For my Rose Scholars event, I went on a walking tour of Cascadilla Gorge, where I saw the gorge in all of its beauty while also learning about the processes that shaped it. Although I am admittedly not a geologist, I was impressed by how much it had changed over time. Millions of years ago, not only was Cascadilla Gorge, and most of New York, south of the equator, but it was underwater too! That is actually how much of the gorge formed: years and years of sediment being compressed by the ocean waters.

Even in more recent years, the gorge has gone through several profound changes. For example, we learned that part of the gorge used to be so filled with gravel that it literally created small islands, which could be used like stepping stones to cross from end to end. More recently, a good portion of the trail was destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene. Thankfully, it was fixed with FEMA disaster aid, allowing us to enjoy a walk in nature.

Overall, it was fascinating to learn the geological processes that shaped the world around us, especially in the context of my university.