Geomorphology
Fall 2005
The Ballroom
Our third stop on the Crystal Cave tour was in what is known as “The Ballroom,” (fig. 1). Immediately upon entering The Ballroom, one can figure out why it was given the name. The ceilings are very high here, the highest in the entire cave. It would almost be impossible to feel claustrophobic in this room. We were informed by Blaze Cunningham that the ceiling was composed of the bottom layer of the Shakopee rock formation. Looking closer, we noticed small worm burrows in the ceiling. There were also little ripples in the rocks, evident of a once marine environment. This marine evidence is visible throughout the cave, due to the fact that water once flowed though the caverns.
Figure 1 - The high ceiling of the Ballroom in Crystal Cave.
The most exciting feature of The Ballroom, however, were the bats (fig. 2) that inhabited it. There were three kinds, Little Brown Bats, Eastern Pipistrelle, and Northern Myotis. Though they were starting to hibernate, it was incredible to see the little guys literally hanging out. At first they blended in, but after one was pointed out, it became easier to spot them. For most bats, hibernation starts in October and lasts though May or June. We were also taught that bats come to the same place to hibernate yearly. That is amazing, considering they live for 20-25 years. Mr. Cunningham explained that one bat can eat about 3000 bugs a night. I guess they are not so bad after all.
Figure 2 - A Little Brown Bat hibernating on the ceiling in the Ballroom.
By: Ellen Chase