What's an
Earthcache?
I learned about these formations years ago in the book "Secret
Places: Scenic Treasures of Western New York and Southern Ontario"
by Bruce Kershner (a wonderful book by the way). The description
below comes from this book.
Chimney Bluff was formed by the Ice Age glaciers. The glaciers
deposited an elongated hill of compacted gravel, called a drumlin.
When the glaciers melted away, Lake Ontario's waters rose and
reached the level of the glacial drumlin. The lake's waters
battered the hill during storms, eroding parts of it away, and
rains caused parts of the hill to slide into the lake. The erosion
led to the bizarre forms we see today.
There are about nine badland ridges, with names like Drunkard's
Leap, Disappearing Point and Stonehenge Point. Among the odd rock
formations are the Dragon's Back, the Dragon's Horn, and Castle
Spires. Some of the knife-edge ridges are indeed like knife edges;
the are as narrow as 2 inches wide and up to 100 feet high!
There are two parking areas for this park. The parking area on
the East side of the park is much closer to this EarthCache. There
are two other traditional caches in close proximity, and another
cache a bit futher away but still in the same park.
To get credit for this cache, you must do two things:
- The formations are constantly changing over time. Estimate the
number of peaks you see at the posted coordinates and report this
with your online log. Over time, I'd like to see if this number
goes up or down to see the effect erosion has in this area.
- Take a photo of yourself with your GPS and the formations in
the background (doesn't have to be at the posted coordinates, as
long as you get the formations).
Be careful on the trail ... the trail goes close to the cliff
edge and the trail can get slippery. Please don't climb on the
formations - Mother Nature is doing a fine job forming these. She
doesn't need help from you!