The Field Paleontology research course is conducted on a private cattle ranch in eastern Wyoming. The region is low rolling grasslands at an elevation of about 4200ft.

One of the most important things to understand is that we are all there as guests of the ranch owners. It is of primary priority that we respect the land, the flora, the fauna, and the owners. In particular each participant in the research project has a responsibility to leave cattle undisturbed, shut all thru-fence gates, report any breaks in the fences, drive only along established paths, and generally leave the area the same as, if not better than, when we first arrived. We are to obey rules and requests by the ranch owners.

Please note that the gravel/dirt road in from the paved highway traverses private property. Drive carefully and be vigilant and cautious whenever cattle are present near the road.

The campsite has a central facility for bathrooms, showers, kitchen, meeting area, etc. Sleeping will be done in individual tents. Electricity and hot and cold running water are available. The kitchen facilities contains a propane stove and oven and refrigerators-all the comforts of home! You will be able to recharge cell phones, etc.

The weather is hopeful dry with occasional days of rain. The wind can be quite strong and constant! The temperature can be so low that you may find occasional frost at dawn, and it can be over 100°F in the afternoon.

Because of the unpredictable nature of the weather, you need to be flexible. One goal of the research project is to perform as much careful quarrying as possible. We try to take advantage of all the dry days as possible. There are other activities for rainy days!

A rugged tent that can take strong winds is a must. If your tent comes with the slender lightweight back packing "stakes," you will want to acquire sufficient heavy duty ones to stake your tent firmly to the ground. Bring a tarp or other ground cloth to go under your tent.

A warm sleeping bag with a trouble-free adequate mattress pad is important. You will want more than the ½ in insolite back packing pad. An inflatable mattress pad works well, but can be prone to leaks.

Pack your things in a duffle bag or other such container. It is suggested that the bottom be water proof so that if water does get into the bottom of your tent, your clothes, etc. will stay dry. Do not use plastic garbage bags to hold anything of value. It is too easy for things packed in garbage bags to be mistaken for the usual contents and discarded.

You will want to bring strong work clothes, blue jeans, etc. that can be worn in layers. Heavy hiking or work boots are not necessary, but you will want comfortable sports shoes. It is possible that you may be walking to the quarry in wet grass in the morning. There also may be the possibility of needing to do some work in mud. A sweatshirt can seem luxurious on cool windy mornings. Laundry is typically done once a week on Friday afternoons. Therefore you will need to bring a week plus a day or two supply.

While some shade is typically arranged for the quarry, you need to consider serious protection from the sun. It is very easy to develop a painful sunburn. Generally, long pants, a light long sleeve shirt, a hat, and a generous application of sun block (SPF 45 or higher) works well. Remember that you may be working in the sun most of the day.

You will need a canteen or heavy duty water bottle. You are expected to fill it each morning and carry it with you. Drinking water will be transported to the quarry each day for you to refill your supply when it is exhausted during the day. Near the quarry is a port-a-potty (the Bone Head) so there is no excuse to restrict your water intake.

You will need a day pack to carry your lunch, dry socks, sun block, camera, sun block, or whatever you need for the day. Quarry tools can be stored at the quarry site.

If you normally wear contact lens, consider wearing glasses for the duration. Glasses provide the eye protection that is required in the quarry and provides some protection against the wind driven dust. At the very least, glasses can be more comfortable in dusty conditions!

The area is marginal for cell phones. Typically you will need to walk to the top of a ridge from the campsite or the quarry site to get a reliable signal.

The quarry site is located about one mile from the camp site. The route is not rugged with a slow uphill section from the camp site, a fairly level section, and a slow descent to the quarry. You will generally walk this. A van or pickup also is driven out carrying equipment, water, etc. If there is room, then you may have it transport your pack.

Each participant will be assigned to a larger group for chores and camp responsibilities. Each day one group will be responsible for meals. This entails making and serving breakfast, putting out the lunch supplies so that each person can make up a sack lunch, and preparing the evening meal. For the evening meal, the group returns early from the quarry in order to shower and prepare the meal. The second group is reponsible for cleaning the camp facilities: floors, work areas, toilet facilities, burning and disposing of trash, etc. The third group is responsible for mrning and evening worships. Typically these are not lengthy, but may involve a single person from the group with a short lesson. The activities for the three groups are rotated daily so that everyone gets to participate in all the camp responsibilities.