It can be quite tricky to get around in this area so we have added several waypoints with coordinates to make sure you are on the right track to the cache. Please leave all gates as you found them. This cache is part of a series called the “Prairie Winds Adventure Trail” developed by volunteers of the Canadian Badlands Geocaching Association. Enjoy the hidden secrets of Southern Alberta by getting off the beaten trail to sites seldom visited, scenic views and historic sites and buildings. Prairies are not flat and there is a reason for calling our trail “Prairie Winds”.
A few miles east of here on the north side of the river is a grave site. It is the grave site of Mary Waters. The Waters were homesteading on what was to become known as the Lower Spencer. In 1897, Mr. Waters left on business but left his pregnant wife in the care of a 13 year old native lad. At some point, Mary became ill and sent the young lad for help. Soon into his quest for help a blizzard struck and the lad had to hole up in a coulee for several days to wait out the storm. Once he was able to travel he returned back to the homestead to find Mary and the new born baby dead.>/p>
There is, however, another version of the events as told by the late, well known Milk River Historian, Alva Bair. According to Bair, Mr. Waters had run afoul of the law in Montana and was jailed. He was unable to convince the Sherriff to release him so he could return to his wife. At some point, Waters was released and returned home to find out his wife and baby had died. It was then said that in his grief he returned to Montana, looked up that Sherriff and killed him.
Mary’s grave site can only be accessed by canoe and ONLY with the permission of the land owners. The grave site has been well maintained over the years and if you are interested in seeing it, a recent picture of it can be found in a publication, The Alberta Stretch of the Milk River by Johan F. Dormaar on display at the Galt Museum in Lethbridge, Alberta.
To receive a Prairie Winds Geocoin, you must have logged, as found, at least 40 of the Prairie Winds caches and then send an e-mail to lthbridge@gmail.com. We will check your profile and contact you for mailing arrangements. There are 100 geocoins available.
UPDATE: Jul 2017 Because we have had to archive some of these caches, and others are now micros, we have lowered the requirement to 30 PW finds in order to get a coin. As of July 15th, 2017 there are still 40 coins available.