Following up on yesterday's post and Callan's rad red desert gigapan, I thought I'd share a couple more shots, this time of the Boar's Tusk and a little of the Killpecker dune field. If you ever find yourself along Highway 191, you'll be driving right alongside a pretty phenomenal little bit of the high desert that, in addition to some slick geology, is also full of nice scenery. I'd just caution, however, that if you DO decide to drive on the BLM roads, make sure you've got a vehicle with good clearance and four-wheel drive...it can get a little dicey!

Anyway, a prominent feature in the area is the Boar's Tusk. Just like the more famous Devil's Tower, this pinnacle is a Pleistocene-aged volcanic neck that marks the formerly active volcanic fields of the area. It's about 400 feet tall, and is a favorite nest-building site for hawks in the area.












There's a steep little path up to the saddle, but like all volcanic terrain, a fall here can really hurt, so do be careful.












Here's a view, from the saddle, looking south towards White Mountain (the low plateau to the right).










And here's a view looking north, into Killpecker dunes, which is one of the largest active dune fields in the region. Although it's pretty from a distance, the dunes are infested with 4-wheelers and ATVs and the associated jackassery that goes along with it.















Nothin' TOO spectacular, rock wise, but there's some all-right volcanic stuff to look at, IF that's your thing...










The Boar's Tusk has also lent it's name to a beer available at the Bittercreek Brewpub in Rock Springs, WY.

Despite what those wine-swilling elitist bastards would have you think, the REAL drink of geologists everywhere is BEER. I have a favorite half-remembered quote from some Victorian mountaineer/geologists who said, to the effect, "Beer never tastes so good as after a hard day of field work". Of course, my apocryphal quote speaks Truth: beer, in the field, after a day of measuring section, or mapping, or tromping up and down hill and valley lugging samples, is something to bring a smile to even the most grizzled of geologists.

Anyway, folks might have seen this before, but it bears repeating. Why Geologists Love Beer is an article from Wired, based around beer-drinking culture and the most recent AGU Meeting in San Fransisco. There's even a little video to watch, but be warned: it'll make you thirsty.