77th ANNUAL SPRING MEETING:

2023 Conference at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park, California 

Friday, April 21 - Sunday, April 23, 2023


Email CGS President Tiffany Seeley at [email protected] with any questions 

• OUR MEETINGS

The initial constitution of 1946 established annual meetings of CGS, which was known at that time as the California Council of Geography Teachers. The first meeting was held on Saturday, June 21, 1947, in the San Diego Hotel in conjunction with the APCG meeting. Since the inaugural conference, meetings have been held in almost every corner of the state, in urban settings and in rural settings.

The annual spring conference is generally held the last weekend in April or the first weekend in May, and average attendance hovers around 350 geographers and friends.

The conferences feature high quality scholarship from student geographers, professors and professional geographers from the public and private sectors in a supportive environment. 

Fabulous field trips, lead by local geographers and historians are always a highlight, but many conference attendees claim the camaraderie and fellowship makes each year's conference memorable.

2019 - Big Bear Lake
2018 - Cosumnes River College
2017 - Grossmont College
2016 - San Jose State University
2015 - Humboldt State University
2014 - Los Angeles City College
2013 - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
2012 - University of California, Davis
2011 - Tri County Fairgrounds, Bishop
2010 - California State University, Fullerton
2009 - Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang
2008 - California State University, Chico
2007 - Anza-Borrego State Park
2006 - Shasta College, Redding
2005 - Yosemite National Park
2004 - Long Beach City College
2003 - American River College
2002 - Lone Pine High School
2001 - Delta College, Stockton
2000 - San Diego State University
1999 - CSU Channel Islands
1998 - CSU San Bernardino
1997 - Mendocino College
1996 - Columbia College
1995 - CSU Fresno
1994 - Cal Poly Pomona
1993 - Shasta College
1992 - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
1991 - Porterville College
1990 - USC
1989 - Cosumnes River College
1988 - Pierce College
1987 - Clarion Hotel, Ontario
1986 - West Hills College, Coalinga
1985 - CSU Chico
1984 - Conestega Hotel, Anaheim
1983 - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
1982 - Bahia Hotel, San Diego
1981 - Harrah’s, Lake Tahoe
1980 - Shasta College
1979 - CSU Fresno
1978 - Pierce College
1977 - Independence High School, San Jose
1976 - CSU Long Beach
1975 - CSU Chico
1974 - CSU Bakersfield
1973 - Hyatt House, San Jose
1972 - Pasadena Hilton
1971 - Sonoma State College
1970 - Del Webb’s Townhouse, Fresno
1969 - San Diego State
1968 - CSU Hayward
1967 - Los Angeles Community College
1966 - Watsonville High School
1965 - Long Beach State
1964 - University of the Pacific
1963 - San Diego State
1962 - Fresno State College
1961 - San Fernando State College
1960 - San Jose State
1959 - Long Beach Community College
1958 - Santa Rosa Junior College
1957 - Compton College
1956 - Sacramento Junior College
1955 - Santa Monica High School
1954 - Chico State College
1953 - San Diego State
1952 - Fresno State College
1951 - UCLA
1950 - Stanford University
1949 - Ventura Jr. College
1948 - UC Berkeley
1947 - San Diego Hotel

• CURRENT MEETING

ELAC-letter-Monterey-Park-campus

Link to meeting program below!

MEETING PROGRAM
INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION (OPEN)
GROUP PAYMENT (OPEN)
Directions For Using the Group Payment Form

Deadline for Presenters: Sunday, April 2, 2023
Deadline for Non-Presenters: Friday, April 7, 2023

CALL FOR PAPERS

• MEETING COSTS & ACTIVITIES

MEMBERSHIP

Everyone

Included in registration fee

FULL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION (BBQ, Saturday Presentations, and Banquet)

Student Presenter

Non-Presenting Student

Faculty/Professional

Current Lifetime Member

$120

$140

$160

$110

SATURDAY PRESENTATIONS ONLY (9am - 5pm only - does not include BBQ or Banquet)

Student

Faculty/Professional

$50

$75

• MEETING ITINERARY

Display a map

• MEETING PARTICIPATION

If you’re interested in presenting a paper, poster, or map at the conference, you must register by April 2, 2023. This is also the deadline to submit an application for Student Awards and the student paper, poster, and cartography competitions.

