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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260504T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260504T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20251118T095356Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260410T195219Z
UID:17430-1777921200-1777928400@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:May 2026 - Patrick O’Connor\, PhD  |  Director\, Earth & Space Sciences\, Senior Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology\, Denver Museum of Nature & Science  |  Avian Dinosaurs from the Latest Cretaceous of Madagascar and Antarctica: A Tale of Two Birds and Two Sub-Continents
DESCRIPTION:Dr. Patrick (Pat) O’Connor is a vertebrate paleontologist who integrates data from the fossil record with our understanding of form-function relationships in modern animals to explore eco-functional implications of morphological novelty in different groups of backboned animals (e.g.\, non-avian dinosaurs\, birds\, crocodiles). He completed a degree in biological anthropology at Michigan State University\, followed by a PhD in anatomical sciences at the Stony Brook University School of Medicine. Following his PhD\, Pat took a tenure-track position (Neuroscience and Anatomy) at the Ohio University College of Medicine\, where he advanced to the rank of full professor and presidential research scholar while simultaneously serving several administrative roles in both research and curriculum. He took on the role of Director of Earth and Space Sciences at DMNS in January 2024. \nPat’s field research projects span from Colorado and Utah to Madagascar\, eastern and northern Africa\, and Antarctica\, united by the common theme of characterizing the impact of large-scale environmental change on biotas during the Late Cretaceous and Paleogene. Along with students and colleagues from around the globe\, Pat and his collaborators regularly describe species new to science\, including several exciting and oftentimes bizarre non-avian dinosaurs\, birds\, crocodiles\, and mammals.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/march-2-2026-patrick-oconnor-director-earth-space-sciences-senior-curator-of-vertebrate-paleontology-denver-museum-of-nature-and-science/
LOCATION:Front Range Community College\, 3645 West 112th Avenue\, Westminster\, CO\, 80031\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Pat-OConnor.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260502T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260503T170000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20260324T182942Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260423T210542Z
UID:18398-1777712400-1777827600@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Petrified Wood Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Dates:  Two-day class.  Saturday\, May 2\, is classroom instruction from 9 am to 3 pm.  Sunday\, May 3\, is a field session to collect and study petrified wood\, starting at 1 pm. \nInstructors:  Sam Alllen and Mike Viney \nLocation:  Mines Museum of Earth Science on Saturday\, private ranch outside Elizabeth on Sunday \nNumber of Participants: 20 \nAge:  Adults and high school students \nCost:  $10 for adults\, $5 for high school students \nSam Allen and Mike Viney will be conducting a two-day Petrified Wood Workshop for WIPS members.  The workshop will be hands-on and will include fossil wood taphonomy\, general taxonomy identification\, best practices for collecting and lab methods. \nBoth Sam and Mike are long-time petrified wood collectors and researchers.  They currently are involved in the research and writing of several technical journal articles on petrified wood species found in the Eden Valley of Wyoming.  They are also founding Board Members of the nonprofit Friends of Fossil Forests. \nIf you have questions about the class\, please contact Sam Allen at samuelgallen@gmail.com. \nNote:  You must attend the classroom session on Saturday to attend the field trip on Sunday.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/petrified-wood-workshop/
LOCATION:Mines Museum of Earth Science\, 1310 Maple St\, Golden\, CO\, 80401\, United States
CATEGORIES:Classes
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Petrified-Wood-magnified.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Dennis Gertenbach - Leader":MAILTO:gertenbach1@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260406T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260406T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20251123T210955Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T110621Z
UID:17502-1775502000-1775509200@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:April 2026 – Spring ice cream social and 'meet and greet' (in-person only)
DESCRIPTION:WIPS’ April meeting will be a Spring ice cream social and ‘meet and greet’ in-person event. There will be no Zoom presence or speaker this month. \nMembers and guests are invited to join us in person at Front Range Community College (Westminster campus). There will be refreshments\, fossils\, field trip news and fun! \n• Enjoy an ice cream sundae while you socialize.\n• Learn about WIPS-supported research and committee activities.\n• Hear about summer field trips and see fossils from those places.\n• Meet one of the instructors for WIPS’ upcoming Petrified Wood Workshop and see petrified wood specimens.\n• Show ‘n tell of member fossils\n• Door prizes and giveaways galore \nLook forward to meeting you there! For questions\, contact programs@westernpaleo.org
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/april-2026/
LOCATION:Front Range Community College\, 3645 West 112th Avenue\, Westminster\, CO\, 80031\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Sundae_1053x1140_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260302T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260302T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20251123T150929Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260209T012928Z
UID:17465-1772478000-1772485200@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:March 2026 - Heather F. Smith - Ph.D.\, FAAA\, Professor of Anatomy - A revised turtle assemblage from the Upper Cretaceous Menefee Formation\, NM with evolutionary and paleobiostratigraphic implications
