The Crystal Cave

☆ September 27, 2016

I was on a hike with Chloe the other day, and happened upon this magical spot….

crystalcave

a small cave, created from an arched strata of crystals!

A closeup of the archway:

crystalarch

The crystals were dusted in dirt, but sparkled in the sun….

crystalstrata

I have no idea what mineral this is.

If I decide I must know (as of now, “magic” is suffice for me), I will go back for a little piece.

Bits like this were scattered about on the ground:

magiccrystalCU

Here is the cave in flat light:

caveflatlight

The main cavern is about 18 inches deep, with tunneled hallways going deeper.

Two fairies agreed to pose for me ~ do you see them?

 

Comments

38 Responses to “The Crystal Cave”

  1. Debbie Lee
    September 27th, 2016 @ 7:49 am

    It’s where Merlin is Shreve, camalot could be Wyoming xx

  2. audrey
    September 27th, 2016 @ 7:53 am

    wonderful….it’s diamonds, I just know it is….did the faries swear you to secret? be well

  3. Jacque S
    September 27th, 2016 @ 8:31 am

    That’s cool, I do not however see the faries. Would be interested in knowing what mineral this is as we have the samething on our place. I have never seen it in this form though. Making an arch.

  4. Rachel
    September 27th, 2016 @ 8:35 am

    That is incredibly awesome and so beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us!

  5. hello haha narf
    September 27th, 2016 @ 8:36 am

    did it feel magical? looks magical.

  6. annnoe
    September 27th, 2016 @ 8:44 am

    This is lovely, and very much what I needed on what is going to be a very stressy day.

    (I’ll show the photos to the geologist spouse and see what he has to say.)

  7. wright1
    September 27th, 2016 @ 8:56 am

    I definitely see two manifestations of some kind on either side of the arch. Call them fairies if you like, you were there ;)

    Thanks for sharing.

  8. Karyn
    September 27th, 2016 @ 8:59 am

    I *believe* it is feldspar, but I could be wrong. I have found this in many areas where it is red dirt. I know of several spots in Utah, but have never seen anything quite like that! Have you checked with the local tribes to see if it is somehow known to them? Although more likely it has only become visible in more recent years as the dirt has been washed away to expose the crystals.

    What an incredibly cool find!!

  9. JoDi
    September 27th, 2016 @ 9:33 am

    That’s very cool! Such an amazing find!

  10. PatH
    September 27th, 2016 @ 10:30 am

    Fantastic photo’s in that magical light! Do those bigger rocks in front of the cavern also show the minerals? I love the beauty of the earth brings forth…

  11. bonnie
    September 27th, 2016 @ 10:39 am

    those are some pretty hunky fairies :) wonderful find!

  12. Steph in Oregon
    September 27th, 2016 @ 11:37 am

    What s magical find. Any tracks inside?

  13. Torchy
    September 27th, 2016 @ 12:06 pm

    Silly girl! The faeries got you. They tell you they will pose for pictures, but even if they seem to be standing there, they’re not.

  14. ng in nh
    September 27th, 2016 @ 12:31 pm

    I wonder if the arch was human-made… seems like it could have been part of a shelter or cooking/fire nook or something. And sadly, I don’t see the fairies either…
    Please keep us posted if you learn any more about it!

  15. rockeyroad
    September 27th, 2016 @ 12:44 pm

    Beautiful magical spot for sure! My project geologist says it’s likely calcium carbonate if it’s in sedimentary rock, or quartz crystal if it’s in a volcanic rock setting.

  16. Charley
    September 27th, 2016 @ 1:01 pm

    I agree with rockeyroad

  17. Felyne
    September 27th, 2016 @ 1:23 pm

    I believe in fairies! *clap clap clap clap clap*

  18. LJ
    September 27th, 2016 @ 2:20 pm

    Did you peak into the cave? Did Chloe try to go in? I wonder if the entrance leads to someplace deeper? I have so many questions. I’ve been looking at the photos and can’t seem to find the fairies :-(
    Still this is WILD!

