Jon Noad

<h2>Highlights</h2>
<ul>
<li>New Scientist Discovery Tour in partnership with GeoCultura&nbsp;</li>
<li>Traverse the spectacular scenery of the Canadian Rockies and marvel at the colossal forces that generated and shaped them</li>
<li>Begin with a panoramic overview of the Rockies and the Badlands from the 191m (626 foot) Calgary Tower</li>
<li>Visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites: the rugged peaks and glacial features of the Banff portion of Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks and the bone-riddled badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park</li>
<li>Examine world-class dinosaur fossils at the Royal Tyrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller</li>
<li>Explore the landforms and geology of the extraordinary landscapes of the Badlands</li>
<li>See dinosaur excavation sites normally off-limits to the public while at Dinosaur Provincial Park</li>
<li>An optional addition is a half hour helicopter flight over the majestic peaks of the Canadian Rockies</li>
<li>The activity level is rated as MODERATE (see our definitions <a href="https://www.geoculturaworld.com/about/health-and-safety" target="_blank">here</a>)</li>
<li>The tour begins and ends in Calgary, Alberta, Canada&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h2>Overview</h2>
<p>This tour of the majestic Rocky Mountains west of Calgary and the otherworldly Badlands to the east explores the stunning scenery and geology of southern Alberta and brings to life the history of settlements in this remote but beautiful land. Participants will visit two World Heritage Sites with world-class rock outcrops and outstanding dinosaur fossils. The leader will develop the story of rocks and life from the Devonian (~420-million-years-ago) to the present, a tale that includes massive reefs, dinosaur playgrounds, evidence of the geological process that formed the Rocky Mountains and, more recently, ice sheets that covered Alberta and carved out spectacular landscapes. The human story began about 10,000 years ago as the ice sheets were melting away and people arrived to start a history of settlement.</p>
<p>The tour highlights how the geology influenced the colonization and development of Alberta. After an introduction in Calgary, the tour explores the structural geology (the landscape, formed by the shortening and telescoping of land as the Rockies grew in pulses from 160–50 million years ago) and the stratigraphy (the layers of rocks) of the stunning Kananaskis Valley. The tour will visit the magnificent Banff and Lake Louise area, surrounded by mountains composed of uplifted limestones which originally formed in ancient warm seas.</p>
<p>Alberta has a fascinating history, from a little-known fur trade war in the late 1600s and the waves of settlers which followed from many European countries to its thriving Mormon community which originally emigrated from Utah. When Alberta became a province at the turn of the 20th century, the population was under 80,000 and until the 1920s it was a place of farmers and homesteaders. The discovery of oil changed everything and Calgary (population now 1.3 million) became the oil and gas capital of Canada.</p>
<p>Alongside the development of industry came the amazing finds from the age of the dinosaurs. The first discoveries were by Joseph Tyrell in 1884 and have continued since then to make Alberta one of the most renowned locations for their study in the world. The group will take in the Royal Tyrrell Museum at Drumheller – one of the world’s best and most-celebrated dinosaur museums – and will spend a full day at Dinosaur Provincial Park, visiting areas normally off-limits to the general public.</p>

<div><img title="Lake Louise" alt="Lake Louise" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T008%20AB%20Lake%20Louise%20KB%20iStock.jpg">
<p>The crown jewel of Banff National Park, Lake Louise.</p>
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<div><img title="Moraine Lake" alt="Moraine Lake" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/C06-T008%20AB%20Moraine%20Lake%203910203.jpg" height="501" width="891">
<p>The turquoise waters of glacially fed Moraine Lake, situated in Alberta's Valley of the Ten Peaks.</p>
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<div><img title="Horseshoe Canyon" alt="Horseshoe Canyon" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T008%20AB%20Horseshoe%20Canyon%20iStock-1305316922Scaled%20copy.jpg">
<p>Horseshoe Canyon, a region of badlands surrounded by prairie in Alberta.</p>
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<div><img title="Royal Tyrrell Museum" alt="Royal Tyrrell Museum" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T008%20AB%20Royal%20Tyrrell%20Exterior%20KB.jpg">
<p>The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology features one of the world's largest displays of dinosaurs, including the famous 'Black Beauty' Tyrannosaurus.</p>
