dinosaur dance floor and around denali

Replies: 11 - Last Post: Jul 17, 2012 9:06 PM Last Post By: travelinhobo

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Jul 16, 2012 8:29 PM
Posts: 6

dinosaur dance floor and around denali

I must go to the dinosaur dance floor in or near denali. the park ranger i called had no idea what i was talking about. i know that it's in the lower cantwell formation. can someone tell me how to get to it? is it inside the park? i don't know how to orienteer, so hopefully it will be possible for me.
also, anybody out there know a great trail outside of denali i could camp on the night before i enter the park? i have one night of camping outside before going in to wonder lake. if there is a trail (for non-orienteering folk) that would be fabulous. i grew up in the appalachians so i am used to a totally different type of hiking into campsites. and yes, i got bear canisters.

FlagStuff

Jul 16, 2012 9:15 PM
Posts: 611

That's interesting that the ranger had never heard of it, since it is right there on the park's website:

http://www.nps.gov/dena/naturescience/naturalfeaturesandecosystems.htm

There will definitely not be a trail right to this feature, so it sounds like you're out of luck.

zeldasdad

Jul 16, 2012 9:40 PM
Posts: 923

From Flagstuff's site:

>"Dozens of dinosaur fossil footprints are found in some strata of the Lower Cantwell Formation, such that geologists have affectionately referred to the slabs of rock as dinosaur dance floors. It would be hard to dance on them now, given that the rock layers have been heaved by ancient forces to the near-vertical. The dancing was done about 65 million years ago, to tunes played in the Late Cretaceous."

65 million years ago was lights out for the dinosaurs. Maybe those near-vertical "dance floors" should be called "last-dance floors." The "tunes" would all have been dirges.

FlagStuff

Jul 16, 2012 9:47 PM
Posts: 611

And now, you and I know more about it than Denali's seasonal rangers. That's good to know.

ianw6705

Jul 17, 2012 1:35 AM
Posts: 8,205

The "tunes" would all have been dirges.

Or perhaps Jerry Lee Lewis doing Great Balls of Fire ...

clodbod

Jul 17, 2012 6:34 AM
Posts: 367

Tunes would have included the Door's "This is The End."

VinnyD

Jul 17, 2012 7:17 AM
Posts: 32,305

The Party's Over, it's time to call it a day.
They've burst your pretty balloon and taken the moon away.

It's time to wind up the masquerade.
Just make your mind up the piper must be paid.

The Party's Over.The candles ficker and dim.
You danced and dreamed through the night,
it seemed to be right just being with him.

Now you must wake up, all dreams must end.
Take off your make up, The Party's Over.
It's all over, my friend.

ianw6705

Jul 17, 2012 1:08 PM
Posts: 8,205

The Carnival is Over by The Seekers ... still popular at funerals, for Australians of a certain age.

kvmarlow

Jul 17, 2012 5:24 PM
Posts: 6

awesome

kvmarlow

Jul 17, 2012 5:37 PM
Posts: 6

btw alapah, thanks a million. that map was exactly what i was looking for!!!!

St_Stephen

Jul 17, 2012 6:28 PM
Posts: 99

Talking Heads "City of Dreams"

Here where you are standing
The dinosaurs did a dance
The indians told a story
Now it has come to pass
...
We live in the city of dreams
We drive on the highway of fire
Should we awake
And find it gone
Remember this, our favorite town

travelinhobo

Jul 17, 2012 9:06 PM
Posts: 711

Don't know how you're getting there, but if in a car, and it's still possible, you can pitch your tent on the road side going to Denali. I did this 20 years ago - maybe it was a couple of miles within the turn off for the entrance.

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