THE MAMMOTH SITE OF HOT SPRINGS, SD ICE AGE EXPLORERS PROGRAM 2021 An Accredited Museum in the Black Hills, The Mammoth Site is an Education and Scientific Research Institution and a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit Organization. The Mammoth Site 1 Ice Age Explorers Program Dear Participant, WELCOME! We want to thank you for your interest in The Mammoth Site! By participating in our Ice Age Explorers Program you are helping preserve a one-of-a-kind natural treasure and are becoming a part of The Mammoth Site family! The Mammoth Site has been dedicated to research, education, and outreach for four decades, and we welcome the opportunity to share our knowledge and experience with you. We hope your time here will be both enjoyable and constructive. We look forward to an excellent excavation season! Sincerely, The Mammoth Site Team, Presston Gabel COO/Business Manager Jim Mead, PhD. Director of Research Sharon Weaver, PhD. Curator The Mammoth Site 2 Ice Age Explorers Program Mammoth Site scientists working in the Bonebed. Birth of a Landmark 4 International Travelers 12 Research and Education 4 Driving Policy 12 Your Participation 5 Safety and Health Information 13 Stewardship 5 Potential Health Risks 14 Hot Springs and the Black Hills 6 Participation Requirements 16 Itinerary and Daily Schedule 7 Participant Rights and Responsibilities 17 Accommodations 8 Excavation Staff—Dr. Jim Mead 18 Food 9 Excavation Staff—Dr. Sharon Weaver 18 Weather 9 Suggested Readings 20 Reservations and Pricing 10 Contact Information 21 Cancellation Policy 10 Important Dates 21 Travel Information 11 The Mammoth Site 3 Ice Age Explorers Program BIRTH OF A LANDMARK Over 140,000+ years ago, there was a The steep slippery walls trapped the rumble, a shake, and then an earth animals in the sinkhole where they shattering collapse. A sinkhole had eventually perished. Over a period of just formed in the southern Black several hundred years, more and Hills of South Dakota, near what more mammoths became entombed. would one day be the town of Hot Their bones piled up in layers, Springs. The sinkhole was eventually forming an extremely unique, filled by a warm spring which undisturbed fossil Bonebed. transformed it into an Ice Age oasis For four decades The Mammoth Site able to support lush green vegetation has been devoted to the excavation along its banks throughout the and preservation of this Ice Age bitterly cold glacial winters. treasure. The remains of over 61 Mammoths seeking fresh food during mammoths have been exposed thus the cold season were lured into the far, and with 40 more feet to dig, we sinkhole. Some never got out. expect to find many more! “To truly understand what the Black Hills experienced during the Ice Age, you must come walk among the fossils of The Mammoth Site…it’s unforgettable.” Dr. Jim Mead Director of Research 2015-Present RESEARCH AND EDUCATION Today, The Mammoth Site is a world-renowned mammoth research facility and popular tourist destination. It is committed to the continued research and preservation of the Bonebed fossils and the education of the general public, scientific community and students of all ages. Our story begins in 1974 when bulldozers leveling a hill for a housing project unearthed bone and ivory. The land owner, a local man named Phil Anderson, halted construction until scientists could assess the find. He contacted Dr. Larry Agenbroad, who immediately recognized the potential significance of the find. A private non-profit organization, The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, SD, Inc., was formed to protect the site, and the rest, as they say, is history! Over 85 species of plants and animals have been recovered from the sinkhole, including two mammoth species, the Columbian (Mammuthus columbi) and the woolly (Mammuthus primigenius), the fearsome giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus), and relatives of modern day camels (Camelops hesternus) and llamas (Hemiauchenia macrocephala), as well as numerous small vertebrates and invertebrates (rodents, toads, snails, etc.). Research topics over the last 40 years have included reconstruction of the Ice Age sinkhole environment, population biology of the mammoths who died here, formation of the sinkhole, and much more! The Mammoth Site also conducts research on numerous other sites across North America. The majority of our specimens are preserved in-situ, or in place just as they were deposited. This allows researchers and visitors alike to view the bones in their natural setting. The Mammoth Site 4 Ice Age Explorers Program YOUR PARTICIPATION The Mammoth Site conducts a four-week long excavation each summer, which is divided into single week sessions. As a participant in The Ice Age Explorers Program, you will spend part of your time excavating in the Bonebed. The dig site is completely enclosed