The Rolled Rock EarthCache
Hidden : 8/9/2011
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

An Earthcache about glaciation in Northern Ontario

For everyone's safety, please park on the dead-end Lauzon Road, just north of the Rolled Rock.

One of the interesting features of Northern Ontario is that glaciation receded from this area more recently than more southerly parts of Canada. Because of this, many of the glacial features are very prominent in this area. Eskers, Erratics, Striation and Kettle Lakes are easily found in this area of Canada.



This earthcache will take you to a rock by the side of the road. If you were driving by, you might never notice that anything is out of the ordinary with this rock, but closer inspection will reveal a number of interesting features.

This rock has been heavily rounded by glacial action, and - in fact - has been made roughly cylindrical. Smaller rocks that have been affected by glaciation are rounded and are the shape of cobblestones as they have been tumbled in glacial run-off streams. Larger rocks like erratics are usually an irregular shape and are largely unchanged by their glaciation as they rode in or on top of the ice. This rock - however - has not been affected in either of these ways. This rock is an erratic. We know this because it is made of noticeably different rock than the exposed bedrock where it is found. It was moved to it's current location by an earlier glacial event. The map below shows that there are at least three glacial events that have shaped this area based on rock striations (scratches in the exposed bedrock made by rocks carried in the glacier).



When a subsequent glaciation moved through the area, this rock remained where it was previously deposited. The weight of the ice above it and the shape of the depression in the bedrock trapped it in place and it was repeatedly rolled by the ice, giving it the rounded shape that you now see.

To log this earthcache, please visit The Rolled Rock, and e-mail us the answers these questions (Please, do not include with your log). You do not need to wait for our response before logging.

1) What type of rock is The Rolled Rock comprised of?
2) Describe the surface of The Rolled Rock.
3) What are the dimensions of The Rolled Rock?
4) Go to the waypoint at N48 40.013 W80 40.824 and using the approximate direction of the striations found on the rock, determine the direction of the ice flow in this area.
We hope you find this spot as interesting as we did!

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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