Friday, January 18, 2008

Dinosaur Bones?

Each season for the past 4 years, Zion Helitack has been given the opportunity to assist in a rather fun and unique project. The Grand Staircase National Monument (GSNM) paleontologist's have needed a way to extract the bones that they have uncovered on the monument. Due to the weight of the bones and the remote location, a helicopter is the obvious choice.

We have been pleased to pull leg bones, skulls, and even complete bodies of rarely if every before seen dinosaur's. At least two of the bones that we have extracted for them are new discoveries... it is fun to be a part of such a new and groundbreaking discovery. The bones are always plastered in a casing before we rig and lift them to waiting trucks and trailers. So unfortunately we have no pictures of the finished product... in fact it often takes many years to uncase the bones from the rock within which they were entombed... But just the knowledge of what we have been a part of is rewarding.

We are looking to help the GSNM out once again in 2008 by inserting gear and equipment into a very difficult area to reach. An area that the paleontologists refer to as "no man's land"... they are hopefull that they will unearth even more and diversily interesting bones that no doubt we will be extracting for them...












just a step back in time... Cheers,

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