Fantasy Canyon EarthCache
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Fantasy Canyon can be reached by taking State Highway 45 south out of Vernal for about 23 miles to Glen Bench Road, then south on Glen Bench Road about 13 miles to County Road 3310. Turn left, and follow the signs about 5 miles east to Fantasy Canyon. The last 5 miles are on roads which are poorly maintained, and may be impassable when wet.
Fantasy Canyon is an area of spectacular erosion located about 30 miles southeast of Vernal.
During the Eocene Epoch, about 38 – 50 million years ago, the Unita Basin was covered by a large lake called, appropriately enough, Lake Uinta. The lake began to fill with sediments from the surrounding area and the sands, silts, and clays were lithified into sandstone, siltstone, and shale. Localized uplifting of this rock occurred, and this material began to erode.
Erosional Features (N 40 03.470 W 109 23.651)
Differential rates of erosion between the harder sandstone and the softer siltstone and shale helped to create the erosional features that are now seen at this site. Many of the eroded features have been given fantastical names (such as Flying Dumbo, Ant Castle, and Flying Witch), owing to a superficial resemblance to these things.
Uintaite (N 40 03.419 W 109 23.541)
An interesting feature in Fantasy Canyon is the presence of a vein of a mineral called asphaltum or uintaite. This is a natural resinous hydrocarbon similar to a hard petroleum asphalt. Uintaite is used in printing inks and paints, oil well drilling muds, and asphalt modifiers.
To receive credit for this earthcache, email me the answer to the following:
1. What is the other name given at this site for uintaite?
2. What color is the mineral vein, and how wide is it at the given coordinates?
Please consider posting photos of yourself, or the local geology, when you log this EarthCache. Photos can be an additional rewarding part of your journey, but posting them is not a requirement for logging this EarthCache, and is strictly optional.
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