  19. Rose Marie B
    September 27th, 2016 @ 2:40 pm

    I wonder if it’s Selenite, similar to that in the Gloss Mountains of NW Oklahoma? http://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.3030

    They sparkle like diamonds at sunrise and sunset.

    Love the fairies, too. :)

  20. Carol K
    September 27th, 2016 @ 2:50 pm

    What a wonderful find! Those little fairies are elusive, but I will keep looking!

  21. John
    September 27th, 2016 @ 7:55 pm

    If you ever get a chance, you should read Mary Stewart’s “The Crystal Cave” series, it’s my favorite retelling of the King Arthur legend.

  22. John Oliver
    September 27th, 2016 @ 9:18 pm

    What a fabulous find. Magical. Might the crystals be calcite?

  23. thecrazysheeplady
    September 28th, 2016 @ 5:30 am

    What a find! I can’t see the fairies. You must be magic :-).

  24. Renee
    September 28th, 2016 @ 10:59 am

    Nice, Shreve! And John, my favorite book of all time.

  25. Fred
    September 28th, 2016 @ 11:34 am

    That’s fascinating. If it were my land I would try to carefully enlarge the entrance and see if it leads to larger caverns. You never know, inside could be a treasure trove of relics, petroglyphs, or other indications of occupancy by ancient native Americans, or bones, fossils, etc. from Pleistocene animals. Not that I would want to raid the place, but instead to allow archaeologists and paleontologists to learn from it. The local old timers may know of this place too, or places like it.

  26. GD
    September 29th, 2016 @ 5:02 am

    my guess….quartz!

  27. Lyn
    September 29th, 2016 @ 6:23 am

    It looks like selenite, Shreve. Truly a magical mineral.

  28. Marva
    September 29th, 2016 @ 11:08 am

    Not a geologist but collected rocks as a kid (yes, I charged kids to see my collection!)and this is a nice find! Looks like quartz, but I yield to more the knowledgeable.

  29. JaneK
    September 29th, 2016 @ 12:48 pm

    omg, omg, omg!!!!! LOVE this!! what an amazing magical find :-) I wonder if this is one of the toothfairy’s branch offices? or maybe Tinkerbelle and her friends?

  30. Felyne
    September 29th, 2016 @ 1:13 pm

    @JaneK Toothfairy’s branch office! I love that!!

  31. Laura
    September 29th, 2016 @ 9:17 pm

    I think it looks like selenite too-but it is indeed magical no matter what it is!! What an awesome thing to come upon.

  32. LJ
    September 30th, 2016 @ 10:02 am

    I too love the “toothfairy’s branch office”!! HA.

  33. Kelley Rico
    October 3rd, 2016 @ 1:20 pm

    What a great place to make an essence, kiddo…..

  34. Nancy-Sue Rose
    October 4th, 2016 @ 2:17 pm

    So cool!

  35. Susie Brandt
    October 5th, 2016 @ 8:40 am

    Seeing the arch, and the glittering crystals within, it reminds me of a geode — a giant geode.

  36. Patricia Long
    October 5th, 2016 @ 11:53 am

    Shreve, Absolutely wonderful and magical discovery! I am not sure I see your two fairies though I do see what appear to be two birds beneath the opening of the cave.

  37. rockrat
    October 23rd, 2016 @ 9:43 pm

    Ten Sleep is in a area with marine sediment so the crystals might be calcite, gypsum or selenite. Gypsum and selenite are soft; a penny can scratch them. Selenite looks fibrous. Calcite is bit harder and it fizzes if you drip somesome hydrochloric acid on the crystals. If the crystal can scratch a pocket knife blade, its quartz.

  38. Sticks Blog
    November 30th, 2016 @ 12:54 pm

    Chloe Sustainable Peanut Butter

    […] er, decided to figure out, because it took all of 3 minutes) how to put podcasts […]

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