Yosemite 2011

Geography 390: Field Geography of Yosemite Valley and the High Country
Spring 2012
On-campus Dates/Times: 6-9 pm Tuesday April 24 and 6-9 pm Tuesday May 8, 2012
Field Dates/Times: 7:30 am Thursday May 3 - 6 pm Sunday May 6, 2012
Charles Thomsen
484.8184
Office: S-443
thomsec@arc.losrios.edu
http://ic.arc.losrios.edu /~thomsec

 

I. Catalog Description 1 unit, UC and CSU transfer credit, AA/AS general education credit.
This course will offer an overview of Yosemite National Park, from the amazing valley floor and its magnificent waterfalls, to Glacier Point and the Tuolumne Meadows and the high country. We will concentrate on the post-glacial features and plant communities found in the higher elevations of the park that most visitors don't see. You can't really visit Yosemite without some hiking, so come prepared for strenuous walking at high elevations (3,900 to 8,200 feet.) Campsites will be reserved; camping fee is $20 per person. Students will be responsible for providing their own camping equipment and meals, generally prepared in small groups. Please contact the instructor at thomsec@arc.losrios.edu if you have any questions.

 

II. Course Objectives
By the time you get out of here you will be able to:
Locate the Yosemite Valley; discuss the relationship between the abiotic and biotic factors that make it unique; describe glacial and physical weathering processes; explain what plants live at different elevations.

 

III. Methods of Instruction
This class will be taught by doing.
A. Class Participation: You will get out of this what you put into it.
B. Attendance: Attendance is very important. You need to come to both lecture sessions, and go on the field trip.

 

IV. Methods of Evaluation
Field trip participation 40%
Field notes and questions 60%
Your grade will be based on your participation on the trip, your field notes (if I am talking about something to the group you probably should be taking notes in your notebook) and questions, and your presentation at the post-trip meeting. Your presentation should be on either one aspect of the course that really interested you - geology, geomorphology, history, botany, or several aspects together. You can present a report, make up a poem, do a slide show - what ever you want to do to share with us what you learned on the trip. Students not submitting complete field notes will not earn a grade higher than a D.


VI. Class Texts: (Manditory)The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada by John Muir Laws, and The Pacific Coast Tree Finder by Tom Watts.

V. Course Content:
Trip Information
This is a camping trip with bus transportation. You will need to bring your own sleeping bag, food, cooking gear, and personal camping gear. We will be camping in primitive campgrounds without the comforts of home, but please keep in mind that space is limited on the bus and this is only a three night/four day trip. The campground may not have piped water, if not there will be plenty of opportunities to fill up canteens, but each cooking group must provide a large container for each evening’s water supply.
If you leave your vehicle in the parking lot it could be vandalized, so plan to get dropped off.
This is a trip to the mountains. It might rain off and on. You need to bring equipment to deal with the heat; broad brimmed hat, sunscreen, loose long sleeved shirt, day pack with at least 2 quarts of water, and snacks.
The trip will not be canceled due to weather (snow, rain, hail, heat, frogs), so plan accordingly. Be prepared to protect yourself and your equipment against chilly and/or wet weather, as well as hot weather. Be prepared to dress comfortably for all conditions. Desert weather is extreme and unpredictable. Temperatures will range from over 80ºF during the day, down to the 40s at night. Students must have sturdy hiking boots or suitable shoes to withstand walking on rocks.
Keep your mp3 player on the bus or in your tent - I don't want to see it. Listening to the environment is as important as seeing it.
Remember, we are all going as a group. Therefore, by attending, you are agreeing to be considerate toward the needs and wishes of others in the group. For the benefits of working together and achieving our educational goals, we must temporarily forfeit some of the personal freedoms we enjoy while traveling on our own.
Please use the restroom before we leave Thursday morning. We will be traveling for about three hours before we stop.
We will not stop on the way to shop. Please remember to bring your own food items and ice.
The campground that we stay at may or may not have showers available. If there are showers they will probably be pay showers – four quarters for 5 minutes.
Bring lots of snacks. You will get hungry and thirsty walking around. Bring containers to carry at least two quarts of water. This is very important. If you don’t drink enough water you will get headaches, feel lousy, and perhaps pass out, or worse.
Plan meals that will be quick and easy to cook. You will need a sack lunch and dinner for Thursday, breakfast, sack lunch, and dinner for Friday and Saturday, breakfast and a sack lunch for Sunday.
If you are asked to bring something and you withdraw from the trip at the last minute, others in your cooking group may be missing vital food and equipment (in addition to your special company). Please let us know of your change in plans.

Important
No alcoholic beverages or drugs are permitted during class or field trips. Possession of such items including medical marijuana (by law) demands immediate withdrawal from class (dropped by instructor), regardless of location or time.
Each student and participant shall recognize his/her responsibility for proper conduct during the entire period of the field trip. This field trip is an American River College event from start to finish - there is no "off time."

Safety Rules
Never hike alone. Do not climb cliffs, talus slopes, or steep road cuts that may cause your debris to fall on others.
Do not leave the group unless you inform the instructor where you are going, for how long, who with, and what route you intend to take.
Use common sense, dress appropriately, and stay alert.

 

Camping/Personal Gear Checklist
Do not bring anything that you will not need - space will be limited. Plan ahead and check your items carefully. All of your clothes and equipment should be packed for easy storage in the bus. Most of the gear will be stowed away during the day, so plan accordingly. You will want to provide protection for your gear in the event of rain.

Day Pack with personal gear you will need during the day such as:
notebook, pencil/pen
water – 2 or 3 quarts worth
rain coat and pants, jacket, hat, extra socks
toiletries (prescription/personal medication - allergy meds, motion sickness meds, band-aids, chapstick, sunscreen, toilet paper, sanitary supplies, moleskin for feet)
lunch, snacks, canteens
notebook, pencil/pen
dark glasses
other good stuff (maps, camera, film, reference books, binoculars, pocket knife)
Camping gear:
sleeping bag
sleeping pad
ground cloth/tent/rain fly
warm clothes (rain coat and pants, windbreaker, jacket, thermal underwear, extra warm socks, knit cap, sweat suit)
cool clothes (long sleeved shirt, hat, swimsuit, towel)
extra shoes (boots and comfy shoes)
toiletries (soap, personal items, toothbrush, toothpaste)
first aid (aspirin, band-aids, tweezers)
repair stuff (sewing kit, duct tape, extra shoelaces)
anything else you can’t live without for two days.
Group gear:
ground cloth/tent/rain fly
water and water containers
lantern + fuel
stove + fuel
pots, pans, special utensils
plates, bowls, cups, knives, forks, spoons
matches, garbage bags, paper towels
food and beverages for three dinners, four sack lunches, and three breakfasts

Field Notes

These questions need to be answered in order for you to get a passing grade in this class. For each day I'd like a running commentary on what we did, what geologic/geographic features and processes you saw, what plants and plant communities we saw, and where we were.

You also need to answer the following questions, which may require you to do your own research.

1.    How many days till the moon is full?

2.    What is the average rainfall for this area?

3.    How long does the rainy season last in this area?

4.    What were the primary subsistence techniques of the culture that lived in this area?

5.    What is the land use history of this area? 

6.    What primary geological event/process influenced the land form in this area?  What’s the evidence?

7.    What is the fire history of this area? What is the current fire policy?

8.    What are the major plant communities in this area?

9.    What is your favorite plant in this area?

10.  What political controversies abound in this locale?