Sandstone Quarry EarthCache
Hidden : 4/18/2007
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:


This cache is located on the Red Rock Canyon Loop Drive within the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This is a fee area of the BLM, and costs $7.00 per vehicle. This fee is covered in the Golden Eagle Passport, Golden Age Passport, and Golden Access Passport. The Loop Drive opens at 6:00 a.m. every morning. Closure times are as follows: November 1 through February 28, 5:00 p.m.; March 1 through March 31, 7:00 p.m.; April 1 through September 30, 8:00 p.m.; and October 1 through October 31, 7:00 p.m. Please be aware that the desert tortoise is protected by law. If you are fortunate enough to see one, please view and photograph it from a distance.

This is an easy 400-foot walk from the parking area.

This was once the site of the Excelsior Stone Quarry. Begun in 1905 (the same year as Las Vegas was founded) this was one of the first industries in the Las Vegas area. The stone that was cut from here was used in Los Angeles and San Francisco for building stones, and was carved for building facades. It was a preferred material because of the calcium carbonate in the stone, which made it a harder sandstone.

Using a ruler or tape measure, find the length, width, and height of the block of sandstone to the right of the display plaque. Assuming that this sandstone has a density of 2.4 gm/cm3, how much does this block weigh? If the "Big Devil" could haul 20 tons at a time, how many blocks this size could it haul?

To log this cache:

1) Send me an email with the measurements that you took for this block of sandstone. Include the weight of the stone, and how many stones of this size could be hauled by the "Big Devil".

Please consider posting photos of yourself, or the local geology, when you log this EarthCache. Photos can be an additional rewarding part of your journey, but posting them is not a requirement for logging this EarthCache, and is strictly optional.

The above information was compiled from the following sources:

Tingley, J.V. et al. Geologic Tours in the Las Vegas Area. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Special Publication 16.

Red Rock Canyon - Sandstone Quarry. (visit link)

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