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GCQ5FJ

EarthcacheLava River Cave EarthCache

A cache by Volcanoguy     Hidden: 8/15/2005

Size: Size: Not chosen (Not chosen)     Difficulty: 2 out of 5     Terrain: 3 out of 5 (1 is easiest, 5 is hardest)


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N/S ? ??.??? W/E ??? ??.??? 
In Oregon, United States

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The starting coordinates will put you in the parking lot at Lava River Cave, which is a Recreation Fee Site so a parking pass is required. Bring a light or rent a lantern.

This is the fifth in a series of eight earthcaches being developed at major points of interest in Newberry National Volcanic Monument in cooperation with the staff of the Deschutes National Forest. Lava River Cave is closed to all entry from November 1 to April 30 to protect hibernating bats. For the remainder of the year (May 1 to October 31) the cave is open to the public. The cave entrance is staffed from approximately Memorial Day to Labor Day. No logs for this earthcache will be accepted from November 1 to April 30.

To log this cache you will need to go more than half way through the cave and you will need a tape measure. Please post a photo taken in the cave. There are three interpretive signs in the cave, e-mail me the "sign titles" and "width of the cave" at each of the signs (to the nearest foot).

While doing this earthcache you may also be able to collect the necessary information to claim several waymarks in the area.

Lave River Cave EntranceLava River Cave is an excellent example of a lava tube and is the longest continuous tube in Oregon.

The Stairs in Lava River CaveDuring long-lived eruptions flowing lava becomes channelized into a few main streams. Overflows of lava from these streams solidify quickly and plaster on to the channel walls, building natural walls that allow the level of the lava to be raised. Lava streams that flow steadily in a confined channel for many hours to days may develop a solid crust or roof and thus change gradually into streams within lava tubes. If molten rock (magma) stops rising to the surface at the source, the still-molten lava moving beneath the crusted-over top of a lava flow can continue to drain downhill and may ultimately leave an open lava tube cave. Because the walls and roofs of such tubes are good thermal insulators, lava flowing through them can remain hot and fluid much longer than surface flows. Tube-fed lava can be transported for great distances from the eruption sites.

Newberry Volcano has been the source of numerous high volume tube-fed lava flows that have flowed northward well beyond Bend. These high volume flows generally come from small spatter/fissure vents. These vents were typically low on the flanks of Newberry. The highest elevation vent was in the area of Mokst Butte but it has been buried by Mokst Butte and its flows. The eruption from this vent occurred about 80,000 years ago and resulted in a flow which nearly reaches Redmond and underlies much of Bend. Lava River Cave was a major tube that carried the flow westward to the Deschutes River.

 


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Logged Visits (106 total. Visit the Gallery (62 images))

Found it97     Didn't find it2     Write note5     Post Reviewer Note1     Publish Listing1     

Warning. Spoilers may be included in the descriptions or links.
Cache find counts are based on the last time the page generated.

 October 1, 2009 by Greg&Dinah (1788 found)
This is now closed for the season due to the road construction

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 September 7, 2009 by mcgeester (1983 found)
This was the coolest one of all...literally, it was cold down there! We loved the cave and all the different shapes it had at every turn. At one point it looked just like a perfect cave from a movie set, really neat. Thanks for the EarthCache!

View This Log
Photo We look very surprised!

 September 6, 2009 by Tiara del Fuego (417 found)
Found this as part of a tremendous Bend, Sunriver and Sisters vacation. Thanks!

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Photo The end (of the tube) is near.

 September 1, 2009 by KrysAdlers (708 found)
We saved this cache/hike for the hottest part of the day. We made it all the way to the end! Luckily the folks manning the place were patient as we were the last ones out of the lava tube that day. Pretty cool place - figuritively and literally. TFTEC

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Photo I can stand up here!
Photo Can you see our breath?

 August 30, 2009 by The Screaming Banschees (771 found)
There Were lost's of spelunkers today
Thanks for another reason to go back down here
The rest of the family had not been that far undergroung before

[This entry was edited by The Screaming Banschees on Sunday, September 06, 2009 at 9:08:32 AM.]

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Photo IMG_2301

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Current Time: 2/10/2010 1:26:32 AM (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) (9:26 AM GMT)
Last Updated: 10/19/2009 9:27:51 AM Pacific Daylight Time (4:27 PM GMT)
Rendered: From Database
Coordinates are in the WGS84 datum


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