Shark’s teeth similar to the ones that can be found on the trip with geologist Patrick Rowe. Courtesy/PEEC PEEC News:
Shark teeth in New Mexico? Saturday, Nov. 19, local geologist Patrick Rowe will lead an outing to Cabezon in search of fossils.
Participants can expect to find shark teeth from the Cretaceous Period. The group will meet at 8 a.m. at the Los Alamos Nature Center before carpooling to the site. This program is organized by the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC).
It’s hard to imagine New Mexico was once under the sea, but during the Cretaceous Period, between 145.5 and 65.5 million years ago, much of the state was. Because of this, remains of sharks’ teeth can be found at the site named Shark’s Tooth Ridge, less than 2 hours from Los Alamos.
Participants on the trip will look for the five different species of shark’s teeth that can be found at this location. In addition, they will look for septarian nodules, which are also known as “dragon stones”, due to their sometimes-scaly appearance. The nodules in this area often contain open pockets with beautiful calcite and barite crystals, making them special samples to take home. Participants of all ages are welcome to join, and the inevitability of finding samples makes this an excellent trip for kids.
The group will meet at PEEC just before 8:00 a.m. to carpool to the site. Those who live in Santa Fe or Albuquerque can alternatively meet the group at 9:30 a.m. in San Ysidro, which is near the site.
The cost per person is $10 for non-members and $8 for PEEC members. For families, the cost is $20 for non-member families and $16 for member families. Advance registration is required.
To register or learn more information about this and other PEEC programs, visit www.peecnature.org, email programs@peecnature.org or call (505).662.0460.
Patrick Rowe is an active member of the Los Alamos Geological Society. He regularly leads field trips for the Society, and for PEEC.
