Springtime in the Rockies. Time to get out your old rock pick, find that hammer, chisel and collecting bag, and head for the hills. No telling what kind of goodies  are out there just waiting to be discovered. Our stalwart field trip coordinator Dennis Gertenbach has been hard at it, arranging excursions and lining up leaders for this year's activity, starting with last Saturday's expedition to Table Mountain at Golden to search for zeolites under the leadership of Ray Gilbert, followed by fossil-hunting trips to be led by Dennis and other field trips which are listed this month in the bulletin.

Dennis has done a fine job of preparing trip leader packets that spell out the responsibilities of the leader and what the leader has to do to plan a trip. In last month's bulletin (March) we printed the Rockhound�s Code of Ethics, which every club member should read and be familiar with. The availability of good rockhounding sites depends on the goodwill of those who own or provide the areas for our use, so it is important that we do all that we can to maintain that good will.

Your Board has for some time been concerned with tightening up our by-laws to make sure that the aims and purposes of the Flatirons Mineral Club are correctly delineated, that we are not discriminating against any person or group, and the educational, scientific, and cultural purposes of our programs and activities are clearly stated. Paul Boni is heading a committee looking into possibilities for changes. If you have an interest in this subject, please contact Paul and he will be happy to hear your concerns and share his committee's ideas.

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Club Programs for May, June
 

Our own Dennis Gertenbach will present May's program entitled "Geology and the Ancient Egyptians" based on his recent trip to Egypt. From the building of the pyramids, to the tools they used, to the makeup they wore, the ancient Egyptians were masters at using rocks and minerals in their lives. Gold, precious stones, copper, and zinc were mined to make jewelry and bronze. Limestone, granite, and alabaster were quarried to make monuments and statues. Dennis will even talk about some of the geologic mysteries that the experts are still arguing about. Join us for a very interesting evening on Thursday, May 11th at 7 p.m.

For the June meeting, Thursday, June 8, we are fortunate to have Jim Hurlbutt of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, who will talk on micromounts. Don't miss it!

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North Table Mountain Field Trip 

Saturday, April 22, saw 10 club members climbing North Table Mountain outside of Golden to the south quarry to collect zeolites, a group of aluminosilicate minerals. The zeolites form in cavities in the volcanic rock that caps North Table Mountain. Fourteen different zeolite minerals have been found here.

This world-famous location for zeolite minerals still has some great finds, and everyone was able to add specimens of analcime, thompsonite, mesolite, and chabazite to their collections. Many specimens also contained calcite crystals, which is associated with the zeolite minerals from this location. Cory Olin split open a boulder to find some of the best specimens of the day - several cavities of mesolite, another less common zeolite. And, we had perfect weather for rockhounding. We want to extend a special thank you to Ray Gilbert for leading this trip.

Everyone who attended the field trip is asked to bring their best specimens to the May meeting to display for the other club members.

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2006 Field Trips

Here is a rundown of the field trips that have been scheduled to date. For more information about the trip or to sign up, please contact the field trip leader.

Tepee Buttes Fossils - Saturday, May 6
Trip Leader: Dennis Gertenbach. We will be collecting at two sites outside of Pueblo, looking for invertebrate fossils of
creatures that lived during the Cretaceous period, when the eastern half of Colorado was covered by the Western Interior Seaway.

Blue Forest Wood and Delaney Rim -- Memorial Day Weekend (May 27-29)/ Trip Leader;
Paul Boni. 4-wheel drive is strongly recommended. The plan is to leave bright and early Saturday morning and head to Wamsutter, Wyoming.
There we will eat our lunch and collect Turritella (Goniobasis) agate and/or stromatolites (fossil algae). From there we will head to Farson, WY and the Blue Forest Wood site. We will be camping (primitive) at the site and should arrive around dusk. Sunday we will spend the entire day digging for fossilized wood and enjoying the scenery. On Monday we can continue digging for Blue Forest Wood or head back as time permits. Please call Paul for additional information or to participate.

Devil's Head -date in June
Trip Leader: Ray Gilbert. Mineral collectors will have an opportunity to look for amazonite and smoky quartz in this famous Colorado site.

