The esker here runs for over 2 miles through this park. Other
nice areas of the park to give this esker very nice view’s
can be found at N42 35.338 W083 00.050 and N42 36.555 W083
01.425.
An Esker is a long, winding ridge which occurs from glacier melt.
It is formed in ice-walled tunnels by streams which flowed within
and under glaciers. After the retaining ice walls melt away, stream
deposits remain as long winding ridges. Eskers may also form above
glaciers by accumulation of sediment in glacial channels, in
crevasses, in linear zones between stagnant blocks, or in narrow
embayment at glacier margins. Eskers form near the terminal zone of
glaciers, where the ice is not moving as fast and is relatively
thin.
Eskers will very in size and shape. The shape and size is
determined by flow and melting of the basal ice. They may exist as
a single channel, or may be part of a branching system with
tributary eskers. They are not often found as continuous ridges,
but have gaps that separate the winding segments. The ridge crests
of eskers are not usually level for very long, and are generally
knobby. Eskers may be broad-crested or sharp-crested with steep
sides. The heights of any esker will vary as well. The esker here
at Dodge Park has each of these above qualities. So be sure to look
as you trail the trails here for an excellent example of an
esker.
To log this earth cache you will be performing a few tasks and
e-mailing me the answers that you come up with.
1. Go to the posted co-ords which will put you a top of one part of
this esker. At this point take an altimeter reading here.
2. As you are walking the trails that go up and down the esker you
will see the exposed earth. Describe in detail the make up of the
ground that makes up the esker.
3. Walk down to the river at N42 36.220 W083 01.020. When here take
an altimeter reading and subtract this number from the posted
co-ords which then you will e-mail the height of the esker.
4. Post a photo with your log of you/your team with any part of
this esker at any location in the park.
This cache has been placed with the permission of the
Sterling Heights Parks and Recreation Department.
Please be sure to always stay on the trails in this park due to
some of the fragile and sensitive areas here in the park.
Please only complete this cache between dawn and dusk.
Be sure to e-mail me within 7 days of logging the cache to
get credit for your work. If the rules of finding an Earthcache and
e-mailing the owner is not followed your log will be deleted
without notice!