Author: R.V. Bailey

Publisher: Dorrance Publishing

Published: 2018-06-08

Total Pages: 139

ISBN-13: 1480957593

Jurassic Underground By: R. V. Bailey A desolate location in southeastern Wyoming, named Como Bluff, has a reputation as one of the best late Jurassic dinosaur fossil localities in the world. Late Jurassic is the time period from about 160 to 145 million years ago. The location was given the name Como Bluff in the 1800’s when the Union Pacific Railway was being built through the area. In about 1865, examples of huge fossilized bones were sent to certain eastern US universities and museums and several distinguished vertebrate paleontologists traveled to Como Bluff where they found many specimens lying on the surface. Erosion of the Jurassic-age Morrison Formation, the host sedimentary strata, was the source. But, by 2010, after 140 years of surface activity by fossil collectors, there were no remaining fossils at the surface. A Wyoming University-educated geologist, Mike Mackenzie, who was born and raised in southeast Wyoming, theorized that the best way to search for more Jurassic fossils at this locality would be to excavate in the Morrison Formation underground. Mike envisioned underground viewing points where visitors would be able to see cleared off and exposed dinosaur fossils in the sediments within which they were entombed. This novel takes the reader underground where mining activity leads to a surprise discovery and unnerving encounters. A number of perceptions about dinosaurs will be questioned as explorers have thrilling and frightening adventures back in time and into dangerous Jurassic situations.