Double Dip EarthCache
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Two small miromictic lakes with easily walkable, fairly level trails (very muddy at times)surrounding the lakes in a figure-eight pattern; entire walk takes less than an hour.
Green Lake State Park is home to two small, picturesque glacial lakes formed approximately 14,000 years ago when an ice sheet several thousand feet thick covered the area. As the climate warmed, the ice sheet receded northward, with the torrents of melting icewater carving out of the limestone two deep lake basins now known as Green Lake and Round Lake. In 1975 Round Lake was designated a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The lake was originally believed by Native Americans and later inhabitants to be bottomless, but years ago was measured at 180-feet in depth, while Green Lake was measured at 195 feet. Green and Round Lakes are two of only a small number of miromictic lakes in the United States. Lakes classified as miromictic have water depths so great that surface waters do not mix with the bottom water and therefore no seasonal turnover occurs in these lakes. Another feature that makes these two beautiful lakes so interesting is the number of massive reefs comprised of microbialite (white chalky deposits constructed by living organisms) visible through the crystal clear, aquamarine-colored water in shallow areas near the shoreline. The beautiful colors of the waters of these lakes are partially due to at least three groups of colorful photosynthetic bacteria living in the lakes. Fifty-five to seventy-five feet below the lake surface there is a three-foot thick layer of rosy pink water caused by the presence of photosynthetic purple plus green sulfur bacteria. In addition to the trails around the two lakes, the park also boasts many other scenic trails leading park visitors throughout the wooded hills surrounding the lakes.
To log this cache you must email us the following information/answers:
1: The number of people in your group.
2: A photo of yourself holding your GPS and standing in front of the information sign installed by the park managers and detailing information about the miromictic lakes. The sign is located along the trail and easily found.
3: The title of the information sign.
4: How many years does the sign reflect that it been since an ice sheet covered this area?
5: Specifically what does the sign reflect as having carved the two closed basins now occupied by Green Lake and Round Lake?
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)