Sheep Creek Geological Area- The Edge of the Uinta EarthCache
Sheep Creek Geological Area- The Edge of the Uinta
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Welcome to Sheep Creek Cayon. This wonderful geological location is the edge of the Uinta Mountains. A this location you will actually see where the mountains have ended. Park at the coordinates for the cache and then view north.
This beautiful panoramic view of part of Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area. The southwest branch of the Uinta fault zone placed deep red rocks of the Uinta Mountain Group up next to the gray rocks of the Mississippian Madison Limestone during the Laramide orogeny about 70 to 40 million years ago. The Pennsylvanian Round Valley Formation, Pennsylvanian Morgan Formation, and Pennsylvanian-Permian Weber Sandstone form the ridge on the right side of what you are looking at. The Madison Limestone cliff is locally called The Palisades. View is to the north.
To claim this cache email the following
1. Take a photo of you with the mountains in the background (optional)
2. Using your compass, what bearing does the floor of the canyon run?
3. What you are looking at is multiple layers of the Earths pushing against each other. The Uinta Mountains are the red rock on the left. The Mississipian is the highest rocks next to it. From what you are looking at, which one is pushing harder against the other? Are the rocks moving right to left or left to right? Why do you think this?
4. The high cliff, made of Madison limestone, above the red rocks, is called the Palisades. Why do you think this cliff is here? Dos this support your answer to number three?
5. An erathem is the total stratigraphic record deposited during a certain corresponding span of time during an era in the geologic timescale. By the colors of the bands in the mountain, how many do you see?
I hoped you enjoyed the beautiful rock formations and earth development history here.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)