Annual Fall Field Conferences

Every fall since 1950, the Society has held a field conference to some part of New Mexico and, in some cases, to border states. From the beginning, the conference has been accompanied by a guidebook with detailed road logs as well as peer-reviewed papers relevant to the region. These guidebooks remain an invaluable references to the geology of the conference area and most are available for purchase.

Fall 2008: Silver City / Gila Wilderness,
October 23-25, 2008

Join us in Silver City for a three-day tour of magnificent and diverse geology and spectacular scenery on the margins of the Gila Wilderness. It has been decades since the last NMGS visit to this region in the southern part a major mid-Tertiary ignimbrite volcanic field in the transition between the Basin and Range, Colorado Plateau, and Rio Grande rift. The field conference is entirely based in Silver City and most conference stops are designed to allow hands on investigation of key geologic highlights in outcrop.

On Day 1 we will travel west from Silver City to examine lacustrine and fluvial sedimentary rocks and ash fall tuffs of the Pliocene Gila Formation in the Mangas basin. Following a brief introduction to mid-Tertiary volcanism at the Aldo Leopold Overlook, we will hike the Catwalk National Recreation Trail east of Glenwood to see cauldron-fill facies of the Eocene Cooney Tuff. Day 1will end with an outdoor catered barbeque at the US Forest Service Little Walnut Picnic Area near Silver City.

A round trip tour of the geology to the east and north of Silver City on Day 2 will begin with Paleozoic stratigraphy, depositional environments, and paleontology between Fort Bayard and San Lorenzo. Following a brief overview of the Mimbres half graben at San Lorenzo, we will travel to Lake Roberts to see the Miocene Gila Conglomerate, the Basalt of Roberts Lake Dam, and a post-Gila normal fault in the Sapillo basin. A stop at the Chino Mine overlook on the return trip to Silver City will provide a spectacular backdrop for economic geology discussion. We are honored to have guest speaker Dr. Wolfgang Elston discuss mid-Tertiary ignimbrite volcanism at the banquet.

The Burro Mountain's geology south of Silver City will round out the diverse geology of the conference on Day 3. Stops will include discussion of economic geology at the Tyrone Reclamation Overlook, investigation of an enigmatic outcrop of Precambrian granite and Tertiary volcanic rocks, and discussion of temporal relationships of Precambrian gneiss, amphibolite, granite, and diabase.

— Greg Mack, and Jim Witcher
Conference Organizers

2008 Fall Field Conference Schedule

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 – Registration and ice-breaker
6:00-9:00 pm	Registration and ice-breaker party at the Red Barn Steakhouse next to the Copper Manor Motel, Silver City
Thursday, October 23, 2008 – First Day: Silver City to Glenwood via Mangas Valley
6:00-7:00 am	Breakfast (not provided).
7:30 am	Buses depart from Copper Manor Motel parking lot.
12:00 noon	Lunch provided.
5:30 pm	Barbeque dinner at Little Walnut Picnic Area.
8:00 pm	Return to Silver City.
Friday, October 24, 2008 – Second day: Silver City to Lake Roberts via the Mimbres Valley
6:00-7:00 am	Breakfast (not provided)
7:30 am	Buses depart from Copper Manor Motel parking lot.
12:00 noon	Lunch provided.
6:00 pm	Return to Silver City.
7:30 pm	Banquet at Red Barn Steakhouse
Saturday, October 25, 2008 – Third Day: Burro Mountains via Tyrone
6:00-7:00 am	Breakfast (not provided)
7:30 am	Caravan departs from Copper Manor Motel parking lot.
1:00 pm	Conference ends in the Burro Mountains about 15 miles north of Lordsburg and I-10; lunch provided.

Guidebook

The 208-page guidebook for the conference, included with registration, contains 3 detailed road logs, 12 research articles, 10 mini-papers, and 16 color plates, covering many aspects of the geology of the Silver City region. Greg Mack, Jim Witcher, and Virgil Lueth are the guidebook editors.

Registration and Accommodations

Online registration is now available.
The conference is limited to 110 participants, so register early.

The Red Barn Steakhouse at the Copper Manor Motel is the site for registration, the icebreaker, and the banquet, and is located on Silver Heights Blvd (Hwy 180) on the right when entering Silver City from the east. Registration includes transportation by buses with rest rooms for the first two conference days. The last day is a personal vehicle caravan. Lunches, snacks, and beverages will be provided during the 3 days of the conference, and the barbeque and banquet are also included in the registration charge. Participants are responsible for breakfasts.

Participants should arrange accommodations in Silver City. Rooms at the Copper Manor and Drifter Motels are set for conference rates, but reservations must be made by October 8 to insure availability.

Copper Manor Motel/Red Barn Steakhouse:
710 Silver Heights Blvd (Hwy 180), Silver City, (575) 538-5392; $45/night (group rate)

Drifter Motel:
711 Silver Heights Blvd (Hwy 180), Silver City, (575) 538-2916; $45/night (group rate).

Holiday Inn Express:
1103 Superior St (behind Wendy's on Hwy 180), Silver City (575) 538-2525, $114/ night. AAA and AARP, high speed internet

Super 8 Motel:
1040 E Hwy 180, Silver City, (575) 388-1493; $55 to $65/night.

Comfort Inn:
1060 E Hwy 180, Silver City, (575) 534-1883; $110/night.

Econo Lodge:
1120 E Hwy 180, Silver City, (575) 534-1111; $70 to $80/night. AAA and AARP, high speed internet.

The nearest outdoor camping is 15 miles away and north of Pinos Altos at the US Forest Service Cherry Creek and McMillan Campgrounds on Hwy 15.

Future Conferences:

Widespread enthusiasm for the Fall Field Conferences has led to receipt of many proposals for future conferences. Therefore, the schedule of upcoming field conferences is now outlined for the next several years. The field conference venues and names of organizers are listed below. All members are encouraged to volunteer assistance to the organizers or to contribute to the guidebooks. If you live near or are involved with the geology in the vicinity of the future conference sites, please consider contacting one of the organizers.

Fall 2008: Silver City / Gila Wilderness (see above)

Fall 2009: Chupadera Mesa
Virgil Lueth (New Mexico Bureau of Geology) and Spencer Lucas (New Mexico Museum of Natural History)

Fall 2010: Four Corners Region
James Fassett (USGS, retired) and Kate Zeigler

Fall 2011: Tusas Mountains
Dan Koning, Shari Kelley, Scott Aby, Kirt Kempter, and Karl Karlstrom

If you have an idea for a future field conference, please contact the President of the NMGS.

Photos From Past Fall Field Conferences

Everyone is invited to share their best digital photos of past conferences with the rest of the Society membership. Please contact the society webmaster via the 'comments' link below.