Big Beacon Summit
This is the final in a series of 9 caches that will lead you to the summit of Mt. Wire. For more information, please see Big Beacon 1.
This one is an easy puzzle cache. It requires visiting the summit, but not climbing the beacon tower. Solving the puzzle will provide you with the coordinates of the cache. The cache itself is not on Mt. Wire. Rather, it should make for an easy stop on your drive home.
The Mt. Wire summit has long been a favorite place of mine. Growing up in the early 60s, I remember seeing the aircraft beacon in operation from the window of my parents' home. The beacon tower remains today, but is no longer operational. A few years ago, an extraordinarily dedicated individual made dozens of trips to the summit, carrying spray paint cans. Over an extended period, he hand-painted the entire tower. That's what I call an act of love.
As you approach the summit, you will pass two large towers which were once used to repeat radio communications between Salt Lake and points in eastern Utah. You can grab Cach-U-Nuts' The Billboards on the Mountain cache here. The "billboards" are visible throughout the Salt Lake valley and give Mt. Wire much of its character.
On to the summit! Be sure to look for the Mt. Wire Coin Cache near the top. Summit elevation: 7,115 feet.
If you are still full of energy, you can make a short detour to the northeast to pick up Wasatch Workout - Mt. Wire and XXXIII. An even longer side trip will yield Beyond the Beacon.
Now for the puzzle:
Select the correct answer for each question below. This will provide the digits for A through F which can be plugged into the coordinates below.
1. The gate was made with materials from:
Acme Fence Company (A = 4)
Bonneville Construction Supply (A = 6)
Cyclone Fence Company (A = 5)
Daggett Manufacturing (A = 7)
2. In what year was the tower painted & loved?
2004 (B = 8)
2006 (B = 2)
2005 (B = 7)
2008 (B = 0)
3. The southeast corner fencepost is:
Seriously bent (C = 9)
Hastily painted red (C = 5)
Heavily rusted (C = 7)
Clumsily supported by rocks (C = 0)
4. Who signed the door on 5-1-06?
Stan Hansen (D = 5)
Anthony Bruno (D = 6)
Sue and Johnny (D = 7)
Clarke Rodgers (D = 2)
5. How many strands of barbed wire run around the perimeter?
2 (E = 8)
3 (E = 5)
None (E = 0)
4 (E = 1)
6. How many bolts attach each rung of the ladder?
4 (F = 2)
None - they are welded (F = 9)
2 (F = 5)
6 (F = 0)
The cache is at:
N 40 45.ABC
W 111 49.DEF
Beacon Ridge Summit is a match tube.
I hope you enjoyed the hike and the geocaching!