HISTORY OF THE CAVERNS
It’s not really known when the first passages of the cave
first developed, but it was probably within the last 500,000 to 1
million years. During this period, the cave was a network of stream
passages that were completely filled with slow moving water.
As erosion of the surface continued, valleys deepened and
created lower sites from which groundwater could flow.
Consequently, the water levels in the cave lowered, abandoning flow
through the higher passages and dissolving open new lower level
passages (currently the water table is about 130 ft below the
lowest known passages in the cave).
Eventually, at least four distinct levels of passages were
formed. The falling water levels caused some passage levels to
interconnect as the floor of one passage fell down into a lower
passage. These collapses were caused in two ways: flowing water
perched in an upper passage cut the floor down to the lower passage
and water levels in the lower passage dropped. Without the waters'
buoyant support, the ceiling fell in. Most collapses were probably
a combination of the two factors. Some of the cave's small
maze-like passages may have formed due to collapses.
If the collapses were big enough, they would have restricted
groundwater flow down the passage. Water on the upstream side of
the collapse would have been under pressure to try and flow through
the breakdown. Consequently, water forced its way into fractures to
form new passages to relieve some of the water pressure, and to
form bypasses around the collapse zone.
TERRAIN INFORMATION
Ratings are based on doing the guided tour. Everything is
walkable - no crawling through tight spaces. Wear good shoes with
non-slippery soles. If you don't do the tour this would be a rating
of Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.5.
To Log Your Find:
1) Include a photograph with
your log of everyone in your group in front of the entrance sign
located at the above coordinates.
2) Email me the answers to
these questions which may be found outside the caverns or in framed
photographs inside the visitor's center at the northwest entrance.
Do not include the answers in your log.
2) What three minerals can be found in the cavern?
3) Name two types of speleothems.
4) Figure 2 of the informational section inside the visitor's
center describes what?
5) Why is the cavern considered "live"?
6) What is a "soda straw" and how is it formed?
As of March 2010 some people
are still logging but not fulfilling the requirements. From this
point on I WILL DELETE ALL LOGS THAT DO NOT FULFILL THE
REQUIREMENTS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO SNOWBIRD690
FOR FTF ON EARTH DAY!