Hayward Lake #6 Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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In the north central Fraser Valley is BC Hydro's Stave River hydroelectric project. The Stave Lake reservoir is bounded by the Stave Lake Dam. Downstream is the Hayward Lake reservoir and the Ruskin Dam.
The beauty and characteristics of the lake have created many recreational activities, from boating, fishing and swimming, to picnicking, hiking and mountain biking.
Hydroelectric developments were instrumental in shaping the history and landscape of the Stave Valley from as early as 1909 when the Western Canada Power Company Limited began the construction of a power plant at Stave Falls. Construction of the Stave Falls Dam and Powerhouse began in 1909 and was completed by January 1, 1912. From 1926 to 1928, the construction of an earthfill dam, tunnel and Powerhouse saw the completion of the Alouette component of the regional hydroelectric system. In 1929, construction began on Ruskin Dam and Powerhouse at the narrow granite gorge 5.6 km downstream of Stave Falls.
This development created Hayward Lake Reservoir, named after Stave Falls Dam's first Production Superintendent. An additional generator was installed in the Ruskin Powerhouse in 1950 to meet increased electrical demand in the region. Electric power produced at the Ruskin Generating Station is used to meet short term peak electrical demand in the Lower Mainland. In January 2000, an upgrade to the Stave Falls Dam and Powerhouse was completed to increase the Dam's efficiency while ensuring long term hydroelectric service. The Alouette- Stave- Ruskin generation system is a source of hydroelectricity for the Lower Mainland. Water from Alouette Lake is directed by tunnel to the Alouette Powerhouse on Stave Lake Reservoir where it then passes through the Stave Falls Powerhouse, and into Hayward Lake Reservoir. From here, water flows through the Ruskin Powerhouse and eventually down into the Fraser River. Together, the three Powerhouses have a production capacity of 203.6 megawatts of electricity.
The complete Hayward Lake loop is 17km long, and is divided into 2 sections. The "Reservoir" trail which is approximately 10 km, and the "Railway" trail which is aprox 7 km. This hike will take you past other great caches along an approximate 8km section of the trail. You will be wowed with some great views and lightly challenging terrain. If you tackle the whole thing in one go around, you may earn close to 40 smileys and some achy legs. Parking coords are indicated on the first cache Hayward Lake #1 - GC2QC7F and 2 vehicles are recommended to complete this portion of the "Reservoir" trail. Trail maps are located on cache page Hayward Lake #1 - GC2QC7F as well. Good luck and happy caching!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Oruvaq gur fghzc jvgu phg ybtf orfvqr