OUTCROP
Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
OUTCROP
Newsletter
of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
730 17th Street, B1, Denver, CO 80202 • 720-672-9898
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) is a nonprofit organization whose purposes are to promote interest in geology and allied sciences and their practical application, to foster scientific research and to encourage fellowship and cooperation among its members. The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the RMAG.
2025 OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS RMAG STAFF
Matthew Bauer matthew.w.bauer.pg@gmail.com
PRESIDENT-ELECT Sandra Labrum slabrum@slb.com
1st VICE PRESIDENT
Nate La Fontaine nlafontaine@sm-energy.com
1st VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT Rachael Czechowskyj sea2stars@gmail.com
2nd VICE PRESIDENT Ali Sloan ali@sloanmail.com
2nd VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT Lisa Wolff lwolff@bayless-cos.com
SECRETARY Drew Scherer latirongeo@gmail.com
TREASURER
Astrid Makowitz astridmakowitz@gmail.com
TREASURER-ELECT
Walter Nelson wnelson@integratedenergyresources.com
COUNSELOR
John Benton jbenton@haitechinc.com
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The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Bridget Crowther bcrowther@rmag.org
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Danielle Robinson danielle.robinson@dvn.com
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Elijah Adeniyi eadeniyi@slb.com
Nate LaFontaine nlafontaine@sm-energy.com
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OUTCROP
FEATURES
2025 RMAG Summit Sponsorship Packet
Lead Story: Our Beloved Red Rocks, A Vertical Journey through the Chugwater
ASSOCIATION NEWS
RMAG Summit Sponsors
RMAG Networking Events
RMAG Family Hike
RMAG Golf Tournament
2025 On-The-Rocks Field Trips
RMAG Coffee Hour
RMAG Happy Hour
RMAG Short Course: Advances And Caveats In Oil-Prone Source Rock Geochemistry Based On Pyrolysis
RMS APPG Annual Meeting
2025 Recipient of the K-12 Earth and Environmental Science Teacher of the Year Awards
DEPARTMENTS
COVER PHOTO
Early Triassic fluvial deposits in the upper Red Peak Formation of the Chugwater Group are well exposed along the Red Wall of central WY. This unit preserves a diverse track and trace fossil assemblage that offers a glimpse of post-Permian extinction biotic recovery. Photo by Steve Lovelace.
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COMMUNITY CONTACTS IN 2024YOUR SUMMIT SPONSORSHIP DOLLARS SUPPORTED: 1,200 1,200 8,000 8,000 5,000 4,000 23 13 10
October 30, 2024
Geoscience Community:
We sincerely appreciate the support every Summit Sponsor and Event Sponsor provided over the past year. Your contributions are vital to the success of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG).
In 2024, the RMAG was proud to host a dynamic lineup of events, including the CCS Workshop, which provided an in-depth look at advancements in carbon capture and storage. Members explored the beauty and geological wonders of the Colorado Rockies with ten diverse field trips and shared our passion for geoscience with students across the region through classroom visits and community festivals. Additionally, we fostered connections among members through monthly lunches, coffees, happy hours, and our annual Golf Tournament.
Looking ahead to 2025, we are excited about new opportunities for RMAG. Your sponsorship will help RMAG realize a robust calendar of continuing education opportunities, an exciting season of field trips, high-impact short courses, and a dynamic lineup of luncheon speakers. In April 2025, we look forward to the North American Helium & Hydrogen Conference, building on the success of our 2023 North American Helium Conference. Your sponsorship empowers RMAG members to impact the next generation at outreach events throughout the community and provides invaluable networking opportunities for the geoscience community. Furthermore, your financial support plays a crucial role in our publication efforts, which include the monthly Outcrop newsletter and the quarterly Mountain Geologist journal.
In recognition of your financial commitment to supporting geoscience in the region we recognize our sponsors through in-person signage, advertising on our website, publications, and social media promotions leading up to each event. With a LinkedIn group of almost 3,000 members, we ensure our sponsors are visible to the geoscience community for both virtual and in-person events.
Thank you to our current Summit Sponsors; we look forward to your continued support in 2025. For those considering sponsoring, we encourage you to explore the many benefits included at each sponsorship level and consider how you can promote geoscience in the Rockies. If an annual sponsorship doesn’t suit your company’s needs or if you wish to sponsor a specific event, please inquire about our single-event sponsorship opportunities. Feel free to reach out to our staff with any questions about sponsorship at bcrowther@rmag.org or by phone at 720- 672-9898 ext. 102.
On behalf of the RMAG staff, volunteers, and myself thank you all for your continued support, and we look forward to connecting with you in 2025.
Sincerely,
Matthew Bauer
Bridget Crowther 2025 RMAG President RMAG Executive Director
RMAG 2025 SUMMIT SPONSORSHIP
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RMAG JULY 2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
By Drew Scherer, Secretary flatirongeo@gmail.com
The RMAG Board met virtually on July 16, with all but two members in attendance. While summer often brings a seasonal slowdown, June was an active month across the organization, with six events hosted by various committees. Attendance dipped slightly, as expected during the warmer months, but energy remained high, especially at our Pride Outreach event, which saw an excellent turnout and strong community engagement. We were also pleased to welcome ten new members, a reminder that RMAG continues to grow and attract new voices.
On the financial front, the board received encouraging news. A substantial net revenue gain in June helped offset ongoing expenses and further strengthened our financial standing. To build on this momentum, the Finance Committee is meeting with a financial planner who specializes in nonprofit
organizations to explore new strategies for portfolio diversification. These conversations will help ensure RMAG remains fiscally secure and well-positioned for the future.
Programming efforts continue to take shape for the rest of the year. The Continuing Education Committee has organized luncheons through December and is collaborating with RMS-AAPG and local universities to host an “Energy in the Rockies” career fair ahead of the RMS-AAPG section meeting. Preparations are also underway for a two-day Geochemistry course taught by Mike Lewan, scheduled for September 22 and 23.
