This cache will take you on one of my favorite loop trails at Pilot
Mountain State Park. LEDGE SPRING TRAIL! The trail offers great
views from above and interesting rock formations from below.
Depending on weather conditions you may also see local rock
climbers enjoying the cliffs and rock ledges along this trail. This
trail is rated as strenuous and will take approximately 2 hours to
complete. You will need to visit the 4 listed coordinates below and
locate information from each stage in order to find the final
coordinates for the main cache. The main cache is located off State
Park property and is a 3x5x7 Lock & Lock container. The cache
contains a logbook, pen and pencil, and various Smokey Items. You
may want to bring along your own ink pen to sign the logbook, as
well as to write down the information you will be gathering at each
location. I highly recommend you bring a bottle of water too. You
can visit the Pilot
Mountain State Park website for park hours as well as a
downloadable park map.
Here are the coordinates you will need to fill in
N 36° PI.LOT
W 80° MO.UNT
Recommended parking is in the Summit Area parking lot at the top
of the mountain located at: N 36° 20.407 W 80° 28.834
I have the stages listed so you hike this trail
counterclockwise. Going this way you will go down a gentle slop
with alot of wooden steps. Then once below the ledge you will have
a series of rock steps scattered along the trail. Then once on the
Jomeokee Trail you will have steep rock steps back up to the
parking area. You may hike this trail clockwise starting with Stage
4 and working back to the posted coordinates. This way you make
your way down rock steps scattered along the trail all the way to
Stage 3. Then a gentle slope trail to Stage 2. Then there will be
alot of wooden steps up a gentle slope to Stage 1 and the parking
lot. I prefer the counterclockwise hike. Choose your hike wisely
and enjoy.
First Stage is located at the posted coordinates: N 36°
20.435 W 80° 29.013
Here you will find a trail sign!
P = first number on the
sign.
I = second number on the
sign.
From here you will need to stay left and follow the yellow circle
trail markers.
Second Stage is located at: N 36° 20.708 W 80°
29.181
Here you will find two signs. A newer metal sign and a wooden sign
with a yellow circle on it.
L = number of R located on both
signs.
O = number of letters in the
top word on the sign to the left minus the number of arrows on both
signs.
T = number of G located on both
signs.
From here you will need to turn left and follow the yellow circle
trail markers.
Third Stage is located at: N 36° 20.549 W 80°
29.300
Here you will find yourself standing at the Ledge Spring Trial and
Mountain Trial intersection by a two-sided sign on a metal post!
From this point looking down the red circle trail about 30 feet you
will see a new metal sign labeled Mountain Trail.
M = first number on this
sign.
O = first number added to the
second number.
From here you will need to continue following the yellow circle
trail markers. You will cross a small spring just after this
stage.
Fourth Stage is located at: N 36° 20.407 W 80°
28.630
Here you will find a trail sign!
U = How many S are on the
sign.
N = How many E are on the
sign.
T = Number of bolts on this
sign.
From here you will need to turn left and follow the Jomeokee Trail
back to the parking lot.
Now plug in your numbers and the final cache is yours to find
with only a short drive. Hope You Enjoy!
CAUTION:
The cache is hidden in the Woods, so Be Prepared to encounter all
the things that you would expect to find in the woods. Poison ivy,
snakes, ticks, spiders, spider webs, chiggers, bees, briars,
squirrels, birds, deer, lions and tigers and bears oh my, and some
beautiful scenery. I would recommend dressing accordingly depending
on the time of year when you visit the cache.
Thanks for hunting my third cache!
Sauratown Smokey
Smokey Says, “REMEMBER, Only You Can Prevent Forest
Fires”.