Gravity Hills are also referred to as "Magnetic Hills", "Anti-gravity Hills" or "Mystery Hills". Some suspect the effect of rolling uphill is a result of ghostly hauntings or other paranormal activities in the nearby area. At its core, however, what is occurring here is a simple display of earth science/physics. Simply put, this stretch of Bonneville Road not only GAINS in elevation from the posted coordinates (4422ft) to 11th Avenue & Street, but it does so as you're convinced you're traveling "uphill". At a point near the middle of the "climb", the elevation actually drops to it's lowest point! Surrounded by hills and overlooking picturesque City Creek, Bonneville Road has no level view of the horizon line - lending heavily to a deceiving optical illusion (link to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). "Objects such as trees and walls that normally provide visual clues to the true vertical, may be leaning slightly. This creates an optical illusion making a slight downhill look like an uphill slope."1
Bonneville Road is a ONE-WAY street that travels in the opposite direction required to enjoy the effects of Gravity Hill from the cozy confines of your car, please do not violate traffic laws in your pursuit of this cache. Rather, get on a pair of bicycle pedals or take a jog "up" the "hill" and enjoy the effects firsthand. Defy your logic, what looks to be a potentially difficult effort will pass by effortlessly, hopefully to your amusement and delight!
To claim this cache, you must complete two easy tasks:
- Arrive at the posted cache coordinates (your starting point), and either record your own starting elevation OR take a quick photo of your GPS & the "hill", southbound Bonneville Road. Kindly post your Gravity Hill pix in your log entry.
- Then, "ascend" the hill, south on Bonneville Road towards 11th Ave & B Street. Record TWO waypoints of your own: One near halfway "up" Bonneville Rd., the other near the "top" at 11th Ave & B. Subtract each elevation you record from 4,422ft (OR your own established starting point elevation @ the posted coord's) and email your results to the cache owner!
PLEASE NOTE: Log entries posted without a verification email will be deleted.
If you're hooked after your experience at Salt Lake's Gravity Hill, go ahead and explore other locations!
For a list of other similar Gravity Hills across the globe, click here!
Leave nothing here but the joy of learning something new about where you live. Pick up after yourself and others:
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1 "I know a place where things seem to roll uphill. How does it work?" Original by Philip Gibbs 1996. Updated May 1998 by PEG. URL: http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/roll-uphill.html