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Annual Fall Field Conference

Eastern San Juan Basin
September 17-20, 2025

The 75th annual Fall Field conference examines eastern margin of the San Juan basin. Last visited by NMGS in 1992, this will be the second of three consecutive conferences to focus on the interconnection of the Colorado Plateau, southern Rocky Mountains, and Rio Grande rift physiographic provinces. The relationships between tectonism and landscape development are complex but writ large in the landscapes, geology, and history of the area; this conference examines them through time. A conference guidebook will include field trip roadlogs, manuscripts on recent geology research in the region, and special remembrances celebrating 75 years of NMGS Fall Field Conferences.

The Gallina anticlinorium and Llaves valley from the Continental Divide
The Gallina anticlinorium and Llaves valley from the Continental Divide.

Call For Papers

(PDF version available)

We invite papers exploring all fields of geology and associated sciences. Subjects must be related to the San Juan basin or immediately adjacent areas. Authors are asked to provide an intent to submit manuscripts or mini-papers to guidebook editor Kevin Hobbs (Kevin.Hobbs@nmt.edu) by November 8th, 2024, via email. Please include proposed manuscript title and list of authors. Manuscripts must present new research. Mini-papers also are encouraged. Draft manuscripts and mini-papers must be submitted by January 31st, 2025. See https://nmgs.nmt.edu/ffc/authors/home.html for details on manuscript and mini-paper preparation and format. Manuscripts will undergo external peer review, then will be returned to authors by March 3rd, 2025. The deadline for final manuscripts and figures is March 24th, 2025. Please direct all communication regarding manuscript or mini-paper submission to Kevin Hobbs (Kevin.Hobbs@nmt.edu).

Itinerary

San Ysidro anticline

Ojo Alamo Sandstone on the south face of Mesa Portales.

All trips (September 18-20) will depart from the Circle-A Guest Ranch. Directions: One-half mile north of El Bruno’s Restaurant in Cuba, turn east from Highway 550 onto Los Pinos Road, drive 4.8 miles, and the guest ranch is at the terminus of the road beyond a blue gate. Please observe posted speed limits on Los Pinos Road.

September 17 (Wed) - Icebreaker and registration on evening prior to the field trips:

Day 1 - September 18 (Thurs) - Mesa Portales area: The Cretaceous-Paleogene transition, sedimentation during the Laramide orogeny, basin-internal faulting, and latest Quaternary fluvial geomorphology. Kevin Hobbs and others to lead.

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San Jose Formation badlands near Llaves.

Day 2 - September 19 (Fri) - Regina and Llaves: Morning - the northern terminus of the Nacimiento fault and transition into the Gallina anticlinorium; recent geologic mapping in Llaves; and the paucity of carbonate rocks in the San Juan basin Cretaceous system. Bruce Hart, Shari Kelley, and others to lead.

Afternoon - Sedimentary tectonics of the San Jose Formation; new insights into the Paleogene-Eocene transition in the San Juan basin; neotectonics on the Continental Divide. Thomas Valenzuela, Brian Hampton, Kevin Hobbs, and others to lead.

Soda Dam

Paleoproterozoic crystalline rocks in Clear Creek above Cuba.

Day 3 - September 20 (Sat), Half day: The Nacimiento copper mine, Proterozoic magmatism in the Sierra Nacimiento. Josh Szopinski, Kevin Hobbs, and others to lead.

  • Date: September 20, 2025
  • Departure Time: 7:30 AM
  • Departure point:Circle-A Guest Ranch
    510 Los Pinos Road, Cuba NM
  • Return: Early afternoon

    • Lodging

    Circle-A Guest Ranch

    NOTE: Given extreme fire danger, the entire venue is strictly no smoking, including outdoors! If you cannot go 3 days without smoking, then this is not the conference for you. Campfires are not allowed.


    We have reserved the entire Circle-A Guest Ranch for the duration of the conference. A limited number of tent camping spots are available at no cost to attendees; contact conference organizers for more details. Students will have access to bunkroom dormitories at the ranch.

    National Forest Developed Campgrounds

    www.tobnm.gov/departments/coronado_campground/index.php

    The Santa Fe National Forest maintains two developed campgrounds near Cuba: the Clear Creek and Rio de las Vacas Campgrounds. Both are approximately 16 miles by car from Circle-A. Contact the Cuba Ranger District for more information.

    Fees

    Campsites (per night) ..................................... $10.00

    National Forest Dispersed Camping

    Dispersed camping at non-developed sites is available on the Santa Fe National Forest on Mesa de Cuba, approximately 10 miles from Circle-A. Gain access via Forest Road 88. Pack it in, pack it out!

    Fees

    None.

    Motels in Cuba

    As of Fall 2024, there are three independent motels in Cuba: the Frontier Motel (6474 U.S. 550; 575-289-3474), the Del Prado Motel (6380 U.S. 550; 505-377-4561), and the Cuban Lodge (6332 U.S. 550; 575-289-3269).

    Fees

    None.

    Health

    We will follow any public health orders that are in effect during the conference. We encourage members attending the conference to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

    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.

    2026: Albuquerque Area

    2027: ??? Suggestions Welcome ???

    2028: Las Cruces Country

    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.