When you register, you should already have a title and completed abstract for your paper, poster, or map. During the online registration process, you will be asked to copy and paste your title and abstract into a web-form. That title and abstract will appear in the conference program, which will be published a week or two before the conference.

If you plan to enter a student competition, please follow closely the guidelines established by the various calls for papers. You may compete for prize money and recognition for papers (oral presentations of research) posters, and cartography.

MEETING REGISTRATION

Registration available!
Meeting program available!

MEETING PROGRAM
INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION (OPEN)
GROUP PAYMENT
Directions For Using the Group Payment Form

Please direct any questions about registration to Tiffany Seeley at [email protected]

If you are a student who would like to apply for a scholarship
or participate in the student competition,
please review the call for papers.

• FIELD TRIP INFORMATION

Friday, April 21, 2023

The San Andreas Fault, the San Gabriel Mountains and Devil's Punchbowl

Leader: Geologist Tor Lacy, Cerritos College

Cost: $70 per person

Departs: 9am on Friday from ELAC

Transportation: Included

Lunch: Box Lunch Included

Walking: Some walking (0.5 miles or less) involved at stops

Description:

This trip will offer some beautiful vistas, close-up views of the striking bedrock making up the San Gabriel Mountains, and some of the most direct topographic evidence for the San Andreas fault in Southern California. The itinerary also includes a visit to the Wrightwood debris flow. Depending on time, we'll make a quick visit to Mormon Rocks or Devil's Punchbowl to observe evidence of the active tectonics of this region. This trip will require traversing winding mountain roads.


Minimum Capacity: 10 people

Maximum Capacity: 20 people

Friday, April 21, 2023

Behind the Scenes at the La Brea Tar Pits

Leader: Staff at the La Brea Tar Pits

CGS Point Person: Chrissy Sepulveda, East LA College

Meets at: 9am from ELAC if including transportation OR 9:45am on Friday at the entrance to the La Brea Tar Pits (Parking is $15) if driving there yourself

Cost: $50 with transportation included, $20 without transportation

Transportation: Included

Lunch: Not included, bring money for lunch

Walking: Some walking involved while touring the museum

Description:

A tour of the La Brea Tar Pits is an exciting and unique opportunity to explore the science of paleontology through behind-the-scenes visits to the Excavation Site and Fossil Lab, along with exclusive access to our museum’s scientific staff. 


At the Project 23 Excavation area you will get an up-close look at one of our ongoing “tar pit”, and talk with a member of our excavation team. You will learn about Project 23, our current excavation project, as well as get an in-depth introduction to the tools and techniques involved in extracting fossils from these asphaltic deposits. 


In the Fossil Lab you will learn from one of our professional fossil preparators how the staff and volunteers meticulously clean and repair ancient bones of dire wolves, saber-tooth cats, extinct birds, giant sloths, and other Ice Age animals, to get them ready for curation and scientific research. The Lab visit will also showcase the variety of microfossils specimens found at La Brea including insects, fresh-water shells, small mammals, reptiles, songbirds, and a diversity of botanical remains, which are crucial to understanding the ancient ecosystem and climate that existed at La Brea during the Ice Age.


