GZ is at an old roadway across the highway from the lone hoodoo.
This Hoodoo was formed from sedementary rock, primarily limestone, which remained after the surrounding hillside eroded. The hardened material at the top kept the limestone from eroding at the same rate as the surrounding hillside which over time eroded the hillside away leaving the lone standing pillar. Alternating hardening and erosian from wind and rain resulted in the strange shapes that remain.
Notice the protective caprock on the top of the one Hoodoo. The following is a comment received from GeoMonkey_AB that is interesting. "most likely be mudstone, conglomerate, siltstone or dolomite all of which are sedimentary rocks. Assuming this hoodoo which looks very similar to the ones in the Drumheller Valley in Alberta has a similar cap which is not so much attached to the pillar it sits on but is more or less resting on top of it the capstone would be a rock itself and also hardened material."
Erosion is ongoing although very slow and not noticeable in the short period. Unfortunately there are no pictures available to indicate the pace of the erosian but in a hundred years from now there would be some obvious changes however small.
Please note that this Hoodoo is on private property and hiking is not encouraged so that the Hoodoos can be protected from damage.
An official explanation for Hoodoos is: limestone hoodoos are formed due to the following: "Internal layers of mudstone, conglomerate and siltstone interrupt the limestone horizontally. These layers are more resistant to attack by carbonic acid and they can therefore act as protective capstones of fins, windows and hoodoos. Many of the more durable hoodoos are capped with a type of magnesium-rich limestone called dolomite.[16] Dolomite, being fortified by the mineral magnesium, dissolves at a much slower rate, and consequently protects the weaker limestone underneath."
Notice how this hillside Hoodoo is very different from the nearby massive hilltop mile long structure that can be seen .75 miles to the NE. Particularily notice the little cap which is on top of this Hoodoo that has been left standing down a hillside while the nearby Hoodoos are at the top of the plateau. This Hoodoo also contains more limestone, whereas the other feature has more sedementary rock
A non geological explanation for the Hoodoos according to the Creation Story of the Ktunaxa Nation, Hoo Doos are the ribs from Yawu?nik a huge sea monster who was killed in the nearby lake. Link to storey http://www.ktunaxa.org/who/creation.html
To log this cache:
1) Email the owner with an estimate of the Hoodoo height and the height of the hill it sits on.
2) Email the owner with a description of the item immediately behind you when facing the Hoodoo.
3) If you wish please post a photo of your GPSr with the hoodoos in the background. The pic is NOT mandatory!
4) Email the owner with a comment on whether the capstone is hardened material or a rock.
Thanks and Enjoy
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