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Post by SSO JOAT on Mar 26, 2013 18:37:25 GMT -9
I have engaged in the first round of discussion with the KNWR manager about setting up EarthCaches within the KNWR. They have agreed that EarthCaches can be placed, though they want to be involved in the entire process. So, what I'm looking for is a handful of examples of sites you know of within the KNWR that would be good places for an EarthCache. In addition to the EarthCache value, they should be easily accessible sites (adjacent to roads and main trails). My goal is to work with KNWR to develop a few EarthCaches this Spring as a test case so they can see how it works.
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Post by ladybugkids on Mar 27, 2013 5:49:51 GMT -9
A quick websearch turned up surprisingly little. I'll hit the library sometime during the next couple of weeks and see what I can find there.
One easy one is to take folks to the viewpoint above the mouth of the Kenai River and have them compare and contrast a glacier carved river valley (Skilak, U-shaped) and the Kenai River Gorge (V-shaped). Best view of both if I remember correctly is along the Hidden Creek Trail.
There is some interesting exposed sedimentary bedrock in the Hidden Lake Campground (can't remember the specific site number) that features glacier gouging.
The cliffs on the north side of hidden lake are a prominent feature that are worthy of more research about mineral make-up and origin. They are a different rock than the bedrock in the campground that was scoured down.
Bear Mountain Trail takes one up a feature that for some reason wasn't scoured down by the glaciers that formed Hidden and Skilak Lakes. Cachers could be asked to take the hike and determine why (perhaps by comparing the rock of this feature versus the exposed bedrock in nearby Hidden Lake Campground.
The Seven Lakes along the "Seven Lakes" trails may be connected kettles or they may simply be shallow lakes in bog/muskeg areas. Research is needed.
The Skilak Lake beaches are interesting...where did all those perfect skipping stones come from?
Upper and Lower Ohmer Lakes have a story, I'm certain.
I'd be real surprised if the Refuge personnel themselves don't know of easy to work with features and can't provide resources from their own bookshelves there on Ski Hill.
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Post by SSO JOAT on Mar 27, 2013 7:02:33 GMT -9
I'm sure the refuge will be of great help in selecting locations. We still have to sit down and work out some nuts & bolts of how to go about publishing the EarthCaches. First question will be whether the refuge wants to create their own GC account and self-publish or if they will allow individual cachers to develop the EarthCaches with case-by-case approval from the refuge (I'll be pushing for the later). As with many federal parks agencies, they are running short handed right now (and they were ecstatic about the CITO idea as they don't have enough personnel to do their typical spring campground clean up tasks).
Aside from the technical side and suggested sites they may come up with, I would like to walk into the meeting with maybe 3-5 roughed in examples of EarthCache sites that we could start with. Mainly just to give them a taste of some good possibilities. I'm actually hoping to come up with an idea for an EarthCache close to their HQ facility in Soldotna (or along Funny River road) so that there is a local EC available that can also serve as an EC intro point for the rangers to visit and test.
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Post by fuzzybelly on Mar 27, 2013 8:00:54 GMT -9
Very nice Scott.
thank you for your efforts.
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Post by ladybugkids on Mar 27, 2013 9:35:11 GMT -9
I'm actually hoping to come up with an idea for an EarthCache close to their HQ facility in Soldotna (or along Funny River road) so that there is a local EC available that can also serve as an EC intro point for the rangers to visit and test. I think Headquarters (?) Lake below the visitor center is a kettle. The higher terrain of Ski Hill and much of the ski trail system is on part of a glacier moraine, though I could be wrong about that. The whole hill leading up from the Kenai River on the Sterling Highway to nearly Skyview, the far end turnoff for Ski Hill Road is an interesting feature if one is paying attention to it given how flat so much of the rest of the area is. Not much exposed rock around there, so EarthCache features are pretty subtle.
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Post by NeverSummer on Mar 28, 2013 15:56:38 GMT -9
This is great news! As you're working with them, you can always steer them my way, and I can chat with them about how we went about working on Earthcaches here for Alaska Maritime NWR. (We're working on developing some for our Aleutian Islands Unit!)
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Post by NeverSummer on Oct 28, 2013 13:58:48 GMT -9
I'm not sure where this effort has landed, but I have some additional contacts at Kenai. The folks I have in mind would be those who would implement any programs like Earthcaches or an event. Andy Loranger would get final say, but engaging their outreach staff with geocaching as a program opportunity is where we can shift focus.
This is an easy sell for "Connecting People With Nature" programming opportunites for those outreach folks. With what we've done here at Alaska Maritime, I can present what works here at AMNWR to Kenai (and beyond).
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