Riverdale Ramble Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

New York Admin: Regrettably there has been no response from the cache owner placing me in a position where I must archive this cache. Caches archived by a reviewer or HQ staff for lack of maintenance or failure to respond can not be unarchived.

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Hidden : 8/4/2008
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Otherwise known as how to lose your phone in the woods while hiding a cache!

I wanted to place a cache in a little known area of the Bronx known as Riverdale Park. If you want to talk the long scenic route park at the parking lot located at the north end of Independence Ave. Otherwise you can come in at the entrance just south of the cache coordinates. Parking is best at the lot though as the road is narrow and parking is not permitted. Here is a link to the parks map (visit link)
I would not suggest this being a night cache unless you are up for a big challenge, it gets seriously dark down there. Trust me I know, I lost my cell phone while placing the cache and went back at 11pm to try and find it with JoeyDude! (he's the best!) We found it by the way.
This cache is starting out with 3 TBs and 2 coins. As usual you will find a FTF Rubber Ducky.

Below you will find some background info on the park

Riverdale Park
Raoul Wallenberg Forest Preserve
Borough: Bronx
Acres: 112
Habitat Type: Forest

Riverdale Park Preserve is known for its secluded beauty, thick woods, spectacular views of the Palisades along the Hudson, and as a haven for birds. Twenty-seven species, including the screech owl (Otus asio), have been confirmed as breeding in the park. The bedrock of Riverdale is billion-year-old Fordham gneiss, the oldest rock formation in New York City. On top of the gneiss, lies Inwood marble, which was once quarried in Riverdale for the production of lime. Remains of two lime kilns stand in the park today.

Riverdale contains about 50 forested acres, including mature oak-hickory forest, a forest that occurs on well-drained sites, often on ridge tops, upper slopes, or south and west facing slopes. Composed mainly of five species of oak with black birch and hickory, the woods are on their way to becoming a mature or "climax" forest – a forest whose shade-tolerant seedlings will survive beneath their parents. Red oak is most common here, identifiable by its bristle-tipped leaves and vertically striped bark. Other oaks include black, chestnut, white, and the water-favoring pin oak growing further downslope.

Although probably every area of Riverdale Park has been cleared at one time or another, the southern part is covered by the same type of forest that existed in pre-colonial times, where tulip trees as tall as 110-feet rise from the slopes of the ravine. Red oaks, black birch, black cherry, and hickory are scattered throughout the canopy. At the end of the ravine, a small grove of witch hazel grows on the eroded bluffs overlooking the Hudson. In the spring, woodland wildflowers like jack-in-the-pulpit, bloodroot, and blue violet bloom along the shaded path. Later in summer, spikenard, blue-stemmed goldenrod, and joe-pye weed flower as well.

The Alderbrook wetland and surrounding forest have benefited from a Natural Resources Group restoration project, funded by the New York State Clean Water Clean Air Bond Act, Environmental Protection Fund, and the City. Prior to the restoration, the wetland was clogged by sediment from the Alderbrook stream and compacted soil around the railroad tracks. Stands of invasive mugwort and Japanese knotweed seven-feet high had crowded out other vegetation. The restoration re-created the stream channel and open water area, and replaced invasive forest vegetation with native. Breeding birds found in this area include yellow warblers and common yellowthroats, both of whom nest in the dense shrubbery.

Easy access to the Hudson River makes the path to the Alderbrook wetland one of the most heavily used trails in Riverdale Park. However, crossing the tracks is prohibited. High speed trains and 700 volts of electricity from Metro-North's third rail make crossing the tracks very dangerous.

The Raoul Wallenberg Forest is located across the street from Riverdale Park, and is named in honor of a Swedish diplomat who is credited with saving tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews from likely extermination by the Nazis during World War II. This site contains many trees with trunks more than 30 inches in diameter. These include two white oaks with trunks 45 inches in diameter, and a European beech with a trunk 52 inches in diameter. Raoul Wallenberg Forest is also home to several densely vegetated areas of blackberries, wineberries, grapes, roses, black locust, sumac trees, and various wildflowers. Dozens of species of birds, including downy woodpeckers, red-tailed hawks, and white-throated sparrows, are also indigenous to the park.

In 1999, the Urban Park Rangers' Parks Conservation Corps worked alongside a forestry crew to re-open the staircase that had been overgrown with vegetation for years. Erosion control, trail maintenance, and native species plantings were also included in this project to improve Raoul Wallenberg Forest, a living tribute to a man who gave his life for the safety and survival of tens of thousands of others.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

vg fcyvgf naq fgnaqf gnyy.

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)


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