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The Kalamazoo Moraine
This EarthCache is located at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station on the
North side of Gull Lake. The rolling hillside surrounding KBS is a
part of the Kalamazoo Moraine which is an end moraine resulting
from the passage of glaciers through this part of the continent.
Source.
An end moraine is a moraine that forms at the end of a glacier
and, in the case of the Kalamazoo moraine, marks a temporary
stopping point on the retreat of both the Saginaw lobe and Michigan
lobe. This "resting point" allowed debris accumulated and carried
by the glaciers to accumulate and be deposited at the location that
is now the moraine to form the landscape there. Source.
"The Kalamazoo moraine extends from Hastings south and east
through Marshall to Devil’s Lake in Lenawee County where it
connects with Mississinawa moraine which outlines the outermost
position of the Erie lobe in southern Michigan. On the west the
Kalamazoo moraine of the Saginaw lobe unites with the moraine also
called Kalamazoo, which the Michigan lobe was making at that time,
extending from Hastings through Kalamazoo and Cassopolis. This
Outer Ridge of the Kalamazoo moraine marks the most easterly extent
of the Lake Michigan lobe. From this time the pattern of moraines
records the retreats and halts of all the glacial lobes --- Erie,
Huron, to the east, Lake Michigan in the west, and the Saginaw lobe
between, and the Superior lobe in the north." Source.
In addition, the abundance of lakes and wetlands in this part of
Michigan is due to the depressions left in the Earth's surface as a
result of the pressure exerted on it by the movement of the
glaciers through the region.
Source.
Now, when somebody remarks at how many lakes there are around
here or how there are so many seemingly random hills in an
otherwise extremely flat part of the country, you know the ancient,
geologic explanation for it!
Although you may log the find immediately, you MUST
also do the following (failure to do so will result in deletion of
your log):
1. To get a sense of how much material was deposited by the
glacier (and, consequently, the enormity of the glacier itself),
please fill in these blanks: In the 243' between the Pagoda (i.e.
the lakefront structure where the cache coordinates are located)
and patio of the W.K. Kellogg Manor House, there are _____________
stairs and there is an elevation change of approximately
_____________ feet. Also, although not necessary to log the cache,
a little extra credit to see how well you were paying attention: Do
you think the moraine here was from the Saginaw lobe or the
Michigan lobe (hint: think about the linear direction of the hills
you see.)? Please send an email with the answers to GC2YPCF@gmail.com.
2. Although a picture of yourself/group at the cache location is
not required to log the find, if you are attempting to complete the
D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord Series (see below for more info)
and would like to receive the QR Code for this site (which will
give you part of an email address which will give you the
coordinates to D&V's QR
Code Smörgåsbord V (GC2YPCX)), please post the photo to the
cache site with your log. The coordinates for the location of the
QR Code will be emailed to you; note that it is NOT
on-site.
Please do not post the answers on the cache page.
Also, this should go without saying, but please replace the
cache EXACTLY as found. This series was very carefully
thought out, and we do not want the hide to be any more or LESS
difficult for the next finder than it was for you. Thank you.
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This cache is a part of
D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord Series:
1. D&V's QR Code
Smörgåsbord I (GC2YPCF) is a D1/T1 Nano Earth Cache.*
2. D&V's QR Code
Smörgåsbord II (GC2YPAH) is a D2/T2 Micro Traditional
Cache.*
3. D&V's QR Code
Smörgåsbord III (GC2YPBR) is a D3/T3 Small Letterbox Hybrid
Cache.
4. D&V's QR Code
Smörgåsbord IV (GC2YPBG) is a D4/T4 Regular Multi Cache.
5. D&V's QR Code
Smörgåsbord V (GC2YPCX) is a D5/T5 Large Mystery Cache.
*NOTE: Doing Cache I and Cache II sequentially will save you
about 50 miles worth of driving. The others in the series can be
done in any order.
This series has two unique features that we think many cachers,
from newbies to grizzled veterans, will enjoy:
QR Code Feature
Each cache contains a unique QR Code. Scanning (or otherwise
deciphering) the QR Code will reveal part of an email address which
will give you the coordinates to D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord V
(GC2YPCX) -- the final Mystery Cache in the series.
QR Codes can be scanned and deciphered using any number of
available free apps on the major smartphone platforms (iOS,
Android, Windows Phone 7, WebOS, Symbian, and others). If you are
not able to scan the QR Code for whatever reason, you can take a
picture of it and decode it at SnapMyInfo.com following the
instructions found here or, if
that doesn't work, you can upload it here.
Once you have found each of the first four caches in the series
and deciphered each of the QR codes found therein, you will be
staring at an email address which will give you the coordinates for
D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord V
(GC2YPCX) -- the final Mystery Cache in the series.
Smörgåsbord Feature
This series runs the gamut in terms of Cache Type, Cache Size,
Difficulty Rating, and Terrain Rating. Each of the five major cache
types -- Earth, Letterbox, Traditional, Multi, and Mystery -- are
represented. Similarly, each of the five major cache sizes -- Nano,
Micro, Small, Regular, and Large -- are represented. And, just to
round out the variety, each of the 5 levels on the Difficulty and
Terrain Rating Scales are also represented.
In other words, a cacher who successfully completes this series
will have seen a little bit of everything geocaching has to offer
and be able to answer "yes" to the "have you ever done a
________________________________ cache?" question no matter what
goes in the blank.
Cool, eh?
We think so, too.
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Cache serves as home base for the D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord Geocoin
I which is one in the following series of geocoins
simultaneously released in connection with the launch of
D&V's
QR Code Smörgåsbord Series. Each coin represents the type
of cache in the series from which it is being launched. The
coins and caches in the series are as follows:
1. EarthCache - D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord Geocoin
I is being launched from D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord
I.
2. Traditional Cache - D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord Geocoin
II is being launched from D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord
II.
3. Letterbox Cache - D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord Geocoin
III is being launched from D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord
III.
4. Multi Cache - D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord Geocoin
IV is being launched from D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord
IV.
5. Mystery Cache - D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord Geocoin
V is being launched from D&V's QR Code Smörgåsbord
V.
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Good Luck and Happy Caching!!!
Congrats to WolverCacher on FTF!!!
This cache is placed and maintained by a MiGO member.
