Rutherford B. Mine Traditional Cache
ramapo: Access to the cache has changed and the area is no longer conducive to this hide. It will be removed. Had a great run.
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The cache is located near an open trench of the Rutherford Mine complex and can be found not far from a woods road within the Newark Watershed. **** Hiking Permits Required **** For permit info see: http://www.nynjtc.org/trails/peqpermit.html
This is the second of what is turning into a series of caches hidden near a historic mine of the Jersey Highlands This was our first visit to this area and the Rutherford Mines did not disappoint. We found multiple deep and open shafts, open trenches, and exploratory pits. Most are water-filled. All are fascinating. **Extreme caution should be used while exploring this area. Mine shafts can be found very close to the woods road. There are also remnants of barbed-wire fences surrounding some of the pits. Take extra care to avoid the not-so-obvious barbed wire.** These mines were active from the second quarter of the 19th century through the 1890s. Ore was used to supply the nearby Clinton Furnace, and later, the Franklin Furnace. The Iron Mine Trail book is an excellent source of info for those interested in the history of these landmarks. Park at P5 along Clinton Rd. **Permit Required** Follow the woods road (Delazier Rd.) for a short distance to the Yellow Trail. Follow the Yellow Trail to avoid the posted private property section of the road. The cache is a short bushwhack off the trail, near the woods road and on watershed property. You can explore the area for remains of the mines but be respectful of the private property boundaries. Most of the mines are located on the northwest side of the road and are fairly easy to find. Additional holes are located furthur down the road from the cache. We logged seven holes ranging from test pit to impressive mine shaft. There may be more but didn't have a chance to fully explore the entire area. Citicar generously donated the cache and the swag is the typical, first-rate Citicar swag. There are even prizes for the intrepid early explorer. The cache is jam-packed so no large trades. It is hidden a safe distance from the nearby open trench.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre yrsg fvqr bs syng ebpx
Treasures
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