Alliance Furnace is historically significant because it was the
very first iron furnace west of the Allegheny Mountains. The
historical marker is located close to the trailhead for this
cache. Alliance Furnace is also listed in the
national register of historic places. The furnace ruins are
little more than a big pile of rocks today but it is remarkable
that there is anything left at all considering that the furnace was
blown out more than 200 years ago. There are some related ruins on
the hillside above and behind the furnace.
It is possible to drive all the way down to the site of Alliance
Furnace on a poorly maintained township road identified on the maps
as T-568. The beginning of this road looks like somebody’s driveway
but the nice lady who lives in the house there assured me that it
is, in fact, a public road. Amazing! My assessment of this
so-called road is that only a four-wheel drive vehicle would be
able to make it down to the furnace and back in one piece. Please
be advised that you will be risking a big fat fine and possible
suspension of your drivers license if you drive any type of motor
vehicle anywhere off of the roadway in the state gamelands. The
road officially ends at the furnace which is where you should park
and begin to hike. Those of us that do not have a four-wheel drive
vehicle should park at a state gamelands parking lot conveniently
located close to the beginning of the aforementioned township road
and follow the trail behind the gate down to the road and on to
Alliance Furnace. It will be necessary to negotiate one of my
infamous water hazards to continue on the jeep road beyond the
furnace to get to the cache. It’s a shame that the swinging bridge
that used to be here is no more because it was a lot of fun and
there would have been a way to get past the water hazard without
getting the feet wet. The cache is hidden in a pleasant area less
than one-half mile from Alliance Furnace.
Waypoints
40° 06.075', -79° 42.576' Historical Marker
40° 06.076', -79° 42.909' Trailhead (State Gamelands Parking
Area)
40° 06.043', -79° 43.046' Beginning of T-568
40° 06.780', -79° 43.088' Alliance Furnace
Note: This cache is located on Pennsylvania State
Gamelands. During the peak deer season (November 15 - December 15,
except Sundays), you must "wear a minimum of 250 square
inches of daylight fluorescent orange-colored material on the head,
chest and back combined or, in lieu thereof, a hat of the same
colored material. The material shall be worn so it is visible in a
360° arc".
