Museum Concludes Ice Age Fossil Excavation
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has completed its
largest-ever fossil excavation project at Ziegler Reservoir near
Snowmass Village. The preserved series of Ice Age fossil ecosystems
is one of the most significant fossil discoveries ever made in
Colorado. Below is a summary of activities related to the
seven-week endeavor, which yielded a treasure trove of Ice Age
fossils.
FOSSIL FINDS
In total, 4,826 bones were pulled from the site in 2011,
including
- 74 large specimens in plaster jackets
- 49 tusks (29 upper jaw tusks and 20 lower jaw tusks)
- 34 mandibles (jaws)
- 23 skulls
- 20 pelvises
- 82 loose teeth
Additionally, crews recovered
- 125 logs and numerous samples of peat, wood, leaves, and
rocks
26 different vertebrate animals from the site have been
identified, and the number of Ice Age species will grow as work
continues at the Museum.
7 large mammals:
- American mastodon, parts of at least 30 individuals; most
prevalent large animal at the site
- giant bison, parts of at least 10 individuals
- ground sloth, parts of at least 4 individuals
- Columbian mammoth, parts of at least 3 individuals
- deer, parts of at least 3 individuals
- horse, based on a single ankle bone
- camel, based on a single tooth
19 types of smaller animals:
- otter
- muskrat
- vole
- mink or weasel
- chipmunk
- bat
- rabbit
- beaver, known from distinctly chewed sticks
- mouse
- salamander
- frog, 4 species
- lizard, 2 species
- snake
- fish
- bird, numerous species
LOCAL VOLUNTEERS AND STUDENTS
15 local educators from the Roaring Fork Valley worked
side-by-side with renowned scientists and other Museum staff doing
the actual work of the excavation. The volunteer program aimed to
give educators real‐world experience with the science happening
right in their own backyard so they can inspire their students and
neighbors with their knowledge and personal experiences from
working on the fossil dig.
6 students from Colorado Mountain College also participated by
excavating fossils using shovels, pick axes, trowels, and brushes;
screening sediments to look for bone fragments and other material;
applying plaster "jackets" to fossils in the field; and washing and
cataloging fossils.
SCIENTISTS
55 scientists were onsite to begin intense scientific
investigation about the origin of the Ice Age lake and its history.
This included most of the scientific team of 37 experts from 18
institutions in the United States, Canada, Spain, and England, who
are involved in the project and whose work will make the most of
the site's scientific potential, as well as several other
affiliated scientists.
Their onsite activities included collecting cores of sediment from
the ancient lake bed totaling 56 meters in length, studying the
sediment that fills the ancient lake, making high-resolution scans
of the fossils in place, and collecting more than 1,100 samples for
analysis.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
6,000 local elementary students (grades preK-6) experienced "Time
Scene Investigation: Snowmass Village," a tech‐savvy assembly
program developed and delivered by the Museum. This interactive
program allowed students to learn more about the Ice Age fossil
discoveries through top‐notch professional science educators,
specimens from the Museum collections, props, and multimedia
presentations.
400 local middle and high school students experienced "Mammoth of
a Find: Live Broadcast from the Dig Site."This 45‐minute live
broadcast connected Museum scientists from the Ice Age fossil dig
site directly with students via satellite for a two‐way interactive
experience. Scientists shared new discoveries, demonstrated field
research techniques, and answered questions to give students a
window into science careers.
1,600 people attended the Ice Age Spectacular in Snowmass Village.
The two-day event, hosted by the Museum in partnership with
Snowmass Tourism, allowed participants to see real fossils
discovered less than a mile away; watch live broadcasts of Museum
scientists at the dig site; play Ice Age games, puzzles, and
crafts; meet Snowy the mascot; and enjoy activities for the whole
family.
NEXT STEPS
At the site: Construction on Ziegler Reservoir
resumes as planned this week and Museum representatives will remain
onsite throughout the summer to monitor the site and recover any
additional fossils that are uncovered while construction crews
excavate clay to build the dam.
At the Museum: After fossils are removed from
the ground, they are placed in a process chain designed to maximize
their preservation. Due to the moisture content of the bones, which
were buried in wet silt and peat for tens of thousands of years,
the bones are very fragile and will disintegrate if allowed to dry
out too fast. It can take many months for the fossils to properly
dry. Some of the fossil bones required a plaster of paris jacket to
remove them from the ground and protect them during transport to
Denver. In the Museum fossil preparation lab, the jackets are
removed, the fossils are cleaned, and the slow drying process
begins.
LONG-TERM PLANS
Long-term plans have not been finalized. The Museum is still in
the very early stages of analyzing the fossils and has yet to
create a long-term plan. The Town of Snowmass Village Ice Age
Discovery Committee, the "Tusk Force," is building a separate
long‐term strategic plan to capitalize on the educational and
economic development opportunities this discovery offers to the
Town of Snowmass Village and the Roaring Fork Valley.
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