Page 4
THE CLACKAMAS
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SCIENCE
April 10,1991
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Wonders of geology, lift
While in Death Valley it rained .5 inches over a period of two days. Gathered around the morning
fire are Bill Gutherie, Tom Newfedt, Lori Stevens and Rae Baldwin.
—r—
by Angela Wilson
Editor-in-Chicf
For many people the men
tion of Death Valley conjures
up a variety of different ideas
about a dry desolate place where
nothing can survive. But as a
group of 22 students- myself
included- from Clackamas found
out, it is very different from that.
John Snively, science depart
ment chair and instructor, led
the group on what was the six
teenth annual spring break trip
to Death Valley. It was no vaca
tion mind you, but a three credit
science course filled with infor
mation about the natural his
tory of the Sonoran Desert.
As we would find out, it docs
rain in Death Valley. The an
nual amountof rainfall in Death
Valley is normally a mere inch
and a half. While we were there
it rained for two days and the
area received half an inch of
precipitation.
“We saw the wildest spring
in Death Valley in the last cen
tury,” Snively said. “To an Ore
gonian it’s no big deal, but it
rained and there was even snow
in the surrounding mountains.”
For the most part, although
the rain was unexpected, it was
looked at as an exceptional treat.
Many people on the trip expri I
how lucky they were to be al |
say they went to Death Valle
it rained.
h
“I’m impressed at hov
group handled the adverse we I
conditions,” Snively comme I
“I stayed up and worried at n
about the weather.
“The group handled it I
Everyone got up in the moi I
with a smile and took it in str (
Snively added.
k
Although we did experi
rain, there was also sunshine
ing the week. All the seaso
the year were seen in that
week. It rained, snowed, was \
and it even got warm.
Many of the students ii
course take Snivcl/s geology
at thccollcgeand found ¡text
to finally gel to see the things
learn about in class up close
the first time they were ab
touch a 1.75 billion year old
and study it.
For others, like mysclf j
was their first lesson in gca
Some of the formations seen
recumbent folds, desert pavci
desert varnish, ripple marks,
glass formations, salt cry
inselbergs, cinder cones, all
fans, dried pluvial lakes, and i
other sights.
In Titus Canyon we stopped to look at the petroglyphs left from
the Shoshone Indians. Gordon Jones and Armand Rebischke
are interpreting the petroglyphs.
During the week each person in the class had to give!
a different aspect of Death Valley. Anderas Luehrin
his talk on pup fish at Salt Creek.
Luerhing, Kery McQuaid and John Snively are discussing the cacti.