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<div><img title="The McConnell thrust at Mount Yamnuska" alt="The McConnel thrust at Mount Yamnuska" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/C03-T008%20AB%20Mountain%201284926.jpg">
<p>The McConnell thrust at Mount Yamnuska, Alberta, placing Cambrian over Cretaceous strata.</p>
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<div><img title="Drumheller Hoodoos" alt="Drumheller Hoodoos" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/C10-T008%20AB%20Hoodoos-4533854.jpg">
<p>Drumheller Hoodoos. Made of soft sandstone, the 5-7m tall hoodoos are generally topped with a harder, cemented rock cap.</p>
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<div><img title="Calgary" alt="Calgary" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T008%20AB%20View%20of%20Calgary%20KB.jpg">
<p>Our tour begins and ends in Calgary, including a visit to Calgary Tower (centre of picture) before venturing west to the Rockies.</p>
</div>

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<h3>Tour Map</h3>
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<p><span style="font-size: 9pt"><img title="Alberta Tour Map" alt="Alberta Tour Map" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T008%20AB%20Location%20Map.png"></span></p>
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<h3>Day 1 – Arrival in Calgary</h3>
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<p><img title="Calgary" alt="Calgary" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T008%20City%20Skyline.jpg"></p>
<p>The tour will begin with an afternoon meeting in central Calgary, where the tour leader will discuss the itinerary and introduce the geology of Alberta. This will be followed by a visit to the Calgary Tower where the spectacular views will serve to orient the tour and discuss more of the landscapes and geology ahead. In the evening a group dinner will be accompanied by a talk on the history and culture of Alberta from an eminent local historian.</p>
<p>Overnight in Calgary. Group dinner.</p>
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<h3>Day 2 – Calgary to Banff – the formation of the Rockies and glaciation</h3>
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<p><img title="Kananaskis Valley" alt="Kananaskis Valley" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T008%20AB%20Kananaskis%20Valley%20iStock%20(1).jpg"></p>
<p>An early departure will lead to the Morley Flats Drumlin Field, a series of hills formed beneath an ice sheet and the first step on the glacial story revealed by the excursion. The group travels on to the Kananaskis Valley to view a classic feature that is a standard illustration in numerous geology books: the termination of the Lewis Thrust Fault in an extremely large fold in the rock layers at Kidd Mountain's south peak. The morning continues with examination of the Montney Rock Formation, one of the best hydrocarbon resources in North America, exposed in a series of outcrops that include a Triassic (~240-million-year-old) bone bed.</p>
<p>Afternoon stops include views of the striking Yamnuska Mountain showing the 505-million-year-old Eldon Formation now thrust, by mountain building processes, over the 80-million-year-old Belly River Formation by the McConnell Thrust, as well as exposures of the 70-million-year-old Cardium Formation with unusual sedimentary features and excellent trace fossils (a trail or burrow of an animal). A short final leg takes the tour to the overnight stop in Banff, nestled in a stunning setting amid the mountains.</p>
<p>Overnight in Banff. Free evening.</p>
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<h3>Day 3 – In and around Banff</h3>
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<p><img title="Banff" alt="Banff" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T008%20Banff%20Town.jpg"></p>
<p>During the morning the tour will visit outcrops of the Pekisko Limestone, named after the Blackfoot native tribe word for “rolling hills”, and the Mazama Ash Beds, deposited around 7600 years ago by the ash fall from the massive volcanic eruption that created Crater Lake in Oregon, 1500km (900 miles) to the southwest. After lunch in Canmore the tour will move on to view Devonian sediments rich in stromatoporoids (reef-building sponges) and take in the stunning scenery on a comfortable 2km (1.5 mile) walk at Grassi Lakes.</p>
<p>After returning to Banff there will be a group meal in the evening and a chance to hear more about the story of Banff from a local historian. The town is famous not just for its astounding scenery but also for its hot springs, formed from hot water emerging from the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault.</p>
<p>Overnight in Banff. Group dinner.</p>
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<h3>Day 4 – Banff to Drumheller</h3>
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<p><img title="Moraine Lake" alt="Moraine Lake" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T008%20AB%20Moraine%20Lake.png"></p>
