Go West!

Pack your bags! We’re off to Washington state with the Saint Louis Science Center. The trip is called Science of the National Parks: Mount Olympic and Mount Rainier. Are you prepared for lots of learning – and fun? Me too. Meet your new friends.



Let’s figure out where we’re going. Can you find the state of Washington on the map?



Can you find Mount Rainier and Mount Olympic National Parks? We’ll be cruising around these two areas.



Both parks are in the Cascade mountain range.


Dr. Stephanie Kuster, a geologist, is traveling with us. Click on the video to find out how these mountains were formed.



An active volcano?! We are staying at the base of an active volcano! Are you scared? Don’t worry….Volcanologists (scientists who study volcanoes) keep a close eye on Mount Rainier monitoring earthquake activity. Click here to see the daily earthquake report. They would let us know if there is a chance she’ll blow. We’d would get out of there quick! We’d follow these signs.



During our trip we’ll be helping some archaeologists with their research, do some hiking and learn about this beautiful part of the country.

Dinner time Discussion:
Mount St. Helens, an active volcano also in the Cascade mountain range, DID blow about thirty years ago. It permanently changed the shape of the mountain. Volcanologists gave everyone plenty of warning, yet 57 people died. One of them was an 83 year old man. People begged him to leave his home on the side of the mountain, but he wouldn’t go. Why do you think he stayed?

Field Work with Dave: Scattered Lithes

We came to Mount Olympic National Park to help Archaeologist Dave Conca identify, record, collect and mark “lithes” (stone remnants) found at Obstruction Point on Hurricane Ridge.
I wanted to know how old the lithic artifacts are. Dave told me, "My guess is that those sites were used over the span of many years, perhaps as long ago as 5-8,000 years ago and maybe as recently as several hundred years ago."
The soil at this altitude is thin so there is very little erosion to cover the lithes. Believe it or not, these artifacts are just laying on the ground!

Obstruction Point is over there.



We are on the look out for dacite. Dacite is a stone used to create super sharp arrowheads. The official name for arrowhead is “projectile point”. We are looking for chunks of dacite stone with signs of chipping. They were left behind by the native people hundreds of years ago.

Can you spot the artifact?



How about now?



I’ll get in a little closer.



Here it is!



We spent hours looking and had lots of success.



When we found a lithe, we put a small piece of surveyor tape underneath it.




Then, we bagged it and labeled the bag. We recorded the site location, the date and a number.



Finally, we worked with a surveyor to mark where it sat.




Archaeologist Dave wants to know where – exactly - each artifact was found. He is going to create a 3D map of the site and use the information to learn more about the habits of native people at during that time period.

Dinner time Discussion:
Many people believe that the native people never came up to the mountains. They had plenty of food along the coast. During the two days we worked the Archaeologist Dave we found over 500 artifacts. If there was plenty of food along the coast, why do you think people ventured into the mountains?

Field Work with Kim: Digging

Archaeologist Kim Kwarsick needed our help too. In keeping with the law, Kim must do several test digs to be sure a construction crew installing a new water pipe won't disturb an archaeology site that may be laying underneath. Kim will tell you a bit more in the video below.



Kim carries around a big box ‘o stuff with her. Let’s take a look. See if you can match up the item with its purpose. At the end of the post is an answer key.



A – to carefully remove dirt
B – to keep insects away while you work
C – to mark lines
D – to store artifacts
E – to mark a spot of interest on the ground
F – to hold a rope
G – to measure soil depth
H – to describe soil color


We started a new test site by measuring a one by one square. It had to be PERFECT so Francis used a ruler and marked it with the string.



When excavating a site, you take the soil off in layers. I like this picture because it shows people doing different jobs. Katie, in purple, is using a rock hammer to break up roots on the first layer of a new test site. Behind Katie is Cheryl. She is photographing a finished test site. In the back is Ranger Matt is doing some paperwork before filling in the test site hole.



We sifted through each layer of soil looking for artifacts. Archaeologist Kim has a good eye for dacite and double checked our work. Dig. Sift. Dig. Sift. Repeat.



We worked our way through the soil layer by layer.



When Kim said the test site was finished we photographed it,


Drew a cross section




Then filled it in.



We went home dirty and tired.

Answer Key:
1=H, 2=G, 3=A, 4=C, 5=F, 6=D, 7=E, 8=B

Dinnertime Discussion: Why is it necessary to take the soil off in layers?

What Makes an Archaeologist Happy

Do you know what makes an archaeologist happy? Discovering exciting artifacts! Discovering unexpected artifacts! Discovering unexpected, rare artifacts! Discovering obsidian in Mount Olympic National Park!



After helping Archaeologist Kim with her test digs for the day, our St. Louis Science Center group headed to a clearing for a group picture. One member of our group picked up a large shiny, black rock. “This looks like obsidian,” she said and handed it to Kim. Kim was in shock. Only a few, small pieces of obsidian had ever been found in the park until this point. Here was a big chunk! Kim immediate started looking around and discovered more. We found lots of flakes and another ‘core’ scattered about. Up the hill there was a lot concentrated in one area.

Kim will explain why she is so excited.



Kim told us that the next day she woke up and had to make sure the discovery wasn't a dream.

