Senior Field Camp, 2015

Photo Dr. Anton Oleinik SFC 2008

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Climate

• Expect lows in the mid 20’s to low 30’s at the beginning of the time in Durango

• Highs can easily reach the 80’s and may be considerably higher during the SW Tour

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Dress for the Occasion

• Dress in layers – thermal underwear may be useful

• Photo: Anton Oleinik - JFC03

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Pre-Trip Itinerary – May 15

• Friday, May 15, 2015 – 11:30 a.m. – all primary drivers outside SE 417 to arrange van pickup

• Pick up vans, return to FAU and get parking decals

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Pre-Trip Itinerary – May 15 continued

• Everyone should bring the bulk of their gear to FAU not later than 1:30 p.m. Do not bring perishables or expensive

equipment

• Car top carriers will be installed• Gear will be loaded

Parking Lot 37

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Pre-Trip Itinerary – May 15

• Primary drivers should arrange to take vans home Thursday night

• Alex will secure ice for all vans to pre cool the coolers

• Driving guides with information for the entire trip will be distributed to all participants

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Departure Day Itinerary• Depart Saturday May 16 –

Arrive FAU at 6:00 a.m. to finish packing vans Depart FAU at 7:00 a.m. Those arriving late will see dust….. In event of rain, go to the parking garage – be

very careful not to hit the car top carriers Finish loading vans Distribute additional ice to coolers and load

them with perishable goods

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Departure Day Travel

• Travel up Florida’s turnpike to I-75, then up I-75 and I-10 to Big Lagoon State Park, FL

• Lunch at a rest area – bring your own food• Total distance is about 652 miles• Estimated travel time is about 10 hours• You will “gain” one hour due to change to

Central Daylight time• Five CG sites are reserved (Loop 1, sites 17-

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Big Lagoon Weather

• The first time we used Big Lagoon, many students complained it was too hot

• It is May, in Florida• It is likely to be hot, and humid – plan accordingly• The only alternative park is Blackwater River SP,

which is a little inland and is probably hotter, and it has a nice supply of snakes – mostly water moccasins, and sometimes swimming in the camp sites, if the swamp is high….

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May 16 Route Map

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Sunday, May 17• You will be traveling from Big Lagoon SP in

Florida to Palmetto State Park, Texas• Total Distance 671 mi – about 10 and a half hours• Dr. Roberts said the park has a good supply of

water moccasins, so watch where you step – previous campers have not had problems

• Group site is reserved

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Water Moccasin• A type of pit viper (subfamily Crotalinae), so

named because of the characteristic sensory pit between each eye and nostril

• The water moccasin inhabits marshy lowlands of the southeastern United States

• Also known as the cottonmouth because it threatens with the mouth open, showing the white interior

• Up to 1.5 m (5 feet) long and is brown with darker crossbands or completely black

• A dangerous snake with a potentially lethal bite, it tends to stand its ground when alarmed

Water Moccasin Photo

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• Water moccasins swim with their entire body on top of the water• Water Moccasin (Agkistrodon piscivorus)

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May 17 Travel

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Monday, May 18

• You will be traveling from Palmetto State Park to Guadelupe Mountains National Park, Pine Spring section

• You will stay three nights – group site 1 is reserved

• Total distance: 513 miles - about 8 hours 46 minutes

• You will “gain” one hour due to change to Mountain Daylight time

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May 18 Travel

Camping in the Desert• Shake out shoes or boots BEFORE you put

them on – critters may have crawled in (scorpions, black widows, etc.)

• Watch where you walk – rattlesnakes generally won’t attack, but they do get upset when stepped on

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Field Camp Rattlesnake

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Photo by Alex Modys in Durango, Colorado

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Tuesday and Wednesday, May 19-20

• Guadalupe Mountain NP Project You will be hiking, so have boots available You need to carry water, this is very dry

country Hyperthermia, which is serious and sometimes

fatal, can result from inadequate fluid intake

You will be climbing at moderate altitude – take rest stops as needed

Hiking Boots

• Hiking boots should be broken in prior to field camp

• People who attempt to break in boots on camp usually end up breaking in their feet instead, with large, painful blisters

• In case blisters develop, you should carry “moleskin” with you – apply at first sign of blister formation

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Applying Moleskin

• If the blister is in an area where pressure is applied, such as on the bottom of your foot, protect it with a doughnut-shaped moleskin pad

