Red Plateau Earthcache EarthCache
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Red Plateau rises above the Dewdrop Range above the north side of
Kamloops Lake. The wall of lava that forms the escarpment is about
500m thick. A trail winds its way up the rock ridges to a high
point. The cache location is upon a narrow ridge at 1015m.
As you climb out onto the open ridges, observe the colors,
landforms, and ecology of the area. From the coordinates, take a
picture of yourself with your GPS in hand, clearly showing the
location. Observe the shape of the ridge. In an email to the cache
owner,complete the following: • Describe its orientation.
• Observe the colors of the rock. Describe what you see.
Conjecture on the source of the colors. • The rocky ridges are
arid. Describe the kinds of trees that grow on the ridge. •
Look to the west side of the ridge. Note the "gargoyle" shapes.
Describe the color, shape, and texture of the gargoyles.
The oldest rocks in the Kamloops region are about 270 million years
old. Before that the area was part of the ocean floor. The remnants
of the ocean are now ancient limestone, mudstone and volcanic rocks
that were seafloor and volcanic islands that formed between 270 and
200 million years ago. About 180 million years ago the Atlantic
Ocean started to open by seafloor spreading, causing North American
to move westward and collide with the adjacent ocean floor. The
resulting collisions welded the ocean floor and volcanic rock to
the western edge of North America and caused the western mountain
ranges to be formed as the edge of North America was folded and
faulted. Since that time geologic events have continued to change
the landscape while erosion by rivers and glaciers also has
sculpted the physical landscape. Fifty million years ago volcanic
eruptions flowed south and west forming Red Plateau. Evidence of
vents can be found at several places on top of the ridge, but it
takes some exploration to find these locations, Pumice beds exist
in several sinkholes, Ragged rock outcrops dot the upland ridges.
The composition of the rock is mainly basaltic andesite/flow
breccia. This is an area worth exploring.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)