DESCRIPTION:Abstract: The middle Campanian Menefee Formation (Fm.) of the San Juan Basin of New Mexico is a relatively understudied terrestrial deposit in southern Laramidia preceding the fossil-rich upper Campanian Fruitland and Kirtland formations that have been studied for more than a century. Previous collection efforts have revealed a diverse dinosaurian and crocodyliform fauna in the Menefee Fm.\, including ankylosaurian\, tyrannosaurid\, hadrosaurid\, ceratopsian\, and neosuchian taxa. Nearly a decade has passed since the last description of the Menefee turtle fauna\, and we present new material that provides insight into turtle evolution during the Campanian in the Colorado Plateau\, with implications for Late Cretaceous turtle paleobiostratigraphy in Laramidia. In particular\, we extend the stratigraphic ranges of the baenids Neurankylus baueri and Scabremys ornatabackwards from younger San Juan Basin strata\, along with the nanhsiungchelyid Basilemys. Additional material increases Menefee representation of the relict helochelydrid Naomichelys\, and the regionally prevalent derived baenids Denazinemys and Thescelus. Additionally\, we report new pan-trionychian specimens\, which provide insight into the persistence of Adocus and multiple trionychid and plastomenid species through the remainder of the Campanian in the San Juan Basin. A cluster analysis of turtle diversity across early-middle Campanian sites in Laramidia shows distributions consistent with latitudinal provinciality in some groups. For instance\, derived baenids were restricted to latitudes south of southern Utah\, along with marine taxa (bothremydids and protostegids) and pan-kinosternoids. Basin-scale endemism is also suggested by some baenid and trionychid distributions. Otherwise\, the turtle fauna of the Menefee most closely resembles those of the similarly-aged Wahweap Fm. in southern Utah\, and the Aguja Fm. in the Big Bend area of Texas and Mexico to a lesser extent. The Menefee turtle assemblage is consistent with reconstructed paleoenvironments characteristic of the western shoreline of the Western Interior Seaway. Recurrent cyclothems in these settings shaped the development of fluviodeltaic deposits that preserved distal components of large channels with surrounding floodplains and swamps\, along with evidence of freshwater\, brackish\, and possibly shallow marine influence. This research was funded by a grant from WIPS. \nBio: Dr. Heather Smith is a Professor of Anatomy at Midwestern University\, the Editor-in-Chief of The Anatomical Record journal\, and a Fellow of the American Association for Anatomy. She earned a B.A. in Anthropology (Arizona State University’s Barrett Honors College\, 2001)\, M.A. in Biological Anthropology (Stony Brook University\, 2003)\, a Ph.D. in Biological Anthropology (Arizona State University\, 2008)\, and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine\, Phoenix (2009). She is an evolutionary biologist\, comparative anatomist\, and paleontologist. Her research combines both living species and the fossil record\, with a special interest in ancient turtles\, to reveal how bones and body structures evolved through millions of years. In particular\, she investigates how cranial and shell morphology evolved across extinct and living turtle species using 3-D geometric morphometrics and other tools to trace phylogeny\, adaptation\, and developmental change. \nDr. Smith has been conducting paleontological fieldwork and research since 2012\, primarily focusing on North American Late Cretaceous and Paleogene turtles\, and has been involved in the descriptions of 4 new species of fossil turtle. Since 2024\, she has been a founding co-director of the Menefee Paleontological Project\, coordinating paleo fieldwork in the Campanian Menefee Formation of New Mexico.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/march-2025-heather-f-smith-ph-d-faaa-professor-of-anatomy/
LOCATION:Front Range Community College\, 3645 West 112th Avenue\, Westminster\, CO\, 80031\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/gif:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/HeatherSmith_Menefee300x300.gif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260228T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260228T160000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20260115T161755Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260120T203807Z
UID:18020-1772280000-1772294400@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Introduction to Invertebrate Paleontology (2 of 2)
DESCRIPTION:Introduction to Invertebrate Paleontology \nDates:  Two-day class\, Sunday\, February 22\, 2-6 pm and Saturday\, February 28\, noon-4 pm \nInstructors:  Dennis Gertenbach and Shellie Luallin \nLocation:  Secular Hub Community Center in Denver \nAge:  Adults and high school students \nCost:  $10 for adults\, $5 for high school students. (One charge covers one or both classes) \nMost of the fossils we collect on WIPS trips are invertebrates – animals without backbones.  Understanding when invertebrates lived during different times in Earth’s past and the environment in which they lived\, along with being able to identify different invertebrate fossils\, helps enrich our experiences on field trips. \nThis two-day class is designed for beginners and intermediate fossil lovers\, each of the major invertebrate phyla will be covered\, with lots of fossils to study.  In addition to the information discussed during the two classes\, participants will receive an electronic handout with the covered materials. You can attend one or both classes and only pay once. \nDennis Gertenbach and Shellie Luallin are long-time WIPS members who have led multiple field trips over the years.  Because of their extensive knowledge of invertebrates\, they are active paleo volunteers for the Mines Museum of Earth Science and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/introduction-to-invertebrate-paleontology-2-of-2/
LOCATION:Secular Hub\, 254 N. Knox Ct.\, Denver\, CO\, 80219\, United States
CATEGORIES:Classes
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Paleozoic-Invertebrates-S.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Dennis Gertenbach - Leader":MAILTO:gertenbach1@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260222T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260222T180000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20260115T150147Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260120T203515Z
UID:18004-1771768800-1771783200@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Introduction to Invertebrate Paleontology (1 of 2)
DESCRIPTION:Introduction to Invertebrate Paleontology \nDates:  Two-day class\, Sunday\, February 22\, 2-6 pm and Saturday\, February 28\, noon-4 pm \nInstructors:  Dennis Gertenbach and Shellie Luallin \nLocation:  Secular Hub Community Center in Denver \nAge:  Adults and high school students \nCost:  $10 for adults\, $5 for high school students. (One charge covers one or both classes) \nMost of the fossils we collect on WIPS trips are invertebrates – animals without backbones.  Understanding when invertebrates lived during different times in Earth’s past and the environment in which they lived\, along with being able to identify different invertebrate fossils\, helps enrich our experiences on field trips. \nThis two-day class is designed for beginners and intermediate fossil lovers\, each of the major invertebrate phyla will be covered\, with lots of fossils to study.  In addition to the information discussed during the two classes\, participants will receive an electronic handout with the covered materials. You can attend one or both classes and only pay once. \nDennis Gertenbach and Shellie Luallin are long-time WIPS members who have led multiple field trips over the years.  Because of their extensive knowledge of invertebrates\, they are active paleo volunteers for the Mines Museum of Earth Science and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/introduction-to-invertebrate-paleontology/
LOCATION:Secular Hub\, 254 N. Knox Ct.\, Denver\, CO\, 80219\, United States
CATEGORIES:Classes
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Paleozoic-Invertebrates-S.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Dennis Gertenbach - Leader":MAILTO:gertenbach1@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260202T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260202T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20251107T015400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T010639Z