Kremmling - Saturday-Sunday, June 24-25
Trip Leader: Dennis Gertenbach. On Saturday, we will visit the giant ammonite site, a protected (no collecting)
area that has casts of ammonites up to 3 feed in diameter. Later in the day and on Sunday, we will be collecting fossils in the area. We are also planning on checking out a fossilized wood area on Sunday.

Crystal Peak - Saturday-Sunday, July 22-23.
Trip Leader: Gerry Naugle. Amazing amazonite, smoky quartz, and topaz crystals have been found at this site. Gerry is planning a side trip over to the Florissant Fossil beds on Sunday afternoon.

Flattops - Saturday-Sunday, July 29-30
Trip Leader: Dennis Gertenbach
Paleozoic fossils, including brachiopods and gastropods (snails) are found at several sites in the area. On Sunday, we will also stop at a site to collect unusual goethite pseudomorphs that were originally pyrite crystals.

Baculite Mesa - date to be determined.
Trip Leader: Tom McSherry
We will spend the day collecting baculites (of course), spiral ammonites, and other Cretaceous-aged invertebrates.


Interested in leading a field trip this year? It's a great opportunity to take members to a favorite collecting site or to check out a new site with others in
the club. Leader packets have been prepared to assist you - just contact Dennis Gertenbach for more information.
 

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Silent Auction a Great Success

Over 50 people attended the club's annual silent auction in April, actively bidding on a great selection of mineral and fossil specimens, jewelry, books, and rockhounding equipment. Everyone left with some great bargains. And, the proceeds from the  auction provided the club about $600 to support our educational programs.

We want to thank all of the sellers who brought items for sale and to extend a special thank you to all the club members who made this year's auction such a great success. Be sure to mark your calendar for next year's silent auction on the second Thursday in April.
 

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Bring Your Field Trip Finds 

At the last club field trip, did you find a great specimen? During a personal trip, did you unearth a mineral or fossil that others in the club would enjoy? If so, plan to bring your specimens to the next club meeting. A special table will be set up at each meeting for members to display both club and personal field trip finds. Cards will be provided to give information to other club members about the specimens. This is a great way to show others what can be found in Colorado and other areas.

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Field Trip Participation Guidelines

As you can see, your club has a number of excellent field trips planned for the 2006 digging season! To ensure that all our trips are successful and enjoyable for everyone, we ask that you review the following guidelines for participating in any of our club trips:

1. Contact your field trip leader for the specific details of each trip, such as vehicles, tools, & fitness requirements. Is it O.K. for children, handicapped,
etc. Find out if a 4-wheel drive or high-clearance vehicle is required. Determine the meeting point�plan to be there 10-15 minutes ahead of departure. You will need time to sign in on the official Field Trip List and time to read and sign the Liability Waiver. Your FMC Field Trip Leader may assign the order of vehicles for caravanning purposes.

Find out which tools are needed for each specific collecting site. Develop a check list for collecting bags, backpacks, rock hammers, chisels, 4lb hammers, 8lb hammers, large rock picks, shovels, sifting screens, leather gloves, whisk brooms, spray bottles, toilet paper (or paper towel/newspaper) to wrap specimens, trash bags to haul out any trash, plus any thing else for your specific needs. Don't forget sunscreen, a hat, and protective eyewear. For multi-day field trips, ask the leader for information on motels, R-V parks, campgrounds, dry camping or whatever special arrangements you may need. Check on available food sources on the trip-grocery stores, restaurants, in order to determine what you need to buy in advance as opposed to dining out on the trip. Remember if you can pack it in, you must also pack out all refuse and trash. Bring 2 to 3 times the amount of water that you plan to use.

At the designated meeting point, always sign in with your field trip leader and be sure to sign out with the field trip leader when you depart from the group. We shouldn't be looking for someone for hours, when someone forgets to sign out.

2. Prepare your vehicle - if your vehicle has mechanical problems, get it fixed before the field trip or leave it home and ride with a friend. Always equip your vehicle with the best tires. Retreads usually let you down at the worst time. Retread tires should not be used on field trips. Full size spares and a good working jack are a must. For rugged terrains, a handyman jack may save the day. Tow straps or tow chains, jumper cables and a set of emergency
tools are a good idea.

