Shining Rock Traditional Cache
NCreviewer: This cache has been reported as being placed within a Wilderness Area. By request of the National Forest Service office that manages this area the cache has been archived. Please remove your container at your earliest convenience. A discussion of this situation can be found here in the NCGO forums. http://www.ncgeocachers.org/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3117&start=0
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
NCreviewer/Matt
Volunteer geocaching.com reviewer
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(regular)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Summit of Shining Rock 5982' near HUGE quartz summit rocks
Easiest access probably from Black Balsam parking lot at end of FR 816 near MM 420 on Blue Ridge Pkwy. Then to Shining Rock Gap via Ivestor Gap Road (Art Loeb Trail is slower and more difficult.) From SR Gap, trail much more difficult and more elusive-begins in a gulley.At huge stone wall with conifer canopy, trail continues upward to east--passes small clearing with view of Mt Pisgah several hundred yards from summit. This is probably 6-7 hour round trip, although you could visit the Art Loeb Trail cache (separate geocacher) at Black Balsam first for a nice combo trip.
Container as of 9/20/02 is a 7.65 mm weatherproof ammo box with official insignia on it-covered with large, flat piece of snow-white quartz, but
you could look right at it and hardly see it--hidden in
underbrush. New contents as of 9/20/02: (1) Coleman brass whistle with lanyard (2) Blue Ridge Mountains refrigerator magnet (3) multifunction knife/flashlite in wrapped box (4) emergency candle with base (5) calculator in small white box (6) Coleman lantern key chain (7) Eveready AA flashlite (8) small flag pin (9) New set of Blue Ridge Parkway playing cards-still wrapped-nice. Plus other items--pack of playing cards, toy stuffed lion,a Louisiana quarter, rock with pyrite in it, silver-colored necklace and a dollar bill
. Plus Rite-N-The-Rain logbook, pen, pencil, and disposable flash camera (to be left in cache) You will almost certainly need to decode the hint below as you could stand several feet away and not see the cache.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Sebz uhtr fhzzvg ebpxf (ovttre guna pnef) ybbx qbja nobhg 30-40 srrg abegu gb frireny ynetr dhnegm ebpxf gbtrgure--pybfrfg bar vf synggre,abegureazbfg bar vf ebhaqre. Pnpur vf 6 srrg AR bs gur ebhaq ebpx arne onfr bs 7 sbbg pbavsre va haqreoehfu.N cvrpr bs 8 gb 10 vapu syng dhnegm fvgf ba gbc bs gur pnpur pbagnvare.