This virtual cache will take you to visit the grave of the Hermit of Ampersand.
Walter Channing Rice was a fire observer at the station on Ampersand Mountain. He lived on the mountain seven months out of the year, hence the moniker "Hermit of Ampersand". The Franklin Historical Review describes him as follows:
He was an observer who looked for more than the outbreak of fire in his beloved forest. He saw not only the misty tops of the mountain at the break of day, the shimmer of the sun on the forest clad slopes at twilight and the gleam of silver from the Saranac chain at his feet. He saw the entire process of the changing seasons, he watched the buds burst into leafy loveliness and the leaves change to burnished gold and he saw the mating of the birds in springtime and their departure in the fall.
'I never felt lonesome on Ampersand' he said with tears in his eyes when he had to abandon his post. 'I have friends up there, a feathered orchestra to waken me in the morning and plaintive song of the hermit thrush to lull me to sleep at eventide.'
And then Mr. Rice had his books, the works of Dickens, Shakespeare, Robert Burns and O. Henry were encased with others in his rustic bookcase. From these books he garnered embellishments for his homely philosophy which made him a most interesting companion.
You will not have to climb Ampersand Mountain for this cache, although I have included a waypoint for the summit if time and weather allow you to make the hike and find the plaque dedicated to Walter C. Rice.
Instead, you must find the family plot where he is buried, along with his wife and two of his sons. When you log a find, please send me the answers to the following questions via email or message. I will contact you only in case of an issue.
1. Just behind the Rice family stone is another family plot. What is the name on the large headstone?
2. Look to your left while facing the Rice family stone, you will see a row of large evergreens marking the edge of the cemetery. How many trees are in the row?
3. If you have family or friends in this cemetery, or find interesting gravestones, please tell about them in your log! We happened to find the grave of the previous owner of our house, just a few feet from Walter C. Rice!
4. (optional) Upload a photo at the posted coordinates or at the plaque on top of Ampersand. Spoiler photos showing the answers to questions 1 or 2 will be deleted.
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.