Thirsty for that Healing Water Multi-cache
Thirsty for that Healing Water
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache is located in Raccoon Creek State Park on a network of marked trails. There are some hills, but the changes in elevation are gradual, making for a quite pleasant hike.
The coordinates above will take you to the first stage of the multi. There are two “micro” stages, which will require you to find small (approx 5" diameter) plastic containers to obtain the coordinates to the next stage. I've placed slips of paper with coordinates to the next stage in each "micro", and I've also placed a sticker on the inside of each container marked with the coordinates to the next stage just in case all of the paper slips are taken. The final cache is an ammo can.
The recommended route for this cache begins at the park offices of Raccoon Creek State Park on PA Route 18. Please Note that the trails used for this cache are HIKING ONLY, so leave that mountain bike at home.
Suggested Parking Coordinates: N40º 30.175 W080º 25.466
If you park at the suggested location and start your search on the Upland Trail, searching for the multi stages will eventually bring you back to your cache-mobile. Here it is worth noting that you haven’t really done this cache unless you stop and check out the Mineral Springs at N40º 29.917 W080º 25.873. The natural progression of finding the cache should lead you to this area, but we wanted to mention the location just in case.
The Springs area has a rich history as a 19th century health spa and resort. Starting in the early 1800’s people came from the surrounding urban areas of Pittsburgh, Steubenville, and Washington to relax at the resort built near and around the springs and enjoy the widely reported medicinal properties of the spring water. Below is an account of the atmosphere at the resort:
"Here silks and satins were worn and poke bonnets tied down with colored picot edged ribbons and adorned with plumes of many colors. The Springs were gay with the latest patterns from New York, the porches filled with pretty maids and ladies embroidering. At candle-lighting the brass sticks from the old corner cupboard were lighted in the long ballroom arid to the violin strains the polka and the Virginia reel were performed with graceful bows and turns. When the grandfather clock at the foot of the ballroom sounded the stroke of eleven, all lights were snuffed from the candles and the merriment ceased."
For more historical information about the site, check out the posted signs at the area and the park office.
Note: The trail near the second stage of the multi can be quite busy at times, and the cache location is also visible from another trail up on the ridge. Please use stealth when searching and replace the container as you found it.
Check out the Raccoon Creek State Park site for trail maps.
Update 6/20/05: My intention is not to make the 2nd stage very difficult but to bring people to the Springs area. The reason that I picked the hiding spot for Stage 2 is so that no one has to trample vegetation to find it. There is no need to climb any hills to find the 2nd stage. If you get stuck, see the new spoiler clue for Stage 2.
Update 4/27/12: The State Park has granted an extension to this listing. The cache is permitted to be at the current location until 4/25/2015.
Update 5/13/15: The State Park has granted an extension to this listing. The cache is permitted to be at the current location until 5/7/2018. Please make sure to help Cache-In-Trash-Out as you hike in this area.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[1st Stage:] Nzbat gur snyyra va gur cvar sberfg.
[2nd Stage (Big Spoiler):] Arfgyrq va gur ebbgf bs n gerr gung vf fgvpxvat bhg sebz gur perrx orq jnyy.
[Final:] Jurer ner zbfg pnpurf? Lrc, snyyra gerrf.