South-Central New Mexico

About this guidebook

In contrast to the earlier field conferences of the New Mexico Geological Society, this, the sixth annual gathering for the purpose of concentrated field study in some phase of New Mexico geology, will encompass a comparatively small geographic area. The excursions will, in fact, be confined to a part of Sierra County, and, for the first time in this series of events, will radiate from a center, like spokes from a hub, rather than lie end to end like a string of sausages, or like drilling pipe if you prefer. Truth or Consequences will be the center of the wheel and all trips will start from there. Nor are the excursions as long, in miles to be driven, as those of former years. By confining the conference to this smaller geographic radius, however, the Society has by no means restricted itself to any lack of variety in geological phenomena. Rocks ranging in age from Precambrian to Pleistocene and including sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic types are exposed, and will be visited. Both large- and small-scale structures are present, from folds and faults to vugs and vesicles. Mineral collectors, fossil collectors, picture collectors, but pray no tax collectors, may have more than one occasion to delight themselves. The first day road log is from Truth or Consequences to Engle and down Rhodes Canyon, which requires special permission from White Sands Missile Range to enter. The second day road log is to Sierra Cuchillo and neighboring areas west of Truth or Consequences. The third day road log is in the northern part of the Caballo Mountains.