In the 1850s the Government of Canada West (Ontario) began the development of a series of roads that would open up the northern wilderness between the Ottawa Valley and Georgian Bay. The roads, hacked through forests and swamps, were purportedly intended to encourage settlement and develop a great agricultural heartland. The real intent was to lure men to work in the many lumber camps of the region as well as to grow food to supply those camps.
The construction of the Peterson Colonization Road began in 1858 and was completed in 1863 at a cost of $39,000. It was intended to link the Ottawa-Opeongo Road in the east with the Muskoka Road to the West. The road, poorly built and maintained, and traversing rough, rocky country, never attracted many settlers. Today, part of Highway 62 from Maynooth to Combermere follows the pioneer road. West of Maynooth the Peterson Road can today be travelled to join up with Elephant Lake Road. The cache is by a forest access road that runs into the Madawaska Highlands from the part of what is today called just "Peterson Road" west of Maynooth. It was secreted by Youngest Geofella (YG - aged 9) with an evil grin as he contemplated his friends Graham and Daniel looking for it!! YG believes it should be a difficulty 4. It should be just as hard to find in the winter as at other times of year.
This cache is ATV, hiker and snowmobiler friendly. There are lots of freely accessible trails around here as it is all crown land. Do wear orange during hunting season to avoid being mistaken for a target.