<p>Today the tour travels along one of the most scenic highways in the world, the Icefields Parkway, on a short journey to Lake Louise. Expect fantastic views of ancient glaciers, waterfalls, rock spires and reflective lakes all set in landscapes that owe their origin to powerful ice flow processes. There will be a viewing stop at the Banff Meadows to take in the spectacular vista, which clearly reveals the crustal scale thrusting that pushed deep, old rock layers kilometres over the top of younger rocks to form the Rockies. Late morning the tour will arrive at the hotel at Lake Louise. There will be a chance to stroll around the edge of the lake before lunch.</p>
<p>In the afternoon, the tour visits Moraine Lake before a longer drive (~3 hrs) to the overnight hotel stop in Drumheller, north-east of Calgary. After settling into the hotel there is a group dinner at a renowned bar and restaurant in Wayne, an outlying part of the town and previously home to a number of coal mines. Drumheller itself has a fascinating history which, like much of western Canada, is dominated by the development of the railway network in the early 1900s. It is still the largest town by land area in Alberta, despite having a population of under 10,000 people – a result of its amalgamation with the Municipal District of Badlands No.7 in 1998.</p>
<p>Overnight in Drumheller. Group dinner.</p>
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<h3>Day 5 – Drumheller: dinosaurs, extinction and hoodoos</h3>
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<p><img title="The Royal Tyrell Museum" alt="The Royal Tyrell Museum" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/C11-T008%20AB%20T%20Rex%20Tyrrell.jpg" height="525" width="954"></p>
<p>The day will begin with an excursion to one of the world's premier dinosaur museums, the Royal Tyrell Museum, where the group will also have lunch. In the afternoon, the tour will first visit Horseshoe Canyon, where the stunning scenery has been used as backdrop for a variety of films and TV series. The exposed deposits formed just before the meteorite impact in Mexico that ended the reign of the dinosaurs, at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. There will be further stops at Hoodoos, Willow Creek and East Coulee to see how to ‘read the stories’ in the rock structures, including world-class examples of ancient migrating channels, evidence of ancient shorelines, preserved burrows by bivalves in wood (Teredolites traces) and some awesome giant fossil tree stumps. A short final journey takes the tour back to Drumheller.</p>
<p>Overnight in Drumheller. Free evening.</p>
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<h3>Day 6 – Drumheller to Brooks – Dinosaur Provincial Park</h3>
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<p><img title="Dinosaur Provincial Park" alt="Dinosaur Provincial Park" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/C15-T008%20AB%20Dinosaur%20PP.jpg" height="738" width="984"></p>
<p>The final full day of the tour begins with a drive to the Dinosaur Provincial Park, a World Heritage Site. The group will spend the day at the Park, including having access to areas not usually open to the public, and seeing some of the best and most famous dinosaur fossils in the world. There will be some gentle hikes to ensure everyone can take in the best the Park has to offer, and a full packed lunch will be provided. The itinerary will include the Hadrosaur House, home of a sub-complete dinosaur skeleton featuring skin impressions, as well as ancient river channel deposits, whose fossils tell a tragic tale of flash flooding and its impact on Cretaceous fauna. One of Alberta’s most extensive groves of cottonwoods, flanking the Red Deer River, provides a fitting backdrop.</p>
<p>Supper will be at the famous steak pits (vegetarian options available) in Patricia, where everyone can cook their own meal, before the tour continues to Brooks.</p>
<p>Overnight in Brooks. Group dinner.</p>
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<h3>Day 7 – Brooks to Calgary and tour’s end</h3>
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<p>A two-hour journey will return participants to Calgary, where participants are free to return home or to continue exploring Alberta.</p>
<p>Note: this provisional itinerary is subject to change as specific locations and accommodations release more information regarding access for the coming year.</p>
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<h3>Activity Level and Terrain</h3>
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<p>The activity level is rated as MODERATE, requiring an average level of fitness (see our definitions <a href="https://www.geoculturaworld.com/about/health-and-safety" target="_blank">here</a>). The tour will involve walking in generally easy terrain, but will require good walking boots and a moderate level of fitness (please note, some paths may be uneven and loose underfoot). Hikes are between 2–5km (1–3 miles) long. The weather is generally good in summer with mild conditions during the day (12–23°C/55–76°F) and cool at night (6–10°C/40–50°F), although changeable weather conditions should be anticipated in the mountains and rain and cool conditions are possible. Elevations are between 1000–1400m (3000–4500 ft); participants unused to such elevations may find activities a little more strenuous than usual.</p>
