Dear friend,
When you're spending time outside, what are some things you see or hear that can stop you in your tracks? A snake or rabbit that unexpectedly crosses your path? A rare flower, such as a red trillium, blooming right at your feet? A gorgeous sunset or waterfall?
What about a rock? Chances are, rocks aren't the first thing you notice during your outdoor adventures. Yet, a region's geology offers fascinating stories just waiting to be discovered and told. When we look at rocks, we have the chance to travel back in time millions of years and see the role they played in creating the natural landscapes we love to explore. After you learn a bit about PA's geology below, then venture out to one of the recommended sites. Do the rocks you encounter there suddenly seem like more than 'just rocks?' Let us know what you discover by emailing me at adventure@clearwaterconservancy.org.
I hope your next adventure truly 'rocks!'
Dan Trew, Adventure Coordinator, ClearWater Conservancy
|
|
Topic of the Week: PA's Geology Story
|
|
Learn something new
Pennsylvania’s geology story kicks off around 500 million years ago. During that time, the Earth was a much different place to hang out on. While the oceans would still have their blue hue and you’d still be able to breathe, very little else was happening. The land was probably a wash of volcanic colors interspersed with bits of fungus and complex life wasn’t really around, leaving erosion unchecked. So, nearly every time it rained, huge swaths of sediment were washed down rivers and across the wide, flat river deltas. Pennsylvania happened to be a part of those complex deltas and received a fair share of tiny silica particles in this process. Those tiny particles slowly accumulated, and the weight of the overhead layers pressed them into some of the strongest rock in the world. These are the rocks that form our mountains today.
A series of massive collisions between the areas that would become North America, Europe and north Africa pressed these layers into a jumble. Fascinating geologic features slowly began to rise from the previously smooth surface. Unlike in other mountainous are
as however, the mountains were not pushed up from below. Instead the rocks folded like wrinkles forming on a blanket. These wrinkles ended up becoming the Proto-Appalachian Mountains, whose peaks rivaled that of the modern-day Himalayas.
Eventually the future continent of North America shifted its direction and began to move away from the future European and African continents. The resulting gap eventually grew to become the Atlantic Ocean. The mountains left behind began the long and slow journey of erosion, now with plants!
What does
this all mean? It means that the rocks that make up our modern mountains are much older than those in the valleys they fringe. So, the next time you climb Mount Nittany, think about how you are walking on rocks that were at the bottom of the ocean a half-billion years ago!
|
|
Your weekly health tip from Mount Nittany Health
|
Ticks carry germs that can cause Lyme and other diseases.
Tick exposure can occur year-round but ticks are most active during warmer months. Ticks are most commonly found in grassy, brushy or wooded areas. Tick safety includes:
- Treating clothing and gear with products that contain .05 percent permethrin to repel ticks while you are outdoors
- Use EPA registered repellents designed for direct application to skin to repel insects.
- When hiking, be sure to walk in the center of trails.
- After you come indoors, check your clothing for ticks and be sure to examine hiking gear and pets for ticks. You will also need to examine you and your child's body for ticks. Be sure to check under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, back of knees, in an around the hair, between the legs and around the waist.
|
|
Choose your own adventure!
If you want to see interesting geology in central Pennsylvania all you have to do is look down. There are fascinating formations across our entire region, but here are some of the best places to look at the more prominent features.
Adventuring along the
Lower Trail
gives a glimpse into the incredible power water has to shape our landscape. The adjacent Juniata has spent tens-of-millions of years carving its way through that tough silica-based rock, leaving behind a meandering path. Nearby, roadway cuts into the mountain give a clear sight into the intricate folds and faults that make up the layers of stone. The 17-mile trail runs between an area near Canoe Creek State Park in Blair County to near Alexandria in Huntingdon County.
Mount Nittany
in Lemont, PA is a prominent landmark that just so happens to be a perfect example of the inverted geography. When making the trek to the top people often become puzzled as to why there is so much sand at the top. The top of Mt. Nittany is the original bottom of the rivers that eroded the first peaks of the Appalachians. The parking area to Mt. Nittany can become congested on weekends, especially when the weather is beautiful, so consider hiking early or during business hours to avoid crowded trails.
A trip to
Poe Paddy State Park
near Millheim, PA gives guests the opportunity to not only hike on the ancient rocks, but also to go through them via the Poe Paddy Tunnel. After passing through a couple hundred million years the Mid State Trail continues past a series of large boulder fields that are the collapsed slopes of mountains. Here guests can see the effect the fast eroding materials have on the stronger ones that lay above them.
The
Scotia Barrens
, a.k.a. State Game Lands 176 in Warriors Mark, PA, is a unique point not because of any majestic mountain but because of a subterranean feature. The underlying limestone is so porous, and the soil is so well drained that surface water features are almost nonexistent. The water that falls in this area makes an incredible underground journey before emerging well-filtered and chilled at one of a number of springs feeding into Spring Creek.
The
Spring Creek Canyon
, as the name implies, is a gorgeous feature carved out by the waters of Spring Creek. At the southwest trailhead on Rock Road in Benner Township, the many layers of limestone and shale that form the valley floors are exposed and readily observed. Trails along the Spring Creek Canyon can also be accessed via the Fisherman’s Paradise parking lot off Spring Creek Rd. in Bellefonte, and from the Shiloh Rd. exit off 322 in State College.
What to bring on your adventure:
- A refillable water bottle
- Sturdy and water-resistant footwear
- Long pants and high socks may be preferred for additional protection from insects and ticks
- Child carrier/backpack is recommended for very young children
- Binoculars for bird and wildlife watchers
- A light snack or picnic lunch
Remember:
|
|
Help protect important habitat in Scotia Barrens
|
|
Tips & Tricks
As you plan to head out for your next adventure, keep in mind these tips from DCNR for
practicing social distancing and leaving no trace while spending time i
n nature.
While recreating outside is an allowable activity during all stages of Pennsylvania's phased reopening pla
n, social distancing recommendations s
till apply outside. View more information about outdoor recreation during the COVID-19
|
|
 |
At-home adventure:Create a Sediment Jar
Click the above image for directions in how to create your own Sediment Jar learning hands-on about sediment deposition! Access even more creative, nature-inspired activities on the
Centred Outdoors website
!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
