Gilllmaaan Traditional Geocache
RubyHunter: Time to take this one off line. Thanks to those who took the time to go out and find this cache.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache is located on the west shore of Gilman Lake. Nestled at the base of Speculator Mountain, this lake is my favorite camping and hiking spots. I’ve been coming here with friends and family for weekend escapes for years. With the exception of some locals traveling to either Wells or Speculator, this is a very peaceful area.
The lake and surrounding areas is located on NYSDEC managed land, and is freely accessible to the public for recreational use. So bring your camping gear and make a weekend of it.
Access to the cache will have to be made by boat. Sorry. In years past you could have hiked up an unmarked road/driveway off Gilmantown road, which would have led you to what is known as The Soldiers‘ Widows cabin.
The cabin had been abandoned since the Sixties, one look inside would stand testament to that. Coke cans that needed a real can opener to open, Bandaide tins with a large red cross on them and many other items that would be considered museum pieces nowadays. But unfortunately the property was sold and the new owners have posted no trespassing signs. Dang shame.
I originally intended the cache to be an extension, of sorts, of KC2WI’s Patriots Rest and Beyond the Grave Caches. It would have been located in a crotch between Speculator and Cutknife mountains. Which would offer a
spectacular view of Gilman Lake. However, the path to the cache would have taken hikers past a few active bear dens. Never a good idea under any circumstances. So in the interest of safety, I moved the cache to a lower and more accessible location.
One could try for all three by going through the gap formed by Speculator Mountain and Guideboard Hill. Just be prepared for a full afternoon, and have a boat or car waiting on the other side.
*** NOTICE ***
NYDEC has closed the area to camping. It was slated to reopen in the spring of 2010 but budget cuts have put those plans on hold.
Congratulations to Princess Caroline for the FTF. Well done.
PS - That rock/tree is one of many that populate those hills. More so than I've seen anywhere else.
Additional Hints
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