* Not an all-weather road. Be aware of other traffic when taking elevation readings. *
The Manitoba Escarpment is an east-facing escarpment in southeastern Manitoba. It rises anywhere from 500 to 1000 feet (150 – 300 metres) above the prairie lowlands of the Red River Valley and formed the western shore of the glacial Lake Agassiz. As the ice sheets of the last ice age moved southward into North Dakota and Minnesota, it carried with it rocks and soil that was scraped up along the way. As the ice sheets advanced, it created a variety of geological features.
One of these glacial features are moraines. Lateral moraines form along the sides of a glacier. As the glacier moves, it rips rock and soil from both sides of its path and deposits along the outer edges. Medial moraines are found on top of and inside the existing glacier. When two glaciers meet, the two lateral moraines become a medial, or middle, moraine. End moraines occur at the snout of the glacier. As the glacier begins to retreat, or melt, it leaves behind a ridge of rock and soil. A glacier may have several end moraines depending on the advancement and retreat process. The terminal moraine forms at the very end of the glacier and will be the last of the end moraines.
Additional information can be found at National Geographic - Moraines
This Earth Cache consists of 5 stages.
At Posted Coordinates take elevation reading at ground level.
Take elevation readings at all 5 stages.
At Stage 1 (Signage)
Take elevation reading and answer questions 1 - 3.
At Stage 2
Take elevation reading
Stage 3
Take elevation reading
Stage 4
Take elevation reading
Questions
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- According to the signage, what is the elevation drop to the plain below?
- Which type of moraine can be observed at this location?
- What is the trail length across the Assiniboine Delta and Pembina Hills Region?
- Take highest elevation reading and subtract the lowest elevation reading. What is the elevation difference (metres or feet)