UID:17353-1770058800-1770066000@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:February 2026 - Paul Sereno - Paleontolgist & Professor\, Univ. of Chicago | Spinosaur Adventure in the Sahara & Amazon
DESCRIPTION:Paul Sereno\, Professor and National Geographic Explorer\, works in his Fossil Lab at the University of Chicago\, resurrecting creatures long extinct. His field exploits began in the foothills of the Andes in Argentina\, where Sereno discovered the earliest dinosaurs. Other expeditions have explored the Sahara and Gobi Deserts\, India’s Thar Desert and remote valleys in Tibet. A menagerie of spectacular crocodiles and dinosaurs have been unveiled\, including giant 50-foot long predators\, digging raptors\, head-butting dwarfs\, and a 40-foot-long SuperCroc. His latest discovery is a human graveyard in the Sahara predating the Egyptian pyramids. Featured in many National Geographic magazine stories and NOVA documentaries\, Sereno was named Teacher of the Year by the Chicago Tribune\, given the University Medal for Excellence by Columbia University. His efforts to foster up-and-coming scientists among urban youth earned the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science\, Mathematics\, and Engineering Mentoring from President Obama in the White House.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/february-2-2026-paul-sereno-professor-department-of-organismal-biology-anatomy-and-committee-on-evolutionary-biology/
LOCATION:Front Range Community College\, 3645 West 112th Avenue\, Westminster\, CO\, 80031\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Paul-Sereno_with-Hat-creditMark-Thiessen_300x300.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260110T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260110T110000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20251101T193131Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251214T224032Z
UID:17280-1768035600-1768042800@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Denver Museum of Nature & Science
DESCRIPTION:The Museum has offered WIPS members a behind the scenes tour. Group(s) of 10 to 15 members will be guided by an Earth Sciences curator. Tours will last about 60 to 90 minutes. After the tour members are encouraged to view the rest of the Museum on their own. Accompanied children\, age 10-17 are allowed. \nRegular WIPS field trip fees apply\, but there are no admission fees to the Museum. Enter at staff-volunteer entrance\, about 100 feet east (left) of main entrance and say you are here for WIPS tour. A greeter will direct you to our group. The Museum opens at 9:00\, so there is little point in arriving early. If you are running later than 9:15\, call trip leader Dan Winester at 303-709-4585 or curator James Hagadorn at 413-348-1176. \nThere is space to store jackets etc. and time to use the restroom. \nRegistration ends on January 2nd.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/denver-museum-of-nature-science/
LOCATION:DMNS\, 2001 Colorado Blvd.\, Denver\, CO\, 80205\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/dmns-1093-1201x801-d21b45d.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Dan Winester":MAILTO:deadfishrman@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260105T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260105T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20251106T143453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260104T212858Z
UID:17340-1767639600-1767646800@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:January 5\, 2026 - Jim Kirkland - Keeping Up With The “Raptors”: The Evolution Of Armor In Polacanthine Ankylosaurs Across The J/K Boundary
DESCRIPTION:Dr. Jim Kirkland earned a BS in Geology from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology\, an MS in Geology from Northern Arizona University\, and a PhD in Geoscience from the University of Colorado. For the past 27 years\, he has been the Utah State Paleontologist\, permitting and promoting Utah’s paleontological resourcesfor the public good. After telling people he would be a paleontologist at age five\, has spent more than 50 years excavating fossils across thesouthwest US and Mexico\, authoring and coauthoring more than 100 papers on Mesozoic environments\, biostratigraphy\, paleobiogeography\, and paleoecology; naming 24 new dinosaur species (including the giant “raptor\,” Utahraptor\, and the best understood polacanthine ankylosaur\, Gastonia)\, other tetrapods\, many fossil mollusks and fossil fish. He has shown that Grand County\, Utah\, preserves the most complete Lower Cretaceous terrestrial sequence in the world.\n\nPlease see Jim’s lecture at a meeting for the Utah Friends of Paleontology  J-K Boundary Mass Extinction\nChrista Sadler’s new book covering Dr. Kirkland’s life’s work on the Cedar Mt dinosaur faunas “Dinosaur Frontier.” https://this-earth.com/dinosaur-frontier/
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/january-5-2026/
LOCATION:Clements Community Center\, 1580 Yarrow Street\, Lakewood\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Jim-Kirkland.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20251227T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20251231T170000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20251016T214020Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251224T183356Z
UID:17228-1766826000-1767200400@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Comanche National Grassland: Upper Carlile and Lower Niobrara
DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, December 27\, 2025 \nWIPS member Steve Miller (Principal Investigator) has obtained a Paleontological Resources Research Permit through the US Forest Service (USFS) to conduct a survey of the Blue Hill Shale Member of the Carlile Formation in the Comanche National Grassland. The survey enabled by this permit provides WIPS members with an opportunity to do some information gathering and fossil collecting that will benefit the USFS and those who choose to participate. \nThe survey involves examining the Blue Hill Shale Member to look for fossils and other influences in the paleoenvironment. We will be looking for features such as indications of wave base activity on a horizon\, localized denser and less fissile shales perhaps including nodules which encase fossils\, or any other horizon of paleontological interest. \nIndividuals are responsible for correctly identifying fossils as vertebrate\, invertebrate\, plant\, or some other feature or artifact. Consult the Principal Investigator or experienced member if you have questions about a fossil\, its provenance\, or its disposition. \nThe site is in a more remote area of the Comanche National Grassland. It is accessible with vehicles that have eight inches or more of ground clearance. Carpooling is recommended from a meet-up location. Shuttling can be arranged if necessary. \nThis trip will take place on Saturday\, December 27. \nThe area is large\, and people will be encouraged to spread out as far as they are comfortable from the parking area. Pack your lunch. Bring lots of water. \nWe’ll meet up at the Timpas Picnic Area on US 350 at 9:00 and leave there at 9:30 for the site. \n20 person limit. Kids under 18 allowed with adult members!
