Welcome, Adventurers. I have been to the Hydra's Lair, and it is not for the faint of heart. The journey through the dark lands will test your mettle and weaken your resolve. The rewards are plenty however as the beast guards a mound of treasure and is an unwary creature. Read on carefully and you will likely survive.
I enjoy exploring State Forests, and I'm particularly fond of bushwacking. I hope to place more caches around the county in remote State Forest areas for other cachers with this interest.
This cache is located deep in the Grantville State Forest near the riverbank of the Raquette River. It is a typical ammo container with lots of room for swag. I will prime it with some items I've collected, some interesting coins plus a FTF prize consisting of a 1960D Silver franklin half in uncirculated condition and a US $2 bill also in uncirculated conditon.
The challenge for this cache will be in actually getting there... the hide is easy and in a location consistent with the cache name. There is a one mile (one way) hike through forested and swampy terrain with overgrown access roads. The roads through the forest are rarely used, except occasionally by 4 wheelers and hunters. Consequently the roads have become thick with growth and muddy with groundwater. There is also a lot of swampy terrain. Although I will give you the coordinates of the start of the "recommended" trail in, you will frequently have to seek alternate routes, using secondary 4-wheeler trails and deer trails. You will also want to make use of your map software or a compass to make sure you don't stray into private land. Personally I use Google Maps as it shows the state forest boundary on the map. Fortunately there is cell service throughout the area. I can tell you that there is a "clean" solution to this problem that can get you in and out with minimal fuss (unless it has rained recently)... but you need to use your navigation skills.
You should come prepared for about 45-90 mins to get there and about 30-45 mins to get back out again. You should also prepare for some serious bushwacking... wear pants and prepare to get wet and dirty. Bring food, water, bug dope (in summer) and a good walking stick. Also, be aware that this area is used for hunting. During Hunting season (deer in particular) you should wear appropriate bright orange clothing so that you are not mistaken for *ahem* something else.
You can also get to this cache by boat or kayak... I suspect the difficulty is a considerably less using that method but I can provide no advice on where to put in etc.
Here is a little history on this forest for your reading pleasure from the NY DEC website:
This forest consists of 6 separate parcels which were purchased between 1937 and 1950 for the purposes of reforestation, wildlife management, timber production, recreation, and watershed protection. The northernmost portion of the property once included several farms and a bridge across the Raquette River, which were abandoned and removed many years ago. Many of the properties purchased by the state in the 1930s and early 1940s were exhausted farmland with little tree cover. The first priorities after the establishment of a state forest were to reforest the land, prevent soil erosion, and minimize the threat of wildfires.
I would like to hear about your experiences getting to this cache. I find that despite the difficulty the terrain is quite varied and beautiful.
Thanks to Elredd for coming with me on this one, and suggesting the cache name! Elredd will log a visit but not the FTF... thats still up for grabs :)
Good luck!