The Houston Geological Society is pleased to once again offer its popular Grand Canyon Field Trip. This “Journey Through Time” will start in Las Vegas on July 8, 2012, and finish there on July 16. We will have the chance to become immersed in the stratigraphy of the Four Corners area from the Triassic back into the Precambrian. We will also see and discuss more recent events that have shaped the canyon and continue to do so. This trip involves seven nights of camping along the Colorado River and physical activity that ranges from white water rafting to hikes up to 6 miles, steep slopes, and occasional scrambling. Participants should be in reasonably good physical condition to fully enjoy the trip. Highlights of the 2010 Trip The last time this trip was offered was in June of 2010, when it was enjoyed by twelve HGS members, their guests, and four families who joined us. After gathering our possessions at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, we boarded our vehicles and drove to Zion National Park to look at the impressive Navajo Sandstone outcrops there before continuing on to Marble Canyon and our motel. In the morning we were picked up by our outfitter, Hatch River Expeditions, and taken to Lee’s Ferry, where we finished loading our two motorized rafts that would be our main transportation for the next seven days down the river. The Vermilion Cliffs formed a beautiful backdrop here for our launch and we were quickly whisked into the canyon. The canyon here consists of Permian limestones, sands, and shales as we drift down-section with a few stops along the way to view fossil lizard tracks in the Coconino Sandstone and exfoliation jointing in sandstones of the Supai Group. Day two of our river trip finds us in the Mississippian Redwall Limestone as we raft down Marble Canyon. Sights include Vasey’s Paradise, Nautiloid Canyon, and a steep climb to visit an Anasazi Indian granary. Our pleasant ride down-river is punctuated by the rapids encountered at every side creek. Each evening our river guides fixed us a fine feast. Nature, however, provided the ambiance. Our third day is perhaps my favorite of this trip, as we descend into the classic transgressive Cambrian sequence and arrive at the Little Colorado River. Here we have a chance to play in the water and run a few “rapids” on our own. The water here is the most incredible sky blue color because of the significant amount of calcium carbonate dissolved in the water. Continuing on, we enter into a significant section of Precambrian sediments known as the Unkar and Chuar groups. On the 2010 trip we had time to walk up Carbon Creek to observe these ancient rocks and the Butte Fault before returning down Lava Creek. This was our longest hike of the trip. The next day our rafts enter the Inner Gorge. The canyon narrows as the steep walls, formed by Precambrian schist and granite, close around us. Almost every side-creek now causes a major rapid and we thrill in this exciting white water. A short walk up Clear Creek to a wonderful waterfall is very welcome and then we float down to Phantom Ranch and a little taste of civilization in the bottom of the canyon. Our evening is spent farther down river. Day five starts with more big rapids before we exit the Inner Gorge. A stop at Elves Chasm is a must. This gem of a side canyon requires a little scrambling, but we thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful pool here. This day also includes a stop at Blacktail Canyon, where we put our hands on the Great Unconformity, representing over one billion years of time missing from the rock record.The next day offers two wonderful hikes, the first being up Deer Creek. There is some fascinating geology to see and the scenery is exceptional as well. The second is up Matkatamiba Canyon and provides an opportunity to do our most interesting scrambling yet. We performed an impressive flash flood experiment here. Our final day in the rafts includes a short walk to play in Havasu Creek and then down to Lava Falls Rapids, perhaps the most exhilarating rapids of the trip. The lava seen in this part of the canyon is part of a series of basalt flows that dammed the ancient Colorado River as many as 13 times, starting about one million years ago and continuing to about 100,000 years ago. Our final night on the river is bittersweet and the next morning we say goodbye to our river guides and board helicopters that take us to the Bar 10 Ranch and real showers. From here we fly back to Las Vegas and the conclusion of this fine trip. The 2012 Trip Please join us next year and consider bringing your family members. There is a wealth of geology to see and discuss. We will try to keep the main discussion at a level that can be appreciated by the layman, but there is also time to delve deeper into the geology and other aspects of this fascinating area. We will also discuss its natural and human history. The scenery is of course phenomenal and different from the experience of looking down at it from the rim. The white water is as thrilling as you care to make it, depending on where you sit on the raft. Our rafts are big and very stable in the water and the river guides are quite experienced in navigating these rapids. They also are helpful during the hikes and are great cooks. This trip offers something for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, and it is particularly great for high school or college students who have an interest in the sciences. Your trip leader has had plenty of experience in the Grand Canyon. I graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.S. in Geoscience in 1974. During my time there, I had the opportunity to hike many areas in the Grand Canyon, getting to know it intimately. This will be my third raft trip down the river. This field trip was originally put together by Dave Lazor who ran it for many years before retiring and turning it over to me. You may contact me with questions at steve.hgs@gmail.com or at 281-435-5020. Cost of this trip is $3,100, which includes all transportation from Las Vegas to the canyon and back, one night in a motel, food and drink while on the river, and a sleeping kit for camping. Not included are airfare to Las Vegas, your first dinner on our travel day, any special libations you feel you need, and optional tips for the river guides. A $300 deposit is all that is required at this time to hold your spot, with the balance due by January 10, 2012. You can register here. The rafts hold a maximum of 28 participants and registration for the trip commonly fills fairly quickly so you are encouraged to sign up early to avoid disappointment. Don’t miss this chance to experience the magnificence and grandeur of the Grand Canyon up close.