Location Scouting At Two Hamilton, Ontario Waterfalls

[JUAN EMMANUEL]

Yesterday and today I scouted two waterfalls on the Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton, Ontario. I only intended to check on what the winter has eroded away but I ended up finding some small fossils. 

The first waterfall I visited was the Devil’s Punchbowl. I only visited the lower falls (the one that runs over the Whirlpool Formation) of the Punchbowl as the creek of the fall has yet to dry up from warm weather. 

I ended up finding some small brachiopods and an orthocone on the Manitoulin Formation of this fall. Wow, I dont think an orthocone has been reported on the Manitoulin Formation at this locality yet. I might have to go back to those papers.

I think this could be a Michelinoceras sp. 

 

 

 

[JUAN EMMANUEL]

The Manitoulin Formation is a member of the Cataract Group. This formation dates to the Early Silurian and is above the Whirlpool Formation. Here are pics of the formation as of yesterday during my visit. 

[JUAN EMMANUEL]

[JUAN EMMANUEL]

I also found an ichnofossil.

I cant wait for this creek to dry up when the weather gets warm. The Rochester Formation is exposed at the Devil’s Punchbowl and I am eager to check out the loose rocks that fall to the bottom at the waterfall’s exposure. 

[JUAN EMMANUEL]

The second waterfall I visited, which was today, was Albion Falls.  If you dont want to get fined, do NOT get extremely close to the base of this fall or try to clamber on it because an officer can show up at any time and can fine you. Officers appear more often during tourist season and usually nag at tourists with a megaphone from a viewing point at the top. Other than that, I have asked regular hikers and these people have said they have had no issue walking and hiking the trail and path that leads to the waterfall. 

I walked the path that led to base of Albion Falls but I didnt bother going near the falls as it was getting dark when I was exploring. 

Here is a Pentamerid brachiopod of the Reynales Formation, Clinton Group I found on a brachiopod slab. These brachiopods seem to be sporadic in the Reynales Formation as I have found these Pentamerids in three different locations in Hamilton, Ontario. 

 

[JUAN EMMANUEL]

Some of the rocks I found on the path leading to the base of Albion Falls. These belong to the Grimsby Formation, I think. These rocks are not the most fossiliferous but I have seen rocks from this formation that have fossils in them.

 

[JUAN EMMANUEL]

You can see the reddish Grimsby Formation of the Cataract Group at the bottom in the distance. The exposure stretches and covers many formations til it reaches the Lockport Formation at the top.

If one follows the creek to the left of the exposure, Albion Falls will be arrived at. 

[JUAN EMMANUEL]

There’s a trail that leads to the bottom of the ravine and exposures of the Lockport Formation can be encountered. These rocks at this spot unfortunately bears no fossils. 

Hopefully when the weather gets warm exploring these places will get more manageable. 

[FranzBernhard]

@JUAN EMMANUEL, thanks so much for taking us along your trip! Very nice landscape, and very nice fossils!
Franz Bernhard

[Monica]

Thanks for the show!  I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of your fossiling treks as the weather gets warmer... 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Very nice. 

Lovely location and some interesting finds.

[ynot]

Very nice report and finds.

Thanks for sharing the adventure.

[sharkdoctor]

Thanks for all of the site photos. It was like being there without getting cold 

[Al Tahan]

Really cool trip with some familiar rock formations! I’m very interested in what you may find from the Rochester formation