2009 Appalachian Tectonic Studies Field Trip

May 2-3, 2009  Arrive in campground on the evening of Friday, May 1st.

Structural Geology of the Blue Ridge province,
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

The 2009 ATSG trip will focus on the structural geology of the Blue Ridge province in the Shenandoah National Park area of north-central Virginia. We will examine fabrics and structures in the Mesoproterozoic basement complex and Neoproterozoic-Early Cambrian cover sequence. If you are interested in joining the trip read on, details are given below.

Specifically we will consider:

• granitic mylonites with an emphasis on the merits and pitfalls associated with strain, vorticity, anddeformation path analysis
• possible tectonic inversion of Neoproterozoic basins during Paleozoic contractional deformation
• penetratively deformed Cambrian quartz arenites in the western Blue Ridge and the role of flattening strain and volume loss
• the nature, kinematics, and timing of brittle deformation in the basement and cover sequence

Click on an image below for more detailed views

2009 ATSG Trip - Structural Geologyof the  Blue Ridge,Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Detailed map of the two, one-day traverses

The trip will be based outside of Madison, Virginia (~80 miles SW of Washington DC and 20 miles N of Charlottesville) in the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge. We will visit stops in and around Shenandoah National Park and the Skyline Drive. The trip headquarters will be at Heavenly Acres Campground and there are ample hotels/motels within a few miles.

Itinerary

Friday evening, May 1st- arrive at Heavenly Acres campground (trip headquarters) or motels (in Stanardsville or along U.S. Rt. 29 between Ruckersville & Charlottesville)

Please note that a number of stops will involve moderate walking (~ 1 to 2 km, up and downhill).

Saturday, May 2nd

7:30 am- Assemble at Heavenly Acres campground (38.3201 N, 78.4173 W), introductions, and carpool/vehicle roundup

• Morning traverse: high-strain zones in Blue Ridge basement complex; discuss the merits (or vanity) of deformation path analysis in mylonites

• lunch at field stop (participants should bring their own lunches)

• Afternoon traverse: tectonic inversion structures, a Neoproterozoic rift basin (?), and Paleozoic deformation fabrics in the Sugar Hollow area

• finish traverse at the White Hall winery, dinner back at Heavenly Acres campground with ATSG business meeting to follow

Sunday, May 3rd

7:30 am- Assemble at Heavenly Acres campground and carpool/vehicle roundup

• Morning traverse: western limb of the Blue Ridge anticlinorium along the Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park. Focus on penetratively deformed Cambrian quartz arenites and the kinematics and timing of brittle deformation in Blue Ridge basement and cover sequence.

• Finish by 1 pm at the intersection of U.S. Rt. 33 and Skyline Drive (where cars can be left), van shuttle back to Heavenly Acres campground.

Camping & Lodging

I have reserved a number of tent sites at Heavenly Acres campground (2010 Madison Road, Stanardsville, VA 22973, 434 985-6601, http://www.heavenlyacres.net/) If you are interested in staying at Heavenly Acres let me know (no need to make reservations with the campground on your own) and we will sort out the cost during the trip. Heavenly Acres is a good private campground with better amenities than campgrounds in Shenandoah National Park.

There are a number of motels between Stanardsville, Ruckersville, and the northern Charlottesville suburbs (within 15 min. drive of the campground). These include:

• Best Western, 5920 Seminole Trl, Ruckersville, 22968-0900, (434) 985-1855?, (434) 244-3555? (new motel)

• Lafayette Inn, 102 Main St, Stanardsville, VA 22973, (434) 985-3948 (small, high-end)

• Trail Motel, 8633 Seminole Trl, Ruckersville, VA 22968, (434) 985-3643

• Circle Inn Motel, Ruckersville, VA 22968, (434) 985-2474

Background /Reference

A reasonable introduction to the geology of the Blue Ridge is given in:

Bailey, C. M., Southworth, S., and Tollo R. P. 2006, Tectonic history of the Blue Ridge north-central Virginia, in Pazzaglia, F.J., ed., Excursions in Geology and History: Field Trips in the Middle Atlantic States: Geological Society of America Field Guide 8, p. 113-134, doi:10.1130/2006.fld008(07). Contact me if you are interested in a reprint.

This message is long enough, but please let me know if you have questions regarding trip logistics, etc. I hope you'll consider joining us.

Chuck Bailey, The College of William & Mary
cmbail@wm.edu
757- 221-2445

Rev. 2009 April 11