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This newest Earthcache by Family Extremes will bring you along a popular hiking trial near the Chilliwack River, Lindeman Trail. This is a two-stage earth cache, with each stage being within 400 meters of each other. Each stage will bring the earth cacher to a site or viewpoint of two different slope failures. Both sites must be visited in order to claim this Earth Cache.
The second stage is at UTM 10U 0612422 5440804
A slope failure is simply defined as the failure of ground or material on a slope. This failure can either result in a dramatic slide events (or mass wasting events) such as avalanches, rock falls, mud flows, and lahars; or in slower ground failures such as soil creep or solifluction. Each of these is defined as follows:
AVALANCHE (also called a debris avalanche)
A sudden amount of rock, debris, soil, trees and snow which can sometimes occur as the result of earthquakes or human activity.
ROCKFALLS
Large quantities of rock which fall through the air at high velocity, hit the ground and stop with little or no forward movement.
MUDFLOWS:
Similar to debris avalanches, but contain a high amount of water and mud, rather than soil and rock.
LAHARS:
Similar to mud flows, but contain both mud and ash which result from volcanic activity.
SOIL CREEP:
Slow moving slope failures in drier conditions, which result in movement of soil downhill over time. This movement is so slow you can sometimes only tell it is happening by seeing signs, fences or tress starting to tilt downhill.
SOLIFLUCTION:
Is similar to soil creep, but happens in wetter areas. This slow slope failure is often seen in the north, where the ground freezes and then thaws in the summer months.
(Byrne, 2009)
Coordinates to each location have been given in UTMs (Universal Transversal Mercator). This coordinate system is useful to geographers because they are more accurate than latitude and longitude, and because they are based on meters. UTMs are always recorded with the grid location first (in this case 10U) and then the East Direction followed by the North direction. Using UTMs, it is easy to calculate the distance between coordinates.
In order to claim this earth cache, the visitor must prove they have visited BOTH locations given and have a basic understanding of the UTM system. Use your GPS instruction to learn how to automatically change your GPSr to UTMs instead of lat/long before hiking to this earthcache. There are several other traditional caches in the area. Feel free to visit them and to spend some time at Lindeman Lake (close to stage 2).
The total hike is 3.4 km return, with an elevation gain of 215 m. Please be prepared for wilderness conditions. Always bring a first aid kit, sturdy hiking shoes, food and plenty of water for your hike. Be mindful that your cell phone will not be in service here, so let someone know where you are going and when you are expected to return. This hike is not recommended for most small children or small dogs.
In order to claim this earth cache, the following questions must be answered. If possible, please feel free to post pictures from your visit.
1) Estimate the size of the largest rock found at stage 1.
2) What type of mineral vein can be found in the larger rock within 5 m of stage 2 coords? If you are not sure what it is, then describe the characteristics of this vein, such as colour and texture. Give it your best guess, and we will help you with the answer if necessary.
3) Estimate the length of the slope failure at stage 2.
4) What makes you believe that you are standing at the terminus of the failure present at stage 2?
5) Determine what kind of failure is present at each stage.
6) Do you believe these two failures are the same age or different ages? If they are different ages, which do you believe is older and why?
7) What is the distance (in meters) between stage 1 and stage 2 (Use your UTMs)?
Citations:
Christopherson, R. and Byrne, M.L. Canadian Geosystems. Pearson Prentice Hall. 2009. ISBN 978-0-13-515456-4
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