Let's Get to the Point, Shall We? EarthCache

This cache has been archived.

David: This earthcache is now archived and new logs will not be accepted. My sincere thanks to all who found it and made the effort to log it legitimately.

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Hidden : 11/28/2006
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

Located in Alabama's Buck's Pocket State Park with permission; an Alabama State Parks Geocaching Permit has been secured.

The park can be easily reached from Alabama State Highway 75 or Alabama State Highway 227, just follow the signs. It is open 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset.


To log this earthcache find, you must fulfill the following requirements:
  • In your log entry, upload a picture of yourself and your GPSr from the vicinity of the posted coordinates with the canyon as your background. The morning sunlight will yield the best photos.
    Note: With the recent changes in GPS hardware, users with the Oregon 550 series and with Android or iPhones are exempt from having the GPSr in the photo if taken with the device. Please mention it in your log.
  • Email to me, via the profile link above, the answers to the following questions:
    • For whom is the overlook named?
    • What is the historical or common name for the overlook?
    • Use the altimeter function of your GPS at the listed coordinates, and at N34*28.571 W086*03.357. What is the difference in elevation?
    • What is your estimation of the amount of time required for the forces of nature to cut this elevation differential?
    • Which particular force would have caused the most erosion here?
Any claimed finds without proper documentation within 48 hours will be deleted without notice.


The focus of Buck's Pocket State Park is the canyon cut into Sand Mountain by South Sauty Creek to the north of the listed coordinates and Little Sauty Creek to the south. The best views into the canyon are found near the overlook. One of the park trails will take you from the overlook down to the campground road near the junction of the two creeks.

A canyon is a deep valley between cliffs often carved in the Earth by a river. Most canyons originate by a process of long-time erosion from a plateau level. The cliffs form because harder rock strata that are resistant to erosion and weathering remain exposed on the valley walls. Canyons are much more common in arid areas than in wetter areas because weathering has a lesser effect in arid zones. Canyons' walls are often formed of resistant sandstones or granite. The word canyon is Spanish in origin (cañón).

Throughout the ages, every minute of every day, rocks are being worn down by wind and rain. Tiny grains of dirt, sand, mud and clay are worn off and washed into streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. When these tiny bits of sand and dirt settle to the bottom of the water, they are called sediment. Minerals in the water and microscopic, or very tiny sea animals also get mixed in with the dirt and sand to form the sediment. Every day more sediment piles on top of what is already there. After thousands and millions of years we end up with a really deep pile of sediment. The weight and pressure from all the material on top turns the sediment on the bottom into sedimentary rock. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock that is made up mostly of tiny grains of quartz. Most sandstone is formed in oceans, lakes and rivers. Sandstone can be found in many colors and has a texture that feels like sandpaper.

How was this canyon formed? The whole of Sand Mountain is comprised of sandstone resting atop limestone. As the Sauty Creeks have fed into the Tennessee River throughout history, they have slowly eroded the landscape to form the canyon that is Buck's Pocket, leaving the rock strata exposed to view. Flaky layers of shale are common, and exposed limestone rock can easily be found in many places along South Sauty Creek, especially during the drier months. There are no waterfalls to speak of, so the erosion is fairly mature except for the ageless forces of wind, gravity, and plant life. Large areas of hardwood and pine forest fill the landscape from the cliff bases to the creek edges. Enjoy your visit!


Sources:
Buck's Pocket State Park.
http://www.alapark.com/parks/park.cfm?parkid=1 (accessed: November 28, 2006).
canyon. wikipedia.com. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorge (accessed: November 28, 2006).
sandstone. www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us. Sedimentary Rock.
http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/RocksandMinerals
/sedimentary.html (accessed: November 28, 2006).

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