Welcome to the Rio Hondo Prep Northern Arizona field camp web site. Our trek will take us across the Mojave Desert, and into Flagstaff, Arizona, our base camp for the week. Please read over this material carefully before we leave on the trip. This field guide will help familiarize you with the sites we will be seeing, as well as some general geologic principles you have forgotten since 9th grade science.

There will be an assignment due on the evening of the Monday that we leave to make sure you have read and understood this handout. You can do the assignment before we leave, during the bus trip to Flagstaff, or that evening.

Monday - Travel Day

We will be leaving at 8:00 AM. Make sure to arrive a little early to pack!

Stops on Monday will include a rest stop somewhere along I-40 for lunch (make sure to bring a lunch!)  We will arrive in Flagstaff at 6:00 PM or so. Dinner is at the Sizzler or other fine dining establishment (bring money for that, about $7.00).

We will be staying at a hotel in the Flagstaff area, so you won’t need sleeping bags.

Tuesday - Grand Canyon, Lava River Cave First stop is Lava River Cave, a lava tube located about 25 miles northwest of Flagstaff. Bring a sweathshirt - the average temperature in the cave is 40 degrees.  From there we travel to Tusayan for lunch at McDonalds. The Grand Canyon is the next stop. From there, we will be hiking down the Bright Angel Trail. You will need to wear good shoes for hiking. Vans are not considered good shoes. Lightweight hiking shoes or boots are best, followed by sturdy tennis shoes. The pace will be leisurely, and we won’t be going to the bottom. It is my opinion that everyone is in good enough shape to easily make this hike, so NO WHINING IS ALLOWED. The total distance of the hike will be about 3 miles, and will take 4-5 hours (I told you it would be leisurely).

Time permitting, we will stop at Red Mountain on the way back to Flagstaff. Red Mountain is a cinder cone whose insides have been exposed to reveal the structure of the volcano.

Wednesday, - Meteor Crater - Bowling Tourney - Sunset Crater A 1 hour bus ride will take us to Meteor Crater, the best preserved crater of its kind in the world. We will take a tour of the crater and visit the museum. After lunch, it's off to the 2nd annual Bowling Tournament. Strap on those nifty-looking bowling shoes and let's Bowl-A-Rama! After bowling, we will travel to Sunset Crater National Monument. We will be exploring the volcanic activity of the area. Again, hiking boots are recommended, as the lava is jagged in some places.

Thursday - Tuba City Dino Tracks, Coal Canyon A 1½ hour drive will take us to Tuba City. We will be looking at fossilized dinosaur tracks of Dilophosaurus (made famous in the film Jurassic Park, as the venom-spitting, weight-challenged-computer-programmer-killing dino). There have only been three skeletons of that dinosaur discovered (all in Arizona), and we will be looking at tracks made by that dinosaur.

After lunch, it's off into the wilds of Arizona to visit  Coalmine Canyon to explore and pick up some clam fossils. Coalmine Canyon is the "best kept secret in Arizona".

Friday, - Travel Day

Get ready for the long ride home. We’ll eat in Needles at about 12:00 noon. We will arrive at RHP at about 5:00 PM.

What to Bring (Student supplies) Geologic Notebooks ($10.00, pick up in school office the week before we leave) Writing utensils (pens or pencils OK) Backpack (school type, for carrying books, water on hikes) Camera (optional, but recommended for those Kodak moments, and for extra credit) Flashlight

What should I Wear?

The fall weather in northern Arizona is highly variable, but it probably will be comfortable most of the time. The average high temperature is 65-70 degrees (as high as 85, as low as 45); the low temperature averages between 30-40. At Meteor Crater, and at Tuba City, the temperature may approach 90; on the same note, the temperature at Lava River Cave will be between 35 and 45 degrees. 

As for rain, there is a 10% chance of showers or thunderstorms each during the later part of September (that means 9 out of 10 days it will be dry!). It is commonly very windy as well. Moral of the story: prepare for a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions!

If there is a spring field trip, the temperature is about the same as in the fall; highs will range from 60-70, lows 30-40. There is a smaller risk of rain in the spring than in the fall.

How Should I Pack?

Each student will be allowed 2 bags or 1 large suitcase. You can also carry on extra shoes/boots, and large jackets, as well as your back pack.

What is my Grade based on?

You will be given 14 assignments to complete both before we leave and after visiting sites along the way. These assignments will make up 70% of your grade. 30% of your grade will be based on attitude! This includes your behavior during tours, your desire to learn as much as possible (including asking questions during tours, etc.), and your general outlook of activities (remember the part about NO WHINING!).