HOURS and FEES ... https://lockportcave.com/tour_calendar/ ... SEASONAL May-October
THIS IS SEASONAL, BUT KEEPING IT ACTIVE FOR THOSE PLANNING A VISIT.
EARTHCACHE REQUIREMENTS
Each cacher must send his/her own answers BEFORE logging a find. Enjoy the journey (learning adventure) as well as the destination (smiley earned). Remember to take only pictures and leave only footprints. To get credit for this Earthcache, complete the following tasks:
1. MESSAGE …. What common speleothem is not found in this cave? Why?
2. MESSAGE …. There is a speleothem found in this cave that has a different growth rate than others of its type. ... a. What is the name of the speleothem? ... b. How big is it? ... c. What is the usual growth rate of this type of speleothem? ... Explain why there is a difference.
NOTE: You may need to ask your tour guide for the answer to 2c. The answer is based on what geologists concluded.
3. MESSAGE …. Choose one historical thing you found interesting.
4. LOG ... Post a picture anywhere along your tour. This picture is your log signature. Explain why you chose that photo.
OPTIONAL - Please respect the time and effort involved in creating this earthcache by adding A and B to your log.
A. JOURNEY OF THE MIND ... Science explains what we observe. Relate (in your own words) something you found interesting in the reading. This adds to your learning adventure and your log.
"The men digging the tunnels would find pockets of Gypsum. They would often give them to their wives or girlfriends who, in turn, sold them to tourists at Niagara Falls as condensed mist." Learned this interesting tidbit from one of cachers logging a find.
B. JOURNEY OF THE HEART ... Art shares our personal experience of what we see. Share something special you found on site, and why it is special to you. This is a memorable addition to your log and will make other hearts smile.
THANK YOU TOM and CLARENCE for permission to share this learning adventure.
Geology Meets Series
Geology Meets Art ... GC8EDWQ
Geology Meets Culture ... GC9QCPQ
Geology Meets History ... GC7NP6P
LOCKPORT CAVE
"The Lockport Cave can refer to one of two caverns beneath the city of Lockport, New York. One of the caves formed naturally in the underlying dolomite and limestone bedrocks, whereas the other is a hydraulic raceway constructed in the nineteenth century." WIKIPEDIA
GEOLOGY
The natural cave was formed 400 million years ago during the Silurian Age. The rocks are dolostone, limestone, and calcareous to dolomitic mudstone. The rocks here are all part of the Lockport Group, because any rocks deposited above them have been eroded away.
Due to a landslide, the entrance to the natural cave was blocked. The cave tour is through the man-made cave. It does have the features of the natural cave, but is not as massive.
SPELEOTHEMS
Speleothems are predominantly limestone formations found in caves. They take various forms, depending on whether the water drips, seeps, condenses, flows, or ponds. ... As you journey through this cave, you will see a variety of cave formations. The most common found in caves are stalactites found on the ceiling (hang tight to the ceiling) and stalagmites found on the floor (might trip over them).
HISTORY
The tunnel stretches 850' northeast from Lock #34 at a distance of 30'-80' north of the canal. The Hydraulic Tunnel provided water power to local industries. The tunnel was the invention of Birdsill Holly, a mechanical genius, whose inventions were manufactured using Erie Canal water power provided by this tunnel.
ROCK-WATER RELATIONSHIP
Water is necessary for speleothems to form. The nature of the cave formation depends on whether the water drips, seeps, condenses, flows, or ponds.
RESOURCE ... PDF document explaining the geology of Lockport Cave