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Geology Up the Gunflint Trail   

This class does not meet at North House

The rocks exposed along the upper stretch of the Gunflint Trail from Saganaga Lake to Gunflint Lake record several chapters of Earth’s geologic history over the past 2.7 billion years. After an introductory presentation on ​Friday evening, all of Saturday and half of Sunday will be spent in the field, traversing through an ancient sequence of exposed rocks that tell an incredible and awesome story of how the core of North America was assembled. The Saturday field trip starts at the north end of the trail where we will visit exposures of ancient granitic and volcanic rocks that record the early creation of the North American continent. To the south, we find iron-rich sedimentary rocks (iron-formation) deposited about 1.8 billion years ago in a shallow sea teeming with primitive lifeforms. As we approach the Gunflint Lake area, we encounter 1 billion-year-old igneous rocks formed during North America’s failed attempt to break apart. All along our route, we will also observe “young” deposits of sand, gravel and boulders left behind by mile-thick Ice-Age glaciers that covered the area over the past 2 million years. The Sunday morning field trip will visit exposures of deformed iron formation that record the violent impact of a large meteorite that struck Earth about 1.85 billion years near Sudbury, Ontario.

Physical Ability/Skills Needed: Several of the field trip stops on Saturday and Sunday involve walking along established hiking trails with mild to moderate inclines for up to 1.5 miles. Some areas involve walking on irregular bedrock surfaces. As such, sturdy footwear is strongly recommended and people with physical mobility issues are discouraged from enrolling.

Please note: This class takes place up the Gunflint Trail approximately 45 miles from North House. Following a Friday class meeting at Borderland Lodge, there will be field trips both Saturday and Sunday. It is recommended to secure lodging along the Gunflint Trail. Class will set out from Borderland Lodge or nearby. There are lodging and food options there and nearby. There is no van transportation for this class. Class will carpool to field trip sites.

What to Bring

  • Bag lunch for Day 2 (registrants will be contacted about the option to order boxed lunch from Borderland Lodge)
  • Appropriate outdoor clothing for fall weather (include rainwear)
  • Sturdy footwear (water-proof boots recommended)
  • Waterbottle, snacks
  • Camera (rock samples may be collected (in non-State Park areas). However, for safety reasons, rock hammers are not allowed.)

What will be Provided

  • All participants will be given a high-visibility orange vest to wear during roadside field stops.
  • Will also provide a field guidebook describing the rock exposures to be visited on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Copies of the Powerpoint to be presented on Friday evening that summarizes the geology of the Gunflint Trail are available to participants by email request – mille066@umn.edu.

 

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