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Hells Canyon - Hess Road Traditional Cache

Hidden : 8/1/2014
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Hess Road is one of a few roads in the area where your vehicle can travel from the bottom of Hells Canyon up to the surrounding higher elevations.  This one is primitive & fairly remote and connects the Homestead Rd along the Snake River to the Wallowa Mountain Loop (Highway 39) which is paved.  It will take you from the arid grasslands at lower elevations to the green forests of the Wallowa-Whitman NF at higher elevations.



This view from near the cache shows the gradual transition from grassland to forest. In the background you can also see Hess Rd snaking its way down the hill to Hells Canyon.

If you enjoy exploring remote and scenic places in the Hells Canyon area and don't mind slightly primitive conditions, you may want to try this route.  In a few short miles it transitions from the dry, arid grasslands of the lower elevations along the Snake River to the lush forests at higher elevations.  Along the way you will almost continuously have some awesome views of the Snake River, Hells Canyon, and the surrounding rugged mountains.

Although the road was in good condition when the cache was placed, a higher clearance vehicle would be desireable "just in case".  You won't need your 4WD unless road conditions are wet.  However, you should know that most of this road has a steep grade for a significant duration.  If your vehicle is prone to over-heating, you may want to consider starting at the top and going downhill.  That direction will also face you in the direction of the best views as you drive. If you decide to come to the cache this way, the coordinates for the Hess Road turnoff from Highway 39 are given below as the STAGE1 waypoint (courtesy T. Fuller).

The cache is an ammo box which will be easy to find from the hint. To get near the cache you will need to turn off on a side road and go about a half mile to the end of it. See STAGE2 waypoint coordinates provided for the turn-off location.

This area is remote so please take necessary precautions and use common sense.  Make sure your vehicle is up to the task and as in any remote location have plenty of gas, food, water, and emergency supplies.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Na nzzb obk orgjrra n ebpx naq n cvar cynpr.

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)