Membership engagement remains a key priority. June Coffee and Happy Hour events were well received, even as our summer hiking series saw lower turnout, likely due to the hot weather. The Golf Tournament is nearly full, with strong sponsor participation and a few remaining player slots. Members are encouraged to reach out if they know of companies that may be interested in sponsoring what continues to be one of our most anticipated annual events.
The Publications Committee is curating a lineup of articles for the remainder of the year, including contributions based on recent conferences and field trips. Although the Geoscience Outreach Committee did not hold a July meeting, the On the Rocks Committee is moving ahead with two exciting field excursions in August: a tour of the USGS Core and Ice Core Libraries on August 15, followed by a Salida to Cañon City transect August 22 and 23.
As we move through the heart of summer, RMAG remains focused on offering value to our members, advancing geoscience education, and strengthening our community. Thank you for being a part of that continued momentum.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
By Matthew Bauer
Dear Fellow Members,
As summer reaches its peak across the Rockies, I want to take a moment to reflect on the season and share a few updates from the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists.
Summer is often a time of fieldwork, exploration, and reconnection with the landscapes that inspire our profession. Whether you’ve been mapping formations, analyzing data, mentoring students, or simply taking time to recharge with family and friends, we hope this season has brought both fulfillment and rest.
Here at RMAG, we’ve remained active behind the scenes. Our committees have been hard at work planning fall events, technical sessions, and publications that reflect the evolving needs and interests of our geoscience community. We’re especially excited about upcoming opportunities to connect at our regular lunch
lectures, coffee hours, and happy hours. This month, we also hope to see you at:
• The RMAG Golf Tournament – August 13
• A tour of the NSF Ice Core Facility – August 15
• The Pedals & Peaks outing – August 16
We encourage you to stay engaged — contribute to The Outcrop, volunteer with a committee, or consider presenting your latest work in The Mountain Geologist. Your shared expertise and involvement are what make RMAG a thriving hub of geological knowledge in the Rockies.
On behalf of the RMAG board and staff, thank you for your continued support. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we look forward to seeing you at an event soon.
Stay curious & be good to people,
Matthew W. Bauer, PG
OUR BELOVED RED ROCKS A VERTICAL JOURNEY THROUGH THE CHUGWATER
BY DAVE LOVELACE, dlovelace@wisc.edu
University of Wisconsin Geology Museum, 1215 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706
IGREW UP IN CENTRAL WYOMING
where I spent much of my youth tromping across the prairies of the Powder River Basin. Places like Arminto, Red Wall, 33 Mile Road, Grey Wall, and Hole in the Wall became familiar haunts. Although I loved observing nature, at the time I never would have claimed I was a birder like my folks. While they had their eyes to the sky scoping birds of all flavors, my eyes were trained to the ground looking for scraps of antelope or rabbit bones and cool looking stones. Despite my ‘backyard’ experiences with stones and bones, my path to academia was *clears throat*… non-traditional. During my pre-college days I developed a passion for wilderness medicine as a search and rescue volunteer in Colorado, trained as a diesel mechanic in Laramie, and like many Wyomingites, ended up in industry. I worked on a seismic crew as a doodlebugger, a vibroseis mechanic, a lead vibe-op, and ultimately as a junior observer on surveys throughout Wyoming before the company birddogs opened my eyes to the joys of more academic pursuits.
Catching the geology bug didn’t take long. I had a good deal of experiences throughout the Rockies, but nothing to really tie them together until about midway through my introductory geology course. All of a
sudden, it all clicked and this 4D world just exploded into reality around me - you know that first moment you can mentally see the structure form like a geologic-replay. I may have inadvertently made a noise like Neo in the Matrix; it truly was my “whoa” moment. Then my professor really blew my mind (Thanks Dr. Sundell!). Not only were there all these amazing stories written in stone waiting to be read, but there were bones in them too! Really old bones! It had all come full circle to my childhood passion of finding bones and stones. While I may have gone a little ‘dinosaur’ crazy for a hot minute, it was the rocks that kept me… well, grounded. It wasn’t until I left for my doctoral program in Wisconsin that I developed an (un?)healthy appreciation for the Chugwater Group of Wyoming. Apparently, all that time along the Red Wall playing among the unmistakable gently dipping red bed exposures along the flank of the southern Bighorn Mountains had planted the seeds of geological curiosity.
Academically, the Chugwater was forbidden fruit – at the time there were no significant source or reservoir rock for petroleum prospects, there were no fossils to speak of, and it was even rumored to be the place grad students were sent to do research as a form of cruel and unusual punishment if they upset
their advisors. I had to have a taste.
The Chugwater Group, especially the lower portion (the Red Peak Formation) was not known as the ‘Big Red Dead’ for nothing. In 2009, the only known vertebrate fossil material was one small track and some purported animal-made tool marks reported in 1948 and 1978 respectively. It was the barest hint of ancient life in the Red Peak that begged the question, “What is going on with this red-bedded
stepchild of Rocky Mountain Triassic stratigraphy?”
Three summers of prospecting and measuring sections along the Red Wall (with my dad as field hand extraordinaire) turned up an array of thousands of vertebrate (and invertebrate) tracks and traces belying a relatively diverse fauna, including the oldest known turtle tracks in the world (Lovelace and Lovelace, 2012). But even after all of that, nary a bone was to be found. However, this demonstrated that
FIGURE 1: Eastward view along the western Red Wall displaying the prominent exposures of Red Peak Formation and the Alcova Limestone (lower Chugwater Group), central Wyoming.
the upper Red Peak was not near-shore marine or tidal flats as long proposed, but a fully terrestrial fluvial-lacustrine system - albeit an unusual one, and it supported a diverse fauna. That question ‘why is there no bone?’ remains unresolved. Extremely high sedimentation rates? Bone simply oxidized too fast to become preserved? Regardless, there is definitely more work to be done to solve that particular problem.
