New River Gorge, GrandView EarthCache

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Hidden : 11/1/2011
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:

This EC is placed with Park permission. The park is open year-round for Day use.
Season and Hours
Grand View area open year-round. Visitor Center open June through August: Daily from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed fall, winter, and spring. No fees. There is a gentle slope but this is handicap accessible.

"When you stand at an overlook in the New River Gorge, you notice the steep canyon walls and sandstone cliffs that characterize the area. The V-shaped canyon of the New River is an outstanding natural feature of West Virginia. It was caused by erosion that has occurred over a very long period of time, forming the cliffs and canyon walls. You can see the ongoing effects of erosion in the large rocks and slides that have tumbled from the cliffs and down into the river."

"The gorge cuts through the Appalachian Plateau, and exposes 3200 feet of very old rocks. Most of the rocks that you can see exposed in the gorge are sandstone and shale. In the lower gorge, the New River cuts through the hard Nuttall sandstone, a unique sandstone type that is 98% quartz. The area of the lower gorge around Batoff Mountain is one of the best exposures of sandstone in the area; these rocks are among the oldest found in the gorge." There are many hiking trails to hike and many lookouts to visit as well as abundant wildlife to see.

A gorge and a canyon are basically the same thing: a valley marked by steep cliffs with a watercourse running along its bottom. The simple answer to how a gorge is formed is by water erosion, but in actual practice, a number of factors come together to make a gorge possible.

Flooding
One potential source of gorge formation is major, systematic flooding. Geologists believe that during the last ice age, rapid melting of the great glaciers caused catastrophic flooding that carved out several gorges and canyons along already existing waterways. The same pattern can be seen today, albeit in a much less violent form. Spring thawing regularly causes river flooding in areas where rivers are fed primarily by glaciers. The gorges formed when the erosive power of the flooding was slowed down upon harder strata of rock, causing cliffs to form and the flooding to dig down, rather than out. Also read Genesis.

Waterfalls
Another source of gorge formation is a waterfall. Waterfalls themselves are usually the product of geologic uplift. When there is geologic uplift in an area that is already home to a watercourse, the resulting change in elevation creates a waterfall. That waterfall creates accelerated water flow and erosion, which over time will cut back on itself, creating a gorge. Even if the watercourse lacks the power to carve the hard rock in its own bed away, if softer rock has been exposed below by geologic uplift, that will be eroded and washed away. This undermines the original river bed, causing eventual and successive collapse, forming a gorge.

Geology of the New River Gorge

The New River Gorge offers an excellent view of the geology of south-central West Virginia. The New River Gorge shows an exposed view of the rocks that allows us to see and understand the present geologic conditions and deduce their geologic history. This opportunity is rare in the world, and accordingly geologists take advantage of all of these unique canyons.

This geologic profile along the New River Gorge profiles the northward tendency of rock formations, land surface, and the river. The apparent anticline at Thayer is caused by constructing this profile along the river rather than a straight line.
(Figure modified from an illustration by Dan Barker)


Stratigraphy By examining the rocks along the New River Gorge, the series of layers can be pieced together to produce a cross-section of the entire 66 miles (Figure 1 above). From the study of rock strata, stratigraphy, the rocks can be placed in chronologic order and grouped by formations. The age of the rocks can be determined by the types of fossils found in them. The same rock types with similar fossils are grouped together as formations in correct chronological position.

Geological History The rocks and fossils that are found in the New River Gorge are essential to unraveling much of the past. Geologists must also examine the rocks throughout southern West Virginia to get a picture of the trends and changes that they have undergone. The geological information that we have today represents more than 150 years of work and study by geologists, miners, and oil and gas operators. The dominant rocks that make up the New River Gorge are non-marine shales and sandstones. There are a few exceptions, such as the Avis limestone and Sewell coal. The shales and sandstones are clastic rocks (they are derived from the erosion and deposition of preexisting rocks). Some are coarse-grained, such as the Princeton sandstone, while others, like the shales, are very fine grained. The coals, on the other hand, are formed from dead plants and trees, some of which can still be identified in the coal.

To claim this Earthcache email the answers to the following questions to me, do not post them in your log;
1.Looking into the Gorge, What do you think formed the New River Gorge?
2.What type of rock is at the lookout? (this is mentioned above)
3.Looking to the NE direction, across the Gorge, on top of the plateau, what is this area called?( See the sign at the trailhead)
Do not post answers in your log or your log could be deleted.

Acknowledgment and thanks is given to the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey and New River Gorge National River Park Service.
“The fundamental purpose of the National Park Service (NPS) is to ‘conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. (16 U.S.C. 1).’ Placing a cache on NPS lands without a permit is a violation of NPS regulations. These regulations are intended to protect the fragile environment and the natural, cultural and historical resources found in parks. You are ultimately responsible for the cache, so please make sure you know and understand the rules.”

Even though this is a virtual cache here is some good info for you to know. Some of these rules will apply.
"Guidelines for Searching for and Visiting GPS-Based Activity Physical Caches
1. No digging or disturbing of rocks, soil or vegetation. Prohibited for placement in cache are: tobacco, ammunition, weapons, drugs (medications), alcohol, food, items with vulgar or pornographic content, personal/hygiene products, chemicals or scented/perfumed items/substances, explosives/fireworks, and advertising materials.
2. Park hours and closures will be observed during cache searches.
3. Metal detectors may not be utilized in cache searches.
4. GPS-based activities are subject to all park rules and regulations. It is your responsibility to know the park rules and regulations."

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