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ESCI 380: Spring Field Trip

Southern Appalachian Geology

reading | itinerary | course requirements | trip logistics

Reading:

The following papers should be read prior to our departure, and they should be brought with you during the trip. Copies will be provided to you during the first organizational meeting:

  • Butler, J.R., 1989, Review and classification of ultramafic bodies in the Piedmont of the Carolinas.
  • Sharp, W.E., 1988, Gold deposits of the South Carolina slate belt.
  • Bobyarchick, A.R. et al., 1988, The role of dextral strike-slip in the displacement history of the Brevard zone.
  • Kana, T.W. et al., 1988, Barrier beaches and tidal inlets of central South Carolina.
  • Secor, D.T., 1988, Geology of the eastern Piedmont of central South Carolina.
  • Garihan, J.M. et al., 1988, Brittle faults, lineaments, and cataclastic rocks in the Slater, Zirconia, and part of the Saluda quadrangles, northern Greenville County, SC, and adjacent Henderson & Polk Counties, NC.
  • Wilson, J.T., 1966, Did the Atlantic close and then re-open?
  • Hatcher, R.D., 1972, Developmental model for the Southern Appalachians.
  • Wehr, F., 1985, Stratigraphy and tectonics of the Virginia-North Carolina Blue Ridge: Evolution of a late Proterozoic-early Paleozoic hinge zone.
  • Rankin, D.W., 1975, The continental margin of eastern North America in the southern Appalachians: The opening and closing of the proto-Atlantic Ocean.

Itinerary:

Our tentative itinerary is as follows - beware that some of the details may change depending on the weather:

DAY 1: Saturday

    Leave Vermillion 8:00am
    Arrive in Mt. Vernon, IL

    Accomodations: Hampton Inn hotel room

    Minimum daily per person costs:

    • Room: $20
    • Lunch: Fast food, $8
    • Dinner: Fast food, $8

DAY 2: Sunday

    Leave Mt. Vernon 7:30am
    Arrive in Pickens, SC 11pm

    Accomodations: Camping at Table Rock State Park

    Minimum daily per person costs:

    • Camping: $15
    • Lunch: Fast food, $8
    • Dinner: Fast food, $8

DAY 3: Monday

    Leave Lazy Boy Park at 8:00am
    Field stops in North Carolina and South Carolina mountains. Daily theme: Brittle and Ductile shearing in the southern Appalachians. Guest field trip leader: Dr. Jack Garihan from Furman University.
    Arrive in Pickens, SC

    Accomodations: Camping at Table Rock State Park

    Minimum daily per person costs:

    • Camping: $15
    • Lunch: On-the-road (grocery store stop in morning), $8
    • Dinner: Campground, $5

DAY 4: Tuesday

    Leave Table Rock State Park at 7:30am
    Field stops in South Carolina mountains and piedmont. Daily theme: Mafic intrusions in the Appalachian Piedmont Mapping of the Mt. Carmel gabbro.
    Arrive in Pickens, SC

    Accomodations: Camping at Table Rock State Park

    Minimum daily per person costs:

    • Camping: $15
    • Lunch: Fast food, $8
    • Dinner: Campground, $5

DAY 5: Wednesday

    Leave Table Rock State Park at 8:00am
    Field stops in South Carolina piedmont. Daily theme: Gold deposits in the Appalachian Piedmont. Tour of Ridgeway Gold Mine.
    Arrive in Pickens, SC

    Accomodations: Camping at Table Rock State Park

    Minimum daily per person costs:

    • Room: $15
    • Lunch: Fast food, $8
    • Dinner: Fast food, $8

DAY 6: Thursday

    Leave Pickens at 7:30am
    Field stops in North Carolina mountains. Reach summit of Mt. Mitchell at 6684 ft. - highest point east of the Mississippi. This location is weather dependent. Alternative locations will be Seabrook Island or the Chatooga River.
    Arrive in Linville, NC

    Accomodations: Camping at Linville Falls Campground

    Minimum daily per person costs:

    • Camping: $6
    • Lunch: Fast food?, $8
    • Dinner: Campground (grocery store stop in afternoon), $8

DAY 7: Friday

    Leave Linville Falls at 7:30am
    Arrive in Mt. Vernon, IL

    Accomodations: Hampton Inn hotel room

    Minimum daily per person costs:

    • Room: $20
    • Lunch: Fast food, $8
    • Dinner: Fast food, $8

DAY 8: Saturday

    Leave Mt. Vernon, IL at 7:30am
    Arrive in Vermillion, SD

    Minimum daily per person costs:

    • Lunch: Fast food, $8
    • Dinner: Fast food, $8

Total estimated minimum cost per person for food and lodging: $400

Course Requirements:

2 credit hours:

You will be required to submit an 8-10 page written report on the geology of the southern Appalachians, focusing on the geology we saw on the trip. The paper must consist of the following: a title page, introduction, main text, and references cited. Follow the format of Economic Geology for references cited. This paper must not exceed 15 typed pages (double spaced, 12 point font or less) or be less than 10 pages. Diagrams and illustrations are not included in the page limit. Make sure that the paper is written in your own words - plagiarism is both unethical and unacceptable, even if it is unintentional.

1 credit hour:

You will be required to take detailed notes of the geology at each field trip stop, including pertinent sketches of outcrops. These notes must be submitted to the professor after we return from the trip. Prior knowledge of Earth Science (rocks, minerals, and structural geology in particular) will make life much easier.

Trip Logistics:

What do you need to bring on a trip like this? Weather in this area of the world can vary during the time of year we'll be there, from high temperatures in the mid-20's to mid-70's. In the mountainous areas, we may experience snow, cold, and wind. In the South Carolina piedmont, it may be warm and sunny. TIP: Glue yourself to The Weather Channel for a few days before we leave!

We will be camping some of the nights. It may be very cold at night, so plan on bringing appropriate clothing. Some of the campgrounds will have showers and hot water, others will not.

THIS IS AN ALCOHOL-FREE FIELD TRIP!!

Required Items:

Sleeping bag
Tent
Waterproof hiking boots
Eating utensils, plates, bowls, & cups
Rain jacket/hat
Cash for food and other incidentals
Very warm clothes
Bathing suit/towel
Field notebook and colored pencils
Water bottle

Recommended Items:

Flashlight
Camera
Reading material for 'van' time
Shorts for warm weather
Sunglasses
Rock hammer and sample bags
Sharpie for labeling rocks
Compass or Brunton
Clipboard
First aid kit
Pillow

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