Skip to content

What a beech! (Death of a Champion) Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

flamingo_girl: I took a trip to check on this one and it wasn't pretty. I made it back to gz but couldn't find anything that remotely looked like the natural area I used. I traveled down the hill a bit to see if it washed down but no luck there either. This area is no longer viable to host a container. I entertained the idea of using the tree itself but that may or may not be cleaned up at some point.

More
Hidden : 6/8/2018
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:


This cache was hidden for the Maryland Geocaching Society 2018 Summer Picnic.  

Take a walk along the Green Trail to find this beech of a cache.  

Read Hint! Look to the right when approaching the posted coordinates. See gallery image dated June 20, 2020 for a view of the hiding place.

This cache will take you into the shadow of a Maryland Champion Beech Tree.  A champion tree is the largest tree of a species based on points earned for trunk circumference, height, and average crown spread.  There are currently three beech trees in Harford County that are rated higher than this one. The largest of these is located in Forest Hill. The beech tree that holds the distinction of Maryland State Champion is the Bicentennial Tree located in Rockville, MD.

This is a beautiful tree that has unfortunately been marred by carvings of all shapes and sizes.  Carvings harm trees by serving as an entry way into the tree for fungi, bacteria, and wood damaging insects.  As you can see, some of the branches have already been damaged.  Walk around the back of the tree you can see the trunk has also been heavily damaged.  

There is an unactivated trackable for the FTF.

Parking is available at the Deer Creek Picnic area at Susquehanna State Park. Entrance fees are collected on the honor system. The day use service charge for this area is: Daily $2 per vehicle; out-of-state residents $4 per vehicle.

Deer Creek Trail - Blazed in green, the trail begins and ends at the Picnic Area. The Deer Creek Trail has magnificent views and giant trees. A moderate to difficult trail with a distance of 2.1 miles.

Seasonal hunting is permitted in this area. Be aware of the season and wear appropriate colors

Cache placed with written permission

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Onfr bs n fghzc gung vf orgjrra 12-14" gnyy. Vg vf nobhg 20' sebz cbfgrq pbbeqvangrf. Frr tnyyrel vzntr qngrq Znl 30, 2022

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)