Parting of the Ways: Oregon or California? Traditional Cache
Parting of the Ways: Oregon or California?
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Size: 
(regular)
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“…We bid goodbye to those that take the California Road, we keep our eyes straight ahead, no tear shed, no regrets expressed. We feel considerable relieved and think we have had our train purged of many a contrary stubborn disposition and shall have less contention and fault finding.” (The Diary of H.M. Judson, On the Oregon Trail, August 11, 1862)
This geocache location along the Oregon Trail could be called “Decision Point” because here some people on the Oregon Trail finally decided between heading to Oregon or California. From 1843 to 1848, the California Cutoff was the main route from here, southwest to the City of Rocks. Between 1841 and 1860, about 500,000 people passed this point. Before 1848, more than 100,000 emigrants turned here on their California journey. An estimated one-third of the Forty-Niners traveled this way. The route continued to be used until the railroads connected in 1869.
The south route to California from this point was first proven a feasible route in 1826 by Peter Skeen Ogden and his Snake Brigade, who crossed the Granite Pass. Joseph Chiles, in 1842, determined a wagon route was feasible as he wandered from California to Fort Hall. In 1843, Chiles with Joseph Walker as guide, eight wagons and thirty emigrants, turned southwest here and headed toward California. Walker defined the California wagon trail from here to the Humboldt River and to California. Joseph C. Fremont camped September 26, 1843, on the Raft River.
The contents of this cache were assembled at the Idaho Falls Event Cache.
Please DO NOT TRESPASS on private land... and make sure to respect the fragile nature of the old Oregon Trail!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gur pnpur vf ybpngrq guvegl-svir cnprf JFJ bs gur bssvpvny znexre fvta. Vg vf n ynetr terra nzzb obk, fvggvat ng gur onfr bs n ovt fntroehfu.
Treasures
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