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Heading West: Field Geology

UNC Asheville Summer Adventures 2022

By UNC Asheville

June 2^nd, 2022

17 students.

16 days.

4 states.

5 national parks.

2 national monuments.

Numerous states parks, national forests, and outcrops.

It all added up to one unforgettable trip for students in UNC Asheville Professor of Environmental Studies Jeff Wilcox's field geology course.

Take a trip through a few of the photos collected along the way and share in their journey. "I believe everyone learned a lot, had a blast, and will remember this trip for a long time," Wilcox said. "For me, it was a great reminder of why we do what we do. My cup is full."

5am shuttle to AVL airport on May 10

Gold and silver mine tour in Silverton, CO

Partial group picture at Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Checking out a — Checking out a "fresh" (3000-year-old) lava flows in El Malpais National Monument, NM

Reppin' the — Reppin' the "company colors" at the Rio Grande Gorge, NM

Heading West: Field Geology

Oak Creek Canyon between Sedona and Flagstaff, AZ

Examining an outcrop near Mt. Taylor, NM

Camping

Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Entering Lava Cave, AZ

Getting ready to hike into the Grand Canyon

Hiking inside Lava Cave, AZ

Everyone made it at least part way into the Grand Canyon.

Five of us made it to the Great Unconformity in the Inner Canyon (pointing to 1.2 billion years of missing geologic time)

Temperatures in the Inner Grand Canyon were not for the faint of heart

Everyone made it to Delicate Arch for sunset! Arches National Park, UT

Geology presentation at Canyonlands National Park, UT

Our 4-minivan Enterprise fleet at camp

Dr. Brittani McNamee giving a roadside geology lesson in the La Sal mountains, UT

Goblin Valley State Park, UT

Geology lesson at overlook

Shiprock (background) and igneous dike, NM

Canyonlands NP, UT

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

© 2026 UNC Asheville

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