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Mt Maunganui EarthCache

Hidden : 6/2/2008
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   other (other)

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Geocache Description:

You must climb to the Summit to claim the cache, the Mountain is 232 metres high and can be easily climbed via well built and maintained tracks. Allow 30-45 minuits to the top. The wearing of suitable walking shoes is recommeded.

Mt Maunganui (Mauao), at the entrance to Tauranga Harbour, is a large lava dome formed by the upwelling of rhyolite lava about two to three million years ago. The urban area in the foreground occupies a narrow neck of dune sand – called a tombolo – that linked Mt Maunganui to the mainland several thousand years ago after sea level rose to its present height.



Rhyolite, fine-grained light-colored acidic volcanic rock. Rhyolite is chemically the equivalent of granite, and is thus composed primarily of quartz and orthoclase feldspar with subordinate amounts of plagioclase feldspar, biotite mica, amphiboles, and pyroxenes. Rhyolite lava exhibits a typical banded structure produced by its flow pattern. Rhyolite lavas occur in continental and submarine volcanoes, especially island arcs, and in igneous dikes. Rhyolite lavas are typically highly viscous and are explosively ejected from volcanoes. Rhyolites were formed in profusion in the Yellowstone Park area and throughout the southwestern portion of the United States.

A tombolo is unusual among beach-related landforms: it extends outward from the shore, connecting with an island. In this tombolo, The offshore hill, or stack, bends the incoming waves around it so that their energy sweeps sand onto the tombolo from both sides. Once the stack erodes down to the waterline, the tombolo will disappear. Stacks don't last long, and that's why tombolos are uncommon.

To claim the cache you must:

Supply a photo of GPS and self if possible with the co-ords showing at the Trig station (GZ).

At S 37.37.731 & E 176.10.244 the is a large boulder. Please tell me the colour and size (height and width) of the boulder and who's name is on the silver plate.(Do not post)

The black sand or glassy volcanic debris of the Mountain also contains what other thing that is very unusual for this altitude?(Do not post)

Additional Hints (No hints available.)