Ripogenus Gorge EarthCache
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This cache was originally placed by Northwoods Explorer.
This earthcache brings you to one of the most beautiful and heavily use whitewater gorges in the country, Ripogenus Gorge. The earthcache brings you to a seldom-visited section above the falls displaying some very unique geology.
The tale of this gorge starts with the last ice age. This glacial episode in Maine began about 25,000 years ago, when the Laurentide ice sheet moved south overspreading New England and Eastern Canada. During its peak development, this ice sheet was centered over eastern Canada and flowed east to southeast across Maine into the sea. The ice itself was several thousand feet thick covering everything is sight, with its massive weight slowly shaped the land as it traveled. Rapid climatic warming forced the Laurentide ice sheet to stop and begin to recede as early as 21,000 years ago. This melting of the ice sheet released more water then is possible to imagine causing massive flood the like that has never been seen since that time. The rapid melting of the glacier released great quantities of water that quickly eroded the land leaving deep-sided valley as the water rushed to the ocean. In the area of Ripogenus Gorge the water followed the path of least resistance by quickly removing the rock along a weakened fault. The West Branch fault has shape both the river and the gorge when it was active 380 milion years ago. By the time the last remnants of glacial ice was gone from Maine by 10,000 years ago, the damage had been done and the gorge had been formed.
As you walk along the edge of the gorge in the upper sections you will see many short trails leading to the upper gorge. Please take the time to read the warning signs along the trail before you take any of these trails. You will follow an old road once used in the construction of the dam then used by rafters for several years until you see McKay Station across the river. Here begins the lower gorge, which is considered to be world-class whitewater. Here the trail becomes smaller and pasts through highland swamp with many viewing point along the rivers edge. At the posted coordinates you will have a clear view of Exterminator up river on the other side and below you will see what is called the Staircase. The section of rock you will be standing on has been moved by the force of the glacial floodwaters; imagine the force that it took to do something like that to the rock. You will notice two very large cracks in the bedrock in this area caused be the floodwaters. See if you can figure out how the rock has moved in this area.
To log this Earthcache: You must send an e-mail of the estimated depth and width of the crack in it narrowest location to me. Please begin your e-mail with the name of the earthcache and make sure your log includes the number of people in your group. If you visit the wrong side of the gorge and do not answer the question or don’t post a photo of the area your log will be deleted. The trail begins in a small parking area at the north end of Ripogenus Dam. It also would be nice if you would post a photo so others would know what they have to look forward to at this earth cache.
If you enjoy this earthcache you may want to check the Maine Geological Survey located at (visit link)
They have developed a number of information sheets or field localities giving a great deal of information about geologic features. They also have a number of books and maps about Maine’s natural history/ geology that you might find interesting.
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Treasures
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