The results from the Red Peak were tantalizing but somewhat frustrating and were confounded by the overlying Alcova Limestone whose origin has been argued to be marine by several researchers, or lacustrine by others. Strontium isotope geochemistry was leveraged to test the competing hypotheses; spoiler alert - It’s marine. Moreover, due to the strong fluctuation of marine strontium values in the wake of End Permian extinction, an age of ca. 248 Ma, roughly the Early–Middle Triassic boundary was established (Lovelace and Doebert, 2014).
Then in 2009, serendipity struck. The field team was collecting samples for strontium analyses (myself and two undergraduate students) and was camped in the Cottonwood Beach Campground (Alcova Reservoir) at a site located on a microconglomerate facies of the upper Jelm Formation about 30 m above the Alcova. While we were cooking dinner, one of the students handed me a few tiny modern mammal bones to identify, and among that pile of rabbit remains was a single archosaur (croc & dino-line critters) vertebrae about the size of your last pinky digit. Mind. Blown. It was
FIGURE 2: Surface expression of Triassic Outcrops of the Rocky Mountain region. The Chugwater basin (pink) extends north of the Ancestral Uncompahgre Highlands and Frontrangia. RW=Red Wall; L=Lander, WY.
stark white and clearly infilled with fine red sandstone. After a few hours of prospecting (subsequent visits occurred over the years) a number of rounded bone clasts had been recovered; a few of them were really weird. They had a few rows of teeth running down their length - turns out they are part of the upper and lower tooth-bearing skull bones of a small archosauromorph called a rhynchosaur. Although
15 AUGUST
16 AUGUST
NSF ICE CORE FACILITY & THE USGS CORE RESEARCH CENTER
Join RMAG for a tour of the NSF Ice Core Facility and the USGS Core Research Facility
We’ll see how the cores are stored, discuss the collection and even examine a core before an optional lunch
PEDALS & PEAKS
This moderate to challenging mountain biking trail will take you through stunning terrain nestled against the Grand Hogback, offering a unique opportunity to explore the region's fascinating sedimentary geology. As you ride, we'll discuss key formations such as the Wasatch, Williams Fork, Mancos, and Morrison-Entrada, along with the structural features and basin history of the area
22-23 AUGUST
SALIDA TO CAÑON CITY TRANSECT
Salida-based geologist Tom Karnuta will guide us through the jaw-dropping geology between Salida and Cañon City We will see Pleistocene terraces, mid-Tertiary volcanic rocks, Paleozoic strata from Pennsylvanian Sangre de Cristo Formation down to the Ordovician Manitou Dolomite (resting unconformably on Precambrian rocks), and Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks ranging in age up to 1 7-1 8 billion years old
6 SEPTEMBER
PENNSYLVANIAN-PERMIAN EOLIAN/FLUVIAL SYSTEM ALONG THE NORTHERN COLORADO FRONT RANGE: PART II
Part II will explore the northern reaches of the Permian system along the northern Colorado Front Range. See where the Ingleside formation meets the sea,the Lyons meets its end , and the Lykins gets salty Lots to see from high frequency climate-eustatic induced cyclicity, excellent reservoir and seal rocks, and plenty of fluvial , eolian and marine clastics and carbonates
19-21
SEPTEMBER
OURAY - SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS
Examine the region’s fascinating geologic history, covering everything from Paleozoic to Cenozoic stratigraphy, Laramide to Oligocene volcanism, striking unconformities, and Pleistocene glaciation to its famous hot springs all set against the stunning backdrop of late September’s vibrant fall foliage.
PICKETWIRE DINOSAUR TRACKWAY
4-5 OCTOBER
18 OCTOBER
Located in the Comanche Grasslands along the Purgatoire River, this tracksite ("Dinosaur Lake") is considered the largest continuously mapped dinosaur fossil footprint assemblage known in the Jurassic Morrison formation and contains some of the world's longest trackways.
PUEBLO CRETACEOUS FIELD TRIP
This field trip will examine classic exposures of Middle to Upper Cretaceous strata west of Pueblo, Colorado We will investigate outstanding outcrops of the Graneros, Greenhorn, Carlile, and Niobrara formations
Dates subject to change View website for additional info
FIGURE 3: The upper tooth-bearing elements of a hyperodapedontine rhynchosaur collected between 2009 and 2018 (A & B). The 3D reconstruction (top) gives an idea of what the animal would have look like. B&W images in B are cross sections from micro-CT analysis.
FIGURE 4: (above) In 2013 a phytosaur skull was found by UWGM undergraduates during our first Triassic field season. Excavation (upper two photos) and preparation (bottom left) led to the recovery of a complete Parasuchus sp. skull (center). A 3D print of the skull was used during the 2022 field trip with Wind River Reservation tribal students (bottom right).
FIGURE 5: (left) In 2013 several elements, including the upper part of the upper leg bone (femoral head) and an ankle bone (astragalus) were found in Late Triassic rocks exposed in an erosional window in Paleocene to Eocene basinfill deposits of the Wind River Basin.
these were super exciting, there were stratigraphic sections to measure, a dissertation to write, and a career and family to start. So. the bones were set aside to study later down the line.
