to erosion. This is called differential erosion. The Colorado River meanders through the winding canyon floor. If you look down you can see pillars of rocks that have resisted erosion.

The views from the North Rim were absolutely amazing. We walked around, took lots of pictures, and got our passports stamped in the visitors center.

For lunch, we stopped for a picnic at Imperial Point. Rich and I talked to two park rangers about their jobs in the park and how they became park rangers. We learned that if you want to have a job like theirs, a park ranger who leads groups and educational programs, you must graduate college and study either the sciences or education. We are on our way!

After a delicious lunch in the woods, we set off for Monument Valley. We experienced a huge change in elevation. We went from about 8,800 feet to 4,000! We also briefly crossed into another timezone as we traveled through Arizona into southern Utah. Arizona does not have daylight saving time and is therefore on Pacific time during the summer.

On our way to Monument Valley, we stopped at a roadside stand with many tables filled with authentic Navajo jewelery and figurines. As we continued traveling into the park, we saw Navajo Indian Reservations.

Once we finally got there, we took the vans on a very bumpy dirt road, off-roading at its finest! We made about 13 stops on the Big Loop Road. Monument Valley was an amazing and awe inspiring sight to behold. One of the favorite stops was at a large, flat, stone mesa where we took a great group picture.

After climbing over all the rocks and outlooks, we were absolutely starving! We ate dinner at a great restaurant and tried an awesome local food: Navajo bread. We then checked into yet another great hotel. A cool feature about our hotel was that it doesn’t have a pool. It is right on top of the San Juan River! We got to go exploring and take a quick dip! Once again, another great day on our National Parks trip. 

Today was the fifth day of our trip to the National Parks and we spent the day touring Bryce Canyon in Utah. We woke up at 6:15 and had a buffet style breakfast at the motel’s restaurant. After breakfast, we piled into our three vans and began our drive to Bryce Canyon. On our way we hit some traffic when we were stuck behind a convention of Model T Ford cars which we later learned were on their annual drive to random destinations in the area, but quickly accommodated the problem when Dr. Lemaire zipped around them.

We arrived at Bryce around 10 a.m. and everyone was in complete awe from the time we entered to the time we left. The entire canyon was gorgeous and each point that we stopped at to take pictures was even more amazing than the last. It was so unreal and moving to see such untainted beauty that has been there for millions of year.

After Bryce Canyon we traveled to Kanab, Utah and checked in at the Bob-Bon Inn. Once we all checked into our rooms a few of us took a refreshing dip in the pool and got some sun. For dinner, we went to an authentic Mexican Restaurant named Fernando’s Hideway. Since the weather was no longer scorching hot, we were able to enjoy our fiesta while watching the sunset in Utah from the restaurant’s patio. Having had a very eventful past few days, Dr. Lemaire allowed us time to relax and enjoy a good night sleep in our look alike log cabin hotel.

We started off pretty poorly. A few of us were feeling the aftershock of sin city. It was difficult getting everyone to function properly. After a delicious and affordable breakfast at Denny’s we were on our way to the Hoover Dam.

At the dam we learned a lot about the history and process involved with the construction. The raw power generated by the water, however, was the most impressive part of it. The force can move 6 ton turbines to create enough power to sustain over 1.3 million homes!

We drove past Lake Mead, and saw the bluest water we have ever seen! It was beautiful. Then we drove through Red Rock Canyon and into Zion National Park. We took the shuttle up the river, and some of us waded in. The river was freezing! On our way back, we lost Luke because… well, because he is Luke. We are considering putting him on a leash. More on that later … (but no later than we find a Babies Are Us store to get the leash).

Today we woke up at the Stage Coach Hotel in Beatty and then went to breakfast at Ensenada.  Then we drove out to the ghost town of Rhyolite.  Rhyolite is 5 miles away from Beatty.  It was a gold mining town, which at one point had a population of 12,000.  Now Rhyolite’s inhabitants are only snakes, lizards, bugs, and other creatures.

                After our stop in Rhyolite we headed back to Death Valley for some more geologic stops.  We stopped just before entering the basin, and Dr. Lemaire lectured us a little bit.  The Black mountains are found to the east of Death Valley, and the Panamint Mountains are to the West. The highest and lowest point of the continental United States are within 80 miles of each other and in the same California county: Mount Whitney and Badwater.

