Please, be very careful if you are in this area during rainfall. The muds become very slick and difficult to walk on. Also be aware of your surroundings (especially if you have children or pets with you) while out here. Creatures such as snakes and scorpions inhabit these areas and cacti are common.
Hoodoos form typically form in areas where a thick layer of a relatively soft rock which is covered by a thin layer of hard rock. The thin, more resistant layer protects the underlying cone of softer rock from erosion. Eventually, however, the underlying soft layer does erode causing the cap to become undercut and fall off. Once that happens, the remaining cone is quickly eroded to a mound then to a flat surface. A cone stands front and center of the pack here that recently was a hoodoo, but once the cap fell, the cone is rapidly eroding. Numerous mounds can be observed toward the left (toward the west).
Typical Hoodoo Formation
In areas where there is very little difference in the hardness (or competency) of the overlying "cap" and underlying rock, the formation tends to look more like a straight pillar since the cap and underlying rock are eroded at almost the same rate. Alternately, in areas where there is a great difference in competency (such as the area before you), the erosion of the underlying softer rock is happening at a very rapid pace and once a 'hoodoo' begins to break from the pack (just beyond the fin stage illustrated above), it is often too weak to uphold its cap before collapse. Essentially, think of this area as hoodoo formation on fast forward.
Another interesting feature you find here that is rarely observed in the badlands is a Plunge Pool. Plunge pools form at the base of a waterfall by the water swirling and scouring, assisted by rocks and other sediment in the water. When the rains fall, this would likely be a nice little waterfall but I don't recommend sticking around. The muds in the area get extremely slick when wet!
In order to log this cache, you must do the following:
1. Compare the 'capped' formations that make up the main set of hoodoos, with the un-capped pillar in front and the mounds that can be observed toward the left (toward the west).
1a) Measure the percent slope of the long side of the capped formation and then measure the slope of the long side of one of the mounds. Email your results to the cache owner.
1b) Compare the various heights of the hoodoos, pillar and mounds. If it takes 500 years for the hoodoo to become a flat surface once it loses its cap, how old do you think the pillar is? How about the mound? Email your answers to the cache owner.
2. Take a good look at the plunge pool.
2a) Email the cache owner how wide the plunge pool is.
2b) Is the formation of this plunge pool going to help the formation of hoodoos or hinder it? Email the cache owner your decision and your reason why.
A photo of you at the cache site is always appreciated but no longer a requirement to log an earthcache! Remember to email your answers and not put them in your log. That would spoil the fun for others.
