Devil's Den Earth Cache EarthCache
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This earth cache will take you to an interesting rock city just south of Ridgway, PA that is known as Devil's Den.
Devil's Den is a very popular hiking destination in Elk County. Many scenic views can be had from atop the boulders in this rock city.
There are 2 ways to get to Devil's Den Earth Cache (special thanks to Muck. I got these from his Devil’s Den II directions, a regular geocache which is also located here):
1. Long, easy hike: Park at N41º 22.247 W078º 41.469 along 219. Follow road and bear left at N41º 23.186 W078º 42.958, this is a large gasline. Follow the gasline and bear right at N41º 23.126 W078º 43.594, a small clearing with a gas well on it. Go into the clearing and look for trail at the back and to the right, this traill will take you into Devil's Den. There are many small trails on top of the rocks with several places for viewing. This is a fairly long hike.
2. Shorter, harder hike: Park along 949 at N41º 23.986 W078º 45.155 and walk up the road to the camp. Go by the camp and continue following the trail. The trail crosses a small creek. Watch the trail, go up the trail that leads up hill, not the one following the creek. Follow the trail to the top of the hill then bear right. There are many small trails on top of the rocks with several places for viewing.
Now that you know how to get to Devil's Den, time to learn what a rock city actually is.
2 forces were at work to form this particular rock city:
1. Frost Wedging – Frost wedging is when water seeps into joints in rock formations and freezes. Water expands when it turns into ice and as the water freezes in these joints, it acts like a wedge, forcing the sections of rock further apart. Multiple freeze/thaw cycles allow more and more water to enter into the joint and the process of frost wedging is repeated many times until the sections of rock become completely separated from one another. Where there was once one big section of exposed bedrock, there are now many boulders.
2. Soil Creep – Soil creep is the action of gravity pulling loose objects down a grade over a length of time. Soil, rock, or anything with mass, under gravity, will naturally slowly drift to the lowest possible local elevation. This phenomenon moves the individual boulders created by frost wedging apart from one another over a very long period of time.
Requirements for credit for this earthcache:
1. Estimate the size of a few boulders in this area and average them together. This will give you the approximate thickness of the original bedrock that was here. E-mail me the answer.
2. Estimate and e-mail me the distances between several of the larger boulders. These distances have been created by the soil creep that helped formed this spectacular rock city.
3. To prove that you were here, take a picture of yourself or your gps at one of the larger rocks on this hilltop and post it with your log.
Please be respectful of this treasure of nature and remember to take everything back with you that you take on this hike.
While you are here, remember to take the time to do the Devil’s Den II cache not far from here.
Also, please be advised that this area gets a decent amount of hunter traffic. For your own safety, please wear orange when going after this cache during hunting seasons.
Congratulations to baby4 for the FTF!
Additional Hints
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Treasures
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