Nature Bats Last...Rock Walls Traditional Cache
poudrecacher: We thank all of you for all the wonderful geocaching memories...you are mighty fine folks. A special thanks to Denali41 who hooked us on geocaching years ago. It's time for us to be a gettin' along. Keep the outdoor spirit alive...cache on! Miss Katie, Sturgie, Bear and Stevie
Nature Bats Last...Rock Walls
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Heading west towards the mouth of Poudre Canyon, cross the cattleguard and go 0.7 mile (odometer mile) to the cache site. Just pass the 45 mph speed limit sign on your right, pull over and park in front of the large white "POUDRE RIVER STATE TRUST LAND' sign. The cache is a short walk towards Picnic Rock...a large rock outcropping that extends almost to the highway.
Back in the day, the old dusty Poudre Canyon road stopped at Picnic Rock. The folks visiting Poudre Canyon would have to stop at the rock outcropping where they'd have their picnics...hence, the name 'Picnic Rock'.
State Highway 14 is an original 1920's cross-state highway. SH 14 starts at Muddy Pass on the eastern slope of the Gore Range and ends at US Highway 6 in Sterling.
As you follow your GPS upstream towards the cache, notice the rock walls up the slope and down the canyon that were built about 100 years ago. These rock walls supported the structural integrity of a wooden pipeline made of Douglas fir staves which transported (via gravity flow) drinking water to Fort Collins from the Fort Collins Water Treatment Plant in Gateway Mountain Park. Construction on this plant started in 1903, and this facility closed down in 1987. It's interesting to note they built this plant up Poudre Canyon to get above the confluence of the North Fork of the Poudre River since its water was high in alkalinity and turbidity.
When they blasted the south side of Picnic Rock to extend the road on up the canyon, they used the rock pieces to build the ditchrider's house on. If you look down the canyon a short ways, this house is on the south side of the highway with cedar trees and Russian olive trees in front of the house.
This cache is within 10 yards of the highway and is in plain sight...should be a quick 'cache in a flash'. There are a few small items. Please bring a pen along...have fun!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
GUR FVYIRE OHYYRG ONAQ'f #1 PYNFFVP EBPX UVG FVATYR
Treasures
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