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/comanche-national-grassland-upper-carlile-and-lower-niobrara/
LOCATION:Timpas\, CO\, Rt. 350\, Timpas\, CO\, 81050\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251013_141309-scaled.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Steve Miller - Leader":MAILTO:steve_miller_cs@yahoo.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20251206T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20251206T170000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20251017T144618Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251017T183737Z
UID:17239-1765029600-1765040400@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:December 2025 - Annual Auction
DESCRIPTION:Everyone is invited to our annual holiday auction and potluck! Bid\non numerous items of paleontological– and geological– interest\,\nincluding books\, fossils\, fossil replicas\, minerals\, art\, and much\nmore. Enjoy potluck refreshments. (Bring a dish to share if you’d\nlike!) The verbal auction later in the afternoon will feature bigger\nticket items. Proceeds benefit WIPS grants and scholarships for\nresearch and education in paleontology. \nThis year\, payments can be made online using a QR code displayed at the auction.\n• 1 p.m. – Doors open for setup\n• 2 p.m. – Refreshments being\n• 2:30-5:30 p.m. – Silent auction with verbal auction\ncirca 3:30 p.m. for special items\n• 5:30 pm. – Cleanup and checkout\n• 6:30 p.m. – Doors close
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/december-2025-annual-auction/
LOCATION:Clements Community Center\, 1580 Yarrow Street\, Lakewood\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Auction-2025-3.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20251103T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20251103T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250818T204831Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251026T210935Z
UID:14893-1762196400-1762203600@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:November 2025 - Member Show ‘n Tell & Annual Business Meeting\, Short talks about field trips & activities
DESCRIPTION:Steve Miller -Two Decades with the Cretaceous Rocks and Fossils of the Comanche National Grassland\nWIPS has been offering trips to the Comanche National Grassland for 20 years. This area of Colorado presents modern landforms of prairie and canyon overlying rocks formed on the floor of the Western Interior Seaway. Over the years\, WIPS members collected dozens of marine specimens. Some vertebrate specimens have been donated to various museums.\n\nThis video was created for an audience with a fundamental understanding of the Western Interior Seaway. Hopefully\, everyone will see how WIPS has contributed to supporting the science of paleontology through the kinds of information that were reported to the US Forest Service. WIPS members have collected some amazing fossils over the past twenty years.\n\nDennis Gertenbach – Douglas Pass Insects: What They Tell Us About Ancient Colorado\nThis presentation will show fossil insects I have found at Douglas Pass from the Eocene Green River Formation\, dating to about 50 million years ago. Douglas Pass is well known for the large variety of fossil leaves found there. These leaf fossils\, combined with studies of the Green River Formation geology\, give a good picture of what the area looked like during the Eocene. However\, the fossil insects also found at Douglas Pass bring the Eocene ecosystem to life. By comparing these insect fossils to modern insect relatives\, a picture of life in ancient Colorado comes to life.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/november-program/
LOCATION:Clements Community Center\, 1580 Yarrow Street\, Lakewood\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Denniss-Insect.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20251102T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20251102T150000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250915T141633Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250916T141351Z
UID:15390-1762088400-1762095600@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Tour of Steve Jorgensen's Ammonite Collection
DESCRIPTION:Steve Jorgensen has accumulated a world-class collection of ammonites from the Western Interior Seaway and has invited WIPS members to his home to tour his collection. During the tour\, Steve will show examples of the wide variety of ammonites that lived during the Campanian and Maastrichtian Stages of the Late Cretaceous. You will see closely coiled planispiral ammonites\, as well as weirdly shaped heteromorph ammonites and straight baculites. As part of the tour\, he will touch on how ammonites fit in the ecosystem of the Western Interior Seaway. \nSeveral ammonites in his collection show signs of predation from other creatures that feasted on ammonites in the Western Interior Seaway. \nThe tour will last 2 hours\, beginning at 1 pm\, and is open to adult and high school WIPS members. It is limited to 10 participants. Cameras are welcome. Participants are encouraged to bring Western Interior Seaway ammonites with locality information that you would like Steve to tentatively identify. \nAnd plan to bring food to share with the group.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/tour-of-steve-jorgensens-ammonite-collection/
LOCATION:Highlands Ranch\, Highlands Ranch\, CO\, 80129\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Jorgensen-Tour-Photo.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Dennis Gertenbach - Leader":MAILTO:gertenbach1@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20251006T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20251006T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250807T215050Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T231020Z
UID:14711-1759777200-1759784400@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:October Program - Nigel Hughes -What’s new with ancient trilobites? Tails (and more) from close to home and far afield
DESCRIPTION:Spectacular discoveries of “soft-bodied” fossils have\, in recent years\, tended to overshadow the “traditional” fossil record of invertebrate animals with mineralized shells\, such as trilobites. However\, these ancient arthropods still have a few tricks under their doublures for revealing important information about Earth and life’s co-evolution. Nigel will review some highlights of his career-long travels with trilobites\, seeking to convince you that there’s life in these old bugs yet\, including his recent description of a new species from Colorado and its connection to James Bond.\n\nNigel has worked as a professional paleontologist in museums and universities around the globe. He has been a faculty member at the University of California – Riverside since 1997\, has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles\, and won the Moore Medal for paleontology from the Society of Sedimentary Geologists. He is interested in both the biological and geological applications of fossils and owes his career to help from “amateur” paleontologists. His talk is part of the Distinguished Speakers program sponsored by the Paleontological Society.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/october-program-2025/
LOCATION:Clements Community Center\, 1580 Yarrow Street\, Lakewood\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Untitled-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250927T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250927T130000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250713T161025Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250802T225253Z
UID:14176-1758963600-1758978000@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Indian Springs Trace Fossil NNL Site
