Otto's View and Legacy EarthCache
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Access by way of Rim Rock Drive overlook and short (1/2 mile roundtrip) hike to cache site.
Colorado National Monument became a part of the National Park System in 1911. But for many years before it had been the dream of an unusual man- a trail builder, patriot, idealist, and rugged individualist named John Otto. He first settled in a canvas tent in Monument Canyon in 1906. The next year he wrote, “I came here last year and found these canyons, and they feel like the heart of the world to me. I’m going to stay and build trails and promote this place, because it should be a national park. Some folks think I’m crazy, but I want to see this scenery opened up to all people.” After Otto convinced Washington to name this place a national monument he became the first custodian for a salary of $1.00 per month. Many of the trails he built are still used today.
John Otto made the first recorded climb to the top of the geologic feature that stands proudly before you here on July 4, 1910. On its summit he erected a huge American flag. Later Otto displayed the flag here every Independence Day- giving this monolith its name.
Independence Monument, a 500 ft tall pinnacle, sits between Monument and Wedding canyons. This monolith was formed when water and ice eroded most of the wall that once connected mesas on the northeast and southwest. The sheer canyon walls here are formed of Wingate sandstone, a buff-colored rock deposited 210 million years ago as immense sand dunes. Atop this relatively soft layer lies a coarse capstone called the Kayenta Formation, a thin but erosion-resistant layer laid down by rivers and streams. Independence Monument, with a large, flat summit, is capped and protected by Kayenta sandstone. The walls on either side of this monolith lost their protective cap, allowing them to eventually crumble and fall.
TO LOG THIS CACHE, PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH THE ANSWERS TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
1. What specific rock layer are you standing on at this moment?
2. Describe the location and nature of the ceremony depicted in the photo at this site.
3. Using the information provided above, at approximately what elevation is this ceremony occurring? (knowing that the wedding was at the BOTTOM of the monument floor, you will need to modify the information on your GPS from this point)
4. How many people are in attendance in the photo shown here?
And one final question to claim this cache…
5. There is a cache in another state that has the same name as this one. Where is this other cache and what connection does it have to THIS location?
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Npprff guvf fvgr ol jnl bs Bggb'f Genvy - 1/2 zvyr ebhaqgevc, nyybj nccebkvzngryl 30 zvahgrf. Genvyurnq ng 39 05.758A 108 43.961J