Before the day of the field trip, check all fluid levels, i.e. oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, windshield washer fluid (check wipers, too), and always start
out with a full tank. It is rude to ask the field trip group to wait while you dash off to fill up.

Be sure your air conditioning system and heating system are in proper working order.

3. Safety Concerns - Bring your First-Aid Kit and a Snake-Bite Kit - complete with antiseptics, Neosporin, and bandages. If you take prescription medicines, bring enough for the field trip, plus a few extra days' worth for emergencies.

Hard hats, steel-toed footwear, leather gloves, safety goggles and even ear plugs may all be of use, depending on the destination of the field trip.

Do not try to lift extremely heavy rocks alone. Your friends will help you - it's preferable for four rock enthusiasts to help you move the rock, than to have them haul you out on a stretcher. Above all, protect your back and your body.

Bring solid boxes out of wood, or sturdy cardboard orange boxes with lids to safely hold your rock finds. Pack them in the trunk of your car, or at the front of a pick-up bed, or in a cabinet in your R-V. Remember, in case of accidents, loose rocks and rock tools flying around in the passenger cabin can be lethal!

Citizen Band (CB) radios, cell phones and walkie-talkies can be useful communication tools, but are dependent on the range between receivers, and cell phones on service towers, which may be unavailable in wilderness areas.

4. Courtesy - Be on time! Better yet, be 10 to 15 minutes early. Never ask your friends to wait a quarter or a half hour for you. When you sign in, inform the leader how many participants are in your vehicle. If anyone in your vehicle is not a member of FMC, check with the leader how guests are handled. Be sure the leader knows the make and color of your vehicle.

Pets are not to be participants on field trips, unless prior permission has been obtained from any landowners or land stewards, as well as permission from the field trip leader. If permission is granted, you must clean up after your pet and haul the waste away.

Always keep your children under direct supervision. If parental control is not exercised and children are in danger, the field trip leader may require you to leave the field trip and return home.

Do not crowd in on your fellow rock collectors' digging areas. Respect all claim markers and mines�do not trespass. When you are digging, stay aware of other collectors around you. Look behind you before your swing a hammer or pick. Do not roll rocks downhill - there may be someone out of sight below you.

5. Rules of Caravanning - Keep the vehicle behind you visible in your rear view mirror. If it is not visible, it becomes your responsibility to turn around to go help solve any problems. This rule should cause all lead vehicles to return to the vehicle in trouble.

Maintain safe distance between vehicles - the three-second rule. Stay alert and avoid any tailgating. If your leader prefers, keep vehicles in an assigned order - it is easier to immediately tell if some vehicle is missing.

If there is any breakdown or emergency, it helps if everyone works together to resolve the problem. The problem vehicle should be helped to the nearest town for repairs. If the vehicle can rejoin the group in an hour or less that would be good. If it would take longer, the field trip should proceed, with a plan in place for the repaired vehicle to rejoin later, or at least check in with the filed trip leader upon returning home.

It is a good rule of the thumb to have an experienced field trip person at the back of the caravan to bring up the tail, along with your experienced field trip leader up front. Determine your signals�flash headlights to stop, etc.

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Jr. Geologists to Complete Earth Resources Badge

May's meeting will be on Thursday, May 18th at 7 p.m. at Charlotte's house. We will complete the requirements for the Earth Resources badge, plus plan our summer activities. One of the requirements to complete this badge is to write down 10 things found in your home that came from a rock or mineral. For help, see the site http://www.mii.org/commonminerals.php.

Several of you need to finish one more requirement to complete the Fossil Badge, assembling your fossil collection. You need to collect at least 10 fossils, labeling each one with the name, age, and where you found it (if known). Contact Dennis Gertenbach if you need help with the identification and age. You can bring your collection to show others to any Jr. Geologist or club meeting.

The Jr. Geologist program is open to all Flatirons Mineral Club families. For more information about the program, please contact Dennis Gertenbach.
 

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Colorado State Science Fair

Every year, the club donates special awards to the top earth science displays. This year the club recognized two outstanding senior high students and two outstanding middle school students by awarding high-grade gold specimens from the Phoenix Mine.

The top senior high science projects were:

* Chris Tuombly, an eleventh grader from Conifer High School, with the project "The Mystery of the Tepee Buttes."