DESCRIPTION:This 450 million-year-old National Natural Landmark changed paleontology history when it was discovered on a private working ranch by Bennie Thorson just east of Cañon City in the 1960s. Carly Thorson\, his daughter\, provides a guided tour and will decipher and explain the movement of the creatures whose incredibly-preserved fossil footprints were captured in one moment of time when a storm event covered the shallow floor of this Ordovician – Harding Sandstone Formation estuary. Literally stopped in their tracks\, we will learn to spot a resting spot\, feeding trace\, flick of a fin in the sand\, even the impression of bristles on a leg\, a stinger on a tail\, and the tiniest trilobite tracks. \nIndian Springs is considered the best Ordovician trace fossil site in North America and has been a federally protected registered National Natural Landmark since 1979. It is a significant location for paleontology\, geology\, archeology\, botany\, and recent history. It is the type locality for 9 trace fossil genera and species\, and illustrates traces of arthropods (trilobites\, eurypterids\, horseshoe crabs)\, polycheate worms\, and ostracoderm fish – primarily Astraspis desiderata\, a primitive jawless fish which represents the earliest record of cartilage-to-bone in the chain of evolution. \nDuring the walk through pristine juniper woods and then along a 2-track\, Carly will describe the medicinal nature of various plants\, a Civil War site\, a petroglyph\, and geologic features. \nIndian Springs is a private working ranch. No collecting is allowed. Participants must walk in as a group and leave as a group – no early departures except in an emergency. The 1/2 mile walk to the monument is not strenuous\, but there can be cactus\, rattlesnakes\, cows\, barbed wire\, etc. Wear sunscreen\, bring water and snacks/lunch\, and wear hiking boots; no open toed shoes allowed. The tour will depart at 9:30 am sharp. Please arrive by 9:15 am. For safety reasons\, late arrivals will not be allowed to go on the field trip. The field trip will last 2-3 hours. \nAn additional $15 per person for the guided tour will be collected at the site on the day of the field trip. Be certain to bring the exact cash of $15 per person\, as checks and credit cards can’t be accepted. Additional information will be sent out a week prior to the field trip.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/indian-springs-trace-fossil-nnl-site/
LOCATION:Indian Springs\, 3257 County Road 67\, Penrose\, CO\, 81240\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/thumbnail.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Cindy Smith - Leader":MAILTO:cindysmithrocks@me.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250915
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250917
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250308T163144Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250922T035431Z
UID:9543-1757894400-1758067199@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Flat Tops
DESCRIPTION:The destination for this trip is the fossiliferous Dyer Formation on the White River Plateau of Colorado\, located in the White River National Forrest north of Glenwood Springs and south of the Flattops Wilderness Area. The Dyer formation is upper Devonian\, approximately 370 M.A. deposited when western Colorado was a shallow\, near shore ocean environment. Colorado at that time was positioned approximately 20 degrees south of the Equator.  The Plateau was uplifted during the Laramide Orogeny in the Cenozoic. \nMarine invertebrate fossils to be collected include brachiopods\, bryozoans\, crinoids\, sea stars\, gastropods\, cephalopods and rugose and tabulate corals.  All specimens can be accessed on the surface or with small hand tools.  No power tools or mechanical excavation is allowed. \nTrip Logistics: \nWe will meet on Monday\, September 15 at 12:00 pm in a parking lot at the base of Coffee Pot Road.  Special Note: Coffee Pot Road is impassable when wet. If we encounter rain we cannot continue\, and alternate plans will be communicated. Elevation: 6\,168–10\,644ft
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/flat-tops/
LOCATION:Flat Tops\, Forest Road 7421A\, Red Cliff\, CO\, Dotsero\, CO\, 81637\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Flat-Tops.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Steve Miller - Second Vice President":MAILTO:wips_trips@westernpaleo.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250908T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250908T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20241205T184224Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T010735Z
UID:7981-1757358000-1757365200@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:September Program - Karen Chin -A Dung’s Eye View of Dinosaur Life in the Cretaceous Period
DESCRIPTION:Brief description of presentation: \nStudies of 75-million-year-old coprolites (fossil feces) from Montana and Utah reveal that some plant-eating dinosaurs periodically consumed foods we would not expect giant herbivores to eat.  This talk will describe the fossil evidence for this unexpected discovery and how it changes our understanding of dinosaur paleobiology.   \nBrief bio:\nKaren Chin is a professor in the Department of Geological Sciences and Curator of Paleontology at the Museum of Natural History at the University of Colorado Boulder.  She began her career in paleontology working with dinosaur paleontologist Jack Horner at the Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University.  She later received her doctorate from the University of California at Santa Barbara where she studied with paleobotanist Bruce Tiffney.  Dr. Chin studies Mesozoic ecosystems — mostly through analysis of fossil feces (coprolites) and burrows.  She is particularly interested in ancient symbiotic relationships\, trophic interactions\, nutrient cycling processes\, evidence for paleoenvironmental conditions\, and the taphonomic processes that constrain our understanding of ancient ecosystems.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/september-program-karen-chin/
LOCATION:Clements Community Center\, 1580 Yarrow Street\, Lakewood\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Karen-Chin-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250904
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250908
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20240308T142254Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250802T225713Z
UID:4561-1756944000-1757289599@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Como Bluff Three\, Nail Quarry 2025
DESCRIPTION:Home of the famous “Bone Wars” in the 1880s\, South-Central Wyoming’s Como Bluff has produced many well-preserved specimens from the Morrison Formation. Most of these were collected by men working for O.C. Marsh between 1877 and 1889 as well as the Hubbel brothers under E.D. Cope between 1879 and 1880. \nThe Nail Quarry is on private ranchland and Anita Colin along with J.P. Cavigelli are the quarry managers. Hundreds of bones have been excavated from this site; primarily remains of “classic” Jurassic dinosaurs such as Allosaurus\, Apatosaurus\, and Stegosaurus. All fossils are for scientific research and go to the Tate Museum in Casper\, Wyoming\, where they are prepped and studied by J.P. Cavigelli and his team. \nThis field opportunity is ideal for those with little or no experience working in a dinosaur quarry. Some tools are provided; however\, people are encouraged to bring their own tools. There are jobs for everyone from learning to identify and excavate fossils to hauling matrix out of the dig site. \nAbout 1/2 mile from the quarry is a marine exposure called the Sundance Formation where participants can collect and keep fossils such as belemnites\, ammonites and other invertebrates of the ancient seas. \nDirections will be provided\, and high-clearance vehicles are recommended\, for driving into the quarry. Folks who do not have a high-clearance vehicle can arrange to carpool with other participants or can park (and camp) at the top of the hill and walk the rest of the way into camp. People can camp at the quarry or stay in motels in Rock River or Medicine Bow for around $100 per night. \nWIPS registration is $10 per person\, and the additional cost of the trip is $50 per person\, per weekend. Checks need to be made out to the Tate Geological Museum for this additional cost.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/como-bluff-three-nail-quarry-2024/
