Science club explores southwest MT from hot pots to dinosaurs
Science Club students from Superior enjoyed a trip to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman as part of their trip earlier this month (Photo courtesy of Beau Servo)
One stop for the Science Club students on their recent trip was to Ringing Rocks near Butte. (Photo courtesy of Beau Servo)
Students with the Superior Science Club saw a lot of wildlife on their recent trip to Yellowstone National Park. (Photo courtesy of Beau Servo)
The Superior Science Club took a trip at the end of April “that will not be forgotten any time soon” said their advisor Beau Servo. After a year of fundraising, seven students went to Yellowstone National Park, the Ringing Rocks outside Butte, Quake Lake, and the Museum of the Rockies.
The group left on April 29 for three days and camped in tents in Gardner, despite cold weather, “we viewed Old Faithful and a few hot pots in a whiteout blizzard,” said Servo.
In the park they saw grizzly bears, a coyote, bison and elk. On Monday they woke up at 5 a.m. and drove to Lamar Valley and saw wolves at their den site and by the river. Park Service personnel also gave them a guided tour of the Mammoth Hot Springs.
Ringing Rocks is a unique geological formation located approximately 18 miles east of Butte and north of I-90. The rocks in the area chime when tapped lightly with a hammer. It’s believed that the ringing is a combination of the composition of the rock and the way the joining patterns have developed as the rocks have eroded away.
Quake Lake is located in the Madison Canyon River Area and is the site of an earthquake which struck in 1959. It killed 28 people when a landslide buried a campground in August. Now a visitor center is just off the road to commemorate those lost and overlooks the 6 mile long lake.
The students also enjoyed the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman and houses the largest collection of dinosaur remains in the United States. Despite cold, rainy weather the students remained in great spirits and thoroughly enjoyed their trip. They wanted to thank the Superior School Board and administration for all their support in making this trip possible. As well as local businesses, especially Whipped Up Café and Superior Meats.