• Leave the area over the blister open• Untreated blisters may become infected

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Hyperthermia, aka Heat Stroke Hyperthermia is an acute condition which occurs when

the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate

It is usually due to excessive exposure to heat The heat-regulating mechanisms of the body eventually

become overwhelmed and unable to effectively deal with the heat, and body temperature climbs uncontrollably

This is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention

Dehydration• One of the body's most important methods of temperature

regulation is perspiration

• Process draws heat from inside, allowing it to be carried off by radiation or convection

• Evaporation of the sweat furthers cooling, since this endothermic process draws yet more heat from the body

• When the body becomes sufficiently dehydrated to prevent the production of sweat this avenue of heat reduction is closed

• When the body is no longer capable of sweating core temperature begins to rise swiftly

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Signs of Hyperthermia• Confusion and/or hostility

• Headache

• Apparent intoxication

• Blood pressure may drop significantly from dehydration, leading to possible fainting or dizziness, especially if the victim stands suddenly

• Heart rate and respiration rate will increase as blood pressure drops and the heart attempts to supply enough oxygen to the body

• Skin will become red as blood vessels dilate in an attempt to increase heat dissipation

• Decrease in blood pressure will cause blood vessels to contract as heat stroke progresses, resulting in a pale or bluish skin color

• Complaints of feeling hot may be followed by chills and trembling, as is the case in fever

• Acute dehydration such as that accompanying heat stroke can produce nausea and vomiting; temporary blindness may also be observed.

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Hyperthermia Prevention

• Drink plenty of fluids - do not wait until you are thirsty to drink Half a gallon per person should

be sufficient if weather is not too hot

In hot weather a gallon per person per day

You need to replenish salts – Isotonic drinks (aka Gatorade) will do this

You can also carry and take salt tablets, but use cautiously. Excessive salt is also dangerous. Photo D. Warburton SFC 1984

Hyperthermia Treatment• Body temperature must be lowered immediately• Victim should be moved to a cool area (indoors, or at least in the

shade) and clothing removed to promote heat loss (passive cooling)• Active cooling methods may be used

Victim may be bathed in cool water Cold compresses to the torso, head, neck, and groin will help cool the victim A fan may be used to aid in evaporation of the water (evaporative method). Immersion in ice or cold water is dangerous as this may cause vasoconstriction in the

skin, preventing heat from escaping the body core

Intravenous hydration (via a drip) is necessary if the victim is confused, unconscious, or unable to tolerate oral fluids

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Rattlesnakes

• Rattlesnakes are pit vipers (subfamily Crotalinae)—i.e., they have a small heat-sensing pit between each eye and nostril that aids in hunting.

• The rattle, their outstanding feature, is composed of horny, loosely connected segments, added one at a time, with each skin shedding. Presumably a warning device, the rattle usually contains six to ten segments in an adult.

• All rattlesnakes are venomous and dangerous.

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Rattlesnake Photos

• Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)

• Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)

Karl is Quick

• From a live show on ABC

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Rattlesnake Research

• Remember Karl, think before putting your hand under a rock, in a crevice, etc.

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Scorpions• The animals have an elongated body and a

segmented, curved tail tipped with a venomous stinger.

• Grasping, fingerlike first appendages are other typical features.

• Scorpions first appeared in the Silurian Period• Marine and amphibious scorpions probably persisted

well into the Carboniferous Period • The first decidedly terrestrial scorpions probably

appeared during the Upper Devonian or Lower Carboniferous periods

• The evolution of enclosed lungs in place of external gills was the major change associated with the transition from water to land.

Scorpions continued• Scorpions are nocturnal

• Only one species of scorpion in North America (Centruroides exilicauda) have venom potent enough to be dangerous to human beings

• It is found over much of Arizona and Mexico and a small population occurs in extreme southeastern California, and a few records exist for southern Utah and small parts of Texas, New Mexico and Nevada

• Venom of this scorpion can cause severe pain and swelling at the site of the sting, numbness, frothing at the mouth, respiratory difficulties, muscle twitching, and convulsions

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Centruroides exilicauda, or Arizona Bark Scorpion

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Black Widow Spiders• Black widow spiders are also found in many

areas, including Guadalupe Mountains NP

• Adult female black widow spiders are shiny black with an hourglass shape marking on the bottom of its abdomen which, although most commonly red, may range in color from white to yellow to various shades of orange and red

• In some varieties, the two halves of the hourglass shape may be separated into two separate dots.

