The Nakimu Caves, Glacier Dominion Park, B. C.Canada. National Parks Branch
Science
The Nakimu Caves, Glacier Dominion Park, B. C.
Canada. National Parks Branch
Nakimu Caves (B.C.)
“At one spot the passageway twists in a loop, and here the potholes are
of such a curiously spiral form that it has been named ‘The Corkscrew.’
Across this bend, about 12 feet above the main floor, a gallery extends
for 120 feet. It is of a similar pothole formation, but on a smaller
scale than the main passageway. Directly below it, at the lower end, is
a peculiar sharp spike of rock that has evidently been subsequently
carved out by water pouring from this gallery, as is readily shown by
the erosionmarks on the component rocks. In addition to the lines of
erosion on the rock spike and in the gallery pothole, honey-combing is
seen on the right and high up on the left and, still farther on the
left, spatulated markings to the depth of half an inch, or a little
over, which is a very common feature in all three series.
“Throughout the Mill Bridge series, with the exception of the
Auditorium, the floors and ceilings are of water-worn rock, and
practically no debris has fallen away pointing to the fact that this
channel is of more recent origin, and the rock through which it has worn
of a more compact stratification.
“At one time it was reported that the roof of this passage was set with
sparkling quartz crystals. It turned out, however, that they were only
drops of water that had collected through leakage or condensation. Some
of the potholes are very curiously marked by thin incrustations of
carbonate of lime spreading over their concave surfaces in florescent
patterns. Overhead in many places are seen projecting spurs that have
withstood the action of the water owing to superior hardness, or that,
through some deflection of the current, have not had the same force
brought to bear upon them. The waters of Cougar creek are derived from
the melting glaciers and snow deposits lining the sides of the peaks
enclosing the valley and, in consequence, carry a considerable quantity
of sediment, composed of very fine rock particles. The quantity of
sediment carried would, of course, be greatest when the stream was at
flood stage. This sediment has doubtless been a factor of much
importance in the erosive power of the waters, and a residue may to-day
be seen as a very thin mud-coloured coating on the walls and floors of
the passageways, where it has been deposited by the subsiding waters. At
a very high stage of water in the creek there was an overflow into
Entrance No. 1 that made the first exploration by W. S. Ayres and party
a wet and somewhat dangerous operation. This overflow, however, was
dammed back by Deutschman, and no further trouble has since been
experienced with it.
The Gorge Series.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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