Weeping Cliffs EarthCache
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Weeping Cliffs
This cache is in the Summit Metro Parks Gorge Park. There is good parking . Follow the hiking trail to the Mary Campbell Cave. Usually this is a loop trail, however due to a recent washout it has been rerouted. Sometimes access from the "other end" of the trail is blocked.
In 1882 this area was known as High Bridge Glens. A dance hall and other amusements were brought in to supplement the area's natural attractions, The Fern Cave, Observation Rock, and The Weeping Cliffs.(1)
GROUNDWATER
"Water that soaks into the ground and does not immediately return to the surface becomes part of the ground water, a vital natural resource. It may be a surprise to you, but the amount of ground water in Ohio far exceeds the amount of water in Lake Erie and Ohio's rivers and streams. The deposits of out wash on the floors of many Ohio's stream valleys contain a wealt of goof quality subsurface water in the open spaces betweemm the sand grains and pebbles. About 45 percent of Ohioans get there water from ground water sources.
Groundwater seeps deeper that surface soil and loose sediment. It percolates down through the cracks and pores in underlying sedimentary rock, Water moved though the subsurface more slowly than it does in surface streams, and typically it doesn't flow in channels. The groundwater system is more like a damp sponge that only yields water when squeezed. Groundwater if forced through the pores of geologic material by the pressure of overlying and adjacent ground water. It moves from areas of lower pressure, sometimes even moving up-slope. Groundwater flows mores easily if every pore in the area is filled with water and there no air space." (2)
"Water that flows though rock may pick up dissolved minerals, particularly iron and calcium sulfates, which impart a foul taste and accompanying stink" (3)
Water can be seen "weeping" down the front of all three slabs of rock that make up the roof and sides of the cave.
This rock formation is primarily made of two types of rock. The bottom (ground) is made of Meadville Shale. Shale is a common sedimentary rock mainly composed of clay that shows obvious layering.
The top or cliff portion of the cliff is made of Sharon Conglomerate and Sharon Sandstone. The Sharon Sandstone is a thick, nearly pure quartz sandstone of Early Pennsylvanian age that forms spectacular scenic features in several areas of the state and is quarried as a source of silica sand. Lenses of white quartz pebbles are common. The primary outcrops of the Sharon Sandstone are in southern Ohio, especially in Jackson County, and in northeastern Ohio in the Summit, Geauga, and Portage counties area. In both of these regions, the erosion-resistant Sharon Sandstone forms high cliffs and rock-shelter caves.(4)
Ground water is slowly filtered through the Sharon Sandstone through pores in the rock. Water moves from the areas of high pressure (underground) to the areas of lower pressure (outside face of rock).
To complete this Earthcache, answer the following:
Demonstrate understanding of Groundwater:
1) Groundwater flows through _____________.
2) Groundwater flows most easily if every __answer from Q 1__ in the area is full of _____________ and there is no ____________ space.
3) What causes ground water to smell?
Being there:
1) Smell the weeping water (or a persistently damp area). Does it smell?
2) Is there evidence of mineral deposits left by the weeping water?
3) Depending on the time of the year, ground water is very present. How much water is present during your visit? Is there clear lines of moving water or is more persistent dampness, even frozen flow? Is the cave floor dry, damp, muddy?
I was there!
1) Take a pic of you/your group at the site. This is not a logging requirement, but it's a cool spot. I love to see people at the ground zero, and your friends will be totally jealous that you were there and they were not.
Reference Material:
Roadside Geology of Ohio, Mark J. Camp
(1) Pg 206
(2) Pg 27
(3) Pg 28
(visit link)
(4) Sharon Sandstone
Don't miss these caches on the way in or on your way out!
GC2FFXM Earthcache Curious Gorge
GC2WGK5 Earthcache The Cuyahoga River at High Bridge Glens
GCKRX4 Virtual Cache Mary Campbell cave
FURTHER EXPLORATION NEARBY:
• View the Gorge Falls
• View the historic Mary Campbell Cave
• Enjoy the Gorge Trail 1.8 mi
• Enjoy Glens Trail 1.8 mi
• Enjoy High Bridge Trail 3.2 mi
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)