* Cody Caver, a tenth grader from the Woodland School. His project was entitled "Hidden Contamination: an Investigation of Elevated Sulfate Levels."

The outstanding middle school projects were:

* Jonathan Witte, an eighth grader from Littleton Academy with the project "Impact to Sudden Death."

* Thomas Roland, an eighth grader from Blevins Junior High in Ft. Collins. His project was "The Effects of Particle Size on Settling Rates."

All four students' projects showed an in depth understanding of the subjects they studied.

A special thank you to Paul Ralston and Ray Horton for judging the science fair displays and presenting these outstanding students with their awards from the club.

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Collector's Sale of Minerals and Lapidary Supplies
 

Long time collector and Gates member, Chuck Allen, is having a garage sale of a wide variety of material. It includes minerals, polished pieces, good tigereye and malachite, Biggs jasper and jade which are collector pieces. The sale also includes some supplies such as grit, polish compound, grinding wheels, and 10" diamond blades. The sale is May 12-13 from 8-4 each day. The address is 9515 S. Flower Way, which is out by Chatfield Reservoir. Call 720-922-2906 for directions or further information. Chuck has many cabs and wishes to sell them by appointment since it would be too difficult to show and sell them at the garage sale.
 

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Fossils in the News
By Dennis Gertenbach

Rare Mammal Tracks in Golden
Martin Lockley of the University of Colorado at Denver reported in the paleontology journal Ichnos rare mammal track at the Fossil Trace Golf Course in Golden, Colorado. The tracks were made about 68 million years ago by a mammal the size of a rat.  They consist of five regularly spaced tracks, each about 3/4 of an inch in length with four toes. Each four-toed foot track is about three-quarters of an inch in length. Dr. Lockley determined that the tracks were most likely made by a hopping animal.

These tracks, along with similar tracks found near Rifle, Colorado are the only mammal tracks from the dinosaur age found in the Western United States. Only two other sites in the world - in Maryland and Argentina - have mammal tracks from the age of the dinosaurs.

The site is open to visitors and the mammal tracks are marked along the Triceratops Trail in Golden. Details and a map of the trail, which is about 1/2 mile long, can be found at http://www.dinoridge.org/programs/triceratops_trail.htm. The trail also has tracks of several dinosaur species and bird tracks.

Mammal Diversity Earlier Than Previously Found
A Jurassic fossil from northeast China shows that an unusual mammal lived in a swampy lakebed about 164 million years ago. The animal, about the size of a large squirrel, had an otter-like body, teeth like a seal, webbed hind feet like a platypus and  a flat tail like a beaver. It has been named Castorocauda lutrasimilis, Latin for beaver-tailed animal that looks kind of like an otter.

This fossil shows that mammals diversified much earlier than was thought, during the age that dinosaurs ruled the earth. It is the oldest mammal fossil found with fur. The previously oldest mammal fossil with fur imprints dated at about 125 million years old. Paleontologist Zhe-Xi Luo at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History described this animal as capable of swimming like a beaver or a platypus using its tail and webbed hind feet. Most likely, it mostly ate fish; however, its teeth indicate that is was also capable of eating plants.

Castorocauda is the largest mammal of its time ever found and is by far the oldest known aquatic mammal. Most early mammals at this time were tiny shrew-like insect-eaters. For years, paleontologists had thought that mammals during this time were too small and too restricted by the dinosaurs to specialize to specific ecological niches. Castorocauda shows that mammals returned to the water much earlier than anyone had previously thought. Previously, such increased size and diversity was thought to have begun, once the dinosaurs died out at about 65 million years ago.


Dinosaur Found Bigger than T. Rex
Researchers recently reported skeletons of a huge, meat-eating dinosaur discovered in Argentina. The newly revealed species is one of the biggest carnivores ever, even surpassing Tyrannosaurus rex. Living 100 million years ago, the largest specimen measured more than 40 feet long.

