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Arghh2006: Time for another cache in the area.

GC19YPH ▼

A cache by Arghh2006 Message this owner

Hidden : 3/5/2008

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

The Central Ontario Geocachers invite you to attend our annual event in Central Ontario:

For complete event information check our event page GC15P52

ABOUT THIS CACHE:

SF#4 Boots along the 9 mile portage

A new trail...

The Nine Mile Portage Heritage Trail is a multi-use recreational trail running between Memorial Square in Barrie and Fort Willow Heritage Site and Conservation Area in Springwater Township.

... drawn from our past ...

The Nine Mile Portage was first used by the early aboriginal inhabitants of the area as a communications and trade route. It eventually formed part of the larger Nottawasaga Route between Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay, and is presented in the context of that larger route.

The Nottawasaga Route ran up the Humber River to the Carrying Place; Holland River to Lake Simcoe; followed the Nine Mile Portage from Kempenfelt Bay (now Barrie) to Willow Landing (3/4 of a mile north of Fort Willow); Willow Creek and Nottawasaga River to Georgian Bay (where Wasaga Beach is now situated).

The Portage was almost certainly used in turn by French explorers and missionaries and by the fur traders. It was probably one of the routes that the Iroquois raiding parties took as they travelled north en-route to decimate the Huron (Ouendat) nation.

... influencing decisions ...

In the late 1700s, John Graves Simcoe, the first British Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, ordered the building of Yonge Street from York (now Toronto) to Holland Landing on Lake Simcoe, thus bypassing the Humber and Holland Rivers. The Nine Mile Portage thus became part of a more practicable Nottawasaga route.

... protecting Upper Canada’s future ...

At the outbreak of the War of 1812 with the United States, it was via the Nine Mile Portage that the news traveled by express canoe from Fort George to Fort St. Joseph, near Sault Ste Marie, enabling the crucial British capture of Fort Michilimackinac.

In the spring of 1814, Lt. Colonel McDouall’s vital and heroic relief expedition of over 200 men passed this way. They left Kingston in early February, marched to Fort Willow, built 29 bateaux in the area, and proceeded to Michilimackinac, arriving in mid-May with vital supplies for the beleaguered garrison.

Following the Treaty of Ghent in December of 1814, the British garrisons and fleet were built up to protect against any future U.S. threat. Personnel and tons of supplies and equipment passed westward over the portage to establish posts at Drummond Island and Penetanguishene, and to equip new naval vessels being built.

... and expanding our nation!

British Navy Hydrographic teams, Sir John Franklin the Arctic Explorer, David Thompson the Boundary Commissioner, and pioneer settlers heading west, all passed this way. It is in these historic footprints that you can now follow. Today we take Highway 400 and cellular phones for granted. In the past, the Nine Mile Portage was the equivalent of Highway 400 and the microwave communications links.

Trail Vision

The Nine Mile Portage Heritage Trail will be a vehicle of connection: past with present, water with land, urban with rural, recreation with discovery.

Opened in 2003, the initial route mainly follows sidewalks and roadways. In time, it is intended to develop the Trail to follow the original historic route as closely as possible. At all times, regardless of the stage of development, the rights of private property owners must be strictly observed. No right-of-way exists along most of the historic route of the Nine Mile Portage.

Above: (Top) Reenactor Fur Traders land at Barrie's waterfront in a traditional birch bark canoe to simulate the beginning of the old portage at 'the landing place'. (Middle) Visitors explore Historic Willow Depot, now known as Fort Willow located in the Township of Springwater, where travellers completed the portage. (Bottom) A murale downtown Barrie.

MAPS & History

The Nine Mile Portage Recreation Trail
A Brief History by Brad Rudychyk

About the cache and the area

The cache is located in a ravine off of Shirley St on a trail that most likely was the nine mile portage trail. There are 2 suggested parking area. PK1 is on Shirley St and takes you down the ravine on the trail. This is if you want to use the scenic route which I recommend. You may want to bring raquettes if attempting in the winter. PK2 is a short distance from the cache and is more winter friendly but there is a little creek to cross. Please be respectful of the private properties surrounding the ravine. *** March 26 08 note: After rescuing the cache from the abyss, I filled up the hole with packed leaves. No need for leaves digging. I also added screws to keep the cache in the upper part.

You may be lucky enough to find one of these magnets in this cache:

If you have, bring it to the Fling for an extra draw ticket (1 per geocaching name).

COG would like to thank the placer of this cache for helping us promote COG Spring Fling IV.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Lrf, lbh unir gb chg lbhe unaq va gurer.

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)