This cache is part of a series known as the 2012 Clackamas County Historical Society (CCHS) GEO-Heritage Tour. Download and print a passport, find codewords inside of caches, have your passport stamped at museums, and visit info sites for clues to earn a geocoin. More info about the passport can be found near the end of this cache description.
During the last Ice Age, about 18,000 years ago, an ice sheet moved down from Canada into northern Idaho, Montana and Washington. A finger of ice blocked the Clark Fork River drainage, and a huge lake formed behind the dam. Glacial Lake Missoula flooded mountain valleys throughout western Montana. The largest of these lakes held more water than Lake Erie and Lake Ontario combined. The ice sheet calved icebergs into the frigid waters.
Glacial Lake Missoula eventually blasted through the ice dam. The raging torrent shook the ground as it tore a path across northern Idaho, eastern Washington and northern Oregon. The wall of black, cement-like water was 1000 ft. deep as it roared through the Columbia Gorge. Some of the water swung south at Portland and filled the Willamette Valley to Eugene. Lake Allison, a temporary lake, filled the Willamette Valley from Portland to Eugene to the 400 ft. level. The lake drained and left behind soil that had been swept down from Washington, boulders that had been embedded in the icebergs, the Willamette meteorite, and some of the richest soils in the west.
Lake Missoula formed as many as 100 times, and approximately 40 of the floods reached the Willamette Valley. Stand at the foot of Petes Mountain and look up. It is 825 feet high and covered with trees and bushes. Imagine the ground starts to shake and you hear a roaring sound in the distance. A 300-foot- wall of water is racing down the Willamette Valley, crushing everything in its path. You have to climb nearly half- way up the mountain to reach safety. Will you make it?
The Lower Columbia Chapter (of the Ice Age Flood Institute) invites you to their free meetings at the Tualatin Heritage Center to hear local researchers talk about the Missoula Floods, and other topics. We also have an annual field trip in May. For more information go to IAFI, and GigaFlood.
Teletales 503-342-3597 24# +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This cache is one of 10 Geocaches, 2 Earthcaches, 7 Passport Stamps and 11 Info sites in the 2012 Clackamas County Historical Society (CCHS) GEO-Heritage Tour. The tour combines exploration of local heritage sites with geocaching.
Download a tour passport from CCHS.
At the center of the passport is a redemption form. The first 300 people (limit one per family/address) who complete at least 20 of the 30 passport entries will earn a limited edition trackable bronze CCHS Geocoin. Complete at least 25 of the 30 passport entries to be included in a prize drawing. See the Passport for more details.
Take the Passport Redemption Form with you as you find the caches so that you can enter the CODEWORDS found inside the Geocaches and answers to the Earthcaches onto the form.
Tour Geocaches and Earthcaches: GC3M4ZB GC3M514 GC3M51E GC3M54D GC3M53W GC3M529 GC3JB6R GC3M51P GC3M52M GC3M539 GC3MR9G GC3MQ0W
RULES: 1. The Clackamas County Historical Society reserves the right to modify the Rules at anytime and for any reason. 2. There is a limit of 1 (one) Geocoin per Geocaching Family. 3. To receive your Geocoin, return the completed Redemption Form to one of these Geocoin Pickup Sites listed in the Passport. 4. The prize drawing will take place when the last of the 300 geocoins has been given to a passport tour participant.