OCTOBER 6-8, 2022: THE 86th ANNUAL FIELD CONFERENCE
OF PENNSYLVANIA GEOLOGISTS
DATING IN THE PLEISTOCENE:
ESTABLISHING A GLACIAL CHRONOLOGY
IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
September 20 - Update #4
There are 13 spots open to attend this year's Field Conference being held in northwestern PA from October 6-8.
If you are interested in attending this year's Field Conference, please complete the registration forms. Once completed, email all three completed forms to RA-NRFCOPG@pa.gov.
There are still spots available for the following pre-conference trips:
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Pennsylvania Stratigraphy near Kittanning, PA ($20)
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Geologic Cruise on Lake Arthur, Moraine State Park ($17)
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Penn-Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Preserve, Blasdell, New York ($17)
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Harlansburg Cave (free)
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Geology and Plant Life of Oil Creek State Park (free)
If you have questions, please ask! We're looking forward to another great conference this year!
September 7 - Update #3
A new, FREE, pre-conference trip has been added to this year's Field Conference! Email RA-NRFCOPG@pa.gov if you are interested!
Geology and Plant Life of Oil Creek State Park
Location: Wildcat Hollow
Date: Oct 6, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Limit: 15 Participants
Many plants are intimately linked to specific soil types and bedrock, and some play unique roles in the formation of the soil itself. Join DCNR State Park Education Specialists as we explore this link on a tour of the geology and associated vegetations of Oil Creek State Park. We Will spend the day at Wildcat Hollow, a historic drilling location with a variety of exposed geologic formations and plant life. After a short lecture and a chance to identify some pioneer plant species up-close, we will journey along the Geology Trail, a one-mile loop through the hollow. The human history of this area will also be discussed as we pass a number of historic relics.
The trail is steep and moderately difficult. We will take our time going up, but you must be able to traverse uneven, rough terrain. We also recommend wearing comfortable hiking shoes and bringing water and trekking poles (if you typically use them). Dress for the weather, we will be outside for the entirety of the program.
August 15 - Update #2
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Registration is full. If you sent your registration paperwork before August 6 a confirmation email with payment instructions has been sent to you.
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If your registration was received after August 6 you have been placed on the wait list. There aren't many people on the wait list, so you still have a good chance of getting in.
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If you are interested in attending this year's conference you are still welcome to submit a registration form and be placed on the wait list.
August 4 - Update #1
FOR EVERYONE
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Registration is still open and is nearing capacity.
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A new pre-conference trip is available! Katie Schmid is leading a trip to Harlansburg Cave in Harlansburg, PA. See page 6 in the Announcement PDF for details.
FOR REGISTRANTS
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If you submitted your registration prior to Thursday at noon you will receive a confirmation of registration email with payment instructions by COB August 4. If you do not receive an email and you meet this timeline, please email RA-NRFCOPG@pa.gov. Registrations received after that time will be processed next week.
August 1 - Conference registration is live!
An email announcement containing conference details and registration forms has been sent to our mailing list.
Conference documents are available below, return completed registration form to RA-NRFCOPG@pa.gov.
DOCUMENTS
Payments via PayPal:
Schedule: October 6-8, 2022
Location: Northwestern Pennsylvania
Trip Leaders: Gary Fleeger, Retired PA Geological Survey
Eric Straffin, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Frank Pazzaglia, Lehigh University
Fred Zelt, Earth Science Excursions, LLC
Aaron Bierly, PA Geological Survey
Jocelyn Spencer, Glacial Sand and Gravel Co.
Gary D'Urso
Todd Grote, Indiana University Southeast
Katie Tamulonis, Allegheny College
Michael Simoneau
Headquarters: Cross Creek Resort, Titusville, PA
The 2022 Field Conference of Pennsylvania Geologists will examine aspects of the glaciation of northwestern Pennsylvania, including beginning to develop an absolute chronology, as well as drainage evolution in Mercer, Lawrence, Butler, and Venango Counties. A number of luminescence, cosmogenic, and radiocarbon dating sites will be visited and their context will be discussed toward an understanding themes of glacial chronology and drainage history.
Day 1 is planned to visit sites in Crawford and Erie Counties where we will visit sites of recent dating of the glaciation and deglaciation of NW PA. Stops will include late glacial maximum sites, a post-glacial Erie basin lake site at the Erie Bluffs State Park, late glacial deglaciation of the Conneaut Lake and Marsh region, and a lunch-time presentation of Edinboro Lake geology.
Day 2 will travel to the southern part of the glaciated region. It will begin near Franklin with a continuation of Day 1's theme with a stop at sample-collection locations for optically stimulated luminescence dates for the Titusville or Mapledale glaciation (lab results have not been received as of this writing). Then we will proceed to Lawrence and Butler Counties for more dating, as well as discussing the drainage history of the Slippery Rock and Wolf Creeks. We will also visit a site with a middle Wisconsinan age, similar to the well-known Titusville peat site.
We are looking forward to another great conference!
