Hoping to kick-start a new tradition in the Geology Department, nearly 50 faculty, staff and alumni of Sacramento State and the U.S. Geological Survey began the semester with a geologic field trip near Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

Participants in the trip, which went from Aug. 17-19, were able to study the site of 1997?s Walker River flood and take a gondola ride to the top of Mammoth Mountain to observe the site of a volcanic explosion that occurred more than 760,000 years ago, said USGS spokesman Dale Alan Cox. They also examined obsidian and other rock specimens.Geology professor Brian Hausback conceived the trip after noticing other universities taking part in similar projects, Cox said.

“On many university campuses, there is a geological field trip to open the semester,” Cox said. “Brian wanted to start one (at Sac State).”

Since the trip was planned over the summer, no students participated, Cox said. He hopes to get more students involved for next year?s trip, which he thinks will be at Lake Tahoe.”Next year, we will have a lot more students going,” Cox said.

Sac State graduate Jeremy Hughes, one of seven alumni to take part in the trip, said more people would participate if the trip was advertised more.

“If they were more active seeking out all of the alumni, maybe more would participate,” Hughes said.

After studying the flood site, the campers hopped onto a gondola to the top of Mammoth Mountain, where they observed the Long Valley Caldera, the site of the ancient volcanic explosion, Cox said. The area received attention in the late 1990s when earthquakes hit the area, causing concern that a series of hills, known as the Resurgent Dome, might become active, he said.

“You could see, in the middle of (the valley), the Resurgent Dome that was coming back up out of it during a period of seismic activity,” Cox said.

Hughes said the view from the mountain was one of the trip?s highlights.

“The view was so spectacular,” Hughes said. “It?s such a large area, it?s really hard to see (everything) on the ground.”

On the final day of the trip, the participants visited an area near Obsidian Dome with the goal of finding a perfect rock specimen for the department?s rock garden on the Sac State campus, Cox said. Hausback wanted a piece of obsidian, a black-glass stone with streaks of pumice, and everybody scattered “like an Easter egg hunt” to find it, Cox said.

“Everybody kind of fanned out looking for the perfect rock,” he said. “It really focuses you to look for perfect characteristics and features.”

Since the participants camped during the three-day trip, costs were minimal. Cox said the fee to come on the trip was only $13, since transportation costs were kept to a minimum by sharing rides.

“Really, all you needed was your own tent, and people car pooled,” Cox said.