Guadalupe Mountains: Permian Basin Geology Field Course

I spent last week in the Guadalupe Mountains around Carlsbad, NM with a group of co-workers ranging in expertise from Geologists to Engineers. The purpose of our trip was to better understand the geology of the Permian Basin as it applies to oil and gas production in the subsurface. Since I have gone fairly in depth in the past on this area when my wife and I came over to the more touristy areas like Carlsbad Caverns I will make this post a photo journal of our trip instead of a long exposition.

Looking at gypsum and dolomite varves in the Castile Formation.

Creative graffiti on this piece of Permian age reef

Excellent exposure of Crinoid stem fossils

Exposed gastropod, not sure of the species

Hiding from the recent flash floods, see the mudline?

We found this guy hiding from the heat in a small grotto

View to the west from the Escarpment. To the left you can see part of the Brokeoff Moutains

Another view to the West from a small side canyon

A Horny Toad! He just flattened out and refused to move.

You have no idea how much the wind was blowing. See the rain coming in from the north behind me?

A Huge barrel cactus colony!

A view from the highway of the hills near Van Horn, TX. All this land is owned by the owner of Amazon.com

The Chinese Hat (previously know as The Breast of Venus). Every time I go to Carlsbad I want to touch this thing...

Maybe one day when I'm a Big Boy I can be a Park Ranger

Checkin' what's under the skirt in White City

Excellent fossil reef exposure near White City, in the middle of the picture... a Neptunian Dike. Make your own joke.

View of the Shadduck Escarpment from Dog Canyon Camp Ground in the north side of Guadalupe NP.

Sunset over the Indian Basin

Fantastic road cut of the Castile gypsum between Carlsbad, NM and Pine Springs, TX

My favorite picture of Capitan Reef. Taken from a rest area south of the park.

Most of our geology group, wearing our stylish safety vests.