WB&E Trail - Abandoned Rails Traditional Cache
stellarscapes: Archiving this geocache because the area has been changed. I’m assuming the cache container has been bulldozed over and is no longer retrievable. Thanks to all those that made the hike here to find this geocache.
WB&E Trail - Abandoned Rails
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This is another cache in the WB&E Trail Series. This cache is located within State Game Lands #38. The cache is located near a part of the WB&E Trail along the northwestern side of Camelback Mountain. Since this is State Gamelands, be sure to wear bright ORANGE clothing during hunting season. Please be aware that this is a long hike and it will take you deep into the depths of SGL #38. You will also need to cross a creek/small ravine on your way to the cache.
This cache is located near some old abandoned rails from the old WB&E Railroad. Take some time to explore the area. I'm not sure exactly what was here, but you will find some abandoned rails along and over part of the creek. This creek is Sand Spring Run and is the run-off from the nearby lake. You will also find a concrete structure nearby, not sure exactly what it was from, perhaps there was a siding, building or some kind of railroad bridge here.
This cache is snow friendly. By that, I mean that IF you can make it through the snow to GZ, you will be able to find the cache.
As an added incentive to take a long hike, there is a FTF prize in the cache...an unactivated blue glitter ammobox geocoin.
Park at the SGL #38 parking area at the top of Camelback Mountain (N 41° 02.690’// W 075° 22.371’). One way hiking distance from the parking area to the cache is between 1-1/2 and 2 miles, but it involves a significant elevation change. From the parking area, follow the main trail past the gate until you see the power lines. Take the power line trail to the right - down the steep hill. Hiking boots are recommended here - lots of loose rocks. Follow the power line trail down about 1/2 mile or so, then be on the lookout for a wide trail off to the left just before one of the big power poles (Coordinates for the intersecting trail are N 41° 03.213 // W 075° 22.343’). Follow this trail down to the WB&E Old Railroad Grade Trail. Suggest you look at the trails marked on the topo map if you're not familiar with this area. The cache container is an ammo box.
WARNING: Elevation at the parking area is about 1960 feet. Elevation at the cache location is about 1577 feet. That's a difference of 400 feet, but the trail goes up and down a few times. TAKE YOUR TIME ON THE WAY BACK UP - IT'S A LONG STEEP CLIMB BACK UP THE TRAIL TO THE PARKING AREA!'
NOTE: There is an alternate parking area that will reduce your hike by about 1/4 mile each way and save you about 250 feet in elevation. There is a small pulloff in the grass just off the main road at coordinates N 41° 02.960’// W 075° 22.203’. You can then follow a smaller power line trail to the main power line trail.
WB&E Trail Series - This cache is part of the WB&E Trail Series. The WB&E (Wilkes-Barre and Eastern) Railroad was a shortline railroad that went from Wilkes-Barre to Stroudsburg from 1892 up to about 1939. It's main purpose was transporting anthracite coal and block ice. There was also passenger service between these two locations, but the freight trains had priority and the passenger trains were frequently delayed. Up to four coal trains per day traveled the tracks between Wilkes-Barre and Stroudsburg. Each train had up to 25 cars and three engines. The Tannersville Station was located on the other side of the mountain, on the part of the trail accessible from Railroad Avenue. Nothing is left of that station, only a small clearing in the trail just east of the large rock cut. Another station was located north of here, near Crescent Lake, on the other side of Interstate 80. This is cache #8 of the series of caches along the old railroad grade.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gbc bs uvyy - abegu fvqr bs perrx