Fast forward a couple of years. As fun as the strata of the Jelm might be to work in, the University of Wisconsin Geology Museum (UWGM) was focused on building a program to provide undergraduates with opportunities to do vertebrate paleontology related research and fieldwork. The only known terrestrial formation to bear Triassic–aged vertebrates body fossils within the Chugwater Group was the Popo Agie formation overlying the Jelm. Side note: the Popo Agie Formation has a bit of notoriety in the Triassic world - a number of vertebrate fossils were excavated in the early 1900’s near Lander, Wyoming, mostly metoposaur (giant amphibians) and croc-like phytosaur skulls; however, it was viewed as “largely unproductive and too difficult to work” (which, is
FIGURE 6:
More than 85 Pringlecan-like burrows were collected from the uppermost Jelm Formation near Dubois, WY. In plan view dozens of circular burrow tops are visible in A, and B shows a burrow that has eroded out of the fluvial sandstone that hosted it. Over half of the burrows contained skeletal remains, such as the paratype of Ninumbeehan (C: colored skull is from analyzed micro-CT data).
tantamount to a double dog dare to me). Only three new specimens were discovered in the Popo Agie between 1928 and 2013 (the first field season of my new research program). As far as first field seasons of a nascent career go, 2013 was not too shabby. The UWGM undergraduate field crew spent a great deal of that season finding scraps of bone - enough to know we were on the right track, but nothing significant. Until there was.
Google Earth has been an instrumental part of planning fieldwork for many of us in the geosciences. When a forest fire in Sinks Canyon forced a change of plans it was GE’s readily available satellite imagery that came to the rescue. There on the screen was a tiny outcrop of Popo Agie exposed in a fenester or ‘window’ of unconformable Triassic paleotopography surrounded by a veritable sea of Eocene basin-fill, so it was added to the “potential sites to visit” list. Ten days later the UWGM visited that ‘window’
FIGURE 7: (above) Reconstruction of Beesiiwo cooowuse (copyright, Gabrial Ugueto). Pronounced “beh -see -eh -wa(t)” “jaw -ah -woo -sah”, which translates to the ‘big reptile from Alcova’ in Arapaho. Fitch et al., 2023.
FIGURE 8: (below) Reconstruction of Ninumbeehan dookoodukah (copyright, Gabrial Ugueto). Pronounced “nin -nim -bee -han” “doo -coo -doo -ca”, which translates to the ‘the Little People’s pet [also flesh-eater]’ in Shoshone. So et al., 2024.
and found many scraps of weathered out bones belonging to phytosaurs and metoposaurs - just enough to keep us going. However, near the far end of the exposure, Garrett Johnson, a UWGM undergraduate, had collected a handful of fragmentary bones. Among that pile was a fragment about the size of the last digit of your thumb with some obvious morphology. It was readily identifiable as the upper portion of an upper leg bone - a femoral head. Moreover, it had all the features one would expect to be present in dinosaurs. Words will never capture that moment. Suffice it to say we knew we had something pretty damn special. It probably goes without saying, but we prospected the @#$% out of that hill. Three different field excursions (2013-2015) came up with a dozen or so bone fragments that almost certainly belonged to our little dino, including an astragalus, one of the two ankle bones (also quickly identified as
belonging to a small dinosaur). This site was dubbed Garrett’s Surprise. In 2015 we found another femoral head, but this one belonging to a silesaurid, a group that has recently been argued to be early diverging ornithischian dinosaurs. Although this shows there was likely more than one early dinosaur in the Popo Agie, it also confounded the additional specimens found (like vertebrae and claws, and other limb bones) which are virtually identical between these two clades of dinosaurs—so we have no idea which bone belongs to which animal, just that they are ‘dinosauriform’ bones.
Prior to these discoveries we (and others) had tentatively proposed that the Popo Agie Formation was older than the basal member (Shinarump) of the much more famous Late Triassic Chinle Formation of Arizona and New Mexico (dated to ca. 222-223 Ma). Our first major support for this claim came with
FIGURE 9: Reconstruction of Ahvaytum bahndooiveche (copyright, Gabrial Ugueto). Pronounced “ah -vay -tum” “bon -dewy -vee -chee”, which translates to the ‘long ago dinosaur’ in Shoshone. Lovelace et al., 2025.
the publication of the rhynchosaur Beesiiwo cooowuse (Fitch et al., 2022), based on material collected from Alcova in 2009. Regardless of the ultimate age of the Popo Agie, this was absolutely the oldest dinosaur in Wyoming, and likely the oldest dinosaur in North America, putting it on par with the oldest dinosaurs in the world. If so, it would overthrow a long-standing hypothesis that dinosaurs originated in the southern hemisphere roughly 10 million years before they made their way north of the paleoequator. A BFD in the dino-nerd world.
Even after documenting and then exhausting the hill of its fragmentary remains, the bone-bearing interval remains elusive at Garrett’s Surprise. Coincidentally, it was also during the 2013 field season that the first bone fragments were found in localities that would later yield two different mass mortality beds, one containing a metoposaurid assemblage (Kufner et al., 2025), and one containing hundreds of small Pringle-can-like burrows with the remains of a tiny estivating amphibian (So et al., 2024). Finally, and apropos of classic #lastdayinthefield stories, a complete phytosaur skull (the first since 1960) was discovered, uncovered, and removed in the final 24 hours of the 2013 field season.
The UWGM field crews continued to prospect outcrops of Popo Agie while excavating the mass mortality beds between 2015-2019, while trying to simultaneously collect data to solve another geological problem: quantitative age constraints were needed to support regional and global chronostratigraphic correlations - something that had not been previously attempted. Without the larger temporal and environmental context it would be virtually
FIGURE 10: (opposite) Temporal constraints of Chugwater Group strata have helped to establish the chronostratigraphic context of the Alcova Limestone and the Popo Agie Formation (A & B). Radioisotopic data place the Popo Agie within the Carnian (~237-227 Ma; C), equivalent to the oldest dinosaurbearing faunas of the world. Strontium analyses (D) constrain the Alcova Limestone to the Early to Middle Triassic boundary. See Lovelace and Doebbert, 2015, and Lovelace et al., 2025.
impossible (or largely meaningless) to compare Popo Agie faunas with other Late Triassic faunas from around the world. During this time stratigraphic sections were measured, paleosols were studied, and samples for detrital zircon analyses were collected. Then the one-two punch of the COVID-19 pandemic coupled to a national focus on social justice hit hard. Our museum, like many across the world, was largely shuttered for more than a year due to the pandemic - most of our work became remote, but it gave the necessary time to finally pull everything together. It was during this remote work that my lab began a partnership (ongoing) with the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribal Historic Preservation Office(s) of the Wind River Reservation. Our Native partners (including Tribal middle school students, Elders, and educators) have been involved in the naming of each of our new taxa from the Popo Agie; they are also co-authors on each of the papers and are a part of our research team.
