GC3DRB2 ROCK SHEEP (Earthcache) in Northern Scotland, United Kingdom created by Fungimanforager

GC3DRB2 ▼

A cache by Fungimanforager Message this owner

Hidden : 3/3/2012

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:

As an EarthCache, there is no “box.” You discover something about the geology of the area. For more info about EarthCache's take a look at www.earthcache.org

As an earthcache, there is no “box” or “container” to discover. Rather, with this cache, you discover something about the geology of the area. For more info about Earth Caches take a look at www.earthcache.org

ROCK SHEEP

GEOLOGY

Ben Nevis consists mainly of igneous rock from the Devonian period (around 400 million years ago), intruded into the surrounding metamorphic schists; the intrusions take the form of a series of concentric ring dikes.

The innermost of these, known as the Inner Granite, constitutes the southern bulk of the mountain above Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe, and also the neighbouring ridge of Càrn Mòr Dearg; Meall an t-Suidhe forms part of the Outer Granite, which is redder in colour. The summit dome itself, together with the steep northern cliffs; are composed of andesite and basaltic lavas. The mountain has been extensively shaped by glaciation.

CLIMATE

Ben Nevis's altitude, maritime location and topography frequently lead to cool and cloudy weather conditions, which can pose a danger to ill-equipped walkers.

According to the observations carried out at the summit observatory from 1883–1904, fog was present on the summit for almost 80% of the time between November and January, and 55% of the time in May and June.

The average winter temperature was around −5 °C (23 °F), and the mean monthly temperature for the year was −0.5 °C (31.1 °F). In an average year the summit sees 261 gales, and receives 4,350 millimeters (171 in) of rainfall, compared to only 2,050 millimeters (81 in) in nearby Fort William, 840 millimeters (33 in) in Inverness and 580 millimeters (23 in) London.

Rainfall on Ben Nevis is about twice as high in the winter as it is in the spring and summer. Snow can be found on the mountain almost all year round, particularly in the gullies of the north face – with the higher reaches of Observatory Gully holding snow until September most years and sometimes until the new snows of the following season.

GLACIATION

IN THE MAKING

The glaciers and ice sheets removed all the pre-glacial soil and other soft superficial deposits, and excavated steep-sided, flat-bottomed glens, of which Glen Roy and the Great Glen are good examples.

On a smaller scale, the erosive power of the carpet of rock debris transported at the base of the ice is apparent from the rocky outcrops that have been smoothed off to form the scratched (striated) and polished rock surfaces of 'whalebacks' and ‘roches moutonnées’; the action was like that of a very coarse sandpaper. Some particularly good examples can be seen in Glen Nevis.

Roches moutonnées - Ulpagan cloiche

Continuing up the glen to this location you can see several good examples of roches moutonnées (these are commonly known as 'rock sheep', in the Highlands, which is also the literal translation of the French term). THERE ARE THREE EXCELLENT EXAMPLES HERE BY THE THREE SCOTS PINE TREES

These rocks have a distinctive smooth back where ice has scraped up and over the rock, and a steeper face where the rock has been plucked by the ice on the downstream side.

The side up which the ice advances is usually smooth and often striated. The lee side is steeper and often step-like. The term roches moutonnees was first used by de Saussure in 1804 with reference to wigs termed moutonnees. The landform looked like sheep lying down or wigs placed face downwards.

TASKS

Your Earthcaching tasks are as follows:

1)There is a distinctive large piece of rock embedded within the NE corner (roadside) of this geological feature “Roche Muttonnee”, what type of rock is it?

2)Which way does the face that shows evidence of “Striations” face?

3)What is the difference between a roche muttonnee and a nunatak, in simple terms?

4)In which direction did the glacier move to cause the “Plucking”effect N-S, E-W?

Send the answers to 1-4 in an email to the cache owner via his profile with the heading ROCK SHEEP.

Do not post the answers in your log.

Optional task:

We all like to prove the integrity of our claim so a photo of you or your GPS on the Rock Sheep would be great. Careful not to give the game away.

I would really like it if you could do this to prove that you have actually visited and I enjoy seeing caching photos in my listings.

Cachers can log the cache before receiving my confirmation email as any logs from cachers who haven't sent the answers will be quietly deleted!

You must carry out these educational tasks as required by the Earthcaching organisation as a condition of logging the cache. Logs that do not adhere to these guidelines will be deleted without notification. See www.earthcache.org

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

CNEX BA EVTUG NSGRE 3 FPBGF CVAR GERRF VASB @ ABGVPR OBNEQ VA YBJRE SNYYF PNE CNEX (TYRA ARIVF)

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)

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ROCK SHEEP EarthCache

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Geocache Description:

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