Stressed Iron Bridge on the Chippewa River Trail Mystery Cache
Stressed Iron Bridge on the Chippewa River Trail
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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The coordinates above are in the middle of the Chippewa River, so dont seek the cache there. This is a mystery cache. Go to the end of the old iron bridge that connects the Chippewa River Trail with the Red Cedar Trail to be near the final cache.
The bridge was at one time the end of the Chippewa River Trail, but Pepin County has recently extended the trail down to Durand, following the abandoned railway right of way. You will find a beautiful old stressed iron bridge at 44.42.217; 91.52.164.
To find the final cache, you will need to determine the length of the bridge.
The final cache is at
44.42.ABC
91.52.DEF
ABC = Length of bridge - 683
DEF = Length of bridge - 574
This is one of a series of caches along the Chippewa River Trail. The route traces quiet countryside and broad meanders of the Chippewa River. For the most part, it follows the rail bed of the Milwaukee Road railway, built in 1882, which connected Eau Claire to Red Wing, Minnesota. The railway was abandoned in 1980.
The Chippewa River was once the "Road of War" for the Ojibwe (Chippewa) and Dakota (Sioux). It was a direct canoe route between the center of Dakota power at the north end of Lake Pepin and Ojibwe territory in northwestern Wisconsin. The conflict raged for more than 150 years with the last battle taking place near Eau Claire in 1854.
The trail goes though the Lower Chippewa River Valley, an area with much remaining natural habitat, including 50% of the states plant species, 70% of the state's fish species, 75% of the state's nesting bird species and 25% of all native prairies remaining in the state.
A trail pass is required to bike on the trail. Passes are available at 44.47.165; 91.31.935, which is the Short Street range station. Passes cost $15 for an annual pass, or $4 for a daily pass.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
1. Gur oevqtr vf ybatre guna 846 srrg.
2. Pnpur vf uvtu nobir gur jngre yvar abj, ohg jnf haqrejngre guvf fcevat.