This is my second cache placement and I thought I would focus this multicache around another hidden, historical area of Letchworth Park. The area I speak of is located high above the council grounds and about .4 miles from the Rail Road high bridge. When the Rail Road was constructed in this area around 1852, they met some big challenges. First they had to span the Genesee River gorge and they accomplished this by building the world’s largest wooden bridge at the time. They also had to make a one half mile railroad cut to keep the grade they wished to lay the tracks. The railroad cut was used only a short time before the tracks were moved and some large blocks where placed at the end of the cut to form a large reservoir of water. The railroad used this new source of water to fill the steam engines and to provide water for fire protection of the wooden bridge. After each train crossed the bridge a bridge worker would walk across and check the bridge for any sparks from the smoke stack that may be burning on the wooden deck and extinguish them. Paleoman told me that this reservoir was still full of water and in good shape back in 1972 when he worked there on a summer crew where they cleaned the banks of the old reservoir and helped to build fishing docks. Since that time the Park has not performed any maintenance in this area and as a result the dam does not hold a full volume of water now because one side of the dam is washed out. The stones that were laid to build this dam are quite impressive in size but they are now showing tremendous signs of erosion and some are falling apart. The dam has a cement cap and this also is in poor condition. This cache will give you a chance to see a glimpse of the past before it is consumed by nature and does not exist anymore.
This multi cache is a nice walk on an old path that will take you from the parking lot of the High Bridge to a nice trail that follows a path through the woods that eventually connects to the old road road bed that once used to pass through this area. Once you arrive at the Parking Coordinates, you will need to do a little math to get the coordinates for the first leg. Once you get to the location of the first leg, look for a set of coordinates that will take you to the second leg. Once at this location find the coordinates that will take you to the final. At the first 2 legs it is not necessary to tear up the area to find the coordinates; it might require a view from a different angle or a light touch. While you are strolling from point to point drift off the trail sometimes and check out some of the huge trees that grow in these woods. This is a very old forest and it has a unique environment. It is quite open and inviting.
OK lets figure out the coordinates for the first leg. There is a metal sign that sits next to the parking lot and this will provide you with valuable information. There are 3 dates and one 3 digit number located on this sign.
To get the North coordinates use the last 2 digits of the year the bridge was built -1. Add this number to the last 3 numbers of the north parking coordinates.
Now for the west coordinates; add the last 2 digits of each date together and write that number down. Next subtract the last 2 digits of the year the bridge was built from the last 2 digits from the year the bridge burned and add 1 to this number. Subtract this number from first number that you wrote down when you added all the last 2 digits of all the years together and add the result to the last 3 digits of the west parking coordinates.
For the first cacher to reach this cache I am offering a nice award. I couldn’t get Paleoman to give me another nice arrowhead so I decided that I will make something myself and offer it as the First to Find Prize. I will give the first finder a pan of homemade brownies, and be sure to not let Paleoman have any of these because he is getting stingy with his arrowheads and doesn’t deserve one, Haha! There is also a lot of other cool swag items in the cache such as a signed Mr. Scribbles art piece on a flint flake, 3 handmade beaded necklaces with a nice stone or two hanging from it, a bees wax candle, a pedometer and a carabineer. Please trade fairly to keep the cache stocked up, thank you!
I wish to thank Letchworth State Park Manager Roland Beck for reviewing and approving this cache.
Free Counter
A huge congratulations to TheMaloneFamily and CYLump on their team effort for the first to find. Great Job!