Coalca's Pillar aka the Balancing Rock above 99E Traditional Cache
Coalca's Pillar aka the Balancing Rock above 99E
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(regular)
Related Web Page
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The cache is in one of the Willamette Greenway State Parks called Coalca Landing. About 3 miles south of Oregon City on 99E. Heading south on 99E once you see a building with wood carvings and chainsaw art on your left slow down and look for a place to drive over the railroad tracks on your right. Watch for trains; those are busy tracks and no railroad crossing gate or flashing lights to warn you a train is coming.
THERE ARE "NO PARKING" SIGNS AT THE ENTRANCE AND THE GATE TO THE PARKING LOT IS LOCKED. IF YOU CAN FIND A WAY TO GET THERE THE CACHE IS THERE FOR THE FINDING.
Once you're at the park, here is one spot where you can look across the highway and see Coalca's Pillar a.k.a. the Balancing Rock: N45 18.475 W122 39.771
Coalca's Pillar is up near the top of the bluff. It's really a basalt plug, not a balancing rock, but that's what googlemaps calls it.
The bluff used to have a lot less vegetation. The area was logged in the past and with fewer trees the pillar was much easier to see. It really stood out and was a local attraction / landmark (back when people would travel to go see unusual rock formations).
There are a couple of different Native American legends about the pillar, one published in 'Sunset' magazine in 1910 (visit link)
BTW, if you want to do more research, you might find it spelled "Coalca", "Coalco" or "Coolca".
Some books that discuss it are "FREE LAND for FREE MEN, A Story of Clackamas County" by Vera Martin Lynch, copyright 1973 and "Oregon Then and Now" with photos from Benjamin Gifford and Steve Terrell, copyright 2000.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Pnpur vf ng gur onfr bs n gerr. Ba gur fvqr bs gur gerr gung snprf gur evire. Gur gerr unf gjb gna-pbyberq ersyrpgvir Sver Gnpxf fghpx va gur gerr nobhg 7 sg bss gur tebhaq.