Fiending For Fossils
Meet: Friday the 24th at 5:20 AM at Hecuba Statue in the Village
Return: 3:00 PM on the 24th
Member: ($74) Non member: ($97)
Participant Driver (2): ($42)
Participant drivers will also have all gas reimbursed!
Activity: (rockhounding, fossil digging)
Difficulty: (2/10) Easy Distance: N/A Elevation: N/A
Recommended Prior Experience: None
Location of Trip: Ernst Quarries (Chocktaw Valley, CA)
Native Land: Yokuts ↗
Get ready for an unforgettable experience reliving the Miocene as we travel to Sharktooth hill within the Ernst Quarries. After our early drive up from USC (departing at 5:30am), we will spend 4 hours digging up marine fossils at the site, with tools and direction provided by the quarries. After a short orientation/tour from the quarry staff, we are free to begin digging. Expect to find anything from shark teeth to whale vertebrae, and having a blast while you’re at it! After getting down and dirty at the dig site, we will have lunch and refreshments by the Kern River. We’ll then drive back to USC with our fossils, returning around 3pm Friday afternoon.
All tools will be provided during the dig, so all you need to bring is proper attire, water, and an abundance of fossil hunting enthusiasm. Be prepared to carry and utilize digging tools, as well as lots of sun exposure and dirt.
Contact the Guides:
Anders Johnson (anderspj@usc.edu)
Sedona Silva (slsilva@usc.edu)
What to Bring:
2+ liters of water
Comfortable hiking shoes (must be closed toed)
Comfortable clothes that can get dirty (long pants reccomended)
Hat/sunscreen/sunglasses
Medications
Price of the trip includes (and we will provide):
Snacks
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided when a trip occurs during meal-times
Any technical gear required (ie. kayaks, snowshoes, snorkels, backpacking packs, sleeping bags, fishing rods, etc.)
All group / shared gear (tents, stoves, bear cans, first aid kit, etc.)
Any permits or campsite reservations needed
Cost of gas reimbursed for participant drivers
Amazing guides who love the outdoors and do this for free!
Please Review Our Cancellation and Refund Policy:
All SC Outfitters trips have a no-refund policy unless a substitute participant can be found. In the event your trip requires added reporting measures of participants (plane tickets, external providers, rental services, etc.) dropping the trip close to the date of the trip will not allow for the spot to be re-filled. See the details on trip pages for specific deadlines and reference our complete cancellation/refund policy here.
TRIP DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM
Difficulty rating for trips
1: No physical activity.
2: Leisurely walk.
3: 2-5 miles less than 1000 ft of total elevation gain on well maintained trails. About 2-3 hours continuous activity
4: 4-6 miles, about 1000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. About 3 hours of continuous activity.
5: 6-8 miles, about 1500ft of elevation gain on maintained trials. 4-5 hours continuous activity
6: 8-10 miles, about 2000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity.
7: 10-14 miles, over 2500 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
8: At high altitude. 12-16 total miles, over 3000 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
9: Technical skills may be necessary. At high altitude with physical elevation gain. Scrambling over rocks likely involved.
10: u gunna die
**If you have any questions or concerns about the physical activity, recommended prior experience, or gear needed on any kind of trip please contact the guides as soon as possible!!
This program is open to all eligible individuals. SC Outfitters operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.
Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact the guides listed above on the trip page. We request that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least 7 days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.