The new species, named Mapusaurus roseae, is possibly even larger than its close relative Giganotosaurus, which in 1995 took T. rex's crown as the world's biggest known carnivorous dinosaur. Mapusaurus appears to have been a sleeker, more agile predator, than T. rex. Its teeth were also different, designed for slicing flesh rather than crushing bones

Seven animals were found together, the apparent victims of some sudden catastrophic event. The find of healthy animals of different age is one of the first to suggest giant meat-eating dinosaurs lived in groups and were pack hunters. A group of these animals may have even hunted the largest dinosaur of all, the 100-ton, 125-foot-long plant-eater named Argentinosaurus. Other recently discovered fossil sites in Canada, Mongolia, and the United States suggest pack behavior may have been relatively common for two-legged carnivorous dinosaurs in late Cretaceous and that dinosaurs such as T. rex may not be solitary predators.

Left-Handed Snails Evade Predator Crabs
Scientists in England studying 1.5 to 2.5 million years old fossil snails have discovered that left-handed snails evade crab attacks. The scientists identified 11 whelks and cone snail species that exist in both right- and left-handed forms. Ten out of the 11 snails showed higher rates of crab scars on the right-handed shells, suggesting that crabs attacked them in preference to their left-handed counterparts. (If one holds a snail shell with the pointed end upwards and the opening facing towards you, left-handed or sinistral shells have the opening on the left, while right-handed or dextral shells have the opening on the right.)

To help answer this observation, scientists investigated the behavior of the modern crab Calappa flammea. They found that the crab is unable to open left-handed shells because only the right claw is designed to open the snails it preys upon.

The question remains of why left-handed snails are so rare (about 1% of all snail shells) if they can escape death by crab more easily. Many species only have right-handed shells. Apparently left-handed snails find it much more difficult to secure a mate, accounting for their low numbers.
 

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Upcoming Events, Nearby & Elsewhere 

May 6: Dinosaur Discovery Day (free public tour day) at Dinosaur Ridge, Morrison Colorado. "DDD"s will be held monthly, each first Saturday, through October. The May 6 day will feature Boy Scout Day at Dinosaur Ridge, with special earth science activities for Scouts. For more information please see http://www.dinoridge.org/programs/dinosaur_discovery_day.htm.

May 6: The Colorado Mineral Society (CMS) will have its annual silent auction of mineral hobby items on May 6th at the Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church located at 920 Kipling, 3 blocks north of 6th Avenue in Lakewood, from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. The auction features reasonably priced minerals, fossils, faceted stones, lapidary equipment, books, and jewelry to the general public. A unique aspect of this auction is the ability for visitors to view and bid on fluorescent minerals in a special ultraviolet powered Fluorescent Room! There are door prizes every half hour, and a special verbal auction at 1:00 P.M. of museum quality specimens donated by special dealers. There are abundant parking, refreshments, and easy handicap access without any stairs. As always, the club will have a few auction tables reserved for only children to bid on. A special invitation is extended to non-CMS members to participate in this auction.All sellers are requested to pre-register by phoning Leslie Osgood (303-986-4488).

May 10 (Wednesday): "Water Is Not Where the People Are: A Front Range Challenge", by Bob Raynolds. 7:00 pm, Morrison Town Hall, Morrison CO, a free public talk in the Fireside Chat series of the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge. This lecture will bring us up to date with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science's research on the bedrock aquifers of the Denver Basin.

May 12 (Friday): Free Map, Compass, and GPS class: the USGS offers these free classes for the public, the 2nd Friday of each month through
November, at the Denver Federal Center, Lakewood CO, Building 810. Mornings (9-11) are Map & Compass, and afternoons (12-4) are GPS. To register please call 303-202-4689, or email gpsworkshops@usgs.gov to reserve a place; bring your GPS unit if you have one.

May 12-13 (9 a.m.-3 p.m. both days): "Earth Science Fair" Flea Market & Swap, 1506 Patton St., Fort Collins (3 blocks east of Lemay on Prospect Rd, turn on Patton, third house on east side of the street). Fossils, minerals, gems, jewelry, rocks, crystals, petrified wood, agate, tumbled stones, jade. Call 970-203-1988 for additional information.

May 13-14: 59th Annual Grand Junction Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show - "Rocks and Minerals of the Colorado Plateau". Saturday 9-6, Sunday 10-5, at Two Rivers Convention Center, First & Main, Grand Junction. Adults $3, kids 11-18 $1, kids under 11 free with adult. For more information call Don and Marj Gibboney, 970-245-2885.

