Painted Bluffs Earthcache EarthCache
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Painted Bluffs Earthcache
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Painted Bluffs Provincial Park was established in 1996. It is a 100
hectare area on the north shore of Kamloops Lake, 34km west of
Kamloops.
Painted Bluffs is not easy to access. By land, the Sabiston Creek
Road travels off the Trans Canada Highway and winds through the
hills. One junction leads down to Copper Creek and from there it is
still an over-hill trek east to the lakeshore area below the
cliffs. By water, boats can launch from Cooney Bay near Kamloops,
from Tobiano, or from Savona. Small boats are cautioned to travel
only in good weather since Kamloops Lake is a large lake subject to
windy conditions. But, the effort is worth it. Painted Bluffs has
an unearthly feel to it.
Very little geological information is available on this area. What
we do know is that the bluffs have distinctive multi-colored rocks
and soils on an intrusion of batholithic rocks.
- A batholith is a large zone of molten rock under the surface of
the earth that cools over time.
- An intrusion is an arm of the batholith that has risen to the
surface and cooled, forming minerals in the process.
- Batholithic intrusions often stand out (are discordant) from
the local geology.
The bluffs have been eroded into distinctively-shaped barren ridges
and gullies, all leading down to a fluvial fan.
- Fluvial fans are formed by the movement of water bringing
materials down stream.
- Alluvial fans are formed when a stream course suddently widens
and flattens. Materials are deposited in a fan shape.
The hillsides surrounding are covered in big sagebrush and
bluebunch wheatgrass. California bighorn sheep frequent the ridges.
The colors off the bluffs are intriguing. Deposits of mercury,
copper, and cinnabar have altered the hues of these materials.
- Mercury was raised to the surface through the intrusions and
cooled in cinnabar formations. Most mercury deposits around the
world are found in cinnabar.
- Cinnabar (mercuric sulphide) is the common ore of mercury.
- Cinnabar is usually brick red to crimson in color. It is an
ingredient used in red pigments.
- Copper is an ore common to the area (ie Copper Creek).
- Copper compounds are often found as salts of copper, and impart
a green or blue color.
To log this earthcache,you must visit the site. Be sure to take
photos, but while you are on site, you will be looking at the
materials, colors, and shapes. Collect your data as
notes,observations, coordinates, or photos. E-mail the owner your
hypotheses for the following questions:
- Where is the fluvial fan in this park?
- Pick one of the bluffs. Mark a waypoint (take coodinates).
Describe the feature and comment on the color and the probable
source of the pigment.
- Inspect the materials in the bluffs. Describe the size and
composition of the materials.
You will want to bring your camera here. This is a special site,
one well-worth your efforts. Artists are encouraged to bring their
sketchbooks or painting easels.
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