To find the cache prepare to walk, run, or bike on a nicely paved
fitness trail that overlooks beautiful Lake Champlain with the
mountains of Vermont to the east.
This cache was placed in memory of the historic Plattsburgh Air
Force Base, 380th Bombardment Wing, which closed in 1993. The cache
honors the people, the Air Force mission, and the aircraft that
were in operation at PAFB, particularly the FB-111 Aardvark. The
F-111 has been retired from the USAF inventory, but is currently
still in service with the Royal Australian Air Force/RAAF, and this
country has stated that the F-111 will stay in service until the
year 2020. The U.S. F-111's served proudly during the "Desert
Storm" campaign, playing a key role in strategic bombing
operations. Of the 8,000 "smart bombs" dropped by the allied
aircraft during Desert Storm, 50% of these were launched by the
reliable "Whispering Death" F-111 Aardvark. This aircraft was
nicknamed "Aardvark" due to its long nose, very much characteristic
of anteaters. There is a retired FB-111 near the east/west
entrances of the base. Great spot for picture-taking.
The theme of the cache is aviation, so bring something related
to commercial or military aviation. There is a Kodak recyclable
camera in the container. Please snap a shot of yourself or your
party at the site, and we will post your photo on the cache site
when all shots have been taken.
The cache is a small ammo can. Parking can be found in two
places: for the longer walk, park near the former Officer's Club at
N 44 41.581', W 073 26.749'. For a shorter walk, park near the City
of Plattsburgh Recreation Building at N 44 41.209', W 073 26.757'.
The trail is located behind the buildings.
As you walk the trail, you will eventually have to cross the
bridge that leads down to the old marina. It is suggested that you
walk all the way down during milder seasons and enjoy the view from
the beach.