The Niagara is a fairly young river, only 12,000 years old!, a
microsecond in geological time. The Niagara Escarpment, which was
created by erosion is much older.
After the last ice age when glaciers pressed down on the area, the
slow process of erosion by ice and water has created this
escarpment.
The mighty river plunges over a cliff of dolostone and shale.
Dolostone is a sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high
percentage of the mineral dolomite. Most dolostone formed as a
magnesium replacement of limestone or lime mud prior to
lithification. It is resistant to erosion and can either contain
bedded layers or be unbedded. Shale is a rock formed from fine
grained muds and clays. It is characterized by thin laminae
breaking with an irregular curving fracture, often splintery and
usually parallel to the often-indistinguishable bedding plane. This
property is called fissility.
Niagara Falls is the second largest falls on the globe next to
Victoria Falls in southern Africa. One fifth of all the fresh water
in the world lies in the four Upper Great Lakes-Michigan, Huron,
Superior and Erie. All the outflow empties into the Niagara river
and eventually cascades over the falls.
Please note that the posted co-ordinates will bring you to Table
Rock near the brink of the falls, but you will still have to look
around a bit for the required information. The plaque you are
looking for is located at N43 04.861 W79 04.693
To Log a find on this
beautiful scenic earthcache you must email us with the dimensions
listed on the historic plaque along with the most recent date of
rock fall. You must also take a picture of yourself/team with gps
in hand ,standing with the Canadian Horseshoe Falls behind you (we
love to see other cachers enjoying the view)and post it with your
find log (please no spoiler).
