The Colorado Scientific Society normally has spring and fall field trips.
Our No Moss Gatherings are short visits to interesting sites around the Denver area (from “a rolling stone gathers no moss”).
2023 Colorado Scientific Society Field Trips
We are working on several field trips at this time.
What are “No Moss Gatherings”?
These are usually half day trips in the Denver area.
Pete Modreski started these in the Spring of 2022, encouraging CSS members to get out after the Covid-19 shutdown.
As in “a rolling stone gathers no moss“.
Wildcat Mountain – CSS No Moss Gathering
Saturday, June 29th 2024, 8:00 AM to noon
Bob Raynolds, Research Associate, Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) will lead this trip.
Logistics:
Saturday 29 June 2024
8:00 a.m. rendezvous for carpooling at RTD Littleton-Mineral Station Park & Ride
(3203 West Mineral Ave., Littleton, CO 80120, northwest corner of Mineral and South Santa Fe)
Drive south to Sedalia on South Santa Fe Blvd. (Rt 85). Will do a roadside stop at the new outcrops along South Santa Fe.
At Sedalia turn right (west) onto Rt 67 toward Deckers.
Go 2.4 miles then turn right (north) on Rainbow Creek Rd
Go 2.0 miles then turn left (south) on Cherokee Drive
Turn right (west) on Piute Drive, go 0.66 miles to Arapahoe Conglomerate roadcut
Continue west and south on Piute Dr. for 0.8 miles to trailhead for Wildcat Mountain
Climb Wildcat Mountain (500’ up over 0.5 miles on unimproved trail). Not all need to climb all the way, nice views on the trail.
Depart Wildcat Mountain at 11:00 a.m.. Continue east on Piute Dr. for 0.35 miles, turn left (north) and go 0.56 miles on Winnebago Dr., turn right (east) on Cherokee Dr. and go 0.5 miles then turn right (southeast) on Rainbow Creek Road. Go 1.2 miles and turn left(east) on Rt 67 to return to Sedalia and South Santa Fe (Rt 85).
Return to RTD Littleton-Mineral Park and Ride by 12:00 noon.
Description:
Come see the evidence for the onset of the Laramide Orogeny in the Denver Basin. This is manifested by the Arapahoe conglomerate, well exposed west of Sedalia near Wildcat Mountain. Where do these cobbles come from? Then visit the outcrop exposures of the principal aquifer in Douglas County, the Arapahoe Aquifer. This rock body is present in a buried fluvial distributary fan system. Water wells in Douglas County drill down 2000 feet to access this finite water resource. We will discuss three-dimensional modeling of the aquifer and the challenges for communities in Douglas County to find sustainable water resources.
Flyer for Wildcat Mountain No Moss Gathering 6-29-2024.
Print and bring it with you.
See our Past Field Trips for other places and topics the Colorado Scientific Society has explored.
