One of the most scenic spots on the Trans Canada Highway in Ontario. Whether you just need to pull over and stretch for a few minutes or like to explore beautiful scenery, this rest stop area will keep everyone happy.
Approximately 45 minutes north of Sault Ste. Marie on Highway 17 is where you will find Chippewa Falls. Waterfalls are considered to be one of the most beautiful phenomena in nature and Chippewa Falls lives up to this name.
As a child, our family travelled between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa frequently. I always looked forward to our rest stop here. You will want to spend some time exploring here when you come visit. Bring a lunch as there are picnic tables and washroom facilities. For the nature lovers, there are many trails to explore and many spots along the falls to visit. Everywhere here is a great spot for taking pictures. I still visit this area several times a year and it never gets boring.
Depending on the time of year you come visit, the wideness of the water flow varies. During high flows when the falls are up to 100 metres wide, they look powerful and spectacular. During low flows, though less spectacular, this is the best time to get some exploring in.
Whether you are a geologist or not, the amazing rock formations around and under the falls are another reason to check this area out. The years and years of varying degrees of water flow has worn down some very interesting patterns in the rocks. Notice that the local bedrock contains two types of rocks, pink and black coloured. The majority of the local bedrock is pink-coloured granite. A portion of the rock at the falls is actually a jet black rock. This rock is basalt and is different in texture and appearance than the granite.
Granite is formed from the slow cooling of high silicate magma intrusions that have risen through the crust and formed large bulbous chambers of molten material called plutons. Plutons can take millions of years to cool and crystallize into granitic rock. Granite is an intrusive igneous rock, meaning it solidifies from magma under the surface.
Basalt is formed by decompression melting of peridotite in the Earth's mantle. Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet.
Some helpful definitions:
Intrusive-Igneous rocks that solidify from magma beneath the surface, slowly, forming visible crystals. Examples of this are granite, gabbro and diorite.
Extrusive-Igneous rocks that have solidified from lava at or near the surface, relatively quickly, with smaller crystals. Examples of this are rhyolite, pumice and basalt.
Be very cautious at all times when exploring the rocks on the falls during the high flows and during the winter season.
In order to log this cache a few things are needed.
1. How does the texture and appearance of the granite differ from the basalt here?
2. Does it look like the water flow of the falls has worn down one rock more than the other? If so, which one?
3. Where is the majority of the basalt located at the falls?
*Bonus question*: Find the Trans-Canada Highway plaque. What is this plaque the halfway point of?
Please e-mail us your answers to log this Earthcache as a find and NOT post the answers in your log. Logs may be deleted if answers aren't e-mailed to us.
***Free to post your pictures of your visit in your log for all of us to enjoy.***
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