• Remember when the female is around, the male is often nearby

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The Most Dangerous of All

Caution!!!

Beware

Two Legged Threats

• Young adults loitering, and possible cloning car keys

Thwarting Thieves• If vans stop for fast food, bathroom breaks along the road, etc.

o Park where you can watch the vanso At least the occupants of one van should stay with the

vehicleso Be sure to lock vehicleso Hide valuables such as cameras and computers which are

easy to pawno If you take a computer, encrypt any information which could

be useful to a thief (credit card #’s, etc.)o Consider having software on the computer which notifies you

or a security service if computer is reported stolen

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Lunch on the Outcrop

• Have food and be prepared to eat on the outcrop

• Students eating lunch at I-75 outcrop

• Photo: Anton Oleinik - JFC03

• Breakfast and dinner in the CG

Meanwhile, back home…

• You will be away for six weeks

• Depending on your living arrangements, your prolonged absence may be noted by thieves

• It might be a good idea to remove valuable items to another location where someone can watch them for you

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Thursday, May 21• You will be traveling from

Carlsbad RV park to Bottomless Lakes SP, New Mexico, with a stop at Carlsbad Caverns NP

• This is a one-night stop

• Four sites are reserved (Lea Lake 4, 25, 26, 27)

• Total Distance: 143 miles, about 3 hours 46 minutes

• Near Roswell, NM site of the 1947 “alien space craft” crash

Closest Packing

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• We have changed campgrounds and have tried to reserve enough sites so that this won’t happen• Photo: Dominick Antolino, SFC 2008

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May 21 Travel

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Friday, May 22• You will be traveling from Bottomless Lakes SP to

KOA Flagstaff, AZ• You will be traveling through Roswell, then

crossing the Rio Grande Rift• Total Distance: 528 mi – about 10 hours 19 minutes• You gain one hour upon entering Mountain

Standard Time in Arizona• Six sites are reserved. And will be assigned on

arrival• Geologic Activities at Sunset Crater NM

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May 22 Travel

Saturday, May 23

• You will be traveling from KOA Flagstaff to Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO, with geologic activities at Petrified Forest NP and Shiprock Volcanic Neck enroute

• 406 miles, about 7 hours 36 minutes

• You lose one hour entering Mountain Daylight time in New Mexico

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May 23 Drive

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Dorm Rooms

• Dorm rooms have been assigned• Dr. Oleinik says it should be possible to adjust assignments if

necessary• Fort Lewis charges extra for bed linens – this was not in our budget,

so be prepared to sleep in your sleeping bags, or bring your own linens

• Photo – Dominick Antolino, SFC08

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Sunday, May 24

• This is a free day Get settled into your room Acquire anything you may have forgotten and

shop for food Become familiar with Durango Get prepared for your first project

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While at Fort Lewis

• You have access to the Fort Lewis Library• You will have access to the Internet• There is considerable information on the course

website – while I know you will all have read everything before you leave, you may find it useful to refer back to it

• If you have questions, comments, suggestions, etc. about the website, please e-mail me

Teamwork

• One essential of a good field camp experience is working together as a team

• Whining about problems beyond anyone’s control (weather, flat tires, etc.) is not productive

• Do let the staff know about any problems for which you believe a solution is possible – it is not necessary to suffer in silence

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Teamwork in Action

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• It’s amazing what teamwork can accomplish…..

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Things Not To Do

• Do Not Bring or Acquire: Any type of gun or weapon Any type of illegal drugs or contraband Fireworks

Violators are subject to grade penalty, including an “F” in the course and dismissal from the course

Anyone dismissed from the camp will be asked to leave at their own expense

What Is a Knife?

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Things We Have Learned By Experience

• If you use eye drops, be very careful Do not put the eye drops and your acid bottle in

the same pocket – BAD things can happen if you do

When going in and out of the Fort Lewis dorms, watch your step, particularly if carrying boxes…the steps aren’t very soft….

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Ugly Stick Tradition

• Whenever someone was deemed to have been overly obnoxious, they were apt to find the “Ugly Stick” in their sleeping bag that night

• Tradition started on the first SFC, 1984

• Faculty are NOT exempt

• Photo: Dave Andrews

• Note: During some years, the sticks were carved but unfortunately were not returned to FAU