Campus Erratic Boulder EarthCache

This cache has been archived.

Tons_Of_Fun: Sign in gone, with no sign of it being replaced. Must be archived.

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Hidden : 3/19/2010
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:


History of Erratic Boulders

A glacial erratic is a piece of rock that differs from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests. "Erratics" take their name from the latin word "errere", and are carried by glacial ice, often over distances of hundreds of kilometres. Erratics can range in size from pebbles to large boulders such as Big Rock (16,500 tons) in Alberta.
Geologists identify erratics by studying the rocks surrounding the position of the erratic and the composition of the erratic itself. Erratics are significant because:

• Since they are transported by glaciers, they are one of a series of indicators which mark the path of prehistoric glacier movement. Their lithographic origin can be traced to the parent bed rock, allowing for confirmation of the ice flow route.
• They can be transported by ice-rafting. This allows quantification of the extent of glacial flooding resulting from ice dam failure which release the waters stored in proglacial lakes such as Lake Missoula. Erratics released by ice-rafts that were stranded and subsequently melt, dropping their load, allow characterization of the high water marks for transient floods in areas like temporary Lake Lewis.

The term “erratic” is commonly used to refer to erratic blocks, which Geikie describes as: “are large masses of rock, often as big as a house, what have been transport by glacier-ice, and have been lodged in a prominent position in the glacier valleys or have been scattered over hills an plains. And examination of their mineralogical character leads the identification of their source. In geology, an erratic is material moved by geologic forces from one location to another, usually by a glacier.

Courtesy of www.wikipedia.org

Grande Prairie’s Erratic Boulder

This Erratic boulder was discovered 10 feet below the ground while the new college was being built. It was believed this boulder was under Grande Prairie Lake for a long period of time, and may have travelled hundreds of kilometres.

Parking

During the week, Monday to Friday 8:00 to 4:30 you will have to pay to park in Parking Lot A. This is the case from September to April. If you stop by any other time, you will not have to pay. Parking Lot A is the closest place to park for this cache, being about 100m west of the cache site.

Logging Requirements

To log you find you must EMAIL me (tonsoffun15@live.com) with a guesstamation of how big the boulder is (dimensions), as well as how much it approximately weighs (on little sign).

You must also take a picture of you and/or your hand with a GPS in front of the Glacial Boulder and include the picture in your log online. Do NOT log the cache until you have received confirmation from me that the answers are correct. Any hints or answers in the logs will be deleted. Have fun. Happy caching!!!!

Additional Hints (No hints available.)

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