The 1992 Stegosaurus Airlift

the 1992 Stegosaurus AirliftIn early June of 1992 Bryan Small with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science was looking for fossils in the Garden Park Fossil Area when he found a neck bone of a Stegosaurus.  This neck bone turned out to part of a continuous string of neck vertebrate.  This discovery would lead to the excavation of a Stegosaurus skeleton that was remarkably complete.   This skeleton provided both tremendous scientific information but also led to the need for some remarkable engineering and cooperation to safely remove from the ground.

Over a two month period, the Denver Museum of Natural History, the Garden Park Paleontology Society, the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office, the Department of Army Ft Carson and Colorado Quarries came together and cooperated to safely lift out this specimen utilizing a Chinook Army helicopter to lift the 13,000 pound body jacket.   This project was the result of the leadership of Dr. Kenneth Carpenter. This is a classic story of cooperation and friendship.

Contact Dan Grenard at [email protected] to schedule this program.  The program requires a screen and projector.  Dan provides powerpoint and other materials.

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