The Hanging Tree Traditional Cache
Hidden : 3/21/2011
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

One of Helena's "best-kept secrets." The story behind this location is like one right out of a dime-novel or Western movie, and sometimes fact is stranger that fiction.

DO NOT approach this geocache from the Interstate - use the frontage road to the west (exit at Montana City and Clancy), and park at the volunteer fire dept. station just west of the cache location.

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Thousands of people drive by this tree everyday, but very few are aware that it bore witness to dozens of hangings in the late 1800's. Upon close inspection, you can still see where the ropes wore marks into the branches.

During the later half of the 1800's, Helena's economy was greatly dependent upon the wealth that was mined from the earth - gold, silver, copper and lead. Miners who worked claims in the nearby Elkhorn mountains had to make trips into Helena regularly in order to resupply their camps and cash in their holdings.

The route, which followed Prickly Pear Creek, was a rough-cut road which made its way through a narrow stretch of canyon, just outside of Helena's city limits. This choke-point was often overwatched by road-agents and other troublesome folks who held travelers at gun-point and took their money and possessions.

Eventually, tired of being robbed and beaten, citizen groups of vigilantees and possees were formed and began taking matters into their own hands. They would catch the bandits and hang them in a large pine tree near the canyon as a means of putting on display examples of what would happen to anyone caught attempting to rob trail riders. Many times, local authorities turned a blind-eye towards this lawlessness; out-of-sight, out-of-mind was the unofficial policy.

This large ponderosa pine tree that still stands between the town of Clancy and city of Helena became known locally as "The Hanging Tree", which remains today as testiment to days gone by when justice was often swift and merciless; the way things could often be done back in the days of the Wild West.

There is a Waymark at this location: WM9DTJ

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Terra

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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