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Ghost Rails: #012 Lower End of Swale Canyon Traditional Geocache

Hidden : 10/23/2011
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Ghost Rails is an on-going series of caches dedicated to a time gone by, a time when the railroads were a major part of the lives of the people and communities of this great country. In many places, the railroads have disappeared. No longer needed, the tracks were removed, and the remnants neglected and forgotten. Ghost Rails will attempt to show you some of these places for a short history lesson and your caching enjoyment.

In 1903, the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railroad built the original railroad linking Lyle and Goldendale to transport crops, lumber and livestock. Passenger service existed for several years during the 1920s between Portland, Oregon, and Goldendale, Washington. Lumber was king and the railroad was an important part of its transport until the 1980s.

It was abandoned in 1992 following the decline of the lumber mill in the town of Klickitat and the mill in Goldendale. The railroad right-of-way was purchased in 1993 by the national Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Ownership of the rail line was transferred to Washington State Parks in 1994. Despite some local opposition, public support prevailed. In 2003, local supporters of the Trail formed the Klickitat Trail Conservancy (KTC). The Trail, a public right of way, is now managed cooperatively by Washington State, the U.S. Forest Service, and the KTC.

The Klickitat Trail extends from Warwick, Washington, on the high prairie of the Goldendale Plateau, winds its way down through Swale Canyon before turning to follow the nationally designed Wild & Scenic Klickitat River to the Columbia River at Lyle, Washington.

The cache is located near the lower end of Swale Canyon on the Klickitat Trail. It is about a quarter of a mile hike from the trail head near Wahkiacus up toward Swale Canyon. The cache is a camoed de-con container with log and small trade items. Please make certain the top is tightly closed after logging your find.

Cache on, Dudes!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Qbhtynf Sve nobhg 4 srrg bss tebhaq

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)