He Who Picks Up Stones While Running EarthCache
He Who Picks Up Stones While Running
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(not chosen)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
An educational opportunity in the historic Judith landing area of the Missouri River Breaks. This location allows you to learn about the geology of the area, the historical importance of the Judith River formation to modern paleontology and some of the fascinating history of early geologic investigation in the western states.
This location is on Montana Secondary road #236, 44 miles south of Big Sandy, Montana. The road is paved the first 16 miles and is fairly well maintained dirt and gravel the rest of the way. Use extra caution when wet, icy or with limited visibility. There are no services on this road and wildlife crossings are frequent.
In 1855 this area was the hunting ground of the Lakota, Blackfeet, Atsina, and River Crow Indians. A lone white man in Indian Country was often fair game to the tribes, but one man's passion for rocks and fossils earned him the name “He Who Picks Up Stones While Running” and a reputation for madness. The Indians left him alone.
He Who Picks Up Stones While Running explored what would later become known as the Judith River Formation, a large area of sedimentary materials deposited in the lowland areas bordering the Colorado Sea during the Late Cretaceous Period. The Judith River Formation consists of:
1. light-colored sandstone at top;
2. somber-gray siltstone and sandy shale;
3. greenish-gray clay and some lignite beds;
4. the Parkman sandstone member of south-central Montana which includes
Cretaceous Era volcanic rocks and ash falls.
During this geologist's exploration near the mouth of the Judith River, he collected many fossilized teeth, bones, and shells from the Judith River Formation. He took them to anatomy Professor Joseph Leidy in Philadelphia for identification and classification.
Professor Leidy's classifications of the fossils caused a great stir in the scientific community at the time and drew, and continues to draw, certain scientists to this remote, rugged and beautiful area.
To log this cache, send an email to the cache owner answering the following questions.
1. What was the name of the United States Geological Service's employee who the Native Tribes called "He Who Picks Up Stones While Running"?
2. How long ago was the Late Cretaceous Period?
3. What new species was discovered as a result of the fossilized teeth found near here and classified in Philadelphia by Professor Leidy?
4. The first "what" in North America was found in the Judith River Formation by "He Who Picks Up Stones While Running"? What type of scientist hunts for more of these fossils found in this ancient formation?
5. Look all around where you stand at this location; up and down river, cross river, across the valley. Which of the four geologic layers of the formation listed above are you standing in? Can you see other layers of the Judith River Formation from here. If so, which ones?
6. Look around the ground in the Recreation area and down by the river bank near the boat launch for signs of fossilized materials. Can you see any fossilized shell parts or "petrified wood"? Are there any other possible fossilized materials present?
7. Scan the nearby hills and draws for evidence of sliding soil caused by gravity and water. Could there be new fossils uncovered there?
The cache owner will only respond if the info you supply is substantially incorrect. Go ahead and log your find after you send your email. Enjoy!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)