Excavation in the Sand Wash Basin, CO - August 2008

Working in the Washakie Formation in the Sand Wash of Colorado during August 2008, we began the systematic excavation of Valenitno’s Knob locality.  We probably excavated two cubic meters or so of sediment.   Among the specimens found in the Excavation were what looks like a juvenile titanothere skull, a Hyopsodus, titanothere limb elements, a small rodent, and miscellaneous tiny bones that are not yet identified.  On the surface several nice rodents, a carnivore, and Hyopsodus were found. The site is very important for understanding the end of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum and the evolutionary patterns that emerge during the early Uintan at about 47 million years ago. 

We had lots of eager excavators in the Sand Wash including Dave Blumenstock, Gloria Carbaugh, Sue Brown, Sharon Wolfe, Angie Matthias, Dave Warren, Susi Landers, Brenda Johnson, Kathy Miles, Jean Widman, Jim Cornette, Dick Pratt, Jennifer and Claire Snyder.   We were visited by Harley Armstrong the Colorado State paleontologist for the BLM.

Thanks to everyone who came out into the field this year!  We had a very successful field season with lots of great specimens coming in.

Richard Stucky

Research Updates

• Eocene Study Group - Next Meeting February 17
  The next Eocene Study Group meeting will be at 4:45 PM on February 17 in Classroom 303 at the Denver
• Porcupine Cave - Pleistocene Picking
  After about five years of dormancy, work has begun anew in sorting and organizing additonal material
• Eocene Study Group - January 20, 2010
  The Eocene Study group met on January 20 to hear about current research, progress of individual studies
• New Article Published on Wasatchian-Bridgerian Boundary
  A new paper was published in December 2009 that provides the background and context for a lot of the
• Cool Eocene Fossils - Eocene Study Group December 16 meeting
  MALAQUA News -- December 21, 2009 It was a crowded event in the Big Bone Room at the Denver Museum of