The red backpack marks a highly fossiliferous section of the Middle Eocene Ione Formation, Ione Basin; here occur many well-preserved fossil leaves in grayish-white mudstones (lower left) and in reddish-brown shales. Several large blocks of shale and mudstone here yielded whole, complete leaves plastered along the bedding planes--specimens that now reside in the archival paleobotany collections at the University California Museum Of Paleontology in Berkeley. Image taken on March 11, 2004.

Please note: All fossil localities in the Ione Formation of Amador County, California, presently occur on private property; explicit permission from the land owners must be secured before collecting fossils there.