This EARTH CACHE is located along the USFS Fire and Ice
Interpretive Trail. The trail is a ¼ mile loop of gravel and
ledge rock. This is a day use area with a picnic table, but not
toilet facilities or water.
As you walk along this trail, read the explanations of how fire
and glaciers – two opposing natural forces- have shaped this
landscape.
Our focus for this cache is an erratic boulder along the trail
that we have nicknamed THE WHALE. You will see why as you approach
it.
About 10,000 years ago a glacier (a sheet of ice and snow up to
a mile thick in places),pushed through the area. As the climate
warmed and the glacier retreated, it left behind evidence of its
presence. THE WHALE is part of this evidence. It is called a
glacial erratic.
Glacial erratics are rocks that deviate from the type of rock
native to the area in which it rests. The rocks were carried to
their current location by glacial ice. Erratics can range in size
from pebbles to 16,000-ton boulders. THE WHALE weighs about 85
tons.
Although some of the glacial erratics were transported great
distances by the glaciers, this one was not moved very far.
Evidence of this is that it still is angular and there are few
scars from movement. There is also evidence that the boulder is
still changing. Look at the base where large chunks have fractured
off and the surface is being eroded by lichen.
To get credit for finding the cache,using yourself or someone in
your group as a scale for measurement, estimate the height of the
whale and email me the answer. FAILURE TO EMAIL ME THE ANSWER AT
THE TIME YOU LOG THE CACHE WILL RESULT IN YOUR LOG BEING
DELETED
