Blue Ridge Flume Cache Traditional Cache
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AWESOME, the FTF goes to
Team Sirius Adventurers, CONGRATS!!
Standing at this cache back in 1872 - 1876 you would look up and
see an amazing flume that may have stood 157’ above you. I am
not sure if it came off the top shelf? A recent survey at this site
suggests that it very well may have, you can still see the
flags/markers leading right to the the top. Looking at the topo
that's the figure I come up with if it did indeed come off the
top.
Depending on you parking area you can expect a 5+ mile hike. Please
see additional waypoint for my parking area. ( N 40° 16.964 W 122°
10.573 )
The history ---
Following the Civil War and completion of the Transcontinental
Railroad in 1869, the rapid development of northern Californian
towns and cities radically increased the need for construction
lumber. Prime mountain forests provided the best sources available,
but access to these areas was limited - there were few roads into
the mountain from the Sacramento Valley and its transportation hubs
at the time. Therefore, elaborate wooden flume systems, including
Tehama County's Blue Ridge Flume.
The Blue Ridge Flume traveled through both Shasta and Tehama
counties, but mostly Tehama County. The Blue Ridge Flume was a
whopping 42 miles long, making it the longest flume in Shasta
County. Its route traveled through both Shasta and Tehama counties,
but mostly Tehama County.
Construction on the flume began in 1872. It was built to provide
fast and cheap rough-cut lumber transportation from the mountain
sawmills to the valley floor. It traveled one way - downhill, and
passed through both Shasta and Tehama counties on its way to the
Sacramento River.
It's starting point was at the Clipper Mill, once located near the
head of the south fork of Digger Creek. Feeder lines were connected
to the Sugar Pine, Eureka, Defiance, Hazelton, and Moscow Mills,
which all merged into one flume.
It's original end of the line was at the mouth of Inks Creek at the
Sacramento River in Tehama County. In 1876, the flume was extended
from Inks Creek farther south to a lumber yard and planing mill at
Red Bluff, extending its length to 42 miles long.
It was an awesome looking structure and in some places stood to the
staggering height of 150 feet (at South Battle Creek). It was a
V-flume, so named for the "V" shape of its trough, and was built
with clear sugar pine wood. The sugar pine was cut into 2-foot-wide
boards to form the sides. To prevent water leakage, a six-inch-wide
board was nailed at the bottom of the trough to form a floor and
conserve water.
It didn't have a long lifespan. It was built in 1872, and in 1876,
only four short years later, the last lumber company to own it went
bankrupt and abandoned the flume.
Soon after that, settlers began dismantling the flume and helped
themselves to timbers, boards and nails to build houses, barns and
chicken coops. Some of those "flume" buildings are still standing
today.
Flume owners included the original owner, Blue Ridge Flume &
Lumber Company. That company went bankrupt in 1875 but soon
reorganized as the Blue Ridge Lumber Company. That year, the
company was purchased by Sierra Flume & Lumber Company. By
1876, that company dominated the timberlands from the Feather River
country to the Shingletown Ridge becoming the largest, most complex
lumber operation in the world. It also went bankrupt and abandoned
the flume.
Some cool somewhat sentimental swag.
Releasing a FTF coin also.
Log only/ no pencil.
Enjoy
Rooks
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
QRPBA pbagnvare...
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