Teen Division of Pikes Peak Pebble Pups Visit Injectite Site

On Saturday, July 21, 2012 the Teen Division of the Pikes Peak Pebble Pups met at the McDonalds of Woodland Park at 9 am and then proceeded to the location where the rare, one-of-a-kind "injectite" site is located. This is one on the most remarkable rock features on the planet.  It involves ancient, Sawatch Cambrian Sandstone that was forcefully injected into the Pikes Peak Granite during intense faulting.  The unusual sandstone in some areas was fluidized and injected into the granite.  Some formed very large dikes.  Some of the sandstone clasts ares small and well-sorted, others are not. Some of the specimens were broken up into bits and pieces (breccia) and recemented.  Slickensides or polished surfaces can be seen on some of the samples as two pieces of the sandstone ran across each other in opposite directions during faulting and polishing the surfaces of the sandstone.  Some of the sandstone contained vugs where beautiful, perfectly terminated quartz crystals lined the vug.  How did this occur? No one knows.
For more details about some of the science and views of the specimens, go to this blog site:
http://coloradoearthscience.blogspot.com/  and check out the March 31, 2012 entry.  Now, back to the day's field trip.

The field trip started out with how to use a Brunton compass, and also that geologists do not just collect rocks and minerals and paleontologists do not just collect bones, teeth, and other fossils. They collect data in the field that becomes valuable information.  Dr. Bob Carnein, a retired professor of geology and an expert in the field, spent the morning showing the teen pebble pups (junior members) how to work a Brunton compass to determine plunge, orientation of beds, dip and strike, the importance of a durable field notebook, and other tricks of the profession.  After some practice with the Brunton compass the youthful geologist began to collect  the most unusual and arguably the most rarest rocks on Earth!

Dr. Bob Carnein explaining the importance of making measurements in the field.
Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

View of a Brunton Compass.

Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

Ripple marks are seen in this sandstone that is over 400 million years old.
Careful analysis shows the direction of water flow that long ago.
Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

All the pebble pups get a chance to practice.

Photo© by S. Rherer, photo date July 21, 2012.

These shatter cones from a meteorite impact can show the direction of the meteorite.
Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

Luke tires his hand working with the Brunton compass.
Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

Luke gets it!

Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

Zach plans to go to the Univeristy of Montana to study paleontology.
These are skills he really needs. Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

Zach gets to practice with the Brunton compass
Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.
.

Now it is Blake's turn.

Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

Blake takes his time during his practice session.
Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

This is what teachers and professors seek in their students:
It is the Ah-Ha moment of understanding.  See the imaginary
light bulb going off in Blake's mind?

Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

This is Charles, he works part-time for Veatch GeoScience LLC as a geotech.
He assists Prof. Veatch in his projects and his Cripple Creek Park and
Recreation tours.  He also helps with the CSMS Pebble Pup program.
Charles will return for this academic year (2012-2012) an he will teach one of the classes.
Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

Christopher is a cowman, stockman, and expert field man who lives on a ranch
that is on the Park County and Teller County lines.  He works part-time for
Veatch GeoScience LLC as a geotech.  He helps Prof. Veatch with the Lake
George Pebble Pup program and the CSMS program.  Christopher has done technical
many technical demonstrations for both youth programs. He will be back for the
2012-2013 program. Photo© by S. Veatch, photo date July 21, 2012.

Zach climbs up a very steep hill to take this photograph of an injectite bed with
an eroded window. Photo© by Z. Sepulveda, photo date July 21, 2012.

View of an injectite bedding plane.  Pikes Peak Granite is on either side.

Photo© by Z. Sepulveda, photo date July 21, 2012.

Collecting site for barite crystals.  A large prospect pit many
decades old unearthed these crystals.  Another treat we did not
expect. Photo© by Z. Sepulveda, photo date July 21, 2012.

Note the purple Cambrian sandstone injected into the granite. Notice the purple
sandstone is lower on the left side than the right side.  This has been offset by a fault.

Photo© by Z. Sepulveda, photo date July 21, 2012.

At the end of the day we found a poor snake who had died.

Photo© by Z. Sepulveda, photo date July 21, 2012.

Our field trip ended around one pm and we headed to Memorial Park in Woodland Park where we relaxed and ate our lunch.  We recounted the day's adventures and planned the ones to come.  This was one of the best field trips we have ever been on.