2008 Little Snowy Mountains Field Report. 8/22/08
Wanted to give all you participants a brief field report and summary of the
2008 stegosaur site as well as the new dates for 2009.
First off, JRDI staff would like to thank all of you for your hard work
which allowed us to make some GREAT progress! During week one, we moved a
lot of dirt (thanks to Rodney and a back hoe). Most of you had the
experience of uncovering new bones. The second week we mapped the site and
managed to uncover MORE bones. During the third week, we peeled off bones
from the main block for lab prep and created pedestals and jackets for the
remaining bones left for next year's excavation. Oh yes, let's not forget
the week 3 team managed to find the fourth stegosaur! The bones continue
into the hillside with no signs of letting up. From all appearances, we
have a stegosaur graveyard! This entire progression is one we could not
have done without all of you and we can't thank you enough for that. It's
our sincere hope as staff that you all took away an education with this hard
work and each year we will continue to add more to the learning experience.
I want to thank Matt, Russ, Ronda, Elena, Suzie and Allison for all their support and hard work.
I was very pleased at how the 2008 team pulled together to get the job at hand done. It
was hard work and we all had great fun. Well done everyone! We'll see you next year.
2009 Field Program Work Plans. 8/23/08
During the three weeks of the 2009 Little Snowy Mts. Dinosaur Project we will mainly
concentrate on excavation of our stegosaur bonebed, and possibly open up a another site about 30-50 feet along the hill
Here are links to photos for the 2008 season by week (which are also captioned) so that you can see the discoveries as they are made and perhaps that will also encourage you to join us in 2009
- Week One Little Snowy Moutain Dinosaur Project
- Week Two Little Snowy Mountain Dinosaur Project
- Week Three Little Snowy Mountain Dinosaur Project
One other update: staff will be working on making a prep lab come to the
Billings community! The site has been secured and we will be spending the
winter getting it ready so the bones you have dug now have a destination. In
addition, we hope to offer fossil prep courses and tours through JRDI. If
any of you wish to be a part of this in any way through donations so we can
get the lab up and going, it would be appreciated. Hopefully, through this
effort many of you will be able to enjoy working in the lab on the bones you
helped excavate. We'll keep all of you posted as we go. For now, we've linked here a page with a photo of the location and the signage of our new home in downtown
Billings.
GENERAL COMMENTS
What has been known as the Mystery Sauropod dig has know become the
Little Snowy Mountain Dinosaur Project because of the continued dinosaur
discoveries in that area.
I still can't believe how fortunate we've been to be able to work in a
setting with beautiful green rolling hills with pine trees all around us. It
is indeed a strange and alien landscape to find yourself digging dinosaurs.
The camp was posh according to the experienced camp out diggers. We had a
fully outfitted cook trailer, portable toilets and a luxurious shower tent.
Our camp chef Ronda Suggs cooked some excellent meals for
us. Thanks guys!!!
As on previous seasons we spent the rest of the evenings relaxing
around a campfire singing "The
Overburden Blues"and everyone enjoying music, games and looking at all the
stars! I would like to thank everyone on the team for your cooperation and
willingness to listen learn. I had a great
time......I would dig with you all anytime! I can't wait for next summer.
Nate Murphy
JRDI Director and Paleontologist
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