Day 7 Images
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Day 7 (7/12/03) - Paint Mines, Calhan, Colorado
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Hiking down to the Calhan Paint Mines.

Hiking down to the Calhan Paint Mines.

Sherman walks across the coarse, white sediments of an ancient river bed.  Without this hard caprock, most of the colorful paleosol layers below would not be visible.

Sherman walks across the coarse, white sediments of an ancient river bed. Without this hard caprock, most of the colorful paleosol layers below would not be visible.

A panoramic of 11 separate digital images stitched together to show the full beauty of the Calhan Paint Mines.  Dave Basinger (DMNS photographer) setting up in foreground.

A panoramic of 11 separate digital images stitched together to show the full beauty of the Calhan Paint Mines. Dave Basinger (DMNS photographer) setting up in foreground.

Jessica explores the paleosol layers.

Jessica explores the paleosol layers.

A simple "cave" to most people.  But members in our group would see it as a collapse of the overlying white, coarse river sediments following erosion of the colorful paleosol.

A simple "cave" to most people. But members in our group would see it as a collapse of the overlying white, coarse river sediments following erosion of the colorful paleosol.

Jane & Kirk atop the ancient (white) riverbed which provides the caprock for the paleosol at the Calhan Paint Mines.

Jane & Kirk atop the ancient (white) riverbed which provides the caprock for the paleosol at the Calhan Paint Mines.

Rod in the colorful paleosol.

Rod in the colorful paleosol.

It's amazing what a hard caprock can do.  Here the ancient, white riverbed provides erosonal protection to appox. 10 meters of paleosol.

It's amazing what a hard caprock can do. Here the ancient, white riverbed provides erosonal protection to appox. 10 meters of paleosol.

A panoramic of 14 images from the streambed level of the Calhan Paint Mines (360+ degree view) - Note white boulder in both left and right of image.

A panoramic of 14 images from the streambed level of the Calhan Paint Mines (360+ degree view) - Note white boulder in both left and right of image.

A vision of Mars? (see next image)  In the center, a massive boulder of the ancient, white, coarse riverbed has finally collapsed into the gully.

A vision of Mars? (see next image) In the center, a massive boulder of the ancient, white, coarse riverbed has finally collapsed into the gully.

"If it looks like Mars.  And, there are Martians carved in the surrounding rock... maybe it is Mars?"

"If it looks like Mars. And, there are Martians carved in the surrounding rock... maybe it is Mars?"

Rich Barclay adjusts his shoes in this ancient, scenic environment of the paleosol capped by an ancient riverbed.

Rich Barclay adjusts his shoes in this ancient, scenic environment of the paleosol capped by an ancient riverbed.

A panoramic of 7 images showing the field school diagramming the geology of the Calhan Paint Mines.

A panoramic of 7 images showing the field school diagramming the geology of the Calhan Paint Mines.

Everyone threw down their field books for comparison.  Bob Raynolds explains the subtle differences and suggested data to record in a field diagram.

Everyone threw down their field books for comparison. Bob Raynolds explains the subtle differences and suggested data to record in a field diagram.

Bob Raynolds puts his finger on the D1/D2 contact at Calhan Paint Mines.  The darker material below is a lignite bed with layers of ash.  Kirk Johnson took samples for dating.

Bob Raynolds puts his finger on the D1/D2 contact at Calhan Paint Mines. The darker material below is a lignite bed with layers of ash. Kirk Johnson took samples for dating.

Bob Raynolds points out an ash layer in the lignite beds.  This ash layer has been dated at 63.8 mya.

Bob Raynolds points out an ash layer in the lignite beds. This ash layer has been dated at 63.8 mya.

Kirk Johnson retrieves samples from the lignite bed with layers of ash.  This location is a little further down the creek bed (older).  These samples will provide a very accurate date of these sediments.

Kirk Johnson retrieves samples from the lignite bed with layers of ash. This location is a little further down the creek bed (older). These samples will provide a very accurate date of these sediments.

Rich Barclay takes a few leaf samples from the "Sequoia" leaf site which is very close (3m downstream) from the lignite beds where Kirk took samples for dating.

Rich Barclay takes a few leaf samples from the "Sequoia" leaf site which is very close (3m downstream) from the lignite beds where Kirk took samples for dating.

A bald cypress.

A bald cypress.

Panoramic of multiple stitched images.  Calhan Paint Mines, view looking east.  Only 2 small outcrops of D1 are visible here.

Panoramic of multiple stitched images. Calhan Paint Mines, view looking east. Only 2 small outcrops of D1 are visible here.