This panoramic image of Point Sublime by William Henry Holmes was one of several included in Clarence E. Dutton’s 1882 publication Tertiary History of the Grand Canon District. Credit: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.
How to get credit and log your find.
You must answer the questions to get credit, and email them to me within 48 hours of logging your find. If no answers are received within the allotted time I will delete your find log! This is in an effort to keep things fair. Please do not post your answers in your log. If you do I will delete it!
Send an email to me with the first line reading GC4AP31 POINT SUBLIME. In the email answer the following questions:
1. Standing at the coords, look to your left. The closest formation has white crowns on top of it. Observer the crowns and the layer below the crowns, especially the lower layer right between the crowns and on the edges off from the crowns. The white crowns are part of the Kaibab Limestone layer and the layer right below it is the Toroweep Formation layer. Viewing this area first tell me how many crowns are visible, and second has the weathering been uniformed across the entire length of the two layers? Speculate on the cause (hint: it has to do with the rock layers)
2. From this location, look down at the actual point and first estimate the distance down to the point, and second estimate the distance from the point to the floor of the Grand Canyon.
Post A PIC WITH YOUR LOG
As of June 10th, 2019 GC HQ updated the requirements for logging an EarthCache to allow the CO to request the visitor to "…provide a photo of themselves or a personal item to prove they visited the site. A personal item must be an option for those who do not want to photograph themselves. This task is acceptable only as an addition to well-developed logging tasks, not as a substitution."
So as of 06/10/19 "all" logs MUST have a pic attached with either the cacher (or group of cachers) prominently in it OR a personal item (GPS/printed icon/etc.) I will not accept cell phones as a personal item because 1) you more than likely would be using it for the pic 2) Cell phone, in my opinion, is too generic for a "personal item."If you post a group pic you MUST list the cachers names in you log.
SO Have your picture taken with both Point Sublime and Boucher Rapids and post with your log.
Faliure to follow this or any part of the logging tasks will result in disqualification and your log will be "deleted!"
Midway along the North Rim, at the end of a rough and lonely 18-mile road, a peninsula known as Point Sublime juts out into the Grand Canyon, offering the few visitors willing and able to make the trek there a magnificent panorama of the great gorge. Though the majesty of the Canyon at this vantage point invites visitors to explore below the rim, and though Boucher Rapids are visible below, there are no trails into the Canyon or leading to the river here. Point Sublime is a destination unto itself.
Overview: Point Sublime is an outstanding viewpoint on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. At the end of the 18-mile dirt road to Point Sublime, a short (5-minute) hike takes you to a point where you will be surrounded on 3+ sides by the Grand Canyon.
Due to its distance from civilization, the North Rim generally gets about one-tenth of the tourist traffic that the South Rim receives, and Point Sublime is remote even by North-Rim standards. Also, the North Rim is about 1,000 feet higher in elevation than the South Rim. Thus, if you're looking to escape overcrowded viewpoints and/or the desert heat, the North Rim is the place to go.
As you arrive at Point Sublime, you will notice that the elevation and topography combine to make a warmer climate than you have seen in nearby areas...
Landmarks to Notice: From Point Sublime, if you look out to your left (~southeast) you will see a stretch of the Colorado River and Boucher Rapids. However, most of the river will be obscured by the Canyon's large spires and other geologic formations.
Directions: To provide some basic orientation, keep in mind that after entering the park, you will encounter several manmade landmarks in the following order: (1) the turn-off to Widforss Point / Point Sublime, (2) the Backcountry Permit Office, (3) the main North Rim campground and general store, and finally (4) the Lodge and its associated developments.
When you are ready to head from the developed North Rim area to Point Sublime, turn west from the main road onto the road that goes to Widforss Point / Widforss Trailhead. Rather than stopping at Widforss, continue westerly down the dirt road. You will encounter a few forks in the road; a couple of them have signs directing you to Point Sublime, and the forks without signs are generally pretty easy to figure out because the "wrong" turn promptly leads you to an overlook at a dead-end (which is a worthy stop anyway).
Depending on your vehicle's capabilities and your experience and comfort-level with driving on rugged dirt roads, expect the road to take approximately 2-2.5 hours, which means that you'll average 7-10mph over the course of the 18-mile drive. (An experienced off-road driver with a highly capable [high-clearance and 4x4] vehicle can make the drive in less than 1.5 hours if he/she drives straight through without stopping at scenic overlooks, averaging closer to 15mph, but this is an unreasonable expectation for people with average off-road experience and/or an average vehicle.)
Permit Requirements: After gaining access to the Grand Canyon National Park on the North Rim, day-trips to Point Sublime are free and unregulated. However, if you wish to camp overnight at Point Sublime, you'll need to get a backcountry camping permit ($15) from the Backcountry Permit Office, which is located a couple miles north of the Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim.
IMPORTANT CAUTIONS: Planning a trip to Point Sublime requires serious safety precautions because the road is very rugged and the point is very remote. Take the following considerations into account:
- The road to Point Sublime is very rugged, and should not be attempted with a two-wheel drive, low-clearance vehicle. If you have either high clearance or four-wheel drive, you might make it (but then again, you might not). The best policy is to only attempt this drive with a 4x4 high-clearance truck or SUV. Keep in mind that when the road is at its best , you will encounter (1) several long sand-beds, which can high-center a low vehicle or otherwise trap a two-wheel drive vehicle, (2) several very steep inclines and declines, and (3) medium-sized rocks and a few small boulders that you'll either need to drive around or over. When the road is at its worst , you might encounter washed-out roads, mud pits, fallen trees, or other unforeseen obstacles...
