Elko Hot Hole EarthCache
Hidden : 12/31/2011
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:


A collection of three very high-temperature hot springs along the Humboldt River is located immediately outside of the town of Elko. Though no soaking is provided by these springs, they are of geological and historical interest. There are three clusters of hot springs at this location: The Hot Hole consists of a huge hot-spring-deposited-dome (approximately 50 feet across) with hot water inside. The water level in the pool is at least 20’ above the level of the nearby Humboldt River. Humboldt River Hot Springs, downhill from the Hot Hole, are actually hotter in temperature and consist of several clusters of springs emerging on the banks of the Humboldt. Elko Hot Springs are located to the south, up the hill. These springs were a well-known landmark for those on the California Trail. In 1868, a small bathhouse was built at the springs.

Earth has a natural “geothermal gradient”, so no matter where you are, if you drill down through the Earth's crust the temperature will increase until you hit red-hot rock. Miners were the first to notice that deep mines are warm at the bottom, and scientists since have found that once you get past surface variations, solid rock always increases in temperature with depth. On average, this geothermal gradient is about one degree Celsius for each 40 meters in depth, or 25°C per kilometer. 100°C is when water boils so to reach boiling temperatures, you’d have to go down about 4 km. But the geothermal gradient is variable and can be much higher than normal in some places. High gradients require one of two things: hot magma rising close to the surface, or abundant cracks allowing groundwater to reach hot places deep in the earth and carry that heat back to the surface as hot springs. Nevada has many fractured places – especially along the many fault zones adjacent to the many basins and ranges that make up the fractured landscape of our Basin and Range province. As a result, Nevada has an average higher geothermal gradient than most other states, closer to 40 °C per kilometer!

Most of Nevada is located over the boundary between the Pacific and the North American tectonic plates which have been shearing past each other for millions of years in a process that continues to stretch the crust of the earth over Nevada today, creating a severely faulted topography. It is along these faults that groundwater is able to penetrate deep into the hot crust and re-emerge as hot springs and geysers. Nevada has more than 300 major geothermal areas, the most of any state in the U.S.

Geothermal water is often saturated with minerals, due to its passage through rocks containing highly soluble minerals and due to the higher capability of hot water to dissolve some minerals from rock. As the water cools around the edges of the hot spring, the minerals form crystals and grains that are deposited and build up into beautiful rock layers shaped like waves, basins, and terraces.

The coordinates given will take you to an open area where you can park just beside the historical California Trails marker. The Hot Hole itself is clearly fenced. Be respectful of all posted guidelines in the area. Further exploration of the area will also reveal the presence of microbial algal mats across the hot hole from the historical marker. The area can be reached without trespassing. Again, be respectful of this geologically significant area.

In order to claim your find, you must e-mail answers to these questions to the cache-owner (Do NOT post this information in your log).

TO LOG THIS CACHE:
1. What is your geocaching name?
2. These hot springs are associated with fractures along a major fault zone. Look for the locations of other springs in the area (marked by increased vegetation) and the general alignment of the Humboldt
River in this area. Try to determine the approximate orientation(compass direction) of the fault zone that might be controlling the location of the springs and the river alignment in this area. (Use the compass function on your GPS unit.)
3. Is this orientation consistent with the orientation of the closest mountain range to the hot springs?
4.The springs here at Elko Hot Hole flow from porous sedimentary rocks at depth and can range in temperatures of 150°-192°F (66-89°C). If Nevada has a geothermal gradient of about 40 °C per kilometer and the average temperature of Elko Hot Hole is 66-89°C, at what depth does the groundwater have to circulate to attain that temperature?
5. Hot spring deposits are typically made of either calcium carbonate (travertine) or silica (sinter). Calcium carbonate (travertine) is softer (easily scratched with steel) and will bubble in the presence of acid such as vinegar or lemon juice. Sinter is silica which is harder, will scratch steel or glass, and will not bubble in acid. Can you determine which type of hot spring deposit Elko Hot Hole is - travertine or sinter?

Additional information about Elko Hot Hole and other major Nevada Geothermal Sites may be found at the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology website at these links: (visit link) (visit link)

Special thanks to the Nevada Bureau of Mines & Geology for assistance with this cache.

While pictures are not a required logging task, they are encouraged.

Any logs that are not supported with an email containing this info will be removed (Email address
can be obtained by sending a message through our profile).

Good Luck!!

Congrats to nvgoldfish on FTF honors!

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