                Also in Death Valley we stopped at Artist’s Palette, a wall of the valley that is covered in a beautiful range of colors.  The colors have been created by the weathering of the volcanic rock in this area.  Then we continued our drive to the Devil’s Golf Course, which is a giant salt deposit on the floor of the valley which is formed from flooding and rainwater that flushes down the mountains (since there is no outlet for this water).  Next stop was Badwater (also in Death Valley), which is the lowest point in the continental US (282 feet below sea level).

                After leaving Death Valley for good we headed for lunch an hour outside of Las Vegas.  Next it was finally time to head into Vegas!!  We checked into Arizona Charlies hotel for the night… very nice!  An hour later we headed out for a few hours on the town.  We stopped at the Belaggio, saw their spectacular water fountain/light show, and headed out for a few hours.  Tomorrow we will visit the Hoover,  Lake Mead, and Zion National Park!

After two trouble-free plane rides and countless miles of beautiful California scenery, the 2009 national park trip blog begins.  Our group patiently awaited the arrival of our vans, just arriving at John Wayne airport in Orange County.  Our first meal on the tour consisted of personalized sandwiches from the all-too-familiar venue of subway.  Afterwards we anxiously checked into our first hotel in Barstow, which sat facing a wide variety of other stores and shops on Historic Route 66.  Although Barstow was not the most educational of places, our trip’s first planned destination provided total compensation.  At Calico, students were encouraged to explore the ghost town’s abundant geology and history.  Some students chose to investigate the abandoned silver mine, while others browsed the shops for odds and ends.  That evening each member of the group bonded over dinner at a Mexican restaurant named Rosita.

                Needless to say, none of us were too thrilled to receive our first 6 AM wake-up call.  However, everyone managed to punctually gather and commence day two of our tour.  After a satisfying breakfast in Barstow, the three car caravan embarked towards Death Valley.  As expected, everyone was amazed by both extremely beautiful sights.  Also as expected, the temperature redefined what we in New Jersey would call hot.  The group was fortunate enough to meet a senior member of the Timbisha Shoshone Indian tribe during our time at Death Valley.  During her presentation, the knowledgeable Native American touched on a variety of topics that painted a detailed portrait of life as a Shoshone Indian.  After a buffet-style lunch, our group voyaged to a variety of different sights.  These sights included the wondrous landscapes around Zabriskie Point, Dante’s View, the Borax Salt Mine, 20 Mule Team Canyon and the Badwater Basin.  The photographs taken at each of these locations will undoubtedly be at the pinnacle of all pictures taken on our group’s tour.   We are all anxious to see more of Death Valley tomorrow afternoon and perhaps even more anxious over our evening arrival in Vegas.

                Best Regards!

Today we left Rowan University at 3:00 a.m. to reach Philadelphia Airport on time for our early morning flight to Atlanta and Santa Ana, a suburb of Los Angeles. We had two on-time flights and no difficulties with the car rentals. We went to Calico, a silver mining ghost town in the afternoon and ended our day at Rosita’s Restaurant where we spent an enjoyable evening with good food and new friends.

The Geology of the National Parks will depart from Philadelphia on June 18th and return July 9^th. We will travel to California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, and Oregon and visit Death Valley N.P., the Hoover Dam, Zion N.P., Bryce Canyon N.P., Grand Canyon N.P., Monument Valley, Gooseneck State Park, Arches N.P., Natural Bridge N.P., Salt Lake City (Mormon Temple), Great Salt Lake, Grand Teton N.P., the Gros Ventre landslide, Yellowstone N.P., Glacier N.P., Mt Rainier N.P., Mt St Helens N.P., Mount Lassen N.P., Newberry Volcanic N.P., Mono Lake, Mammoth Lake, Devil’s Postpile, Yosemite N.P., Giant Sequoia N.P., Kings Canyon N.P., plus three ghost towns (Rhyolite, Virginia City, and Bodie) with Dr. Denyse Lemaire, geologist and geographer.

Detailed Itinerary