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<h3>The Tour Includes/Excludes</h3>
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<h4>The Tour Includes:</h4>
<ul>
<li>The services of your tour expert(s),who will be with the group throughout the tour, providing pre-visit briefings, walking seminars and available to answer questions.&nbsp;</li>
<li>A tour leader, who will attend to logistical matters, oversee the group’s health and safety and assist participants with their queries.&nbsp;</li>
<li>All transportation costs from the start to the end of the tour, including the services of a professional coach driver.&nbsp;</li>
<li>All accommodation costs for the nights stated, assuming double occupancy rooms. Single occupancy rooms are generally available for a surcharge. Please contact GeoCultura for details.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li>All breakfasts, lunches and dinners, except for the two dinners marked “free evening”.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Entry fees, local guide fees and activity fees, where arranged as part of the tour.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Most gratuities and all service charges&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h4>The Tour Excludes:</h4>
<ul>
<li>Alcoholic and soft drinks with meals are not included.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Optional activities as described in the tour itinerary or extra activities that are not described in the itinerary.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Personal expenditures, including bar bills, laundry bills, and the cost of meals on two free evenings.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Transportation to the start venue or from the end venue of the tour (air fares are not included).&nbsp;</li>
<li>Passport and visa fees.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Participants are required to carry their own health and travel insurance in case of accident or unforeseen circumstances.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
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<h3>Alternate Activities</h3>
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<p>Individuals who prefer not to participate in certain activities might consider these options:<br><strong>Day 2:</strong> A half-hour helicopter overflight out of a base in Canmore – this will reinforce the geological messages of the tour by providing a 3-D appreciation of the vertical relief of the individual ranges and the widespread distribution of the rock layers.<br>Alternately, participants may wish to spend the day in Banff for sightseeing, museum visits, hiking or a gondola ride into the mountains.<br><strong>Day 4:</strong> In Drumheller there are opportunities for sightseeing, shopping for dinosaur fossils and antiques or hiking.</p>
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<h3>Suggested Reading</h3>
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<p><em><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Dinosaur_Provincial_Park.html?id=lS55girEQsEC&amp;source=kp_book_description" target="_blank">Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed</a></em> (2005), edited by Philip Currie and Eva Koppelhus. Published by Indiana University Press.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.tyrrellmuseumshop.com/collections/art-and-books/products/badlands-of-drumheller%20" target="_blank">Badlands of Drumheller – Eastern Area</a></em> (2017), David Eberth. Published by Bedrock Press.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Tf8V_6P-avsC&amp;newbks=0&amp;hl=en&amp;source=newbks_fb" target="_blank">Tales from the Canadian Rockies</a></em> (2013), Brian Patton. Published by McClelland &amp; Stewart.</p>
<p><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Handbook_of_the_Canadian_Rockies.html?id=LxRNAQAAIAAJ&amp;source=kp_book_description" target="_blank"><em>Canadian Rockies Geology Road Tour</em>s</a> (2008), Ben Gadd. Published by Corax Press.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dinosaur_Country/HqxUvwEACAAJ?hl=en" target="_blank">Dinosaur Country: Unearthing the Badlands’ Prehistoric Past</a></em> (1998), Renie Gross. Published by Badlands Books.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Trade/wWhyu1vgmaUC?hl=en" target="_blank">The Trade</a></em> (2010), Fred Stenson. Published by Douglas &amp; McIntyre. Historical fiction.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Icefields/-jvPFFZmChkC?hl=en" target="_blank">Icefields</a></em> (1995), Thomas Wharton. NeWest Press. Historical fiction.</p>
