congrats to fam2go for their FTF
The Valley of Fires is located on US Highway 380--4 miles west of Carrizozo, NM. There is paved access, shelters, grills & restrooms. The site is wheelchair accessible. Tent & RV camping are permitted.
Fees:
- Day Use - one person in vehicle, $3.00.
- Day Use - two or more in vehicle, $5.00.
- Tent Camping - $7.00
- RV Camping (13 sites)
- with water & electric, $18.00.
- without water & electric, $12.00.
- dump fee - $15.00
QUESTIONS:
- N33 41.061 w105 55.424 At this spot observe the lava flow and describe what you see. What type of lava is prominent at this GZ?
- N33 41.089 W105 55.505 At these coordinates describe the landscape. How is the vegetation such as spoon plants, junipers and cacti geologically affecting the lava in the area? Weathering or Erosion ? Explain your answer
- N33 41.000 W105 55.538 At this location describe the GZ. What is this formation? What type of lava is prominent at this GZ? Would this location be a good habitat for animals? Why or why not?
Email or message the answers to the above questions BEFORE logging this earthcache.
Optional: Please post a photo of yourself or a personal item at your favorite spot along this wonderful trail.
VALLEY of FIRE
In this EarthCache you will view an extensive lava flow. The Valley of Fires recreation area is located immediately adjacent to the Malpais Lava Flow.
About 5,000 years ago, Little Black Peak vents spewed lava with great force. The Little Black Peak is a very small cinder cone, only 89 feet tall and is surprisingly small to have produced 125 square miles of lava. The lava flowed south into the Tularosa Basin, filling the valley with magma. This area is now called the Valley of Fires Recreation Area.
LAVA FLOW
Young basaltic lava flows, with surfaces that are either smooth and ropy or rough and clinkery, are dramatic landscapes of dark volcanic rock. In addition to their dramatic and desolate landscapes, young lava flows also have structures and textures that reveal information about the eruptions and the dynamics of the flow.
Basaltic lava flows come in two major morphological forms that describe the overall structure and textures of their surfaces and other characteristics:
- Pāhoehoe – Lava flows with smooth, billowy, or ropy surfaces
- ‘A‘ā – Lava flows with rough, jagged, or clinkery surfaces
These are both Hawaiian words.
Pāhoehoe likely relates to the Hawaiian word “hoe,” meaning to paddle and probably refers to the swirling eddies produced in water by paddle strokes that look similar to the ropy surfaces on pāhoehoe lava flows.
‘A‘ā likely relates to the Hawaiian word for fire.
Pāhoehoe and ‘a‘ā lava flows do not differ in composition, but there are important differences between them in terms of temperature, viscosity, and other characteristics. The difference in viscosity (resistance to flow) is the most important characteristic of flowing lava that determines whether it will have a pāhoehoe or ‘a‘ā form. Pāhoehoe forms in more fluid (less viscous lavas) relative to ones that form ‘a‘ā. The amount of shear strain (strain produced by pressure), which is frequently related to the speed that a lava travels and the eruption rate, also greatly influences whether a lava is pāhoehoe or ‘a‘ā. Lavas that experience greater amounts of shear strain, such as ones with high discharge rates at the vent, are more likely to be ‘a‘ā than pāhoehoe. As a lava cools and loses the gas (water, carbon dioxide, etc.) that had been dissolved in it, it becomes more viscous. Sometimes a flow that had a pāhoehoe form near its vent transitions to ‘a‘ā further away.
LAVA TUBES
Sometimes flowing basaltic lava going down a moderate slope becomes confined into a channel. If that channel cools slightly and becomes roofed over, the resultant lava tube may continue to conduct molten lava and extend downhill for miles. These drained, cooled tubes are called lava tubes or lava caves. Pressure ridges can form as a semi-rigid lava surface is squeezed as its interior remains more fluid and flexible. Cracks often appear on the peaks of ridge formations, and lava and steam may issue secondarily from them. Over time, lava fields undergo progressive changes. Wind and water wear down the volcanic rock, starting with the softer materials. Streams with a steep gradient can sometimes cut through a lava pile. Heating and cooling by sun and seasonal changes further expand and contract the lava masses, aiding in their breakup. These processes move very slowly.
EROSION/WEATHERING
From a distance, Valley of Fires looks like barren rock, but as you walk through the nature trail you'll see many varieties of flowers, cacti, trees and bushes typical of the Chihuahuan desert. Plants will find places to grow in the cracks and gaps of the lava flows. Pahoehoe lava has more cracks and spaces for soil and water to puddle, thus creating better habitats than a'a, which does not retain water. Some lava flows produce small mounds or pressure ridges which can have cracks large enough to support plants. Over time, these plants will break down the rocks and create a more enriching habitat for other organisms. . The weathering process will break the basalt down into small, finer pieces of rock called soil. This process can take a few years or thousands of years to produce soil fine enough for plants to thrive.
Erosion is the process in which rock particles are carried away by wind and water.
Weathering, on the other hand, degrades the rocks without displacing them.
https://geoinfo.nmt.edu/tour/landmarks/carrizozo/how_formed.html
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/crmo-ecosystems.htm
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/lava-flow-forms.htm
https://www.blm.gov/visit/valley-of-fires