EXPLORING YELLOWSTONE

JULY 29-AUGUST 6

 

Join fellow new students, upperclass students, and faculty from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in exploring the beautiful Yellowstone area.

 

We will explore Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Craters of the Moon National Parks by hiking, kayaking, and car. We'll see geysers, the effects of earthquakes, volcanoes, and glaciers, learn how they work, and how they result from the planet's evolution. We'll discuss the history of the region and its role in developing the ideas of wilderness and environmental policy, starting with the fur traders, Lewis and Clark, and Yellowstone's establishment as the world's first national park to protect the spectacular geology. We will also view the area's famous wildlife and discuss the area's role in past and present environmental issues.

 

Schedule:

 

Day 1: We assemble at the airport in Jackson, Wyoming and travel to the University of Michigan's Camp Davis field station where we will spend the next three nights.

 

Day 2: We tour Grand Teton National Park to see how faulting and glaciers have shaped the area. We hike to a scenic vista point on the glacial moraine, examine the Teton fault and observe how the glaciers are shrinking due to climate change.

 

Day 3: We run an exciting whitewater stretch of the Snake River in inflatable kayaks to see the power of the river. We'll come out cold, wet, and thrilled!

 

Day 4: We travel to Yellowstone National Park and tour Old Faithful and the nearby geyser basins. We learn how these systems work and about the strange lifeforms there which give insight into how life evolved on earth.  We spend this night and the next two nights in cabins at Canyon village within the park.

 

 

Day 5: We hike to the top of Mount Washburn (10243 feet) to see how great volcanic eruptions have shaped the area, and then tour the new visitor center that explains the park's geology.

 

Day 6: We hike into the spectacular Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River in the morning. After lunch, we travel in kayaks along the shores of Yellowstone Lake to observe the West Thumb geyser field.

 

Day 7: We observe the effects of the large earthquake in 1959 that caused a giant landslide and dammed the Madison River. We then travel to the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to learn about the history of nuclear power by touring the first reactor that produced electric power, and spend the night in Arco, Idaho.

 

Day 8: We hike through the volcanic deposits at Craters of the Moon National Park, including underground lava tubes, and learn how these are related to the volcanic activity in Yellowstone. We then return to Camp Davis for the night.

 

Day 9: Departure from Jackson airport.

 

No previous experience is needed, but students should be comfortable outdoors.  We will be staying in cabins and eating group meals. The trip fee includes all expenses except travel to and from Jackson.

 

The weather may vary from hot and sunny to cold and rainy. Participants should bring hiking boots, a day pack, water bottle, rain gear, swimsuit, sunblock, insect repellent and the like, together with strong curiousity about nature and a desire to have fun!