indoors, so unlike other excavation crews, Mammoth Site diggers work in a shaded, climate controlled setting. The rest of your time will be spent working on other exciting Mammoth Site research projects, including cleaning, sorting the bones of Ice Age vertebrates excavated from Wind Cave National Park. Once at the Site, participants will be briefed on safety procedures. The first few days of excavation will be devoted to training in proper excavation techniques, use of various tools and how to move safely through the Bonebed. Training will vary based on assigned tasks and level of prior experience and will continue until participants are confident and skilled enough to complete their assignments successfully. Participants will then be moved to new excavation locations throughout the Bonebed as chosen by the Bonebed supervisors. Tasks may include excavating new areas, flattening pathways, detailing bones or preparing bones for removal. The Mammoth Site is a popular tourist destination, so you will be working in view of the public and have the opportunity to interact with our visitors, most of whom are very curious about excavation in the Bonebed. In most cases, discovery is a game of luck, we cannot guarantee that every participant will find a bone, although we have a lot designed for our STEWARDSHIP upcoming season. One person may find several, another may unearth snail shells, and a third might not find anything at all. Bone, shell, fragment, and Bones at The Mammoth Site pebble locations within the Bonebed are used to reconstruct how the have survived intact for Bonebed formed, where the animals were trying to climb out and where 140,000+ years. Now it is our water was deeper or moving faster. By the end of the session, each person, responsibility to ensure these whether they found a mammoth skull, a mouse tooth, or a bunch of remarkable specimens will be pebbles, will have made a critical contribution to the ongoing research and preserved for many thousands preservation work of The Mammoth Site. of years to come. Mammoths Preserving specimens in-situ presents a unique and exciting challenge. Our are extinct, and the Ice Age goal is not only to unearth more mammoth bones, but to investigate the has passed. If we do not take Site as a whole and ensure the long term preservation and safety of the care of the fossils we find Bonebed. Your personal excavation projects may include excavation of today, we jeopardize our relatively barren areas as wells as those more likely to produce bone, shells, opportunity to learn about etc. Each project is chosen by staff with the long term preservation of the these wonderful creatures and Site in mind. the world they inhabited. Our The Mammoth Site also offers the opportunity to work on other projects goal at The Mammoth Site is from various locations such as the tropical marsh deposit of Terapa, in to preserve the scientific northcentral Sonora, Mexico where you would work on bison or capybara. integrity of our collection and Maybe you want to work on the bone-laden sediments from nearby to ensure the usefulness of Persistence Cave, or maybe the sediments from the Channel Islands off of these fossils for the California where we have recovered pygmy mammoths. Aspects of these paleontologists of tomorrow. projects that participants can work on include sorting bone from sediments or preparing and carefully removing bone of a large mammal from a plaster jacket. These other projects are designed to be rewarding experiences for our participants who will be providing critical help with scientific research. The Mammoth Site 5 Ice Age Explorers Program DESTINATION HOT SPRINGS Hot Springs is located at the southern end of the Black Hills of South Dakota at about 3,450 ft. (1,051 m) above sea level. Like the spring that fed the sinkhole pond 140,000+ years ago, most springs in the area are still warm, averaging about 87° F. Hot Springs is a small town of about 4,000 people, and is the largest town for nearly 60 miles. The Mammoth Site has become an important part of the local economy, drawing in tourists from all over the world. While many communities in the Black Hills started life as mining boom towns, Hot Springs owes its origins to the warm mineral waters which attracted people to the area. Hot Springs became the spa and resort town for early settlers in the Blacks Hills, and the distinctive red sandstone architecture of the downtown area creates a picturesque small town atmosphere. Hot Springs is a short drive from Wind Cave National Park, (the world’s 5th longest cave system) and Jewel Cave National Monument (the world’s 3rd longest cave system), and is located about one hour south of Mt. Rushmore National Memorial and about 30 minutes away from Crazy Horse Memorial. “The community of Hot Springs keeps one of the most valuable fossil treasures known to mankind today.” Dr.