2011 - Willapa Bay & The Columbia River Estuary

Special thanks to the following sponsors:
The 2011 field trip was a joint field trip between the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. Co-led by Jesse Schoengut and Robynn Dicks, the objective of the trip was to provide students the opportunity to compare modern and ancient estuary deposits.

Tentative Itinerary

August 21st: Arrive in Astoria/Warrenton, Oregon. Overview of field trip, discussions about what we will be seeing/plan for field trip.

August 22nd: Astoria Column; Columbia River - Estuarine point bars
Overview of Columbia River and important depositional processes occurring at the mouth of the river. Take a boat out to estuarine point bars and discuss sedimentological and ichnological character of the point bars

August 23th: Columbia River - Fluvial point bars
Drive along the Columbia River and examine changes in character of point bars as you move from marine conditions through brackish water and into fresh water conditions. Take a boat to a few select marsh islands and examine depositional character of some of the point bars.

August 24th: Willapa Bay; Palix River (overview); Bone River and Pickernell Creek Outcrops; Long Beach Peninsula
Travel to Willapa Bay. Geological setting, overview of area and IHS discussion at the Palix River. Travel to Bone River and Pickernell Creek Outcrops and examine examples of Pleistocene-aged IHS deposits. Drive to Long Beach Peninsula to view and discuss aspects of the spit protecting Willapa Bay from the ocean.

August 25th: Willapa Bay; Johnson’s Beach; Palix River Channel; South Bend Outcrop; Niawiakum River
Go to Johnson’s Beach and look at preserved intertidal deposits. Walk to Palix River channel to see modern deposition of bay IHS. Drive to South Bend and view Pleistocene examples of IHS deposits. Stop at Niawiakum River on drive back to view tributary IHS deposits

August 26th: Willapa Bay; Hawkes and Toke Point; Willapa Bay Inlet
Drive to Hawkes Point and Toke Point to view exaples of main channel IHS deposits, and deposits from the palaeo-inlet of the bay. Walk out to beach near modern inlet to wrap up field trip.

August 27th: Alberta bound
Arrive back in Edmonton late in evening. Return vehicles and equipment.


Got photos from this trip? We're currently looking for photos from the 2011 field trip for our archive. Please contact us if you've got any  you can share!