Morris Canal - Roxbury Series - Plane 1 East Traditional Cache
Morris Canal - Roxbury Series - Plane 1 East
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Through a series of water turbine power inclinde planes, locks, and aqueducts built above and across rivers, the Morris Canal was the world's biggest hill climber and with the help of mules on towpaths, traversed 102 miles, transporting mostly Pennsylvania coal but also iron ore and other goods across the face of northern New Jersey.
The Morris Canal, largely unknown today, had the world's greatest elevation change of 1,674 feet. The elevation change was 914 feet from the eastern terminus on the Hudson River in Jersey City, New Jersey at sea level, to the summit in Port Morris (Roxbury Twp.), New Jersey. The elevation change from the summit to the Delaware River at the western terminus, in Phillipsburg, New Jersey was 760 feet as the river was at an elevation of 154 feet. The water powering the entire canal, using gravity and ingenuity, came from primarily from Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake.
The Morris Canal underwent various changes during its life by combining and eliminating some locks. The Canal was also deepened, lengthened and widened to transport larger barges. The locks were re-numbered to meet it's changing face as well. The locks and planes were numbered from the summit, both east and west, so Plane 4E, or Plane 4 East was the fourth plane from the Morris Canal summit towards the east and numbered conversely for those located to the west of the Canal summit.
Plane 1 East, by it's name, is the first plane barges encountered when beginning their travel towards the terminus in Jersey City, NJ. As you travel up from the parking are, you will begin to see that you are in the bottom of the Plane of this particular section of the Canal. Unfortunately, over the years, people have dumped numerous piles of debris into the Canal, but it's basic form can still be seen.
BYOP to sign the log. DO NOT WALK ON SHIPPENPORT ROAD TO ACCESS THE GEOCACHE. There is a trail (trailhead) available at the Parking Waypoint provided to you! be safe.
After finding the cache, continue north along the Canal Plane until you get to Shippenport Road. Cross the road, and you will see an even better example of the construction of the Canal. I did not place the cache here because access to this area of the Canal was through private residences, and entry off the road was dangerous and could potentially damage the Canal, which is a National Historic Landmark. Enjoy this wonderful piece of human technology. Enjoy the Canal.
Congratulations to Biga800 on the FTF!!!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Cvyr bs Ebpxf.
Treasures
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