LOCATION:Nail Quarry\, WY\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Quarry-scaled-e1740613836665.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Steve Miller - Second Vice President":MAILTO:wips_trips@westernpaleo.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250821
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250825
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20240308T134048Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250802T225941Z
UID:4551-1755734400-1756079999@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Como Bluff Two\, Nail Quarry 2025
DESCRIPTION:Home of the famous “Bone Wars” in the 1880s\, South-Central Wyoming’s Como Bluff has produced many well-preserved specimens from the Morrison Formation. Most of these were collected by men working for O.C. Marsh between 1877 and 1889 as well as the Hubbel brothers under E.D. Cope between 1879 and 1880. \nThe Nail Quarry is on private ranchland and Anita Colin along with J.P. Cavigelli are the quarry managers. Hundreds of bones have been excavated from this site; primarily remains of “classic” Jurassic dinosaurs such as Allosaurus\, Apatosaurus\, and Stegosaurus. All fossils are for scientific research and go to the Tate Museum in Casper\, Wyoming\, where they are prepped and studied by J.P. Cavigelli and his team. \nThis field opportunity is ideal for those with little or no experience working in a dinosaur quarry. Some tools are provided; however\, people are encouraged to bring their own tools. There are jobs for everyone from learning to identify and excavate fossils to hauling matrix out of the dig site. \nAbout 1/2 mile from the quarry is a marine exposure called the Sundance Formation where participants can collect and keep fossils such as belemnites\, ammonites and other invertebrates of the ancient seas. \nDirections will be provided\, and high-clearance vehicles are recommended\, for driving into the quarry. Folks who do not have a high-clearance vehicle can arrange to carpool with other participants or can park (and camp) at the top of the hill and walk the rest of the way into camp. People can camp at the quarry or stay in motels in Rock River or Medicine Bow for around $100 per night. \nWIPS registration is $10 per person\, and the additional cost of the trip is $50 per person\, per weekend. Checks need to be made out to the Tate Geological Museum for this additional cost.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/como-bluff-two-nail-quarry-2024/
LOCATION:Nail Quarry\, WY\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/In-Situ-scaled-e1740613520972.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Steve Miller - Second Vice President":MAILTO:wips_trips@westernpaleo.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250726T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250727T170000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250524T165802Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250531T213929Z
UID:12088-1753516800-1753635600@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:PaleoZone Trip to the Nail Quarry
DESCRIPTION:PaleoZone members\, get involved with the experience of excavating and jacketing dinosaur bone fossils from the Nail Quarry at the Como Bluffs of Wyoming.  Although you cannot collect fossils at the quarry\, we will also hike to another site where you can collect belemnites and other marine fossils to add to your collection. \nThis trip is for WIPS PaleoZone members\, ages 9 and older. \nLimit:  8 children plus parent or parents \nCosts:  $10 quarry fee per person\, plus the regular WIPS field trip costs of $10 per adult and $5 per child. \nFor more information and to sign up\, contact Dennis Gertenbach. \ngertenbach1@gmail.com \n(303) 709-8218
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/paleozone-trip-to-the-nail-quarry/
LOCATION:Nail Quarry\, WY\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Quarry-scaled-e1740613836665.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Dennis Gertenbach - Leader":MAILTO:gertenbach1@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250724
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250728
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20240302T234109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T221831Z
UID:4403-1753315200-1753660799@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Como Bluff One\, Nail Quarry 2025
DESCRIPTION:Home of the famous “Bone Wars” in the 1880s\, South-Central Wyoming’s Como Bluff has produced many well-preserved specimens from the Morrison Formation. Most of these were collected by men working for O.C. Marsh between 1877 and 1889 as well as the Hubbel brothers under E.D. Cope between 1879 and 1880. \nThe Nail Quarry is on private ranchland and Anita Colin along with J.P. Cavigelli are the quarry managers. Hundreds of bones have been excavated from this site; primarily remains of “classic” Jurassic dinosaurs such as Allosaurus\, Apatosaurus\, and Stegosaurus. All fossils are for scientific research and go to the Tate Museum in Casper\, Wyoming\, where they are prepped and studied by J.P. Cavigelli and his team. \nThis field opportunity is ideal for those with little or no experience working in a dinosaur quarry. Some tools are provided; however\, people are encouraged to bring their own tools. There are jobs for everyone from learning to identify and excavate fossils to hauling matrix out of the dig site. \nAbout 1/2 mile from the quarry is a marine exposure called the Sundance Formation where participants can collect and keep fossils such as belemnites\, ammonites and other invertebrates of the ancient seas. \nDirections will be provided\, and high-clearance vehicles are recommended\, for driving into the quarry. Folks who do not have a high-clearance vehicle can arrange to carpool with other participants or can park (and camp) at the top of the hill and walk the rest of the way into camp. People can camp at the quarry or stay in motels in Rock River or Medicine Bow for around $100 per night. \nWIPS registration is $10 per person\, and the additional cost of the trip is $50 per person\, per weekend. Checks need to be made out to the Tate Geological Museum for this additional cost.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/como-bluff-one-nail-quarry-thursday-july-11th-2024-to-monday-july-15th-2024/
LOCATION:Nail Quarry\, WY\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/NailQuarry_2018_Gertenbach.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Jana L. McKeeman - Leader":MAILTO:earthnerd89@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250712T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250712T150000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250628T175840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250629T205443Z
UID:14054-1752307200-1752332400@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Bridge Creek Ammonites and More!
