Rocky Gorge,The Power of Ice and Water: Earthcache EarthCache
Rocky Gorge,The Power of Ice and Water: Earthcache
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The Pleistocene Epoch lasted from 1.8 million years ago until about 10,000 years ago. In that time there would have been at least four separate episodes of advancing and retreating glaciers. That together with the debris they scooped up and brought along with them acted like sandpaper to grind away the soil and rock to make the valley that the Swift River flows through today.
At about 10,000 thousand years ago there was a mile high sheet of ice covering this area you’re in now. As it started melting torrents of glacial meltwater started the process of carving the gorge. And now the Swift River continues the process of breaking the rock and wearing it away through the process of freezing and thawing. The water fills the fractures in the rock, which were made when the granite was formed, or as it was pushed up during mountain building. As it freezes in the cracks it expands making the fractures deeper and wider so more water can get in to start the process all over again slowly breaking the rock down.
To log this cache send me an email with the following:
1) Name of cache with date and time.
2) What evidence is there of ice and water at work in the gorge?
3) As you look across the river from the kiosk what do you see a cut away view of? What formed it?
4) And if possible please post a picture of the gorge on the cache page for everyone can see what you did.The photograph is an optional task and not required for logging this EarthCache.
Ref: www.nhgeology.org and the kiosk at the site
Additional Hints
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