Initial LA-ICMPS ages were determined from 5 Popo Agie samples, 3 of which provided nice youngest age populations. The combined detrital data was compared with other regional datasets which showed that the majority of Popo Agie sediments were derived from the eroding highlands of the Ancestral Rockies and that they were among the first major pulse of terrestrial deposition in the Late Triassic of the western USA around ~229 Ma with a ~+/-5ma error (Lovelace et al., 2024). Further stratigraphic work published in Mountain Geologist (Deckman et al., 2025) demonstrated that the Jelm and Popo Agie formations represent terrestrial deposits within a distributed fluvial system. Taken together, the depositional environments, provenance, and detrital ages support a depositional age
significantly older than the lowermost Late Triassic Chinle Formation deposits (and its Dockum Group correlates) from the Rocky Mountain west.
The three detrital zircon youngest-age populations were further analysed via CA-ID-TIMS for greater temporal resolution. These stratigraphically stacked samples yielded ages of 229.0 Ma (lowest), 227.8 Ma (middle), and 227.5 Ma (upper) with an error around 0.24 Ma; this solidified the hypothesis that the upper Popo Agie was deposited in the late Carnian. Age-depth modeling suggests the base of the formation is around 231 Ma, and the stratigraphic interval the dinosaur came from was around 230 Ma. A track from lower in section (top of the Jelm Formation) shows that dinosaur-like animals were present even earlier. The combination of these data unambiguously shows that dinosaurs and their closest relatives were present in the northern hemisphere nearly 10 million years before the next oldest dinosaur north of the Pangean equator; although our stratigraphic work (mentioned above) suggests that a different dino from the lowest Dockum (Lepidus) is only a few million years younger than our new dinosaur Ahvaytum bahndooiveechee (Lovelace et al., 2025). The presence of at least two dinosaurs around 230 Ma from the Popo Agie rejected a decades–old hypothesis that dinosaurs originated in the southern hemisphere of Pangea.
Considering the cosmopolitan distribution of dinosaurs around 230 million years ago, this suggests a more complex origin story than previously recognized. Ongoing fieldwork and study of unpublished specimens collected by our undergraduate-dominated field crews continues to improve our understanding of ancient ecosystems, floras, and faunas during the dawn of the dinosaurs in the northern hemisphere. In the end, given that birds are the direct descendants of saurischian dinosaurs, I suppose
I am a ‘birder’ after all. Who could have guessed that all the time my folks were looking to the sky for our fine feathered friends, I was developing fundamental skills for a career looking to the ground for clues about their ancestors and the environments they inhabited?
REFERENCES
Deckman, M.E., Lovelace, D.M., and Holland, S.M., 2024, A Reinterpretation of the Jelm and Popo Agie Formations (Triassic, Wyoming) as a Distributive Fluvial System (DFS) and the Role of the Accommodation/Sedimentation Ratio in DFS Deposition: v. 61. doi: 10.31582/ rmag.mg.61.3.219
Fitch, A.J., Haas, M., C’Hair, W., Ridgley, E., Ridgley, B., Oldman, D., Reynolds, C., and Lovelace, D.M., 2023, A New Rhynchosaur Taxon from the Popo Agie Formation, WY: Implications for a Northern Pangean Early-Late Triassic (Carnian) Fauna: Diversity, v. 15, p. 544, doi:10.3390/d15040544
Kufner, A.M., Deckman, M.E., Miller, H.R., So, C., Price, B.R., and Lovelace, D.M., 2025, A new metoposaurid (Temnospondyli) bonebed from the lower Popo Agie Formation (Carnian, Triassic) and an assessment of skeletal sorting: PLOS ONE, v. 20, p. e0317325, doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0317325
Lovelace, D.M., and Doebbert, A.C., 2015, A new age constraint for the Early Triassic Alcova Limestone (Chugwater Group), Wyoming: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 424, p. 1–5, doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.02.009
Lovelace, D.M., and Lovelace, S.D., 2012, Paleoenvironments and paleoecology of a lower Triassic invertebrate and vertebrate ichnoassemblage from the Red Peak Formation (Chugwater Group), central Wyoming: PALAIOS, v. 27, p. 636–657, doi: 10.2110/palo.2012. p12-011r
Lovelace, D.M., Fitch, A.J., Schwartz, D., and Schmitz, M., 2024, Concurrence of Late Triassic lithostratigraphic, radioisotopic, and biostratigraphic data support a Carnian age for the Popo Agie Formation (Chugwater Group), Wyoming, USA: Geological Society of America Bulletin, doi:10.1130/B36807.1 .
