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MOJAVE MIOCENE: THE VOLCANIC STORY
We are pleased to announce that registration
for the 2026 Desert Symposium is OPEN!Meeting is April 10-11, Field Trip is April 12-13
We have an exciting field trip that will span the Mojave Desert, east to west.
We welcome papers and abstracts on any desert topic.
Publication deadlines are upon us so please get your contribution submitted.January 17, 2026 is the deadline for submitting papers
February 6, 2026 is the deadline for submitting abstracts.
REGISTRATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY MARCH 14, 2016
HOW TO REGISTER FOR DESERT SYMPOSIUM 2026
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Complete Registration by March 14th
Read the four documents linked below (two Code of Conduct forms, one Release of Liability form, and the Registration form).
Form Submission: Sign and return the Code of Conduct and Release of Liability forms with your completed Registration Form. You can either MAIL the physical copies OR scan and email them to the address provided below.
Payment Options:
1) Pay by check with your mailed forms.
2) Pay online using a credit card (click the button below) or Zelle (use the tag below).No Onsite Registration: All registrations must be completed by the deadline.
bridenbecker.dsi@gmail.com
Desert Symposium Inc.
PO Box 2411
Running Springs CA 92382-2411CODE OF CONDUCT 1 | CODE OF CONDUCT 2 | LIABILITY FORM
REGISTRATION FORM
Zelle: Our Zelle tag is desertsymposiuminc
Keynote speaker Friday night April 10,2026
We are pleased to announce that Dave Nichols will present our keynote talk on:
The Excavation of the Casebier Rock Shelter (Forensics of a Dig)
Excavation of the rock shelter in 2013 with many volunteers revealed previously untold aspects of the cultural history of the eastern Mojave Desert.
Dave is the park archeologist and cultural resource program manager for both Mojave National Preserve and Castle Mountains National Monument. He has studied these resources in the eastern Mojave Desert for several decades and will share one particularly interesting dig.
2026 Desert Symposium Field Trip
April 12-13, 2026
Mojave Miocene: the volcanic story
Leader: Phil Gans, UC Santa Barbara Prof. of Geology
The 2026 Desert Symposium field trip will focus on the geologic story of early Miocene volcanism that formed extensive volcanic complexes stretching from the Colorado River across the entire northern Mojave Desert. Volcanism was intertwined with extensional tectonics that created high-relief landscapes and the volcanic rocks and interbedded sedimentary rocks also tell the story of the tectonic and landscape history.
The Early Miocene (24 to 18 Ma) was characterized by widespread explosive and effusive volcanic activity along a >300 km long belt of stratovolcanoes, rift zones, and calderas extending from near Lake Havasu City west to Soledad Mountain. This symposium and field trip will focus on the cause, character, and consequences of this volcanic activity. The 2-day field trip that will examine remnants of this volcanic episode in outstanding exposures extending the breadth of the Mojave Desert.
We plan to stay at the symposium venue Saturday and Sunday nights (4/11-12/2026), but camping is always an option. Day 1 (Sunday) we will carpool and drive east through the Mojave National Preserve, ending at Piute Gorge in the Piute Range before returning to Zzyzx. Day 2 (Monday) we will drive west, stopping in several places near Barstow and then three points west from there, ending south of Mojave.
4WD are not required.Plan to carpool Day 1.
Field Trip Day 1
Field Trip Day 2
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