Welcome to this EarthCache that aspires to shed some light on a mostly-hidden local geological feature - Flutes!
In Geological terms, Flutes are "elongate streamlined ridges of sediment that are produced beneath a glacier and which are aligned in the direction of ice flow." (U of Sheffield)
"Flutes have been considered both as erosional and as depositional features. Some flutes may be formed by erosion; for example, boulders embedded in the basal layer of a glacier might form grooves in the subglacial material, but others, formed by accumulation of material, are certainly more common." (cambridge.org)
What we see here is something I initially thought to be a berm, likely a byproduct of site preparation for the construction of the adjacent Cedar Ridge Estates neighbourhood that initially broke ground in 2014 but I was incorrect. It is a leftover.
A remnant.
A reminder from the Cordillera which was created near the end of the Mesozoic Era, and the beginning of the Cenozoic Era, between 110 to 40 million years ago. At times, there was a mile-thick covering of glacial ice slowly grinding its way across most of British Columbia toward the Pacific Ocean.
What must you do in order to log your find for this EarthCache? Visit the site and inspect the flute formation then please answer the following questions, based on your observations:
- Which direction was the glacier heading? Provide cardinal points (N, S ,E, W) or use your GPSr device to determine degrees.
- Which type of flutes are we seeing here? (visit the Reference Point for a close-up view of the flutes)
- What is the reasoning behind your answer for question 2?
- (Optional) You may include a photo of yourself or your caching team near the Flutes for extra karma credit.
Thanks you for taking the time to visit my EarthCache and I hope you enjoyed this flat, easy walk, but if you'd like to examine the flutes a little closer to the posted coordinates you may carefully step off the paved pathway and head toward the Flutes through the long grass. This area is marked on many maps as "Park on Church" so it is open to the public!