Lovelace, D.M., Kufner, A.M., Fitch, A.J., Curry Rogers, K., Schmitz, M., Schwartz, D.M., LeClair-Diaz, A., St.Clair, L., Mann, J., and Teran, R., 2025, Rethinking dinosaur origins: oldest known equatorial dinosaur-bearing assemblage (mid-late Carnian Popo Agie FM, Wyoming, USA): Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, v. 203, p. zlae153, doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae153
So, C. et al., 2024, Fossil amphibian offers insights into the interplay between monsoons and amphibian evolution in palaeoequatorial Late Triassic systems: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, v. 291, p. 20241041, doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1041
Speaker: David Hume
Date: August 6, 2025 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
The Deep-Water Andaman, Mahanadi, and Bengal Basins
Three Frontier Areas with Massive Exploration Potential on the East Coast of India
Presenter: David Hume, University of Houston
Offshore India has historically been an unattractive destination for international companies. Consequently, high-value prospective basins were often ignored and mostly remain undrilled. Recently, changes to oil and gas policies and streamlined regulations have eliminated many restrictions that previously
limited foreign investment.
Three of these basins are the Andaman, Mahanadi, and Bengal. The UH/DGH Center for Petroleum Exploration was established in May 2023 through a partnership with the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons of India. Its mandate is threefold:
SHORT COURSE:
Update your thinking, interpretations, and modeling of oil-prone source rocks in your petroleum system, play, or prospect.
In this class explore updated interpretations, encourage open discussion, and highlight the evolving understanding of oil generation and expulsion.
September 22 and 23, 2025
8am to 4pm
1. To collect, clean, and categorize publicly available data for these basins. This includes over five terabytes of seismic data, well data, and reports accumulated over the past several decades by companies and government agencies.
2. Create a data room on the U of H campus for interested E&P companies to review the data.
3. Permit students and faculty to utilize the data for research on the petroleum potential of these basins.
The three basins are situated in two different geological settings. The Andaman Basin is located on the eastern Bay of Bengal, around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which fall under Indian jurisdiction. This basin lies along the boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates and experiences subduction and lateral tectonic movements. Consequently, it features a series of subbasins with thick sediment layers and complex structures that could contain large traps. Only 20 wells have been drilled across 660,000 km², resulting in just one minor discovery. However, in the past two years, Harbour Energy and Mubadala Petroleum made two significant gas discoveries at Timpan and Layaran in
an extension of the Andaman Basin within Indonesian waters.
The Mahanadi and Bengal basins are passive margin basins along the northeastern coast of the Indian subcontinent near Bangladesh. These basins have a history of shallow water exploration, and two fields are currently being developed. Like the Andaman basin, the deep-water parts of these basins are almost entirely undrilled. In these regions, reservoirs consist of clastics and carbonates deposited in shallow to deep marine shelf and shelfslope environments. Seismic imaging shows numerous channels, slope fans, and carbonate build-ups. Traps are both structural and stratigraphic. Recently, ONGC announced two deep-water gas discoveries in the Mahanadi Basin, located within Pliocene-aged channels.
Although these areas are traditionally seen as mainly gas-rich, recent research suggests they may also contain oil-rich, mature Cretaceous source rocks, especially in the Mahanadi Basin. With the size of the reservoirs and the possibility of both stratigraphic and structural traps, these basins could easily host the next supergiant deepwater discoveries globally.
DAVID HUME is a Business Development Specialist and Geoscience Advisor, as well as a part-time faculty member at the University of Houston. He plays a key role in shaping the strategic direction of upstream energy and carbon capture projects. He has core skills in senior project management, establishing strategic partnerships, developing revenue-boosting strategies, and conducting applied research. His success comes from a collaborative approach that combines geoscience expertise with innovative business development practices.
As a former president of Integrated Reservoir Solutions at Core Lab and Vice President of Canadian Discovery, he has led and carried out hundreds of geological studies worldwide. His career focuses on a relentless pursuit of operational excellence and sustainable growth. Collaborative leadership and insightful geoscience advice have underpinned his achievements, leading to improved efficiency and a strong dedication to technological advancement. This mission continues to drive him to the forefront of the energy industry.
General Chairs
Preston Kerr & Josh Sigler
Technical Program Chair
Justin E. Birdwell
Learn More
PROPOSED TECHNICAL PROGRAM
Rocky Mountain Petroleum Systems: Denver-Julesburg, Paradox, Piceance, San Juan, Uinta, Williston, etc.
The Mowry Shale in Wyoming Geothermal Resources in the West
Natural Hydrogen & Helium Geologic Aspects of Carbon Storage Exploration & Regional Mapping Geochemistry & Mineralogy Posters with Core Displays & More
DEADLINE AUGUST 15, 2025
SUMBIT AT: HTTPS://SITES.GOOGLE.COM/VIEW/2025-RMS-AAPG-MEETING/HOME
Speaker: Rachel Williams
Date: September 10, 2025 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Constraining fracture stratigraphy in grain-rich mixed carbonate slope deposits for subsurface applications
Presenter: Rachel Williams, Colorado School of Mines
Outcrop studies are essential for characterizing fractured carbonate systems, as they provide the most comprehensive understanding of how vertical and lateral facies variability and associated diagenetic processes affect fracture size and fracture network
The Pinery Member of the Permian-aged Bell Canyon Formation, located on the toe-of-slope of the Capitan Reef system in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas, contains various architectural elements that are well exposed for fracture-stratigraphy character
FIELD TRIPS
From Canada to trinidad, these trips will rock your brain!
April 25 - Day Trip Through Colorado's Collections. A day behind the scenes at Dinosaur Ridge, Morrison Natural History Museum, and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
May 17 - Day Trip to Red Rock Canyon. A geology-focused hike through Red Rock Canyon in Colorado Springs. Trip will be led by Dr. Louis Taylor.
June 6-8 - Green River Fish Dig. We partner with Fossil Lake Safari in Kemmerer for a full day dig, and exploration & guest speaker at Fossil Butte National Monument.
September 9-14 - Alberta Badlands. Dr. Robert Raynolds will lead this exploration of Alberta's dinosaur badlands! Only a couple of spots remain, sign up TODAY!