May 20: The Colorado Chapter of the Friends of Mineralogy will hold its annual silent auction of mineral hobby items on May 20th at the Clements Community Center located at 1580 Yarrow (near Colfax and Wadsworth) in Lakewood, Colorado, from 1:00 to 3:00 P.M. This auction features reasonably priced minerals, faceted stones, books, and mining paraphernalia to the general public. There will be a special verbal auction at 2:00 P.M. of museum quality specimens donated by special dealers. All interested sellers and buyers are invited to phone Bruce Geller at 303-237-2947 for further details.

May 20-21: Rock & Gem Show in Casper, WY, at the Parkway Plaza. Two 8-foot tables for $50, contact wyo_rockhound@msn.com for a show packet.

May 20-21: Wyoming State Mineral & Gem Show, "Wyoming Mineral Treasures", Holiday Inn on Fox Farm Road, located on the SW corner of I-80 and U.S. 85 in Cheyenne. Contact Paul Moot, 307-634-6773.

May 26-29: Scottsbluff, Nebraska Rock Swap at the Riverside Zoo & Campground, 1600 S. Beltline Highway W. It is a fun outing with nice camping facilities, showers, electrical hook-ups, etc. Contact Earl Noland at derocks@charter.net.

June 16-18 is the Pikes Peak Gem and Mineral Show, at the Phil Long Expo Center, 1515 Auto Mall Loop, Colorado Springs (near I-25 and Exit # 150). Fri. 4-8 p.m./Sat. 10-5/Sun. 10-4. For more info. check www.csms.us. This is an interesting and educational annual event, sponsored by the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society.

August 10-13 is the "Contin-Tail" rock swap and outdoor mineral show, at the Buena Vista Rodeo Grounds, Buena Vista, Chaffee County, Colorado. A free and fun event, and a good place to find "anything you were looking for" in the way of rocks, gems, and minerals. See www.coloradorocks.org

August 26: FMC Annual Picnic, 4:00pm-8:00pm, Main Pavilion at the North Boulder Park at 9th Street and Balsam St. (same location as last year).

September 15-17: Denver Gem & Mineral Show, "Minerals of South America", Denver Merchandise Mart, Expo Hall, 451 East 58th Ave (I-25 exit 215). For more info.: www.denvermineralshow.com.

September 23-24: Stone Age Fair, Pulliam Community Building, 545 Cleveland Ave., Loveland, CO. Featuring world-class displays of prehistoric artifacts, with distinguished guests Dr. Marcel Kornfeld, Dr. Jack Hoffman, and Dr. Thomas Stafford (featured in Time Magazine article on Kennewick Man); flint-knapping demonstrations by Bob Patten; Native-American performances on Sunday. Free admission. Sat 9-7, Sun 9-4. More info at www.stoneagefair.com.
 

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Denver Gem & Mineral Show Mini Report, March 2006
Judy Knoshaug, Show Committee Secretary

The Denver Gem and Mineral Show is now less than six months away and the planning is progressing well. The show poster and the small poster are both finished. Your club representative should bring them to your club meeting so members can see them. The show poster showcases the beautiful gem minerals that come from South America. The small poster is to be used for advertising the show and features four lovely specimens�elbaite with quartz, silver, quartz with siderite, and morganite.

The volunteer sign up sheets should be circulating among your members this month. Please be sure to sign up to help at the show. Everyone's help is needed to have a successful show. If you have never volunteered before, read over the different job descriptions. There is sure to be one that would suit you. Talk to others who volunteer and they will help you find your niche. It's fun and easy. You will meet new people and gain a greater appreciation for the show.

The Show Committee is also looking for new club members to join us. New members bring in innovative ideas and fresh energy. If you enjoy the show, consider joining the committee. There is a spot for you. In particular, there is a need for publicity people. Advertising the show is a very important job. It is how we reach out to the public and try to interest new people in this fascinating hobby. If you have a talent in promotions or advertising, we need you! Check to see who else in your club belongs to the Show Committee. Talk to them about their experience and maybe tag along to the next meeting. Meetings are at 7:30 pm the first Tuesday of each month except December, February, and July at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

Respectfully submitted,

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Updated 5/10/06