Lake Pleasant Earthcache EarthCache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(not chosen)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
A earthcache pertaining to one of Penna's
Glacial Lakes.
This is public property & is owned by the Western
Pennsylvania Conservancy http://www.paconserve.org/108.
Thank you to UCcacher for providing the
information of ownership here.
Lake Pleasant stands as the best example of
a calcareous glacial lake community in Pa. Lake Pleasant is an
approximately 64 acre glacial lake located at the head of a
glacially carved valley. Recharged by subsurface seepage from the
surrounding uplands, the lake is approx. 35 -40 feet with a gravely
bottom covered by silt.
The lake sits within a pocket of glacial
outwash underlain by siltstone and sandstone. As a result of the
Pleistocene glaciation, the valley is filled with sediments
deposited by glacial ice and meltwater.
Pleistocene Glaciation:
A great Ice Age occurred between 1.6 million
and 10,000 years ago, causing widespread glaciation on northern
continents. Venetz, a Swiss engineer, in 1821 proposed that Swiss
glaciers had once expanded on a great scale.
Agassiz, a zoologist and skeptic, did extensive field work in
Switzerland that led him to propose the Glacial Theory in 1837.
Certain featues produced by glacial ice are produced by no other
known process.
Agassiz related the activity of modern glaciers to the ancient
deposits, using the concept of Uniformitarianism. Modern analytical
techniques allow analysis of ice and sediment cores to accurately
trace historical climate changes.
With further study, scientists became convinced that ice had
advanced and retreated over the continents several times in the
recent geological past.
The Ice Age (Pleistocene Epoch) can be divided into four major
stages of glaciation in North America, named for the states where
deposits of a particular period were first studied or where they
are well exposed:
1: Nebraskan - sometimes lumped with Kansan period and called
Pre-Illinoian. Nebraskan and Kansan periods represent several
advances and retreats, rather than two.
2: Kansan
3: Illinoian
4:Wisconsinan - actually multiple glaciation events.
Extent of Pleistocene Glaciation
Glaciers advanced about 2-3 million years
ago and retreated for the final time about 10,000 years ago. About
27% of the land surface was covered by ice during the Wisconsin
age, and the glaciers were up to 3,000 meters thick.
In North America, ice reached as far south as New Jersey in the
east, St. Louis in the mid-west, and to southcentral New Mexico in
the western mountains. Greenland, Scandinavia, Great Britain,
Ireland, and part of northern Russia were also covered with
ice.
Requirements for this earthcache:
You will need a thermometer for the 2nd stage.
@ the following location: N 42 00.273 W 079 53.714
Question #1: Please fill in the blanks of the following
sentence:
The lake's water and surrounding wetlands
support __ _____ ______ as well as __ ________ _____ of special
concern in Pa.
Question #2: What has Lake Pleasant escaped
over time? _________________________________
Question #3: What is Lake Pleasant's water
source & what does Lake Pleasant discharge
into?
Question #4: The ______ _______ encompasses
how many square miles?
Question #5: What percentage is located in
Pa?
Question #6: What date was this creek named
& by who?
Location #2 Requirement:
N 42 00.259 W079 53.724
At this location please indicate how many
different plant species do you see in the water.
What is the temp of the water during your visit.
Optional Cachers may also submit a photo of themselves or their GPS
Unit @ N 42 00.259 W 079 53.724
BEFORE logging this earthcache, all answers
MUST BE EMAILED to the cache owner.
You may post a note explaining that you have done the earthcache,
awnswers were emailed & awaiting conformation.
PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOURS ANSWERS HERE ON THE CACHE PAGE.
Any found it logs prior to conformation will
deleted & removed. Thank you.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)