DESCRIPTION:This will be a one-day trip for the collection of marine invertebrate fossils and lovely calcite crystals.  It’s on private land so please respect that and the boundaries of the property.  The landowner will be playing with us! The terrain is not difficult; it does get hot with heat reflecting of the ground. There is some shade from junipers. \nMeet at the intersection of CO 115 and Olsen Rd north of the town of Penrose. Check the field guide Shellie has produced for more detail. \nPayment *MUST* be made online – No checks or cash. You do not need a PayPal account to make a payment. You do need a valid pay card. Be sure to download and fill out the waiver form. The link to the form is provided in your confirmation email message. \nQuestions: contact Shellie Luallin. \nSome of the fossils that may be found:\nCollignoniceras woollgari\nVascoceras birchbyi\nInoceramids\nrudists\nBaculites sp. (possibly Baculites c.f. B. yokoyamai)
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/bridge-creek-ammonites-and-more/
LOCATION:Penrose\, CO\, Penrose\, CO\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/thumbnail-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Shellie Luallin - Leader":MAILTO:shellieluallin@comcast.net
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250628
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250629
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250530T140927Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250531T210543Z
UID:12253-1751068800-1751155199@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Corral Bluffs One
DESCRIPTION:Corral Bluffs is a site east of Colorado Springs that was featured in the NOVA special\, Rise of the Mammals. Plant and animal specimens which were collected – now in the collection of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science – existed during the first million years after the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction. Participants will meet off-site (info provided before trip). and follow Ms. Milito on paved and rugged dirt roads to arrive near site and hike in. Total of about 4 miles of hiking. Wear long pans and closed-toe shoes or hiking boots. Bring water and lunch. \nPrepare:  Visit the website CorralBluffs.org and the DMNS website. \nFossil collecting is prohibited. Children under 10 are prohibited. You are asked to donate $5 to the Corral Bluffs Alliance at the site before the hike starts.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/corral-bluffs-one/
LOCATION:Corral Bluffs\, Colorado Springs\, CO\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/CB.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Catherine Carr - Leader":MAILTO:ogon@mac.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250621
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250622
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250524T160923Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250616T144442Z
UID:12079-1750464000-1750550399@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument AND Florissant Fossil Quarry
DESCRIPTION:Visiting the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument \nAt 9:30 AM on Saturday\, June 21\, we will meet at the visitors center (about an hour west of Colorado Springs off Highway 24). Entrance to the Visitors Center costs $10 unless you have a current and valid annual National Parks Pass or an America the Beautiful (or senior) lifetime pass. You must use a pay card or cell phone to purchase the entrance pass. Cash or checks are not accepted. Children under the age of 16 are free and do not require a pass. Given the lead time to receive an online pass\, it is recommended that you acquire your pass the day of this visit. \nA ranger-led tour will begin at 10:00 AM\, so be sure to arrive on time! \nPlease go to the Florissant Fossil Beds website for more information and to assure a good experience. \nWear appropriate clothing and bring food/water. Bring a picnic lunch to eat on site. There are picnic tables available. Dress and prepare for changeable weather conditions.  Closed toe hiking shoes are recommended. \nWe will visit the displays and hike one of the trails during the morning to see remains of ancient redwood trees\, and locally discovered insect\, fish\, and water plants. Fossil collecting is prohibited. \nAfter lunch we will go up the road to a privately owned site\, Florissant Fossil Quarry\, and extract some fossils from chunks of shale. The cost is $15 cash per person per hour IF there are are at least 15 people. You will be provided with pieces of shale to carefully split and study. \nThey do provide some tools\, but if you have some\, feel free to label and bring them. These Eocene fossils are about 34 million years old. You may keep the plant and insect specimens you discover. \nOn the same day\, the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society (csastro.org) will be conducting two activities at the park that might be of interest as well. One in the morning and the other at night. The morning event will offer a solar observation set-up. And the 9 p.m. event will be at a ranch nearby. See their website for details.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/florissant-fossil-beds/
LOCATION:Florissant Fossil Beds\, P.O. Box 185\, Florissant\, CO\, 80816\, United States
CATEGORIES:Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/fly.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Catherine Carr - Leader":MAILTO:ogon@mac.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250527
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250528
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250527T172333Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250527T172333Z
UID:12202-1748304000-1748390399@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Ordovician Manitou Formation Field Trip
DESCRIPTION:Content is protected.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/ordovician-manitou-formation-field-trip/
LOCATION:Ordovician Manitou Formation\, Manitou\, CO\, United States
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250505T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250505T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250420T015337Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250424T141120Z
UID:11596-1746471600-1746478800@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:May Program - Tiffany Adrain - Mammoth tasks and mastodon skulls: a journey through the University of Iowa Paleontology Repository
DESCRIPTION:Join Tiffany Adrain in a virtual tour of the University of Iowa Paleontology Repository\, a fossil collection of over 2 million specimens from all over the world. Learn about recent and ongoing projects in collection storage\, following the move of about 40 tons of rocks and fossils\, and the conservation of Iowa’s first scientifically excavated mastodon. \nTiffany Adrain is the Director of Research Collections at the University of Iowa Paleontology Repository in the School of Earth\, Environment\, and Sustainability. Despite having over thirty-five years of museum experience\, she never ceases to be amazed at the new challenges that arise with managing paleontology collections\, and the wonderful dedication of the student volunteers who help tackle them.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/may-program-tiffany-adrain-mammoth-tasks-and-mastodon-skulls-a-journey-through-the-university-of-iowa-paleontology-repository/
