The hike up Bald Mountain will provide you with amazing views of the Fulton Chain of Lakes in the Adirondacks. There is also a fire tower that was restored in 2005 by the Friends of Bald Mountain. The hike to the top is just under 1 mile with a 500 foot increase in elevation. Although the mountain is spectacular all in itself, the main focus of this Earthcache is a Balancing Rock just past the fire tower.
There are generally 4 types of balancing rocks:
A glacial erratic is a boulder or large rock that was transported by the movement of glaciers to a resting place on soil, bedrock or on other boulders. These transported erratics usually have different physical characteristics than the surrounding outcrop.
A perched rock is a large, detached rock fragment that most commonly was transported and deposited by a glacier to a resting place on glacial till (unsorted sediments), usually on a slope or hill. Perched rocks can also be deposited from landslides or avalanches.
An erosional remnant is a rock formation that remains after large-scale water, wind or other type of erosion. An erosional remnant can sometimes be confused with a glacial erratic, but erosional remnants are made of the exact same type of rock as that that is beneath it.
A pedestal rock is not a true balancing rock at all but is a continuous piece of rock that has a tiny base that attaches the large boulder to the bedrock. These can be called balancing rocks because it appears to be a separate piece of stone. The undercut base can be attributed to wind or chemical erosion.
To log this Earthcache you must email me the answers to the following questions. Do not post the answers in your log. If you post the answers in your log entry, it will be deleted. Use the cache page and your observations to help you answer the questions.
- Do you see any color differences between the Balancing Rock and the rest of the bedrock in the area? Does it appear to be the same type of rock?
- Take a closer look at the base of the Balancing Rock. Can you tell if it is attached to the bedrock or is separate?
- Is the Balancing Rock resting on soil, bedrock, or loose sediments?
- Based on your observations from questions 1-3, what type of balancing rock do you think this is?
Although not required, please feel free to post a picture of you/your group in your log entry.
REMINDER: If I do not receive an email from you within 7 days with the answers to the logging requirements, your log will be deleted.
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