EDUCATIONAL LOGGING REQUIREMENTS
In order to substantiate your visit and comply with the educational requirement for Earth Caches you will need to submit your answers to the following questions to the cache developers via their profile using the message option. For purposes of logging this cache you must take a picture of you or a personal item near the sign without giving away any answers at the posted coordinates and answer the following questions.
1) What does each terrace represent?
2) Compare the height of the furthest west terrace to the intermediate one. Why do you think it is higher and guestimate the height difference between the two.
3) Observe the soil and landscape surrounding the observation area. Can you come up with any evidence that would support it being an outwash plain besides the terraces?
4) Please take a picture of you or a personal item near the sign without giving away any information at the posted coordinates.
This earthcache is located within Grand Teton National Park and is placed with permission. Note: An earthcache is the magical combination of geocaching and geological discovery. They vary greatly from traditional geocaches in that there is NO PHYSICAL CONTAINER! Once at the Earth Cache site, take in the scenery, the geological marvels or oddities, and read the cache description. You will likely be asked to answer some questions about the site and take a picture. Please message the cache owner the answers to the required questions at the same time you log the cache. If you can't do that then write a note as a place holder until you can submit the answers. Please don’t be intimidated about answering the questions. They are not graded and were meant to enrich your visit, open your eyes and provide you with new knowledge and insights about the location. Most importantly have fun!
At certain times of the year this earthcache will be inaccessible due to snow and ice. Please do not attempt to log this cache during that time since it will be near impossible to make observations and answer the questions correctly.
Snake on the Plain you may exclaim?! Why yes! But don't worry this serpent is a river located on another type of plain and won't bite!
The view from here, of course, shows the Tetons, which are always breathtaking. But you can also see that the landscape leading up to the Tetons has three distinct levels of an outwash plain, or what geologists call "terraces". (See Geologist language!) Glaciers sculpted the Teton landscape over multiple glacial advances widening V-shaped river canyons into U-shaped glacial canyons, gouging out depressions filled by lakes today, sharpening high peaks, and filling the valley floor with outwash debris called outwash plains. Outwash plains are deposits of sand and gravel carried by running water from the melting ice of a glacier and laid down in stratified deposits.
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Each terrace is very distinct and easy to see (once you know what you are looking at) and speaks of a different span of time where the Snake River flowed through this valley.
So, as you are standing at the info sign, you are on the oldest terrace. Look at you, being a part of geology, standing on an Ancient Snake River Embankment!
As you look towards the Tetons, each level you see below you is a different terrace.
So from top to bottom, it is oldest to youngest, with the current Snake River being the youngest terrace.
In order to substantiate your visit and comply with the educational requirement for Earth Caches you will need to submit your answers to the following questions to the cache developers via their profile using the message option. For purposes of logging this cache you must take a picture of you or a personal item near the sign without giving away any answers at the posted coordinates and answer the following questions. If you can't submit your answers at the same time that you log it simply use the write note option until you can do that.
1) What does each terrace represent?
2) Compare the height of the furthest west terrace to the intermediate one. Why do you think it is higher and guestimate the height difference between the two.
3) Observe the soil and landscape surrounding the observation area. Can you come up with any evidence that would support it being an outwash plain besides the terraces?
4) Please take a picture of you or a personal item near the sign without giving away any information at the posted coordinates.
Thanks you for visiting Grand Tetons National Park. I hope you have learned a thing or two about it and its geology!
Resources:
https://www.nps.gov/grte/learn/nature/geology.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_the_Grand_Teton_area
https://www.wsgs.wyo.gov/public-info/tour-grand-teton
https://www.discovergrandteton.org/teton-geology/