Mineralogy Class / Geology Club Field Trip

Hot Springs, Arkansas
November, 2006

Back Row: Jeremy McKinney, T.J. Brown, Sarah Klebanowski, Mandy Smykla

Rachel Adamanski, Lindsay Kastl, Dr. Sarah Hanson, Mandy LeBlanc

You can click on the photos below to view them at a larger size.

Day 1. We left Adrian in the morning and drove to Lake Catherine State Park where we camped.
We spent the day collecting minerals near Magnet Cove, Arkansas
Our first stop was the carbonatite outcrop. Here Jeremy and TJ are pondering just where to whack the rock to get a good sample.
Collecting phlogopite that has been weathered out of nearby rock and accumulated in the stream bed.
Recent rainstorms in Arkansas had the stream next to the pyrite location running rather high. While most braved their way across the stream to collect pyrite, a few opted out and watched from the other side.
Jeremy and TJ are collecting beautiful little pyrite crystals from the stream bed.
We planned to collect Arkansas novaculite, famous for making whetstones. Unfortunately, we had to settle for a few little pieces from the parking lot because the mine has been reopened.
As usual, we camped at Lake Catherine State campround where we cooked burgers and dogs (and a few boca burgers)
Day 3. We spent the morning at Fiddlers Ridge Quarry collecting beautiful quartz crystals.
Mandy and Lindsay are taking a break from collecting. Rachel and Mandy are finding excellent quartz crystals in the dump material
Mine equipment used for excavation Jeremy & TJ collected LOTS of quartz.- the van was dragging on the way home!
Although the fall colors were a little past peak, they were still beautiful.
We were hoping to view the wonderful folding at the Brady Mountain Dam but the road was closed and access is no longer possible. So we went to Hot Springs National Park instead.
This was the view from the scenic drive just above the Park
Mandy S, Rachel, Sara, Mandy L. Lindsay, TJ and Jeremy at the overlook. It was here we figured out Plan B or Plan C since many of the planned stops were no longer accessible.
Bath House Row in Hot Springs NP Trail above Bath House Row
Along the trail there were excellent exposures of tufa, material deposited by the hot springs.
Most of the natural hot springs are capped and the pluming system has been rerouted directing the hot water to the bath houses. Jeremy and TJ along the trail
Another group photo thanks to a local we bothered and convinced to take our picture.
After another failed attempt to get to the dam, we took a drive and enjoyed a nice stroll along Lake Ouachita. Before returning to camp we had a fine repast at Stubby's most excellent Barbeque.
Day 4.Just the long, 14 hour drive home....