This is a multi-stage, puzzle cache based on 5 of the Orienteering Controls on the Camp Glen Gray Orienteering Trail. The deal is that on the back of each of the Orienteering Trail's Control Posts is a letter and a digit, write them down and then use them to find the final GZ where you will find a regular size cache in the form of a Close and Lock container.
The published coordinates are the coordinates of the first stage of the cache. Please don't struggle looking around the first control post looking for a cache. There are lots of cool places around it to hide a cache, but it's someplace else. Just write down the letter and number codes from the back of this control post and move on to the next stage at the next control post.
These are pictures of the training control that is on the porch at Camp HQs. Of course there is no Control X on the path to any cache and no clue that is Q3. However, this control looks just like the 20 actual controls spread around Camp. If you widen your browser window to show the background image you will see the 5 controls for this cache.
The real cache is located in the area of the controls used to provide the clues to the actual GZ coordinates, but as already noted, not actually at any control itself. The controls used for this cache are in the Northern part of the area covered by the O Trail. There are 3 more, similar caches, SOUTH, EAST and WEST using the balance of the O Trail controls. No control is used as a clue for more than one cache.
You will need to visit all five stages to collect the necessary elements for the final GZ coordinates. The "crow flys" distance from the initial stage past the other four, in the order listed, to the real GZ is about 0.77 mile. The elevation difference across the controls is about 320 feet.
However, it is likely you will do better using some woods skills and trail maps to plan a route to minimize bushwacking and mountain climbing, one such route that the CO has taken is a bit over 2 miles. There is no need to access the stages in order, each one provides a single, independent clue. Feel free to work a plan based on your access to the area or even if you want to work on the cache in the course of multiple visits to the Ramapo Greenway. A recent look on Geocaching.com showed that the overall Camp Glen Gray Orienteering Trail area is home to at least 25 more caches, plan to grab a few of them while you're working on the O Trail series.
Now, an option.
As we noted these controls are from the Camp Glen Gray Orienteering Course. The traditional way of navigating an Orienteering Course is using map, compass and observation skills. This is an early version of what most people do today with their favorite GPS receiver or app. We have provided the Orienteering Trail clues for each control in the notes for each puzzle waypoint as this exist on the official Camp Orienteering Trail map. If you're up for the adventure, don't use the coordinates provided in the waypoint description, instead work your way to the control with no use of your GPS facilities. All you have to do is study the map and look around. If you take this option please note in your log entry how you did it, and if you got all 5 controls using the "old way" techniques.
But,
of course this is GeoCaching so,
the location of the final cache must still be done using your GPS skills after you solve the puzzle formula with the factors from the Orienteering Trail control stations you visited.
Like the ad used to say, your mileage will vary, enjoy the walk.
The Northern Group of controls runs up the core area of camp. They will take you past a number of cabins along the west edge of North Mountain. The cabins are mostly low on the mountain but several controls are up on the high summits of North Mountain, so plan your attack to save your legs. Avoiding extreme climb routes is good planning for this group, also look to walk on existing trails rather than bushwacking, even if they are un-blazed.
Good luck and GC.
The FTF trinket is an autographed commemorative patch from the Centennial Celebration of Camp Glen Gray held in 2017. The initial trinkets in the cache also include a variety of historic patches from events held at Camp during its years as a Boy Scout Camp.
And to be sure you wrote down the correct digits come back here to use the Certitude Checker before you set off for GZ.
As accomplished GeoCachers you will almost certainly see that Glen Gray Road and Midvale Mountain Road look like easy access to the area of the cache. I ask you to obey the local NO PARKING ordinance in effect that prohibits parking on Midvale Mountain Road. The Camp Glen Gray parking area is defined by Bergen County regulations as NOT for use by day hikers that are not registered at Camp Glen Gray for a specific program.
Please obey these rules to ensure that we can continue to enjoy these caches.
There are 3 trailheads marked in the waypoint section of this description that will provide you with directions to legal parking and trail access options.
The Ramapo Greenway has a rich history going back many hundreds of years. In addition to these brief summaries we provide links to supplemental websites external to geocaching.com. As the cache owner, I represent that these sites are safe to visit. The sites have not been checked by Groundspeak or by the GeoCache Reviewer for possible malicious content. We believe them to be safe sites but if you choose to visit them you do so at your own risk. There is no need to visit them to complete this cache, they are only for your information.
The history of Camp Glen Gray goes back to 1917 when the camp was founded by the Montclair NJ Boy Scouts under the leadership of Frank Fellows Gray. The camp served Boy Scout campers every year from 1917 until 2001 when during a change in the Northern NJ Boy Scout organization Camp was sold and it became part of the Bergen County Park System. When it became a county park it finished its Boy Scout service with the honor of being the longest continuously operating Boy Scout Camp in the United States. Since 2001 it has been managed by a group of citizens under the banner of Friends of Glen Gray. The Friends manage Camp under a management agreement with Bergen County for all citizens of Bergen County as well as visitors from outside the county. Information about special programs run at camp as well as general public camping availability can be found at the Camp website at www.GlenGray.org.
The history of the Ramapo Greenway goes back even further than 1917. Pre-Euorpean indigenous people have lived in the Ramapo Greenway for many hundreds of years. The current NJ recognized tribe is the Ramapough Lenape Indian Nation based in the northern end of the Ramapo Greenway. The largest European influence in the era before the establishment of the United States were the Dutch settlers in the area. More history of the area can be found at the Bergen County Historical Society website at www.BergenCountyHistory.org.
Once you are in the Ramapo Greenway you will find an extensive trail network. There are many map resources available for trails in the area. The New York/New Jersey Trail Conference maintains most of those trails, the following links provide versions of the trail maps from the Trail Conference website. As the cache owner, I represent that this site is safe to visit. The site has not been checked by Groundspeak or by the GeoCache Reviewer for possible malicious content. We believe it to be a safe site but if you choose to visit it you do so at your own risk. There is no need to visit it to complete this cache, it is only for your convenience in addition to the official GeoCache map related to the cache.
The area south of Camp Glen Gray is covered on the first 2 maps. The area map is the current map of record for the area. The recent changes map reflects the ongoing trail network improvements being done by the trail designers and maintainers in the area. In particular note the change of the trails north of Skyline Drive to make the Tamarack Loop Trail. Be sure to notice the best way up to the Camp area is still on the Schuber Trail blazed in Orange but that trail no longer begins at Skyline Drive but now starts off of the Tamarack Loop Trail a little further north.
Ramapo Greenway Southern Area Map
Recent Changes around the Skyline Drive Trailheads
The area north of Camp Glen Gray is covered by the second pair of maps. Again the area map is the current map of record for the area. This area also had some changes to the network that incorporated loop trails while shortening through trails. They are reflected on the area map but the second map provides some additional details of the trails close to the trailhead.
Ramapo Greenway Northern Area Map
Trail Details around the Ramapo Reservation Parking Area Trailhead
The New York/New Jersey Trail Conference maintains the majority of the trails in the Ramapo GreenWay. They have graciously provided these free versions of their wonderful trail maps. These maps are a small part of the set of maps called North Jersey Trails that are available for sale on the Conference website www.NyNjTc.org, Please consider supporting their efforts by treating yourself to a full set of the maps.