October 11-12 - A Trip to the End of an Era. We'll travel south to the Paint Mines and Trinidad, Colorado to see the K/Pg boundary, the dinosaur extinction line. Led by Dr. Louis Taylor. register today! member discounts available!
diagenesis to fracture network enhancement, the original depositional controls on burial-fracture-network development remain poorly constrained. This study describes the fracture stratigraphy along depositional strike and dip in the grainstone and rudstone-dominated Pinery Member. In the proximal toe-of-slope setting, upslope-shingling carbonate debris-flow deposits exhibit compensational stacking with downslope-dipping carbonate turbidite complexes, while the distal toe-of-slope is organized into a poorly-confined interbedded grainstone debrite and turbidite complex.
Most fractures are interpreted as Mode I open fractures that form orthogonal sets and are oriented with regional tectonic trends. Mineralized fractures are rarely observed in the heavily weathered outcrop faces and follow the same orientation trends as Mode I fractures. Fracture heights range from 0.01 m to 12 m, are characterized by an exponential distribution, and are constrained by a combination of bed thickness and stratal architecture, vertical facies stacking patterns, and tectonic overprint. Bed-bound and intra-bed fractures are more evident in thin to medium-bedded grainstone turbidites on the distal toe-of-slope, and increasing fracture heights exhibit a weak positive correlation with increasing bed thickness. Fracture heights also exhibit a weak positive correlation with increasing grain content (Dunham texture). The smallest fracture heights (up to 0.6 m) are associated with mud-rich turbidite caps
and debrites, and larger fracture heights (up to 6.0 m) are associated with stacked and backfilling medium to very thick-bedded grainstone and rudstone debrites and turbidites. The largest fracture heights (> 6.0 m) are associated with tectonic overprint from Basin and Range extension and are more prevalent in the thicker proximal toe-of-slope rudstone complexes. There is no correlation between fracture height and grain size.
From sedimentological and fracture observations in the field, we postulate that (i) mud-rich carbonate facies at the caps of grain-rich turbidites or in off-axis deposits are mechanical boundaries, (ii) tabular turbidite and debrite architectures promote the development of shorter bed-bound fractures, particularly in the distal toe-of-slope setting, (iii) thick, massive debrite complexes promote taller bed-bound fractures in the proximal toe-of-slope setting, and (iv) thick, vertically stacked geometries with similar grain content promote taller throughgoing fractures through the processes of burial and/or tectonic activity. Geomechanical testing on these toe-of-slope facies is the focus of future efforts to constrain the depositional controls on rock strength.
Results of this study have implications for predicting facies- and tectonics-controlled fracture network geometry in subsurface applications for oil and gas reservoirs, carbon storage, enhanced geothermal, and groundwater reservoir characterization.
RACHEL AISNER WILLIAMS is currently a Geology Ph.D Candidate at the Colorado School of Mines, working on an integrated sed/strat, geomechanics, fracture (fracture stratigraphy) and data analytics thesis in Permian-aged mixed carbonate and siliciclastic slope deposits in the Guadalupe Mountains, USA. The goal of this research is to determine if depositional stratal geometries on the slope affect fracture size, spacing, and intensity for subsurface characterization applications. Williams' career goal is to apply her interdisciplinary technical background to subsurface characterization projects in an industry, consulting, or research role in the low carbon energy space or oil and gas upon graduation in 2026.
D eta ile d a nd ac c ura te g eo lo gy at yo u r fin g ertip s in Pe tra , Ge o Grap h ix, A rc GIS , A cc u Map , ge o S C OU T an d o th er d ig ital ma p pin g a p plica tion s
We ste rn USA
Geol ogi cal Edge Set
Ene rgy Al te rnati ve s & Cri ti cal Mine ral s - USA
We ste rn Cana da Geol ogi cal Edge Set
Ene rgy Al te rnati ve s & Cri ti cal Mine ral s - Ca nada
Ea ste rn USA & Ea st ern Ca nada
Geol ogi cal Edge Set
Cent ral USA
Geol ogi cal Edge Set
Me xi co
Geol ogi cal Edge Set
Map la ye rs p rov ided in s ha pe file fo rma t fo r ea sy impor t into a ll ma ppin g app lic at ions .
De liv er ab le s inc lude : f orma tion limits , o utc ro ps, su bc rop e dge s , O &G fie ld s, st ruc tu ra l eleme nt s, re ef s, sh ore lin es , c ha nne ls, pro duc tion f airw a ys , s ha le ga s tr en ds, st ru ct ure con tou rs , iso pa chs , g en era l cult ure , r ene w able & no n-r en ew ab le ene rg y pr ojec ts , min era l dep os it s, mine s, Pet ra T he mat ic Ma p pro je ct s, G eoG ra phix G e oA tla s pro je c ts , Ar cG IS M XD a nd La y er f ile s, re giona l c ro ss -s ec tion s, an d full te ch nica l s upp ort .
