GC650F Oregonia Bridge Quick Cache (Traditional Cache) in West Virginia, United States created by mikedx

This cache has been archived.

mikedx: Due to the decay of the bridge, and it being closed off, I'm archiving the cache. Thanks to all who have visited.

GC650F ▼

A cache by mikedx Message this owner

Hidden : 6/16/2002

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

This virtual will take you across one of a pair of bridges that span the Big and Little Coal Rivers. The trip is pretty short, but moderately steep, and there is a nice view of the Big and Little Coal River from the bridges.

The bridges made by the Oregonia Bridge Company are found near the confluence of the Big and Little Coal Rivers. I thought that there needed to be more caches along Corridor G, and I remembered this bridge from some years ago when I used to rappel down into the river below.

To find out more about the Oregonia Bridge Company, go to:

http://www.shakerwssg.org/oregonia_ohiowarren_county.htm

Go 5 miles south of Walmart on Corridor G. Take the Sand Plant exit. Travel 1 mile out this road (slowly, the two lane road is only built for one) and park just past the bridge at N 38.16.354 W 81.47.934. You have two choices. You can backtrack to the tracks, or walk up the slope to the bridge. Hang on to your GPS and follow the cache coordinates over the Big Coal River. To get credit for this cache, you can either tell me the date the bridge was built, or what # board is missing from the end of the bridge (counting from the other side). Enjoy the view from the bridge, but I wouldn't recommend following the other one, as the repairs look shoddy to me. By the way, that road you see on the other side is Little Coal River Road, or the back road that goes from the gas station to Alum Creek. Located near the other side of that bridge is Cliffside, or the old Union Carbide summer camps.

Take a minute to check out the NGS benchmark put onto the concrete base of the bridge next to the tracks. It is listed here:

http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.asp?PID=HX2117

Supposedly, the NGS reads H 37 1935, though it is difficult to read.

Check your altitude and coordinates with those of taken by the Coast and Geodetic Survey 67 years ago: N 38 16.21 W 81 47.56 alt: 624 feet. My GPS says N 38 16.364 W 81 47.936 The coordinates are to where a traditional cache was, but they keep disappearing. If you want to give me coordinates from the middle of the bridge or from the missing board, I will update it.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Gur qngr vf ba gur fvta ba gbc bs gur oevqtr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)