We have been coming to this spot for years, and it's time to let the caching community in on the secret!
This is our main Crinoid-collecting spot. Crinoids are sea creatures. The fossils you'll find here are all extinct (as far as anyone knows), but there are still crinoid-like creatures alive today in some parts of the ocean. Crinoids are stuck to the ocean bottom when alive, even though they are considered a part of the Animal Kingdom. They are filter feeders, and look rather like an upside-down octopus on the top of a stalk.
The stalk is the part that is usually preserved, and consists of a series of stacked "beads", sort of like a candy necklace. Sometimes this stalk can be found more or less intact, but more often the beads (called "columnals") are found broken apart and scattered. They became part of the limestone when the seabed was turned into rock. Crinoids made their stalks out of the same mineral (calcite) as the rest of the limestone, but the calcite in the columnals is a bit harder than that of the surrounding rock. For this reason, as the rock dissolves in the weather, the crinoids protude, kind of like peanuts in a melting bowl of Rocky Road ice cream.
This spot is special for three reasons:
1) The "Differential Weathering" at this spot is very pronounced, and results in thousands of columnals being deposited in loose piles!
2) The "background" limestone is unusually dark, and the white crinoids still partly encased in rock stand out in high contrast.
3) In addition to the usual circular species, this spot has a high concentration of Platycrinites, which has columnals shaped like little footballs!
This EarthCache is extra special because you are welcome to keep a handful of whatever loose columnals you find! The rate at which new columnals are "liberated" from the rock by the weather is truly astounding. All is takes is two or three rains to fully "recharge" the site for the next finder. We have collected loose crinoids here for decades, and haven't made a dent in their abundance.
So, what do you need to do?
TO LOG THIS CACHE, YOU WILL NEED TO:
A. POST A PICTURE OF SOME LOOSE CRINOID COLUMNALS. They can be on the ground, or in your hand or other container if you want to keep some. By the way, the Osage Indians often strung the columnals together to make necklaces.
B. SEND US THE ANSWER TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: How many different kinds of fossils did you encounter today? Each species of crinoid has distinctive characteristics, and, as mentioned below, you will probably find some creatures that are not crinoids. So your answer will depend on the spots you examine and how carefully you observe what you find there. There's no "right" answer, so relax!
PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE CRINOIDS THAT HAVEN'T COME LOOSE YET!!! You'll only end up breaking them, and you'll leave an ugly mark in the rock. Besides, there are thousands of loose ones!
TIPS:
1) Park at the waypoint, and make your way up to the top of the cliff on the south side of the highway. It is pretty grown up, and there are lots of thorns, but it clears out when you get to the top.
2) IF YOU FALL OFF THIS CLIFF, YOU COULD DIE!!! There is no need to get near the edge. You will have no trouble finding lots of beautiful white fossils protruding from the dark rock all over the place. If you're not going to watch your kids closely the entire time, don't take them up on top.
3) Look in the little pits on top of the bare rock for loose columnals. They also collect in the mud at the base of outcrops. You will also probably find other types of fossils, including brachiopods (clam-like), bryozoans (net-like), and corals (kind of look like a Bugle Chip). This spot also has a surprising number of rarer calyx parts (the calyx is part of the upper octopus-like section of the crinoid).
So get up there, find some "Razorback Footballs," and post some awesome pictures! Feel free to message us with any questions. Be safe, and have fun!