- The nearest gas station is approximately 40 miles from Point Sublime, and you might use more gas than expected if your vehicle becomes stuck or if you otherwise become stranded (e.g. flat tire). So, when you see the gas station on your left (across from the Kaibab Lodge) a few miles before you reach the National Park, make sure you have at least a half-tank of gas.
- There is generally no water at Point Sublime or along the road that accesses it, so make sure you bring enough water to stay hydrated in an emergency; perhaps two gallons per person per day. This is especially important considering that the point will likely be warmer than you expect -- perhaps 10-15 degrees warmer than other parts of the North Rim. Due to the warmer climate, you might find it uncomfortable to much time at Point Sublime during the day during hotter months (perhaps Memorial Day until Labor Day).
- Cell phone reception along the road and at the point is generally spotty or non-existent.
- No campfires are allowed in the park, so don't plan on having a campfire -- If you don't realize this in advance, you can end up quite disappointed, especially if you went through the trouble to pack in your firewood. So, if you're planning to cook, you'd better bring a propane stove or something similar.
Summary: This is a great viewpoint that is quite remote. Many backcountry campgrounds in the park require obtaining a permit months in advance; however, past experience proves that you might arrive on a Friday morning, walk into the backcountry office, buy a permit, drive out to Point Sublime, and be the only person camping out there that night (although a handful of vehicles may come out to have a picnic, take photos, or just enjoy the view before returning to the main North Rim area). - tripadvisor.com
Now for the science:
How was it formed?
The truth is that no one knows for sure though there are some pretty good guesses. The chances are that a number of processes combined to create the views that you see in todays Grand Canyon. The most powerful force to have an impact on the Grand Canyon is erosion, primarily by water (and ice) and second by wind. Other forces that contributed to the Canyon's formation are the course of the Colorado River itself, vulcanism, continental drift and slight variations in the earths orbit which in turn causes variations in seasons and climate.
Water seems to have had the most impact basically because our planet has lots of it and it is always on the move. Many people cannot understand how water can have such a profound impact considering that the Canyon is basically located in a desert. This is one of the biggest reasons that water has such a big impact here. Because the soil in the Grand Canyon is baked by the sun it tends to become very hard and cannot absorb water when the rains to come. When it does rain the water tends to come down in torrents which only adds to the problem. The plants that grow in the Grand Canyon tend to have very shallow root systems so that they can grab as much water as possible on those rare occasions when it does rain. Unfortunately these root systems do nothing to deter erosion by holding the soil in place. Now you've got lots of water, no place for it to go, but down to the Colorado River, and nothing holding the soil and rock in place. The result is frequently a flash flood roaring down a side canyon that can move boulders the size of automobiles, buses and even small houses. If automobiles, buses and small houses are in the way then it will take them too. Luckily no one builds houses in the Grand Canyon so that's not a problem but there are a few autos, vans and buses sitting at the bottom of the Colorado. This mass that moves down a side canyon during a flash flood is more like a fast flowing concrete than water and it can be very dangerous. You should always be well informed of weather conditions when you are hiking through side canyons in the Grand Canyon.
After erosion by liquid water the next most powerful force is probably its solid form, ice. In the colder months, especially on the north rim, water seeps into cracks between the rocks. These cracks can be caused by seismic activity, or by the constant soaking and drying of the rocks. When the water freezes it expands and pushes the rocks apart and widens the cracks. Eventually rocks near the rim are pushed off the edge and fall into the side canyons. These rocks sometimes hit other rocks and are stopped but on occasion one fall by a large rock will cause a cascading effect and create a rock fall that will alter the landscape drastically in the side canyon. Debris from rock falls piles up at the bottom of the side canyons and is then carried down to the Colorado River the next time there is a flash flood. Rock falls frequently take out sections of trail in the Grand Canyon requiring the Park Service to close these trails until they can be repaired.
Once the ice had pushed the rocks off the edge and the water in the flash floods has carried them down to the river, then the Colorado itself takes over. The erosive action of the Colorado has been severely constrained by the building of the Glen Canyon Dam, which ended the annual spring floods, but there is still a lot of water flowing relatively quickly through a very narrow gorge. Before building the dam the Colorado River had spring floods that would exceed a flow rate of 100,000 CFS. All of that snow melting in the Colorado Rockies came pouring down through the Grand Canyon in May and June, every year, like clock-work. These spring floods were considerably larger than todays "trickle" of 8,000-10,000 CFS at low water and even the 20,000 CFS peak flow rates.
The Colorado's spring floods used to carry away all of the debris that was deposited in the main channel by the flash floods, but todays mediocre flow rates have a tough time doing the job. It still gets done to some extent, it just takes a lot longer. In the process of moving the rocks and sediment down the river to the Pacific Ocean the bed of the river is scoured by all of this fast moving debris which slowly eats away at the banks and bed of the river. This causes the river to widen and cut down deeper into the lower rock layers. Another cause for the slowing of the erosive force of the Colorado River is the fact that it is now trying to cut through harder granites and schists found at the bottom of the Canyon instead of the softer limestones, sandstones and shales near the top. This rock takes a lot longer to erode and a slower moving river means it takes even longer. - kaibab.org
I hope you enjoyed your visit it to Point Sublime as much as we did. Please share your experience in your log and any pictures you feel other cachers would enjoy!
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This Earthcache is placed with written permission from the National Park Service