When geocaching began, a large part of it was to bring people to areas that they didn't know existed and were something worth visiting. I have been to many such areas over the years and still enjoy the older caches that are in areas worth exploring. This series follows that tradition of quality.
I really like visiting areas where nature has taken back what people have created in the past. This is one such area. Step back in time to 1870 and the creation of the Skally railroad line that ran from St. Paul to Duluth. This line was a vital turning point in the history of Duluth. (1) Before it was built, Duluth was a wilderness outpost. The Skally line was also used to refer more specifically to the seven-mile section of railroad between Thomson and Fond du Lac, where the train undertook its long descent from the high country down to Lake Superior. That part of the line that traveled between the Thompson Dam and Fond du Lac was not for the faint of heart. To ride that section must have been a harrowing experience. The line ran parallel with the St. Louis River, curving and winding with its curves, sometimes high above it, sometimes right next to it, across land so rough and wild that in the seven miles between Thomson and Fond du lac the Skally line crossed five trestles over stomach-dropping ravines. The clay cliffs that make the river such a scenic experience today presented real engineering challenges in the nineteenth century.
The Skally line's business dropped off in 1886 when a better route was developed bypassing Fond du Lac. It closed entirely after a trestle burned in 1894. Later on, part of the Skally reopened between the Thompson Dam and Fond du Lac. A gas powered car called the "Mack" was used to transport people.
I posted several waypoints to help you find your way. If you want to make your journey easier, please use them.
(1) Reader: John Ramos "A Walk on the Skally Line" June 15, 2017