The Buzzard's Roost EarthCache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(not chosen)
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The park is on U.S. 58 midway between Independence and Damascus and
is reached from I-81 at Exit 45 in Marion; turn south on Route 16
and travel 33 miles to US 58 in the community of Volney. Turn right
onto US 58. Travel 8 miles to the park's entrance
This EarthCache has been approved by the Management of
the Grayson Highlands Park. Many thanks to them and please remain
on the trail.
The 4,935-acre Grayson Highlands State Park showcases the
natural beauty of waterfalls, spruce-fir forests and igneous rock
outcroppings such as the Buzzard's Rock , native trout
streams, rugged mountains, and high alpine meadows with panoramic
vistas of valleys below. A community of hardy wildflowers, shrubs,
insects, birds, amphibians, and mammals that can withstand the
harsh conditions of the open highlands have adapted to life in the
alpine meadows.
The Appalachian Mountain
Range
The Appalachian Mountain range is old. The formation of the
mountains is estimated to have begun 680 million years ago. It was
formed during the Paleozoic Era. In an event called the Alleghanian
Orogeny, the ocean crust was subducted beneath the continent that
would later (much later) be named North America. This made the
later named Africa drift closer to North America. The continents
continued to drift until they collided. The ‘super
collision’ caused the land to fold upward thus creating the
Appalachian Mountains. The mountains are made mostly of sedimentary
rock. Because sedimentary rock is ‘easily’ eroded, the
mountains a were once a great mass that have been eroded over
millions of years by nature wind rain and streams of
water.
The range extends from the Quebec province of Canada to the
coastal plain of Alabama. These mountains are also rich in coal
with some iron, petroleum and natural gas being found. The flora
and fauna of the Southern section of the Appalachians is
outstanding. Oak. hickory, sugar maple and tulip poplar are the
most frequent hardwoods with large amounts of hemlock, white and
yellow pine. Several flowering and fruit-bearing shrubs of the
heath family with rhododendron forming impenetrable thickets are
seen. Mountain laurel is almost continuous. Wildlife is abundant.
Black bears, whitetail deer, wildcat, foxes and many small mammals
and birds are to be seen
.
With some exceptions, here in Virginia and in most parts of
the Southern section of the Appalachian Mountains, the rock
outcroppings are mostly sedimentary with some being igneous.
Sedimentary rocks as the name implies are formed by sediments that
are consolidated and accumulated in layers. The other of the three
main rock groups are: igneous (Fire Rock) or magma from volcanoes
and metamorphic.
****SOME TYPES OF IGNEOUS
ROCKS****
1. Intrusive (formed below the Earth's surface):
Examples: granite, diorite and grabbro
2. Extrusive (formed above the surface): Examples:
rhyolite, andesite and basalt
The Formation Of Igneous
Rocks
The Buzzard's Roost or as it is better known as the
Buzzard's Rock is a wonderful example of an igneous-rhyolite
outcropping. It is one of the higher points in Virginia and
features a beautiful overlook of the valley below. The overlook
features several picnic tables for a leisurely meal. Down the road
towards the Park entrance at Massie's Gap you will find the trails
to the Twin Pinnacles which are other geological highlights of
Grayson Highlands.
Many thanks to mtmanva2 for his help
with developing this Earthcache. Within 100 feet you will find one
of his traditional geocaches. He has 5 other caches within the
Park.
In order for you to claim a find on this cache you must:
1. Post a picture at the given coordinates with your GPS showing
some of the colors of the Rock. While it would be nice, you do not
have to have to show your face(s) in the photo. 2. With an email,
answer these three questions: A. Estimate the height of the Rock
from the picnic tables, B. Give your elevation at this spot to
within 20 feet +/- and C. Describe the colors found within the
Buzzard Roost rocks?
This Earthcache was approved by the
Geological Society of America
| We have earned GSA's highest level: |
 |
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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