Dinner time Discussion:
Archaeologist Kim made us all promise not to tell where we found the obsidian. Why?

'Nuf said

On our day of travel from Mount Olympic National Park to Mount Rainer National Park we stopped in Forks. If you do not know about the Twilight book series, just skip this post. If you are a Twilight fan, ‘nuf said.







Dinner time discussion: Before the Twilight series, Forks, Washington was a small, quiet logging town. How do you think things have changed in the last few years?

Three People who 'Dig' Dirt

We worked with three experts on this trip. Let’s learn a bit more about them.

Dave Conca, Mount Olympic National Park Archaeologist



Job Description: Protect and educate people about the archaeology resources in the park.
How he found his line of work: A family friend was an archaeologist and he took classes in college.
Best thing about his job: He has worked at MONP for fifteen years. He finds it exciting to continue to learn about one spot.
Recommendations for future archaeologists: Be very good at reading, writing and geography
Favorite Food: chocolate

Kim Kwarsick, Mount Olympic National Park Archaeologist



Job Description: Protect the park’s cultural resources and monitor construction projects
How she found her line of work: She spent three summers working at the park and met Dave Conca.
Best thing about her job: She gets to spend her days outside and ends up becoming a storyteller using the artifacts she finds.
Recommendations for future archaeologists: learn to focus on details
Favorite Food: Thai food


Dr. Stephanie Kuster, Paleoecologist



Job Description: Educates people about the animals, plants and ecosystems that existed in the past.
Best thing about her job: She gets to travel and she loves science.
Recommendations for future paleoecologists: Study all the traditional sciences and math.
Favorite Food: sushi

Dinner time Discussion: Do these three experts look the way you expected? Why or why not?

Casual Hikers

Ahhh…. Sunshine….we had some good luck during our trip. It was sunny and clear every day. Click here to see the weather for today. We took advantage of the good weather and went on great hikes. We took a day pack filled with water, sunscreen, rain gear and a snack.



We followed bear precautions



and did not do any meadow stomping!



Along the way we hiked through the snow.





and on the way down did some sledding. In the olden days people, would sew tin plates to their pants and ‘nature coast’ down.



We encountered flora.





We ooohhh-ed and aaahhhh-ed over fauna.

This little dude is a Hoary Marmot.



Dr. Stephanie and Bethany created a short educational video for you. Watch and learn. I think they are bound for Hollywood.



Dinner Time Discussion: Are the plants and animals in the Cascade mountain range the same as where you live? What sort of adaptations would the flora and fauna need in order to live in this area?

Serious Hikers

Mount Rainer is the third tallest mountain in the lower 48 states. It is 14, 411 feet high and covered by glaciers. The only way to get to the top is going over the glaciers and this can be dangerous. Ice and weather can be unpredictable. People die on the mountain every year.

We certainly were not prepared to go to the top, but these guys were. Check out their gear.



And they're off!



We watched their progress throughout the day. The arrow below is pointing to some tiny specks on the mountain. Those are climbers.


My friend, Roger, has a really nice telephoto lens. He let me use his picture so you could get a closer look. Thank you Roger.



Dinner time discussion: Why would someone risk their life to climb Mount Rainier? How do you think a climber would prepare?

Old Growth Forests

Mount Rainier National Park is unique because not only does it have an active volcano covered in glaciers, but more than half of the park is old growth forest. Click here to plan your trip.

Old growth forests are hard to find anymore. The Douglas firs and cedar trees make great lumber and most have been cut down. In this protected area, the forest is similar to what it was a thousand years ago.

The trees are tall.


Very tall.

The trees are big.



Very big. Hey! Joy! Are you stuck?


When the trees fall and die, they decompose creating rich soil for new trees to grow. Look for this new growth as my friend Roger explains what happens to trees with shallow root systems.



At the visitor center, labeled tree rings marked world events.



Dinner table discussion: Why is it important to protect old growth forests? Why is it important to be able to cut down trees? Do you think these two groups can work together well? Why or why not.

Deleted Scenes

Deleted Scenes:
Pictures that do not fit in a lesson post, but tell the story of our trip none the less.

The night before we started working on Hurricane Ridge we had a violent lightening storm. I saw the firefighters on the hill. They had spent the day looking for smoke plumes. The last thing they wanted was a forest fire.





This marmot on Mount Rainer had quite a view – and clearly felt very relaxed. His legs make me laugh.



Traveling with the Saint Louis Science Center was a real treat. Not only were things well organized, but we got to do things most might not. The people, my new friends, were just the icing on the cake. Below are just a few pics I want to share.

Look at Andrew Wyeth’s famous painting, Christina’s World.



Now look at Bethany. I think I’ll call this photo Bethany’s World.



Roger is an avid photographer like me. He goes to great lengths to get the shot he wants.



Ron is the Director of Travel Programs at the St. Louis Science Center. He recommends that people NOT use flash photography in the car while he is driving on narrow dirt roads on mountain sides. He made this recommendation after I took this picture… with a flash…while he was driving on a narrow dirt road …. Yes, we were on a mountain side.



Dr. Stephanie laughs a lot.



And she is very tall.



Roger took this picture, but he said I could use it. I like the angle. I like the blue sky. I like that it reminds me of fun times we had.