Top of Ontario
http://ishpatinaridge.ihostfull.com/
Ishpatina Ridge is the highest point in Ontario at 690m above sea level. Compared to other mountains around the world, it is rather low and not that steep, as the surrounding land in the area is already quite elevated in comparison. A mountain is a large landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area usually in the form of a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill. The adjective montane is used to describe mountainous areas and things associated with them. The study of mountains is Orology. Ishpatina Ridge rises approximately 314m above the immediate area (Scarecrow Lake). In comparison, the very top of the CN Tower in Toronto sits at 633m above sea level, making the peak of Ishpatina Ridge only 57m higher. The name "Ishpatina" comes from the Ojibwe word ishpadinaa, meaning "be a high hill/ridge". Spadina Avenue in Toronto is derived from the same word. At the top of Ishpatina Ridge stands the decommissioned Ellis firetower.
The next highest mountain in Ontario is Tower Mt. at 679m. The 3rd highest is Ishpatina Ridge North at 677m which is in view of and just a few kms away from Ishpatina Ridge. There is no higher point of land for 525 kms to the south, 380 kms to the east, 1,430 kms to the west, and 1,600 kms to the north above the Arctic Circle.
In comparison, the highest mountain on earth is Mount Everest with an elevation of 8848m and the highest known mountain in our Solar System is Olympus Mons located on Mars. It has an elevation of 21171m.
The top of Ishpatina Ridge is colder than the lower ground surrounding it because the sun heats earth from the ground up. The sun's radiation travels through the atmosphere to the ground, where the earth absorbs the heat. Air closest to the earth's surface is, in general, warmest. Air temperature is normally 1 to 2 degrees Celsius colder at the top of Ishpatina Ridge than it is in the surrounding area.
Ishpatina Ridge is part of the Ontario Shield which is Canada's largest physiographic area as it can be found in at least six provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador) and two territories (Northwest and Nunavut). It covers about two-thirds of Ontario and contains Precambrian rocks that are more than 570 million years old. The rocks are exposed or are covered by soils, peat, sand, gravel, clay and debris from the glacial activity in the past. Glacial features found in the Shield include outwash, eskers, moraine, kames, whalebacks and drumlins. Glacial activity helped to form the basins and paths for the many picturesque lakes, rivers and streams on the Shield
The multitude of rivers and lakes in the entire region is caused by the watersheds of the area being so young and in a state of sorting themselves out with the added effect of post-glacial rebound. The Shield was originally an area of very large mountains (about 12,000 meters) with much volcanic activity, but over the millennia the area was eroded to its current topographic appearance of relatively low relief. It contains some of the most ancient volcanoes on Earth. It has over 150 volcanic belts (now deformed and eroded down to nearly flat plains) that range from 600 to 1200 million years old. The current surface expression of the Shield is one of very thin soil lying on top of the bedrock, with many bare outcrops. This arrangement was caused by severe glaciation during the last ice age, which covered the Shield and scraped the rock clean.
Once you have reached the top of Ishpatina Ridge, it is time for you to gather the necessary information needed as follows in order to log this earthcache as found.
1) What object is at the very highest point of Ishpatina Ridge?
2) How did this object get here?
3) How tall is this object?
4) What is the object made of? Be specific.
5) Do some research to determine what the closest piece of land is that is higher than Ishpatina Ridge.
6) Describe some of the glacial features that you discovered either at the top of or along the route you took to get to the top of Ishpatina Ridge.
Update January 29, 2010: FTF is still available for anyone that cares about FTF. Those that have logged a find on this cache page with a visit prior to the publication date of this cache were with me when I placed it and are considered Beta testers of this earthcache. Each one of them have visited this earthcache and have emailed me the answers to the questions that were asked on this cache page.
Congratulations to GeeJo on making the trip to the top of Ontario and for the FTF.