The Famous "Caves" of Lowell!? EarthCache
The Famous "Caves" of Lowell!?
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These coords will take you to the “famous” caves of Lowell! Unfortunately, I (yet) been unable to locate the landowner to get permission for us to closely inspect the cave. You will have to look from the road right of way.
Michigan has been covered by glaciers many times in its history. The most recent glacier covered Michigan during the Pleistocene Epoch. The Pleistocene Epoch occurred around 1 to 2 million years ago. During this era, the glacier advanced and retreated at least four times. This action of the glaciers broke down and eroded soil and rocks. The glacier then deposited the material in other places. All of the lower peninsula of Michigan is covered by deposits left by glaciers. The land was then shaped by the melt water from the glacier.
Gravel was made and deposited by glaciers. In places where the ground water had high levels of lime, lime was deposited within the gravel as the water seeped through the ground. The weight of the mile thick glacier compressed the gravel and lime into a natural concrete, a type of sedimentary rock called conglomerate. (For more information about rock identification, check this website: (visit link) ) Melt water also worked hard carving river beds.
So, at these coords, you are standing in a place that once was part of a river bed. Look in southerly direction and if the tree cover is not too thick, you will see the Grand River. Look in a northerly direction and you will see a large mound of glacier deposits. In this hill you will also see some outcropping of conglomerate rock, created by a combination of lime in the ground water and pressure from a glacier. The conglomerate rock sticks out from the side of the hill, beyond the soil to form a cave underneath it.
To tell the truth, I’m not sure if the hill was cut away to make the road, or if it eroded, but my amateur geologist husband says it was probably once a riverbank that was widened to make the road. There is evidence of erosion too, as one of the “caves” looks like it slid down the hill.
There is plenty of room to pull your car completely off the pavement, with a several feet to spare (66’ from the centerline of the road). You will be able to see everything clearly from the R.O.W.
You mission, to claim this cache, is to take a picture of yourself with the largest cave in the back ground. Post your picture on this webpage along with your experiences and/or comments. Then email me the answer to these questions:
1. How many “chunks” of conglomerate are visible from where you stand?
2. Besides the conglomerate, what material(s) is this glacier deposit made of? Remember, you are standing on glacier deposit too!
If you are unable or unwilling to post a picture of yourself, include the answer to this question in your email:
3. What is the main species of tree you see here?
For more information about Michigan glaciers, check out this websites:
Geology of Michigan (visit link)
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