Witch Hazel Trail Cache Multi-Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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The Witch Hazel Trail rises over 400’ from the Youghiogheny
River Trail. It’s considered the most strenuous trail in the
area known as Dead Man’s Hollow. Both parts of this cache are
near (and easily accessible from) the Witch Hazel Trail.
The strange start of the Witch Hazel
Trail
only 100' or so from the first footbridge
on the Dead Man's Hollow trail. |
NOTE: The evidence is clear that that Back Up Plaque At Stage One
is now only a screw holding air. So I'll add a little clue until I
can replace to plaque to better your odds: At first glance it
appears empty, at first look it appears empty, but to the left
really is the tube you seek.
The conservation group Allegheny Land Trust purchased the area
known as Dead Man’s Hollow. There’s no clear story on
how this area got its ominous name. The same can be said of the
Witch Hazel Trail, one of five trails in the Dead Man’s
Hollow holdings. All trails are continuously open.
The Witch Hazel Trail rises over 400’ from the Youghiogheny
River Trail (a biking and hiking trail on an old railroad grade).
It’s considered the most strenuous trail in the area because
of the combination of its length and total vertical change. The
Witch Hazel Trail ends at the Calhoun Access Area (a small parking
area). The Witch Hazel Trail branches off of the Dead Man’s
Hollow Trail. The first stretch of the trail is easily the most
grueling: narrow, often steep, slick if wet, and always up. After
reaching an old gas well cap, the trail broadens to jeep width and
is generally flat (there’s one small ravine to cross). Fallen
trees sometimes require a little negotiation, but otherwise the
trail is respectable.
A very effective way to approach this cache is to drop off a
vehicle at the Calhoun Access Area, then return to the Youghiogheny
River Trail access adjacent to the Boston Bridge (tons of parking).
Hike the Youghiogheny River Trail to the Dead Man’s Hollow
Trail and then follow that trail to just before the first
footbridge. Just before the bridge, turn left and backtrack a short
distance to a set of steps heading up the hill. This is the start
of the Witch Hazel Trail. Both parts of this cache are near (and
easily accessible from) the Witch Hazel Trail. There should be a
“micro” at the first stage. But there is also a roughly
2” X 6” plaque of engraved redwood as a backup against
the micro going AWOL. The plaque doesn’t have the hints given
in the “micro”, but does have the final coordinates.
The final cache (Part 2) is much closer to the Calhoun Access Area
than to the Boston Bridge. The total route from the Boston Bridge
parking to the Calhoun Access Area is a little over two
miles.
Alternately, one can ride a bike to the Dead Man’s Hollow
access along the Youghiogheny River Trail (there’s a nice
bike rack to lock up your bike). Then hike up the Witch Hazel Trail
to find the two cache parts and then backtrack down to your
bike.
A word of warning to those chasing the sun: bring a good light if
you are going to backtrack down the Witch Hazel Trail. The trail is
hard to see at twilight and a bad step could lead to a nasty
twisted ankle, or worse.
To reach either parking area, make a hard right after crossing the
Boston Bridge (heading south on Route 48 - the bridge across the
Youghiogheny River). For the Youghiogheny River Trail parking, make
the first right (a short block further). The parking is obvious
after you cross the trail (another short block further). For the
Calhoun Access Area travel to a stop sign (a couple miles), turn
right onto Liberty Avenue (at a tee), and then make a right onto
Calhoun (half a mile after the tee). Follow Calhoun to its end. The
Calhoun Access Area is at N 40 18.680 W 079 50.793.
A word of warning if you are using USGS topo maps (like those
available via TopoZone): The roads shown on the map are severely
out of date. A couple shown roads don’t exist and one primary
road isn’t on the map near the Calhoun Access Area.
The overall difficulty rating reflects only the difficulty of
finding the cache parts once you are in the general area. The
terrain will be your biggest challenge. There are paper slips with
coordinates on them in the part one pint-sized container. Take a
slip with you, and please let me know if the stock is running
low.
Find This And You Will Have The Key
To Finding Stage 2
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The Back Up: The Plaque At Stage
One
|
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[Small Hint:] EBHTUYL RDHNY QVFGNAPR ORGJRRA N MVT NAQ N MNT BS GUR GENVY.
[Big Hint:] VAFVQR N YNETR SVSGRRA SBBG GNYY FGHZC NOBHG N UHAQERQ SRRG SEBZ GUR GBC FGRC.