GC1QQ2W Iron Springs Geyser
Type: Earth | Size: Not chosen | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: dndsterns @ | Hide Date: 04/29/2009 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N38° 51.410 W104° 55.697 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0

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Iron Springs Geyser.

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Iron Spring Geyser used to erupt every half hour and shoot water 5 feet into the air. This is a very rare phenomenon because the formation of geysers are due to particular hydrogeological conditions, which exist in only a few places on Earth, generally all geyser field sites are located near active volcanic areas, and the geyser effect is due to the proximity of magma. Geysers are also temporary geological features. The life span of a geyser is, at the most, only a few thousand years. Now there are only about one thousand known geysers that exist worldwide, roughly half of which are in Yellowstone National Park. A geyser's eruptive activity may change or cease due to ongoing mineral deposition within the geyser plumbing, human intervention can also change the function of a geyser. No one really knows what has effected the Iron Sping Geyser. It could be its age or its iron content that is effecting the plumbing. Generally, surface water works its way down to an average depth of around 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). As the water travels through the earth it picks up minerals before meeting up with the hot rocks. The resultant boiling of the pressurized water results in the geyser effect of hot water and steam spraying out of the geyser's surface vent.

Although Iron Spring Geyser no longer erupts into the air it still has plenty of water flowing through it classifying it as a natural spring. The water feeding this spring is still traveling through the earth picking up large quantiies of minerals making this a mineral spring.

Iron Spring Geyser is also a chalybeate spring. This means that it contains salted iron.

While visiting this site you will find out the iron content in this geyser. Could this be the reason the geyser activity has ceased?

To log this cache you must

1)Post a picture of yourself in front of the geyser
2)Use the information sign to find out the amount of iron -ppm- and the amount of sodium -ppm-
3)Answer in your opinion if you think this is the cause of the decline in geyser activity.
4)Answer the difference between a geyser and a spring.
5)email the answers

06/17/2019 By Taramarie2798
Found all answers definitely didn’t like the taste of this water though

05/16/2019 By Pastor G
Finding the virtuals and the EC's in the area while on vacation. I grew up in the Denver area and came back to Colorado for my nephew's HS Graduation. Love being back in my native Colorado! Answers has been sent. Picture will be uploaded next.

04/29/2019 By BirdsIView
Traveling from Phoenix Arizona to our summer home in Cleveland Ohio. We are grabbing unusual and new County caches along the way. Thanks

04/13/2019 By kenyansherpa
Thanks to dndsterns for creating this nice educational Earthcache! I enjoyed the setting as well as the opportunity to learn more about Manitou in general and this spring in particular! I have sent the answers to the CO. Thanks!

03/31/2019 By gampa&gamma
Visited the Iron Spring Geyser. Very interesting. Answers sent to the CO and photo attached to this log. Thanks for the interesting earth cache.

09/04/2018 By qrang
Splendid place but difficult to park so lurked long enough to grab a photo - answers on their way and here is a photo TFTC

07/02/2018 By BarrelO'Monkeys
OMG it taste carbonated

06/29/2018 By Hypsyjack
Nice spring. Use the quick parking unless you wanna pay 10.00 per hour!!

06/12/2018 By mondou2
Enjoyed the hunt for this earth cache. Sent email and uploading photo. Thanks for the fun!

03/29/2018 By HelloMummy
Out with my family today finding caches. This one made me laugh because as my daughter and I walked up to the water, it gushed and scared us...lol!!! Thank you for this interesting Earthcache! P.S. Please excuse my husband's scary "Mustache March" mustache...I hate it.