Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Summer 2025 is our 79th year of operation.
No. However if you are a foreign national you should have your passport and accompanying visa information.
A 3-credit Field Methods course is required.
Courses in Physical Geology, Mineralogy, Sedimentology/Stratigraphy, Structural Geology, and Igneous/Metamorphic Petrology should also be completed prior to the start of the course.
Applicants with a current Junior-year undergraduate standing and who have completed Physical Geology and at least nine additional credit hours in advanced geology courses may be admitted with permission of the Director.
While some cell phone networks provide reception at locations, there is no guaranteed service. We will have cell service/internet access at least every couple days.
The course formally starts near Bozeman, Montana on June 22. The course formally ends in Sun Canyon, Montana on July 15.
Ground Travel – Private Vehicles
Students are not permitted to drive personal vehicles to field camp. If you plan to have someone drop you off near Bozeman, Montana on June 22, please contact Dr. Currie for directions to the meeting location. You must arrive by 3 PM. The course ends at 7:00 AM, Tuesday July 15 at the Sun Canyon Lodge, near Augusta, Montana but you could leave as early as the evening of July 14 if you have someone pick you up.
Ground Travel – Miami University Vehicles
Multiple vehicles will depart from the South Cook Field Lot (Entrance off OH 72, Oxford, OH) at 7:00 AM, Friday June 20. The trip will involve three days of travel, arriving in Bozeman on Sunday June 22. Vehicles will return to Oxford late in the evening on Wednesday July 16 or early afternoon on Thursday July 17, depending on final travel schedules that will be determined by the end of Spring Semester.
There likely will be room for approximately 14-20 passengers, at least 8 of whom must be approved as Miami University drivers (having completed the on-line university safety program), with two slots taken by instructors. If you want a spot in the University vans, please contact Dr. Currie as soon as possible.
Air Travel
Air travel is somewhat complex, as we will have different arrival and departure cities:
Arrivals: Your arrival point in Montana is the Bozeman-Yellowstone International Airport (BZN). Participants planning to fly should arrange a flight as soon as possible (after verifying dates with Dr. Currie) to ensure direct connections and to obtain the best possible fares. Please pack as if you are going backpacking, luggage space will be limited! You must arrive at the airport no later than 1:00 PM Sunday June 22. We will make a pick-up at the airport at about 1 PM. Again, if you are flying, you must arrive in Bozeman prior to 1 PM on Tuesday June 22! If you cannot make it to Montana by that time, you will have to fly in earlier.
Departures: Your departure city is Great Falls, Montana (GTF). Your departure from Great Falls has to be after 11 AM on Tuesday July 15. If earlier than that, you will be required to get a room in Great Falls on Monday evening (we can transport you there) and arrange your own transport to the airport the next day.
Borrow, share, and/or rent equipment. It does not have to be fancy or brand new, but it must work. And, it must work in damp and cold weather, which must be anticipated for June/July in the Rocky Mountains. Try out and learn about your equipment before you begin the course. A list of suggested equipment is provided separately.
Absolutely!!
You MUST bring a pair of broken-in, sturdy, ankle height (or above) hiking/work boots. Low cut hiking/trail shoes and sandals do not provide sufficient support, traction, or protection for the off-trail walking and hiking that will be required for mapping projects.
A basic breakfast (e.g. cereal/oatmeal, etc.) is served at 6:30 AM. Vans depart for the field at 8:00 AM. Bag lunches are eaten in the field. Vans return to camp at about 5:00 PM. Dinner will be cooked by the instructors and staff and is at about 6:00 PM. Evening lectures/discussions go from about 7:30 - 9:00 PM, after which time you will be required to work on projects/maps. In the field, emphasis is on observation and interpretation. Faculty and teaching assistants are present to point out features and to answer questions. There will be numerous individual assignments and projects rather than a long final report.
You must be in good normal health. Students with high blood pressure, heart problems, sun allergies, asthma, or obesity may find the field course difficult, if not impossible. No student is expected to attempt anything beyond his or her normal physical limits, but you must have a good sense of what you can do prior to the course. Most important is real enthusiasm for geology and for outdoor activities. Do not sign up for the course if you are not eager and able to work outside. You must be willing to tolerate the uncertainties and inconveniences of travel and field work.
Students walk/hike on the average of about five miles a day. It will seem like much farther because of the altitude and because of the up and down nature of the terrain, and the fact we do not usually do field work along cut trails. A five-mile hike at 6,000 feet elevation is approximately the same as a ten-mile hike at 1,000 feet elevation.
No technical or dangerous hikes or climbs are a part of the course, but strenuous activities are.
Since we work at a variety of locations over the course of the 5-week program and late spring/early summer is an unpredictable time of the year weather wise in the Rocky Mountains, you must plan on anything from cold and wet to hot and dry. For example a day may start out warm and sunny but you must be prepared for sleet, rain, sudden thundershowers or a rapid change in temperature.
The nearest hospitals will be anywhere from ~20 to 70 miles from our field locations. All nearby communities have a well-trained life-squad with direct communication with the staff of the nearest hospitals. Medical insurance is essential. If you take routine medication, bring a copy of your prescription and an extra supply of medicine to carry you through the duration of the course. However, there will be periodic opportunities to visit pharmacies in different cities and town throughout the trip.
There are rattlesnakes at lower elevations in SW Montana and bears will be present in parts of the Sawtooth Range were we end the trip. While it pays to be cautious, based on past experiences, it is highly unlikely we will encounter dangerous wildlife. More specific safety details will be provided and discussed at the beginning of the course and as appropriate.
A normal day’s menu is cereal for breakfast, lunch cheese and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, casseroles pasta and vegetable for dinner. Food is simple, but nutritious and filling. Special diets and allergy concerns can be accommodated, but like everything else, food choices will be basic.
Please contact/inform us well in advance if you have special dietary needs.
We will visit in-town laundromats at least once a week and some of our camping locations have onsite facilities.
You can check your grade on the course listing on the MyMiami website approximately 2 weeks after the end of the course. You will need your Miami unique ID (issued to you when you registered for the course) to access the site. If you need a formal transcript you can order one through the Miami University Registrar's Office.
