Welcome to my Earthcache! An Earthcache is a special type of geocache where there is no container to find - instead you are looking for a unique geological feature of the area and need to answer questions, as well as posting a picture, in order to claim the find. The goal of this Earthcache is to educate visitors about bench formations, how they are formed, and why they may be present here in Allegany State Park.
This cache has been issued permit AL-25-3 on April 24, 2025 and has been placed with permission from Allegany State Park.
EARTHCACHE REQUIREMENTS
As with all of my ECs, I am not looking for PhD thesis level responses, but I am hoping that you take some time to enjoy the area and learn something new. Please include a list of all cachers with your answer, if answering for more than one caching name. There is no need to send individual answers.
To claim a 'find' for this Earthcache you must answer the following questions and send your answers in a message or email to the owner using the link at the top of the page. You can log your find with a photo at GZ. Send your answers to the tasks. I will be in contact if there is a problem, no need to wait for a response as long as the required photo is included in your log.
Observational Task
At GZ, you will be standing near ther Red House Lake - in a relative low point compared to the surrounding areas. Take a look at the peaks that surround you - do you noptice the flat plateaus that surround the valley you are standing in? These are called benches, and are what you will need to base your answers to the following questions on:
Questions to Answer
1. How many Benches (flat plateaus) are visible on the horizon (in the area past the Red House Lake) from where you are standing, and how do you differentiate them between nearby knolls and mounts?
2. Do you see any material (close by or on the hills in the distance) that supports the hypothesis that these benches are part of the Cattaraugus Formation? Describe what you see.
3. After reading the description, which method do you think formed these benches, and why?
4. Mandatory: Include a photograph of yourself, your GPS, a signature item, thumbs up, etc at Red House Lake, at or near the posted coordinates. You do not need to show your face in the photo, but your photo must be unique to you. If you are caching with a group you can use the same photo, but each log must upload a photo.
Geology Lesson
The Salamanca bench, located near Salamanca, New York, features a prominent escarpment and topographic bench formed by the Salamanca Conglomerate, a part of the Upper Devonian (late Fammenian) Cattaraugus formation, showcasing a unique geological landscape with "rock cities". The Salamanca Bench is a distinct platform on the flanks of the mounts resulting from differential erosion of the sedimentary rock layers.
The Cattaraugus Formation is a geologic formation in New York, primarily composed of interbedded shales, silty shales, shaly siltstones, siltstones, and fine-grained sandstones, which preserves fossils dating back to the Devonian period. The rocks of the Cattaraugus Formation were deposited in a shallow, warm sea and part of a deltaic system - Cattaraugus Creek, a tributary of Lake Erie, flowed through the area and its rocks date back to the late Devonian Period.
What the Rocks are Made Of?
The Cattaraugus Formation is a layer of rocks made up of different things mixed together:
- Shales: These are rocks made from hardened mud.
- Silty shales: These are mostly shale, but with some tiny bits of sand (called silt) mixed in.
- Shaly siltstones: These are mostly siltstone, but with some shale mixed in.
- Siltstones: These are rocks made from hardened silt.
- Fine-grained sandstones: These are rocks made from tiny pieces of sand stuck together.
You can tell the Cattaraugus Formation apart from the rock layers below it (called the Conneaut Group) because it has red bits of rock material in it. The layer of rocks above it (called the Oswayo Formation) is also different. It changes from having red layers mixed with some gray layers to mostly gray shales with some even shaly-er layers and greenish sandstone. Because these materials are relatively soft, they are susceptible to various forms of erosion, such as those that created the Salamanca Bench.
The red layers start showing up above where two other rock layers, the Salamanca and Wolf Creek conglomerates, are found. These red layers keep switching back and forth with gray layers and patches of sandstone that are shaped like lenses.There used to be small channels (like small streams) within the Cattaraugus Formation - These channels were usually about 2 meters wide (about 6.5 feet) and 0.4 meters deep (a little over a foot). Over time, these channels would have widened and deepened, creating the dramatic landscape you fsee before you.
But what exactly is a bench?
In geomorphology, geography and geology, a bench or benchland is a long, relatively narrow strip of relatively level or gently inclined land bounded by distinctly steeper slopes above and below it. Where you are standing (near the Red House Lake in Allegany State Park), several distinct benches are visible from this location. You are currently standsing in a low point - a valley between several benches.
Benches can be of different origins and created by very different geomorphic processes.
Differential Erosion - The differential erosion of rocks or sediments of varying hardness and resistance to erosion can create benches. Earth scientists called such benches "structural benches."
Fluvial Terraces - other benches are narrow fluvial terraces created by the abandonment of a floodplain by a river or stream and entrenchment of the river valley into it.
Coastal Benches - a bench is also the name of a narrow flat area often seen at the base of a sea cliff created by waves or other physical or chemical erosion near the shoreline. These benches are typically referred to as either "coastal benches," "wave-cut benches," or "wave-cut platforms.
Benches are typically found between Knolls (small hills or mounds, usually less than 1000 ft tall) and Mounts (medium size hills, some with peaks but most with flat plateaus on top, usually between 1000 and 4000 ft tall). Where you are standing, the top is knoll-like due to the resistant Oswayo formation. It is more resistant to weathering and erosion than the underlying Cattaraugus shales.The region of Allegany State Park where you are currently standing was an extensive flat-topped plateau with flowing rivers eroding valleys. This region is now maturely dissected resulting in the various mounts throughout the park and in the surrounding area. In between the knolls and mounts, the flat-topped areas of hills are called Benches - a key feature of the Salmanca Formation.
This Earthcache was placed and maintained by a PLATINUM Earthcache Master.
