Situated not far from Parksville you can find an interesting example of a geological anomaly that shares its name with a similar anomaly in Vancouver: Little Mountain. Each of these features can best be described as an unusual prominence on local terrain that is otherwise generally level in both areas.
You can drive up Little Mountain from Bellevue Road (which, coincidentally, translates to “nice view” in English!) to reach the posted coordinates but keep in mind the road is steep and narrow and there are only a few parking spots. If you wish to hike up instead please check the additional waypoints for trailhead coordinates and come prepared for the hike – bring water (and maybe a snack) and make sure to let someone know what you are doing and when you will return.
Geologists have differed in their interpretations of what happened to form these features. Some believe these “pimples” could be “sills”, or intrusions of magma that seeped between layers of older rock before cooling and hardening. Sills are typically tabular (i.e. table-like), developing mainly along 2 directions and showing limited thickness.
Other opinions are that this feature is the result of a “flow”, where magma that reaches the surface moves as a lava flow down across the face of the older rock. This type of rock typically appears in one of three forms or shapes: rope-like, blocks, or columns.
Yet another and more popularly-held opinion is that each Little Mountain is considered to be a “dyke”. Dykes are formed when magma cuts across layers of older rock, usually through cracks, then it hardens. Though this process sounds similar to a sill, dykes are characterized as steep, vertical, or nearly-vertical structures.
In any case, these volcanic intrusions formed a slab of igneous basalt that was harder than the surrounding sedimentary rock which was more easily worn away by glaciers and other weathering, leaving each Little Mountain as a lookout for tourists to enjoy the view, and in both cases an ideal source of basalt, an igneous rock most commonly quarried and crushed for use as an aggregate in construction projects such as road base, concrete aggregate, asphalt pavement aggregate, railroad ballast, filter stone in drain fields, and many other purposes. Basalt is often also cut into dimensional stone. Thin slabs of basalt are cut and sometimes polished for use as floor tiles, building veneer, monuments, and other stone objects.
If you have ever walked through the lovely Quarry Gardens at Vancouver Queen Elizabeth Park you have visited a former basalt quarry. A great many of the roads built in Vancouver’s early history are laid on a bed of Little Mountain basalt!
Unfortunately, Parksville’s Little Mountain does not receive that level of respect. Instead of being used as a quarry or gardens, our local mountain appears to have become a dumping ground for lazy or ignorant people to dispose of pretty much anything and everything, from garbage to appliances to car parts, even a kitchen sink! Since 2009, volunteers have pitched in to remove over 10 tonnes of illegally-dumped debris from the forest areas beneath the rocky slopes.
But I digress...
In order to log this EarthCache, please answer the three questions below:
- What is your best estimate of the elevation (above sea level) at the posted coordinates atop Little Mountain?
- As you carefully wander to and fro along the mountaintop area and stand admiring the view near the posted coordinates, how would you describe the appearance of the rock beneath your feet? Since a lot of the surfce is covered with moss, pine needles, and dirt you might have to search around a little. Would you categorize it as typical of ingneous, sedimentary, or conglomerate? Why?
- When you look up at the southernmost transmitter tower how many microwave antenna drums do you see?
As you stroll around admiring the views please be aware of the sharp drop off at the edge and make sure any kids or pets are kept away from that danger. You are also invited to include a photo of yourself, your companions,and/or you GPSr unit.