of sample from each boulder.
Thickness of pieces are recorded. If too thick they will be trimmed.
The tools for collecting samples from boulders are both
simple and modern. Google Earth is used to actually see some of the
boulders. BRMB Navigator and Alberta Recreational
Access Internet Tool have proved an essential mapping resource. Another
amazing resource is Macrostrat.org an online geologic map developed by a
geologist at Wisconsin University. Lastly, the good old fashioned phone book
and face to face resourcing. All
boulders are GPS located.
Now for the hardcore tools.
First leather gloves are important for protecting hands from the sharp quartzite shards. Then there are the chisels. The
chisels are carbide tipped granite stone carver’s tools. These chisels are ordered from New Hampshire
in sizes big and small. The big is about
inch and a half in diameter and the smaller an inch in diameter. Like other geologists who use the rock
hammers and picks of Rockford, Illinois’ Estwing Company, glaciologists also rely
on Estwing. They use Estwing’s two and three
pound sledge hammers (little blue and big blue). These sledge hammers are in their packs with
the chisels as well as the 2.5 pound samples collected. With each site having ten samples the weigh
soon mounts up. Samples are stored in Zip-loc gallon freezer bags and labeled. Six 18 gallon Rough Neck plastic containers are along to store and ship the samples back to Oregon State University.
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