The Hot Springs of Glenwood - Essay Example

The formation of the Hot Springs of Glenwood carries much geographical history. Hot springs are springs that discharge water heated by natural processes within the earth. (World Book p375) Most of these springs are steadily flowing streams or calm pools of water. But many are bubbling pools of mud or the most well known, geysers. Hot springs originate in different ways. They may form where there are active volcanic regions and the hot molten rock called magma lies near the surface of the earth. Surface water then trickles down through layers of rock until it is heated by the magma. The water then rises to the top of the surface through the rocks. Hot springs can also occur when there are faults in the region. Faults are layers (cracks) in the Earth's crust that are the result of differential motion within the crust. The faults enable surface water to penetrate to depths where it is heated. When we talk about hot or thermal springs, these are defined as springs where the temperature of water lies significantly above the mean annual air temperature of the region. A mineral spring is defined as one that contains a reading of 400 parts/million of total dissolved solids. (Tarbuck p274) Both types of spring are found from Mexico to Alaska. In the case of the thermal springs in the mountainous regions, their formation tends to be quite consistent. As rain falls on the surrounding peaks, it percolated into the rather porous sedimentary rocks. Sedimentary rocks are formed from the accumulation of sediment- mineral crystals, particles of minerals and rocks, masses of organic matter, or chemical precipitate, which solidifies into layered rock. As the water continues to descend through the rock, it picks up a variety of materials, everything from radium to sulphur. Also, as it moves further beneath the surface, it heats up from the primal heat of the Earth. Eventually, it encounters the large thrust fault and now as water descends behind it, these faults forces the now heated water to ascend along the fault-line to surface as a hot or warm spring. Also critical in the creation of a hot spring, is an express route to the surface. If the water moves slowly from depth to the surface, it will cool back down before it bubbles out as a spring. Luckily, since many of these springs occur in limestone formations, the openings allowing the water to the surface may be enlarged by dissolving of the limestone to create a virtual pipeline to the surface. This assures a quick trip and warm waters. Tertiary volcanism and mineralized hot springs have produced the existing geologic environment in the Glenwood Springs area. These volcanic activities led to the present day Rock Mountain regions in which the Colorado River carved its mark. Glenwood Canyon was formed by the Colorado River as it eroded into the southern flank of the White River Uplift. During the Pleistocen Ice Ages, rates of down cutting were accelerated due to glacial melting that caused heavily, over-loaded streams. This erosion allowed for the seeping of water into the deep crevices of the earth, which somewhere met with the heated rocks and returned filling the many springs of Glenwood. Most of W Colorado is occupied by the Colorado Plateau, where deep canyons have been formed by the action of the Colorado, Gunnison, and other rivers. Colorado has a mean elevation of c.6,800 ft (2,070 m) and has 51 of the 80 peaks in North America over 14,000 ft (4,267 m) high, thus laying claim to the name "top of the world." (McTiighe p237) Colorado's eastern expanses are part of the High Plains section of the Great Plains. On their western edge the plains give way to the Rocky Mountains, which run north-south through central Colorado. The mountains are divided into several ranges that make up two generally parallel belts, with the Front Range and a portion of the Sangre de Cristo Mts. on the east and the Park Range, Sawatch Mts., and San Juan Mts. on the west. Mt. Elbert (14,433 ft/4,399 m) is the highest peak in the U.S. Rocky Mts. (McTighe, 1984, p111) The mountain ranges are separated by high valleys and basins called parks. These include North Park, Middle Park, South Park, Estes Park, and San Luis Park. The Continental Divide runs north-south along the Rocky Mts. in Colorado. Discovery of gold in the Rocky Mountains in central Colorado in 1858 led to the discovery and use of several new trails to the streams that had placer deposits. Few trails had destinations to populated areas within the Leadville quadrangle until the discovery of gold placers and the establishment of the earliest towns in the late 1850s. Previous to that there were no major wagon roads that crossed the quadrangle. On the plains the only sources of water for travelers were from scarce springs, ephemeral water holes, and a few ephemeral streams, in the mountains there were many streams, springs, and small lakes. Many of the trails followed creeks directly up to a mountain pass and then descended along a different stream on the other side. Nearly all of the water in the streams and springs was cold, clear, and drinkable; however, some springs gave forth hot water. Hot springs are fairly common in the Leadville quadrangle. Many of them are labeled as hot springs on the trail map. Some were renowned and became tourist destinations, such as those at Glenwood Springs and at Soda Springs at the eastern foot of Mount Massive. In 1878, a young man named James Landis traveled down from Leadville to Grand Springs with a donkey pack to cut meadow hay for Leadville's horses. He met with friendly Ute Indians, who invited him to use their hogan which they had constructed over the springs on the south side of the river. Landis found the experience and the area to be so pleasant and appealing that he came back the following spring and filed squatter's rights to 160 acres and built a small cabin on the Roaring Fork River. In the year between his friendly visit with the Ute's and his return to set up a homestead, the Ute's had been driven out of the valley, which left the area open to the hundreds of white settlers who would follow. In 1882, James Landis sold his Landis Hot Springs A mere five years later, Walter B. Devereux, a mining engineer brought to Aspen by Jerome Wheeler to manage the Aspen Mine and construct a smelter there, purchased the land containing the springs and 10 acres surrounding it from Landis for $ 125,000, and set out to realize the dream shared by Cooper-the construction of a world class spa. By separating the river and the springs with a rock wall and encircling the springs with masonry, the stage was set for the construction of the Natatorium, as the pool was called. The Natatorium was completed in 1888 and the beautiful stone bathhouse, designed by Viennese architect Theodore Von Rosenberg, was completed in 1890. Geologists are unclear on the source of the springs, but theories on its origin include circulating groundwater and trapped volcanic heat. Whatever the origin, the waters are abundant and hot: Flows send 2,700 gallons per minute to the surface with temperatures up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Along the way, the springs move through fault fractures in limestone deposited about 300 million years ago, when Glenwood was an equatorial beach instead of in the heart of the Rockies. Over time, the spring waters have dissolved the limestone and left behind minerals to create layered ledges and terraces of travertine as well as the only natural vapor caves in North America (all others are manmade excavations). Water in the form of rain and melting snow enters fractures in rocks and is warmed by the geothermal gradient. The warm water then rises along the Ute Pass Fault. Part way along the journey it encounters the soluble carbonate rocks of the Manitou, Williams Canyon, and Leadville formations, following these upwards. (Tarbuck p347) Natatorium and Pool, fed by the Yampah Hot Springs in the year 1888 (Atchison, 1984, p58) 1860 picture of the river leading into the Hot Spring (Athearn, 1977, p58) Reference Cited 1. Athearn, Robert, The Coloradans; University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, 1977 2. McTighe, James, Roadside History of Colorado; Johnson Books, Boulder, 1984 3. Dallas, Sandra, Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps; University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1985 4. Atchison, Kendal, Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps; University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1985 5. Monnett, John and McCarthy, Michael, Colorado Profiles; Johnson Books, Boulder,1984 6. Nelson, Jim, Glenwood Springs; The History of a Rocky Mountain Resort; Western Reflections, Inc, Ouray, 1999 7. Lyman, Henry Glenwood Springs; American Printing and Engraving Co, 1894 8. Nelson, Jim, Glenwood Springs: A Quick History; Chesire Moon Publication LLC, 1998, Stanton 9.Tarbuck, Edward and Lutgens, Fredrick Earth An Introduction to Physical Geology; Macmillan Publishing, New Jersey,1993 Read More