Arches National Park - The Fiery Furnace EarthCache
Arches National Park - The Fiery Furnace
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(other)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The Fiery Furnace is an area of Sandstone fins and secluded arches. This cache will bring you to into the part of Arches National Park called The Fiery Furnace. The Fiery Furnace is the beginning of the largest concentration of sandstone fins within Arches that extends to the Devils Garden.
The Fiery Furnace was formed nearly 250-300 million years ago when geological forces and environmental changes took place in this region. A vast inland sea covered this area and eventually dried up leaving behind a massive deposit of salt several thousand feet thick. The sandstone rock that you see before you today is made from many layers of sediment and windblown sand that fused together from pressure and was once a solid mass. Today the fins and fractures, which developed over time, are what remain. Your task will be to describe some of the geological and environmental forces that created The Fiery Furnace as well as locating some features within The Fiery Furnace. Keep in mind that there are many types of erosion that are at work in The Fiery Furnace that ever evolve this changing landscape.
"The Fiery Furnace is located within Arches National Park. The feature is a section of the park which is a natural labyrinth of narrow passages between towering Entrada sandstone walls. To enter the Fiery Furnace, visitors must accompany a ranger-guided tour or obtain a hiking permit at the visitor center after entering Arches National Park. There are no trails, signs, or cairns in the Fiery Furnace. GPS units do not work well due to the towering sandstone walls. Navigating its complex passages requires physical agility and careful observation. To protect the wildlife and plants that inhabit sand dunes and drainages between the rock walls, visitors must choose their steps wisely. The park encourages first-time visitors to the Fiery Furnace to join a ranger-led tour or go with someone who has been before. The Fiery Furnace consists of a maze of narrow passages created by sandstone fins. The area is not large but it is difficult to navigate and so people are encouraged to sign up for ranger-led hikes. Guided hikes are conducted daily spring through fall, and reservations can be made online at here. These popular hikes often fill weeks in advance so it’s a good idea to plan ahead".
"Everyone attending a Fiery Furnace tour should be aware of the demanding nature of this hike and properly equipped for current conditions, including temperature extremes. The tour is a three hour strenuous hike offered during the busy season. During the hike, participants must walk and climb on irregular and broken sandstone, along narrow ledges above drop-offs, and in loose sand. There are gaps which must be jumped and narrow places that you must squeeze into and pull yourself up and through. In some of these places, you must hold yourself off the ground by pushing against the sandstone walls with your hands and feet. Due to the maze-like nature of the terrain, all participants are committed to completing the hike once they enter the Fiery Furnace. To better judge the hike's difficulty, you can watch a video about The Fiery Furnace on the Parks website or review their photo gallery. All participants must wear good hiking shoes or boots that have gripping soles. No sandals or high heeled shoes are allowed. Each person must carry at least one quart or liter of water. Water and other gear should be stowed in a backpack so that hands are free to be used to navigate the terrain. Due to the tour's difficulty and length, children under five years of age are not permitted to attend by Park rules. Children twelve and under must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Check for updated information at Arches National Park".
In order to claim a find for this cache you must obtain a permit to enter the Fiery Furnace or join a ranger led hike into the Fiery Furnace. Guided hikes are conducted daily spring through fall. Permits and reservations can be obtained online during the season at: Arches National Park. These popular hikes often fill weeks in advance so its a good idea to plan ahead.
Complete and answer the following:
1. Explain why The Fiery Furnace is called "The Fiery Furnace"?
2. What do you think was the largest geological force, event, or feature in the creation of The Fiery Furnace? Perhaps there is a geological feature nearby which can be viewed just south of the listed coordinates, which can help you determine this answer.
3. What other forces also contributed to the creation of the fins within The Fiery Furnace?
4. Although there are many small arches within the park that are not classified as official arches, explain what size criteria is used by the NPS to determine that an arch is indeed an official arch?
5. What are the 3 types of sandstone that you can see within The Fiery Furnace from the listed coordinates?
6. There are 2 arches at N38 44.607 W109 33.678. How do you think they were formed and can you name the arches?
7. There is one arch at N38 44.691 W109 33.632. How do think it was formed and can you name the arch?
8. Optional and not required: Email me a picture of yourself with your GPS and your Permit used for The Fiery Furnace. This might be helpful if you and your GPS have trouble finding the arches within The Fiery Furnace or your answers are deficient.
***Please do not post your answers or any spoiler pictures in your log entry. You can email your answers to us at cfrench432@yahoo.com.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures