This EarthCache is located in Garden of the Gods Park, a Colorado Springs City Park. Park hours are as follows: May 1 to October 31 from 5 am to 11 pm; November 1 to April 30 from 5 am to 9 pm. There is no charge for entry into the park.
Geologists claim that the story of the Garden of the Gods began nearly 300 million years ago, when sediment from the Ancestral Rockies was carried eastward and spread out into great alluvial fans. This sediment was then reddened by ferric iron and long covered by a shallow inland sea.
Some sixty million years ago - when the modern Rocky Mountains began their upward thrust - the horizontal sedimentary rocks were elevated and tilted skyward. The forces of wind and rain then gradually stripped away the softer layers, sculpturing each rock into the form we see today: Gateway Rocks, Tower of Babel, Balanced Rock, Cathedral Spires, Three Graces, Sleeping Indian, Siamese Twins, Scotsman, Pig's Eye, etc.
Some of the whimsical names given to the rocks in the Garden of the Gods date back to the great Pikes Peak Gold Rush. They were preserved, changed and added to by generations of later tour drivers and tourists, and finally preserved for posterity by a Colorado Springs policeman named Robert Wraith. Wraith made a study of the names; every time he heard an old-timer talking about a certain rock, he asked to have it pointed out. When World War II brought thousands of servicemen to the area, Wraith began taking parties of G.I.'s through the Garden of the Gods every weekend. The names he gave the rocks on these tours have remained largely unchanged to this day.
White Rock
White Rock is the first large rock passed on entering the Garden of the Gods from the east. It is composed of white sandstone of the Lyons Formation, and is bordered by a crinkly limestone ridge and layers of soft gypsum.
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of White Rock is the small cave that adorns its western face. The cave is often called Ketner's Cave, in honor of the early trapper or trader who first left his name nearby in 1731. White Rock is also sometimes called Buffalo Rock, as some people can make out a Buffalo on top of the rock from certain viewing angles.
Logging Requirements
To log this EarthCache, send me a message with the answers to the following:
1. Why is White Rock white (the hint will help if you are stumped)?
2. What is White Rock made out of?
3. Do you think White Rock is newer or older than the other formations in Garden of the Gods? What makes you think that?
Bonus: Not required, but I would love to see photos of your visit to the park, especially in front of White Rock.
