GC148KN Beacon Hill (Traditional Cache) in California, United States created by Salmon Falls Widow

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SalmonFallsWidow: archived

GC148KN ▼

A cache by Salmon Falls Widow Message this owner

Hidden : 7/9/2007

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

This cache is located in a park I just happened to stumble across. It's such a nice park that I decided to dropa cache so you can visit it too. Normal park hours apply. Stealth my be needed when muggles are about, but this part of the park shouldn't get too busy. You can even park within feet of the prize. [:D]

(taken from Wikipedia)

Beacon: Beacons are fires lit on hills or high places, used either as lighthouses for navigation at sea, or for signalling over land that enemy troops are approaching, and alerting the defence. In the latter form, beacons are an ancient form of optical telegraph and always used in relay leagues.

Incarnations of this system have existed over a large part of the world and in Scandinavia many hill forts were part of networks of beacons to warn about pillaging expeditions from other Scandinavians.

Similarly the Brecon Beacons in Wales take their name from beacons to warn of approaching English raiders.

In England, the most famous example is the beacons used in Elizabethan England to warn of the approaching Spanish Armada. This chain of beacons gave the name to many Beacon Hills.

Beacons have often been abused by pirates. A fire at a wrong position was used to direct a ship against cliffs or beaches, so the cargo could be looted after the ship sank or ran aground.

In modern technical parlance, a beacon can also be a transmitter used for navigation. Such as a cellphone tower.

Beacons are aids to navigation devices. Intentionally conspicuous, beacons help guide navigators to their destinations. Beacon types include radar reflectors, radio beacons, sound signals, and visual beacons. Visual beacons range from small, single-pile structures to large lighthouses or light stations and are located on land or in water. Lighted beacons are called lights; unlighted beacons are called daybeacons.

In The Lord of the Rings, a series of seven beacons are used as a signaling device between Gondor and Rohan. [1] In the film adaptation of The Return of the King, Gandalf has Pippin light the beacon closest to Minas Tirith. The series is then lit, thereby notifying Rohan's King Théoden that Gondor needs aid in the battle against Sauron.

It's kind of strange to think that this particular spot was named "Beacon Hill". I am not sure "who" would actually see any fire signal from here, but I digress. It's still a nice park.