For Release: September 13, 2004 CenCal-04-59
Contact: Dr. Gregg Wilkerson 661-391-6081 or Cindy MacWhinney 661-391-6012

Two-Day Field Trip Through the Northern Mother Lode

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History are co-sponsoring a two-day field trip through the northern Mother Lode portions of California in Sierra and Plumas counties on September 18 and 19, 2004.

This program gives an introduction to the historic hardrock and placer mining operations of Northern California. The affect that human activity has had on changing the landscape are discussed and it is shown how land use decisions are limited by geologic factors that were initiated 120 million years ago.

This two-day field conference looks at the structure, stratigraphy and ecology of the Northern Mines of the Mother Lode in Sierra and Plumas Counties. Saturday's trip will start from Grass Valley to Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. Sunday's trip will examine gold deposits along the Yuba River between North Bloomfield and Downeyville. Tour participants will also explore the Sierra Buttes area and end with a tour of Plumas-Eureka State Park. There will be a fireside lectures at Malakoff Diggins State Campground on Saturday evening.

To register for the BLM-Museum trip, contact the Museum at 661-324-6350, or visit the website: http://www.ca.blm.gov/bakersfield/geologytrips.html

-BLM-