Minimum Capacity: 10 people

Maximum Capacity: 20 people

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Hollywood's Historic Movie Ranches: From Ideal Filming Locations to Public Land Conservation


Leader: Robert Gorcik
Cost: $70 per person
Departs: 9am on Sunday from ELAC
Transportation: Included
Lunch: Box Lunch Included
Walking: 3.5 miles, 300 feet elevation gain

Description:

This field trip is a tour of several former and current movie ranches in the Santa Monica mountains, the Simi Hills, and the Santa Clarita area. These lands of these movie ranches were purchased by the Hollywood studios starting in the 1920s primarily to film first Westerns, and then all genres of film. Today many of these movie ranches have been acquired by the National Park Service, California State Parks, and other public park lands that today protect local ecosystems and public recreational land, while some are still privately owned as movie ranches. We will be making stops at 3-4 sites ranging from Malibu Creek State Park, Paramount Ranch, and Corriganville Park. Rangers and volunteers will be augmenting the experience with their own intimate knowledge at the public lands. We are planning on doing an optional 3.5 mile hike with less than 300 feet elevation, and a box lunch will be provided. Make sure to wear suitable footwear, and other items like water and sun protection, depending upon the weather.

Minimum Capacity: 10 people
Maximum Capacity: 12 people

Sunday, April 23, 2023


Sunday, April 23, 2023

Hike: Hollywood and Western to the Griffith Observatory

Leader: Dr. Steve Graves, CSU Northridge
Cost: $15 per person
Departs: 9am on Sunday from ELAC or you can meet the group at Hollywood and Western Metro Station.
Transportation: Public Transportation Included
Lunch: Bring money for food
Walking: To be determined, likely around 4 miles of walking in urban environments
Accessibility: Arrangements can be made for anyone with mobility challenges

Description:

Join Steve Graves on an enjoyable hike from the Metro station at Hollywood and Vine, through local neighborhoods, and along Ferndell Nature trail up a hillside path to the Griffith Park Observatory. We will enjoy excellent views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign. During the hike, expect genial discussion to range from gentrification, ethnic neighborhood formation, local flora and fauna, and urban morphology. The trip will include a quick 30-minute visit to the free areas of the observatory. Wear comfortable shoes, sunscreen and bring a few dollars for snacks, water and/or a souvenir from the gift shop.

Attendees can meet at a designated point or ride with Steve on Los Angeles public transit via Gold Line and Red Line subways. Travel details will be shared with attendees a week prior to departure.

Minimum Capacity: 8 people
Maximum Capacity: 20 people

• TRAVEL INFORMATION

CONFERENCE HOTEL

While you’re welcome to book any hotels nearby, we recommend the following hotels based on proximity to the conference events: 

TRANSPORTATION

ELAC is located a half a mile from the final stop (Atlantic Station) of the L (Gold) line. 

  • It is anticipated that the regional connector will be completed by the time of the conference. This will allow easy transfer access to most of the other Metro lines. Using the Metro is a great way to get around LA and beat the traffic if you want to explore. 
  • The fastest and most direct way to get from Union Station to ELAC currently is along the 70 bus line which runs along Cesar Chavez Avenue. It runs on regular intervals even on the weekends. 
  • We do not recommend using public transit to travel from ELAC to the Friday evening BBQ at the Grapevine Arbor in San Gabriel.  Please arrange to carpool or utilize a ride-sharing app to get to the event.

PARKING

All parking areas have been marked on the digital conference map linked here. 

  • Parking at ELAC is free - park in the LOT 4 parking structure on the corner of Collegian and Floral.  Do not park in staff parking spots or in red zones.
  • BBQ event at the Grapevine Arbor - you can park at the Mission Playhouse Parking lot (closest) or the San Gabriel Park and Ride (less than a block away).  Parking will be free unless there is an event at the Mission Playhouse (as of March 29th, there is no event scheduled). Please give yourself plenty of time to find parking for the BBQ event.

WEATHER & GEOGRAPHY

The weather in Los Angeles during April is ideal for visiting this great city. April turns from Spring-like to more Summer-like towards the end of this month as daytime high temperatures warm from the lower-70s F (21C to 22C) to the mid-70s (23C to 24C).

© 2019 CGS

The California Geographical Society.
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