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<h3>Accommodation</h3>
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<p>Night 1: <a href="https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/yycdt-calgary-marriott-downtown-hotel/overview/" target="_blank">Calgary&nbsp;Marriott Downtown&nbsp;Hotel</a> in central Calgary</p>
<p><em>"Centrally located and adjacent to the Calgary Tower, the Marriott offers beautifully appointed rooms with views of the Northern Lights display at the Tellus Sky Building, a fitness center and the warmth and comfort of the One 18 Empire Bar and Restaurant." </em></p>
<p>Nights 2 and 3: <a href="https://banffptarmiganinn.com/" target="_blank">Banff&nbsp;Ptarmigan Inn</a> in Banff</p>
<p><em>"The Inn is nestled below the peaks of Banff National Park and steps away from the sights and activities of downtown Banff. It boasts comfortable, spacious rooms with balconies and city or mountain views." </em></p>
<p>Nights 4 and 5: <a href="https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/ramada/drumheller-alberta/ramada-inn-and-suites-drumheller-ab/overview" target="_blank">Ramada by Wyndham Drumheller Hotel&nbsp;&amp; Suites</a> in Drumheller</p>
<p><em>"In central Drumheller and near the Royal Tyrell Museum, the hotel is ideally situated to explore the Badlands of Alberta. Amenities include a pool and fitness center, and the hotel is within walking distance of Drumheller restaurants." </em></p>
<p>Night 6: <a href="https://canaltahotels.com/hotels/canalta-brooks/" target="_blank">Canalta Brooks Hotel</a> in Brooks</p>
<p><em>"The Canalta has all you need to make the most of your stay: spacious rooms and enjoyable amenities such as a pool and hot tub." </em></p>
<p>Note: If required for reasons beyond our control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternate accommodations of equal or higher quality.</p>
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<h3>Deposit and Payment Terms</h3>
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<p><strong>Deposit:</strong> A deposit of 10% of the tour price is due upon registration for a tour.</p>
<p><strong>Final payment:</strong> Full payment is due 60 days before a tour begins, or upon registration if within the 60-day window.</p>
<p><strong>Cancellation by participant:</strong> A participant may cancel a registration after securing a confirmed place on a tour for any reason. The following refund terms will apply:</p>
<ul>
<li>Greater than 60 days before tour begins: Any monies paid plus half of the deposit will be refunded</li>
<li>30 to 59 days before tour begins: 35% of tour price will be refunded</li>
<li>15 to 29 days before tour begins: 25% of tour price will be refunded</li>
<li>Within 14 days of tour or during the tour: No monies will be refunded</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Cancellation by GeoCultura:</strong> GeoCultura reserves the right to cancel any tour due to low enrolment, inability to run the tour or concerns about the safety, health or welfare of participants. If a tour is cancelled before it begins, all monies paid will be refunded (including any deposit).</p>
<p>Please refer to our <a href="https://www.geoculturaworld.com/terms-and-conditions" target="_blank">Terms and Conditions</a> page for additional details.</p>
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<h2>Jon Noad</h2>
<p><img title="Jon Noad" alt="Jon Noad" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/Jon%20Noad.png"></p>
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<p><span>Jon Noad resides in Calgary, Alberta, where he is in demand for running “Geology for Non-geologists” courses. Jon is a consulting geologist and palaeontologist, an Adjunct Professor at Mount Royal University, Calgary, and a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide. Jon specializes in sedimentology and trace fossils and is currently researching Cretaceous river systems and fossil localities in Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p><span><span>Jon has led groups in the field for many years, and is an enthusiastic teacher and presenter. He has taught university courses in Alberta and internationally. He has recently developed a </span><span>popular </span><span>portfolio of geology-focused videos across western Canada.</span></span><span>&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p><span>In addition to fieldwork, Jon loves hiking, wildlife photography and travel. He has run more than 30 marathons and skies in the winter. He also enjoys cooking and eating hot curries.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p>
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NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT FOR SOLO TRAVELLERS. Delve into the wildly contrasting landscapes of southern Alberta, from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the Badlands in the east

The Rockies and the Badlands: Geology and Dinosaurs in Canada