A Bit Tipsy EarthCache
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Near the western entrance to the Colorado National Monument- best approach from Fruita, CO. An entrance fee per vehicle may apply. This cache is at a roadside location with easy access. Limited parking may prove challenging at times.
Sitting on the northwestern edge of the Colorado National Monument this viewpoint highlights the geological features that are trademarks of the Colorado Plateau. As you ascend from the valley into the red rock canyons you will witness evidence of millions of years of geologic time- as well as the forces that have carved and shaped it. When water, wind and chemicals act on the sandstone walls of these canyons, the results are often remarkable.
TO LOG THIS CACHE, PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH THE ANSWERS TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: (updated 3/22/12 to reflect information on new display boards)
1. What is the geologic term for vertical cracks in the rock walls as shown on the information board at this site?
2. Describe a likely series of geological events that would change the status of this landmark.
Above you and to the west you can see the road will progress through a series of two tunnels as it climbs. The rock slide area between these two tunnels marks the site of a tragic accident during the construction of this road. The history of this project can be found at (visit link)
An excerpt regarding this event is included here:
The Half-Tunnel Accident
On December 12, 1933, tragedy struck the road project. Twenty men were working on a section of cliff face to form the road through a half-tunnel shaped stretch. They were clearing remains of small blasts by hand when work by another group at the other side apparently brought down the cliff above. Nine men from Glade Park and Fruita ranging from nineteen to sixty years in age were killed. The inquest that followed determined the incident was an unavoidable accident. The surrounding communities had given support and funding to the road-building project. As a result of the accident, they had given much more. Their connection to the road is ongoing.
Additional Hints
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