For mo re inf orma tio n: Joe l H a rding at + 1 4 03 87 0 8 12 2 joe lha rding@ g eoe dg es .c om ww w.ge oe dge s.c om
AUGUST 9, 2025
RMAG Family Hike Series: Caribou Ranch Open Space
IN THE PIPELINE
9:00 am - 11:00 am; CR-Peezo House At, 144 Co Rd 126 #86, Nederland, CO
AUGUST 13, 2025
2025 Annual RMAG Golf Tournament
2:00 pm; Arrowhead Golf Club, 10850 Sundown Trail, Littleton, CO
AUGUST 14, 2025
WOGA Wellhead Wake-Up (Virtual Monthly Coffee Chat) 8:00 am - 9:00 am; VIRTUAL
AUGUST 15, 2025
On The Rocks Field Trip: NSF Ice Core Facility and the USGS Core Research Center
Trip Coordinator: Ralf Topper. 9:00 am - 12:00 pm; Denver Federal CenterBuilding 810
AUGUST 16, 2025
On The Rocks Field Trip: Pedals & Peaks
Trip Leaders: Drew Scherer & Jordan Renner. Grand Hogback Trail System, Rifle, CO
AUGUST 20, 2025
WOGA Clay Shoot 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm; Colorado Clays, 13600 Lanewood St., Brighton CO
AUGUST 21, 2025
RMAG Coffee Hour 10:00 am - 11:00 am; Queen City Collective Coffee, 1675 Larimer St., Denver, CO
WOGA Lean-In "Preparing for Board Positions –Taking the Next Step," 11:00 am - 12:30 pm; CANUSA EPC/Dominion Plaza- 23rd Floor, 600 17th St #1400n, Denver, CO
AUGUST 22-23, 2025
On The Rocks Field Trip: Exploring the Arkansas River's Geologic Story: Bighorn Sheep Canyon Between Salida and Cañon City
Trip Leader: Tom Karnuta, Trip Coordinator: David Schoderbek
AUGUST 26, 2025
RMAG Happy Hour 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm; Odyssey Beerwerks Brewery & Taproom, 5535 W 56th Ave #107, Arvada, CO
2025 Recipient of the K-12 Earth and Environmental Science Teacher of the Year Awards
Kirsten Johnson Nesbitt & Nadene Klein
The RMAG Foundation and RMAG are very pleased to announce the 2025 Earth Science Teacher of the Year Awardees! The finalist is Kirsten Johnson Nesbitt, Middle School Science Teacher at STEM Lab K-8 Magnet School, Adams 12 School District. Ms. Nesbitt will receive $2000 to further their professional development, and the science department at her school will receive $2000 to be used to support their earth science programs.
Ms. Nesbitt demonstrated excellence in her approach to teaching students and her passion for earth science. Ms. Nesbitt is a long-time science teacher with 16 years of experience in both middle school and high school.
KIRSTEN JOHNSON NESBITT
Ms. Nesbitt teaches 6th and 8th grade science at STEM Lab K-8 Magnet school in the Adams 12 school district. She describes her teaching philosophy as “grounded in the belief that active, experiential learning is essential to preparing students to be informed citizens, stewards of natural resources, and thoughtful participants in conversations about the planet’s future.” She utilizes problem-based learning, a hands-on investigative and inclusive instructional method, to bring real-world projects to the classroom. One project utilized the US-36 road collapse where the student investigated the roadbed failure due to slope instability and ground water saturation. The students explored various geological processes such as erosion, weathering, soil mechanics and infrastructure design and then met with geological and civil
engineering professions rebuilding the embankment. Her classroom goal is to highlight the many career paths within the geosciences and STEM allowing the students to “build their scientific identity and see how geoscience connects directly to their communities, their futures, and the changing world around them.” She plans on using her award to acquire soil testing kits, stream table, and thermal imaging tools to enhance the classroom engineering-geology projects.
Andrea Overton, Assistant Principal STEM Lab School, states “ Kirsten’s commitment to geoscience stems from a lifelong passion nurtured through early family influence and deepened by professional fieldwork, including collaborations with the Denver
Kirsten Johnson Nesbitt
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• Entire greater Rocky Mountain area of North America
• West Texas and New Mexico to northern British Columbia
• Great Plains and Mid-Continent region
Why contribute?
• Reach a broad industry and academic audience
• Quarterly peer-reviewed journal
• Permanent archiving includes AAPG Datapages
• Quick turn-around time
• Every subdiscipline in the geosciences
Email: mgeditor@rmag.org
https://www.rmag.org/publications/the-mountain-geologist/
RMAG FOUNDATION AWARDS
Museum of Nature and Science.” Ms. Overton’s final statement sums up Ms. Nesbitt’s succinctly, “Kirsten Johnson Nesbitt is a truly exceptional educator. She is the kind of teacher who changes lives, turning curiosity into confidence and planting the seeds of future scientists, engineers, and environmental stewards.”
Ms. Nesbitt credits her grandfather, W. Bruce Mackenzie, a geologist for the Climax Mine, for her interest in geology. She remembers many stories about his travels and his love of rocks. She also volunteered on several paleontological digs with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
NADENE KLEIN
The RMAG Foundation also recognized Nadene Klein with a monetary award of $500 and her science department with $500. We were very impressed with the work Ms. Klein is doing at Daniel C. Oakes HS in Castle Rock and wanted to reward her hard work.
Ms. Klein is a 28-year science teacher at Daniel C. Oakes High School in Castle Rock. This high school is an alternative school for at-risk youth within the Douglas County school district. She utilizes Project Based Learning to provide interactive and personalized learning for students that have gaps in their education and
limits to their readiness to learning. She states her priority to her students include “understanding their impact on nature, the balance of ecosystems, and understanding geosciences, weather, and climate.” Her goal is to have her students recognize their interconnectedness to the planet.
Brian Singleton, D.C. Oakes High School Principal, states “What truly sets Mrs. Klein apart is her remarkable ability to create a vibrant and immersive learning environment that effortlessly brings complex scientific concepts to life.”.
RMAG Foundation’s mission is to support geoscience educators and students at all levels. Ms. Nesbitt embodies the dedication, innovation and passion for geoscience that can ignite a curiosity for science among their students. Her innovative teaching methods are inspiring the next generation of geoscientists and we are pleased to honor her with this award. We are also pleased to reward Mrs. Klein for her work with at-risk students. Both teachers will be recognized at the August 6th RMAG Luncheon meeting at the Denver Energy Resource Library and will be given a one-year membership to RMAG, funded by RMAG Foundation. Congratulations to both Ms. Nesbitt and Mrs. Klein.
Nadene Klein
CALENDAR – AUGUST 2025
RMAG Family Hike Series: Caribou Ranch Open Space On The Rocks: Pedals & Peaks
Rocks: Bighorn Sheep Canyon