Native Spirits Traditional Cache

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Hidden : 11/27/2005
Difficulty:
1 out of 5
Terrain:
4 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Indian Tomb Hollow nightime only cache

More than 200 years ago, two Native American tribes, the Creeks and the Chickasaws, fought a bloody battle in an Alabama forest. Those who didn't survive were thrown down a sinkhole in a canyon. This area, known as Indian Tomb Hollow, became sacred to Native Americans in the region.

The story might have ended there. But in 1991 the Forest Service allowed a clearcut in the heart of Indian Tomb Hollow, now part of Bankhead National Forest. The clearcut exposed an archaeological site under a bluff, and looters descended on the area. Locals were outraged. They channeled their anger -- and inspired activism -- through a publication called the Bankhead Monitor. Lamar Marshall, a self-described Alabama woodsman, launched the Monitor with members of the Blue Clan of the Echota Cherokee and other locals in order to publicize the connection between Bankhead National Forest and the people who have traditionally relied upon it for sustenance, shelter and recreation. From humble origins as a four-page, photocopied newsletter, the Monitor has grown to a 100-page magazine with a circulation of about 5,000.
The determined band of Alabamans succeeded in gaining permanent protection for Indian Tomb Hollow, and thanks to a lawsuit filed by the group in 1993, the Forest Service dropped plans to clearcut dozens more sensitive streamside areas in the Bankhead.

This cache isn't for the faint of heart or those with overactive imaginations, this area can be spooky at night. Be careful and don't try this alone. There is nothing dangerous about the terrain, but there is no trail and walking through the woods always involves some hazards. The cache is a large ammo can at the end of a trail of reflective markers that are visible only at night. To get started, park at the listed coordinates and go in the woods a few yards by the parking spot and look for a reflector. Follow the reflectors until you come to two trees with four reflectors each. The cache will be within twenty feet of these trees and should be easy to find as the location is fairly obvious. Watch closely, the trail can switch back on you. The cache is about .19 miles from the parking.
The trail out is not marked, so you will have to follow your GPS track out. If you have problems, just walk east (you do have a compass, don't you?) and you will come to the road.
There are stories that at certian times of the year you can still hear indian drums echoing through the hollow, and that the spirits of the departed warriors still still roam the hollow. Turn your lights off and sit awhile to see if you can hear the drums.If you can't hear the drums you can still enjoy how peaceful this place is at night.
Please respect that the native people consider this a sacred area and treat it as you would if it was sacred to you too. The cache is not near any sacred or archaeological sites. This is a very beautiful and interesting place. If you enjoy hiking I would reccomend you come back in daylight and get to see the the whole canyon. If you want to get involved in the efforts to protect and preserve Bankhead Forest go to (visit link)
Enjoy

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Va n ubyybj gerr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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