LOCATION:Clements Community Center\, 1580 Yarrow Street\, Lakewood\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/TAdrain-profile-pic-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250407T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250407T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20241205T173748Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250324T234752Z
UID:7977-1744052400-1744059600@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:April Program - Andrew Milner - Preliminary report of tritylodontid bonebeds in the Lower Jurassic Kayenta-Navajo Transition (Glen Canyon Group) at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area\, Utah
DESCRIPTION:The Lake Powell shorelines in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area expose Permian through Jurassic redbeds rich in fossil resources\, many of which have been the focus of inventories spanning more than three decades. The lake level fluctuations provide the opportunity to document many fossil sites. In March 2023\, a bonebed was discovered containing disarticulated but associated tritylodontid cynodonts in the Lower Jurassic Navajo Sandstone. An emergency recovery took place in April 2023 that resulted in the discovery of articulated skeletons at the first site\, and a second\, older bonebed nearby in the uppermost Kayenta Formation. \nAndrew Milner is the site paleontologist and curator at the St. George Discovery site at Johnson Farm\, in St. George\, Utah\, where he works with all scientific aspects of the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm\, dealing with paleontology and geology. Andrew has been working there since October 2001. He has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers on a wide variety of subjects\, but most of his work deals with the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic of the American Southwest\, especially tracks and traces. \nIn March\, 2003\, Andrew discovered early Jurassic tritylodontid bonebeds within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area that he claims is one of the most significant discovery he has ever made. \nBorn in England\, Milner moved to Quebec in eastern Canada in 1971\, getting his Canadian citizenship in 1987. He then moved to Utah in 1997.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/april-program-andrew-milner/
LOCATION:Clements Community Center\, 1580 Yarrow Street\, Lakewood\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Milner-Pic.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250322
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250324
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20241231T053101Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250324T131522Z
UID:8209-1742601600-1742774399@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:Symposium 2025
DESCRIPTION:Please register above first. Then\, select “Pay for Registration” to complete your reservation. \nPricing – $140 for two days\, $80 for one day\nStudents & K-12 educators – $25 for two days
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/symposium-2025/
LOCATION:Green Center\, 1550 Arapahoe St.\, Golden\, CO\, 80401\, United States
CATEGORIES:Symposium
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://westernpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Retrospectives-color.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="Stan Cullick":MAILTO:s.cullick@windompeak.net
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250303T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250303T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20241205T173205Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250301T190425Z
UID:7973-1741028400-1741035600@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:March Program - Caelan Libke
DESCRIPTION: The ceratopsian dinosaur\, Triceratops\, is one of the most widespread and abundant dinosaurs from the end of the Cretaceous Period in North America. Fossils of this iconic dinosaur have been found as far north as Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada to as far south as Colorado. There have been some suggestions that Triceratops fossils from Canada and Montana tend to be larger than those from further south\, although this theory has not been properly tested. The speaker will talk about testing this theory and what size variation in Triceratops\, if it exists\, might tell us about these dinosaurs and the world they lived in.\nAbout the speaker –I am a 2nd year Ph.D. candidate working with Dr. Jordan Mallon at the Carleton University in Ottawa\, Canada. I have worked on a wide range of fossils from turtles to insects in amber\, and\, of course\, dinosaurs. My current Ph.D. work focuses particularly on the dinosaurs that lived in the western interior region of North America immediately prior to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/march-program-jordan-mallion/
LOCATION:Clements Community Center\, 1580 Yarrow Street\, Lakewood\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250203T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250203T210000
DTSTAMP:20260606T011811
CREATED:20250109T204012Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250109T204156Z
UID:8324-1738609200-1738616400@westernpaleo.org
SUMMARY:February Program Riley Black - Author
DESCRIPTION:Winner of the 2023 AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books \nRecipient of a 2024 Friend of Darwin award from the National Center for Science Education \nRiley Black (she/they) has been a fossil fanatic since the time she was knee-high to a Stegosaurus. Her evolution into a science writer and amateur paleontologist was only natural. Based in Salt Lake City\, Utah\, right in the center of dinosaur country\, they chase tales of vanished lives from museum collections to remote badlands. \nA prolific writer\, Riley’s byline has appeared in publications such as National Geographic\, Slate\, Smithsonian\, Nature\, Science\, atmos\, Popular Science\, New Scientist\, SIERRA\, and many more. She’s also been a frequent guest on radio programs such as Science Friday and All Things Considered\, and Riley was among the paleontologists highlighted in the NOVA documentaries “Alaskan Dinosaurs” and “Dinosaur Apocalypse.” In a dream come true\, Riley was also the “resident paleontologist” and consultant to the Jurassic World franchise. Her expertise has also led Riley to speak at a variety of venues from the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History to Dinosaur National Monument\, most prominently delivering the 2022 keynote at tthe he annual Society of Vertebrate Paleontology meeting. \nBut Riley loves writing books most of all. Starting with Written in Stone in 2010\, they’ve written more than 10 books for fossil fans of all ages. Her latest\, the critically-acclaimed The Last Days of the Dinosaurs\, won the 2023 AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books. Riley’s next book When the Earth Was Green: Plants\, Animals\, and Evolution’s Greatest Romance\, will be published on February 25th\, 2025 by St. Martin’s Press. Presently\, Riley’s working on The Shortest History of Dinosaurs for The Experiment. \nBut Riley does more than just write about fossils. Every summer she volunteers with an array of museums and universities to discover and excavate new specimens. These expeditions have taken her from the mountains of Alaska and the arid deserts of New Mexico to a Wyoming cave filled with Ice Age mammal bones. Visits to lost worlds fuel Riley’s writing and her enthusiasm for life’s amazing history.
URL:https://westernpaleo.org/event/riley-black-author/
LOCATION:Clements Community Center\, 1580 Yarrow Street\, Lakewood\, United States
CATEGORIES:Programs
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