Treed By A Moose Traditional Cache
BlueRajah: I am archiving this cache to keep it from continually showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements. The reviewers requested the cache to be reviewed and no action was taken. If this was done in error please contact me immediately. If the cache was archived because of maintenance issues (no response to our earlier notes on the cache page) you will need to submit a new cache.
Thank you,
BlueRajah
Volunteer Geocache Reviewer - Utah
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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***Congratulations to Trilobite Kid for FTF***Cache is located part
way up the trail leading to 5th Water Springs, it is a steady climb
upwards on a well maintained trail. Makes for a good workout and if
you hike all the way to the springs a great reward to be able to
soak in the natural hot springs!!!
This cache is placed in memory of an event that occurred to me on
this trail last fall. Upon reading the story you will fully
understand how this cache got its name. I would normally take
Thursdays off and head to the spring with a friend. On this one
particular day my springing partner got delayed at work and could
not take off at our scheduled time. Rather than wait and have less
time to soak at the spring I decided to head up there by myself! I
know I know, going against everything my mom taught me. When I
arrived at the trail head I noticed an older gentleman stop his
truck. I thought he would be coming up the trail behind me; about 1
mile or so up the trail I got this uneasy feeling; The type where
you get goose bumps on your arm. I heard a rustling sound in the
leaves. I looked to my right and what did I see…a great big moose
looking at me. I could have taken 3 steps forward, reached out and
touched the moose on its head. I froze…we stared each other in the
eyes….fear stricken on both ends (or at least on my end :]) What to
do in a situation like this? (Being 10 feet from a moose) The moose
had been drinking from the river. I had visions in my head of my
friends grandfather whose surprise death was from being trampled by
a moose on his way to church in a small rural Colorado town a few
months prior I decided to bolt and ran up the trail…not taking the
time to look back. I saw a tree and decided to climb and wait till
someone else came up the trail. After 15 minutes of sitting perched
up in the tree I came to my senses that A. The moose was not
following me and B. The man from the trail head was obviously not
hiking up this trail…..I did not want to go back down the trail,
since this is where I had my encounter with the moose…so the only
other option was to get to the spring as fast As I could and just
enjoy soaking till my friend came to join me. I think I stayed
glued to the tub for 4 hours straight. When my friend arrived I
asked if he had seen the moose on the way up. He said no, over the
course of the day several other people hiked up to the spring. None
of which had seen the moose. On the way back down the trail I was
re telling the story to my friend. We got close to the bridge and
there was that damn moose again, right in front of the bridge. I
went backwards and Rich wandered towards it, mesmerized by the
giant creature. A man started coming down the trail, he had an
infant on his back. I mentioned the moose and he said he needed to
get down the trail now. He took off toward the moose. Timing could
not have been anymore perfect. Two other people started to come
from the other side of the bridge. Picture this: the moose
completely surrounded by people….and a fence to his left. The guy
with the baby on his back took off towards it swinging his arms and
growling….The moose reared back and his hair stood up like a dog or
cat that is defensive. Thank god he took off running up along the
fence line and just watched us so we could pass. I have hiked this
trail over 50 times…and other than the occasional run in with a
snake this was my first animal encounter on my way to the springs.
The cache is placed high, so remember to look and go up! Read the
hint for a more detailed explanation of its positioning! I would
highly recommend taking the time to hike and soak in the springs
after finding the geocaches placed along this trail. This has to be
one of the most peaceful and naturally therapeutic places I have
found in Utah as of yet. It is the type of place everyone should
experience at least once!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Pyvzo 20-25 sg hc FR fvqr pnpur vf cynprq ba ebcr ba fbhgu fvqr bs gerr.
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