Field Seminars
Upper Cretaceous Meander River Deposits Exposed in the Dinosaur Park Badlands
Field Seminar Location: Dinosaur Provincial Park, Southern Alberta
Instructor(s): Derald Smith, Peter Putnam & David Eberth
Date: July 24, 2009
Max Attendance: 30 participants
Fee: $300.00
This one-day field seminar will examine outcrop lithofacies and contacts of several different depositional elements of an ancient (76.5-75 ma), low gradient, meandering river system exposed in the upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation of Dinosaur Provincial Park (Steveville Badlands, northwest sector of the Park) near Brooks, Alberta, 175 km east of Calgary.
The depositional elements to be examined include the following:
- sandstone-dominant point bar deposits,
- siltstone-dominant counter point bar deposits,
- IHS siltstone/sandstone bedded point bar deposits ending at a mudstone oxbow lake-fill (similar to lithofacies in the McMurray mine sites),
- deformed stratigraphy of IHS deposits, likely caused by Laramide earthquakes during formation of the Rocky Mountains, and
- over-bank mudstone and lignite coal deposits capping the stratigraphic unit.
Outcrops of all of these depositional elements are visible in one stratigraphic unit, extending over a 4-km2 area exposed in a multitude of badland slopes and cliffs. All of these depositional elements and complexities are common in ancient meandering river deposits in the Belly River and Mannville, but often are not well-discussed or illustrated in textbook lithofacies models. An understanding of the nature and lateral relationships of these various lithofacies is important in hydrocarbon exploration and developments in ancient meandering river sequences, such as the McMurray Formation. David Eberth from the Tyrrell Museum will discuss the deposition and preservation of dinosaur bones in various depositional elements.
The trip will leave at 7:00 AM by bus from the east side of the McMahon Stadium (west side of walkway overpass of Crowchild Trail), then travel east on the TransCanada Highway, arriving in Brooks at about 10:00 AM for a 20-minute light snack and restroom stop at McDonald's Restaurant. From Brooks we will travel northeast on Highways 873, 544 and 876 to the Red Deer River Valley and park on a Husky gas well access road at the Vanderloh Ranch in the Steveville badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park. We will be hiking in badland terrain for 5 hours (11:00 to 4:00 PM). A field guide, box lunch and bottled water (2-litres) will be provided. At 4:00 PM, we will board the bus and return to Calgary with a restroom stop along the way, arriving in Calgary at McMahon Stadium at about 6:00 PM.
We will be hiking approximately 7 km for 5 hours through rugged badland terrain, in possibly hot weather. Therefore, bring appropriate hiking shoes with ground-gripping soles, loose light-colored clothing, a light windbreaker, a wide brimmed hat, sunglasses, sun screen lotion and extra water. Camera, binoculars, several granola bars and a light backpack are recommended. This trip is not advised for anyone who is in poor physical shape or has a heart or physical balance problem.
A limited number of ski poles will be available for those that may need the assistance of a walking stick to improve their balance on badland slopes. If you own a pair of ski poles you are recommended to bring them.
For additional information email Derald Smith (dgsmit@ucalgary.ca).
