In order to log this Earthcache as a find you must message the Deadliest Cachers with your following onsite observations:
- 1.) Stand at the base of the falls, and using yourself as a measuring stick, estimate the height of the falls at its crest.
- 2.) At what level on the rock face is 'fissile' most readily seen?
- 3.) The sedimentary layers that make up the rock wall vary in thickness. Estimate the height of the thickest layer?
- 4.) Take a photo of the falls, which includes either yourself or just your hand making a thumbs up sign.
DO NOT post these answers in the log.
Walking Directions - On the trail from the parking coordinates to the earthcache you will come to a fork. The trail to the left will take you to the top of the fall and the trail to the right will take you to the bottom of the falls.
Located along the scenic trails at the Hobuck Flats Public Fishing Access to Eighteen Mile Creek in North Evans, NY, (see parking coordinates below) Buttermilk Falls is a tiered waterfall with two major drops. The upper drop is a sheer cascade, and the second drop is nearly vertical. The cliffs behind the falls are made up of a soft, olive-gray colored shale, known as Cashaqua Shale, which is native to New York State. Fossils dating back to the Devonian period have been located in this type of shale. Cashaqua Shale ranges in thickness from 20-200 feet, with the thinner bands, as at Buttermilk Falls, being close to the Lake Erie Basin. Bands get progressively thicker, the farther inland they are.
What is Shale?
Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock that forms from the compaction of silt and clay-size mineral particles that is commonly call "mud." This composition places shale in a category of sedimentary rocks known as "mudstones." Shale is distinguished from other mudstones because of its fissile and laminated properties. "Laminated" means that the rock is made up of many thin layers. "Fissile" means that the rock readily splits into thin pieces along the laminations.
The Composition of Shale
Shale is a rock composed mainly of clay-size mineral grains. These tiny grains are usually clay minerals such as illite, kaolinite and smectite. Shale usually contains other clay-size mineral particles such as quartz, chert and feldspar. Other ingredients might include organic particles, carbonate minerals, iron oxide minerals, sulfide minerals and heavy mineral grains. These other ingredients in the rock are often determined by the shale's environment of deposition and often determine its color.
Uses for Shale
Some shales have special properties that make them useful resources. Black shale contains organic material that sometimes breaks down to form natural gas or oil. Other shales can be crushed and mixed with water to produce clays that can be made into a variety of useful objects.
Walking Directions - On the trail from the parking coordinates to the earthcache you will come to a fork. The trail to the left will take you to the top of the fall and the trail to the right will take you to the bottom of the falls.
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