At the posted coordinates, you are standing near one of the highest points in the City of Edmonton. Today, this high point is known as "Mary Lobay Park", and was set aside when this neighbourhood was developed in the late 1980s. For thousands of years, people have enjoyed the view from this point, although 5000 years ago, the view was undoubtedly much different, and served a much more strategic purpose. The location of this hill is in the middle of a landscape surrounded by natural barriers; roughly 1 km to the east is the Whitemud Ravine, roughly 1km to the west is the North Saskatchewan River. And roughly 2 km to the North these two deep crevasses in the flat prairie connect. This meant that the Native peoples had a terrific vantage point of the nearby bison herds, and a good idea where supper could be located! Archaeological evidence suggests that that Native peoples utilized and camped intermittently on this hill for 5000 years. This archaeological site is sometimes referred to as the "Prosser Site", named after the amateur archaeologist who reported this site to the Alberta Government.
The geology of this hill is unique. Known as a "kame", the hill was created by the deposition of glacial debris and sediment. The glacial debris accumulates in a depression in a retreating glacier, and when the glacier melts, the debris is left as a hill on the (otherwise flat) landscape.
If you walk past a cut bluff close to the North Saskatchewan River, you will often notice strata; different horizontal layers created over time that are readily visible. These layers are created by the deposition of materials over time. On the other hand, if you were to slice open this hill, you would not see strata. It's basically just one big pile of dirt (or mixed glacial deposit) that was left over when the glaciers receded.
Because of the lack of stratigraphy (or minimal stratigraphy), the artifacts at this site are "mixed". Often, archaeologists can estimate that age of an artifact based on the layer of strata in which it is found (generally, the lower level of strata, the older the artifact). Here, all of the 1700 artifacts inventoried were found in the top 40 centimeters of soil, meaning that they could not be dated based on their depth. Any stratification of artifacts that may have existed at some point was lost, due to the fact this area was tilled and cultivated for agricultural purposes for many years before residential development occurred.
To log this geocache, Earthcache requirements dictate that you learn something about the geology of this site. Please e-mail me the answers to the following questions:
(1) Compared to the elevation of lands surrounding the kame/archaeological site, estimate how much higher in elevation you are at the posted coordinates? If you want to provide an actual measurement, you can compare the posted coordinates here to the elevation at the Riverbend Square shopping center (N 53° 28.200 W 113° 35.315- you'll find a traditional cache at these coords as well! See GC3W9PE)
(2) Standing at the posted coordinates, can you see any other kames in the surrounding landscape? Which direction(s) are they?
(3) Another important archaological site in Edmonton is at the Rossdale Flats, located in the River Valley at the North end of the Walterdale Bridge (105 Street and Rossdale Road). How do you think the soil conditions at the Rossdale site might be different than this site?
(4) (OPTIONAL) Upload a photo of your group at the posted coordinates, with the City skyline in the background. It's a million-dollar view.
References:
Edmonton Maps Heritage: Riverbend Archaeological Site: http://maps.edmontonheritage.ca/riverbend-archaeology
City of Edmonton, Rhatigan Ridge NSP Consolidation: http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/Rhatigan_Ridge_NSP_Consolidation.pdf