Grand River Falls EarthCache
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A short walk from the Trans-Labrador highway near the town of
Churchill Falls, Labrador
Stop by the bridge over the Churchill River, 22 km west of
Churchill Falls townsite, to view the almost-dry river channel.
Diversion of the Churchill River for hydroelectric development
allows access to spectacular exposures in the dry riverbed. The
more agile can scramble down the steep gravel by the eastern bridge
abutment, and examine the huge, water-worn blocks in the channel.
WARNING! The river is occasionally used as a spillway for excess
water from the Smallwood Reservoir. Water has been released on two
occasions in the past 20 years.
The rocks that form the riverbed are granite and gabbro. Reddish
granite near the bridge has a slight foliation; upstream it
contains rounded masses of black gabbro.
Rock deformation, which increases upstream, occurred during the
Grenvillian Orogeny, when these rocks were being forced northward
over the rocks that underlie the Smallwood Reservoir.
Potholes, rounded hollows in the rock of the riverbed, were worn
during the past few thousand years by pebbles being swirled around
in the river current.
The Churchill Falls waterfall, once a spectacular sight named the
Grand Falls of the Hamilton River, is now reduced to a mere trickle
by the demands of the power development. The waterfall can be
viewed by following a good trail downstream from the west end of
the bridge. Park in the open area just south of the highway.
The waterfall, 76 m high, (over twice the height of Niagara Falls)
is located at the head of the deeply cut Bowdoin Canyon, and flows
over a resistant buttress of granite.
The canyon runs at right angles to the river course above the
waterfall, following the foliation direction of the granite. The
canyon itself is impressive, dropping straight down along most of
its length, approximately 19 km or so. The total drop from the
rapids above the falls to the end of Bowdoin Canyon is 316 m.
A commemorative plaque at the viewing point is mounted on a large
boulder of hornblende granite. This boulder is what is known as a
glacial erratic; well-rounded by glacial transport, it has probably
been carried a great distance because this rock type is not found
locally.
*** In order to claim this cache, you will need:
1. A picture of the remnants of the falls as they look today from
the plaque site that includes either a shot of you in the picture,
or if you are camera-shy or alone, have your login name on a piece
of paper and have THAT in the shot instead!
2. Provide approximate dimensions of the boulder with the plaque
on it. ***THIS ANSWER MUST BE IN AN EMAIL ONLY, NOT POSTED
HERE!!***
3. Finally, include the local daytime high temperature for
Churchill Falls for the day you are there by checking online at
‘theweathernetwork.com’ or a similar site. ***
As you travel along the trail you will see some of the
largest spruce and pine trees in all of Labrador. Be sure to watch
your step as you traverse the trail, and hug a tree or two as you
pass these local giants by! Oh and be sure to check out other
geocaches in this area before heading out!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Abar arrqrq!