Screw Auger Falls: Earthcache EarthCache
Screw Auger Falls: Earthcache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(not chosen)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Another of our favorite places. There is plenty of parking and there is a fee. Follow the trails along the river to the site. There is a railing along the river at this point. Picnic tables are provided,so bring a lunch and make it a day of exploring and learning about how the gorge was formed.
The last glacial episode in Maine began about 25,000 years ago, when the Laurentide ice sheet moved south spreading across New England and Eastern Canada. During its peak development, this ice sheet was centered over northern New England and the Maritime Provinces. This glacier became thick enough to cover Maine’s highest mountains as it slowly flowed to the southeast into the ocean. The ice itself was thousands of feet thick, with its massive weight shaping the land as it moved along. Climatic warming forced the Laurentide ice sheet to stop and begin to recede as early as 21,000 years ago. This melting of the ice sheet released more water than is possible to imagine. Some 12,000 years ago, melting glaciers influenced patterns of stream flow, while vastly increasing water runoff and its erosive power. Grafton Notch is a drainage divide for the Bear River to the south and the Swift Cambridge River to the north. The glacier blocked off the notch to the north causing even more water to flow southward. This increase of water with sand, gravel and rock released from the ice as it melted, started cutting into the granite forming potholes. Over thousands of years these potholes widened, deepened and merged to form the narrow, twisted gorge that you see here today.
Imagine the force the water, rock and sand must have had to form a land feature like this one.
Remember this is an earth cache and there is no physical container just an interesting earth science lesson.
Questions: Email us the answers to the following.
1- What is the name of the sculptor of the falls?
2- At the GZ there is a crack in the stone at your feet, about how wide is it? What shape is it? What do you think opened it up?
3- There is also a large pot hole at GZ, the wall of it looks like it was made of stacked stone. Email me a description of the feature that stands out most.
Optional:Please post a picture of so everyone can see what you liked about the area. It also makes a record of this special spot at different times of the year.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)