South Mountain Traditional Cache

South Mountain is the northernmost section of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For 65 miles, it extends from near Carlisle, Pennsylvania to the Potomac River east of Harpers Ferry – dividing Cumberland & Franklin Counties in Pennsylvania and Frederick and Washington Counties in Maryland.

This geographic barrier was used to great advantage by Gen. Robert E. Lee during both the Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns. He occupied and plugged three mountain passes at the southern end of South Mountain prior to Antietam, allowing his divided armies to re-unite at Sharpsburg. He used the entire length of the range to mask his invasion (and massive forage operations) of the North that culminated at Gettysburg. Again, he sealed the mountain passes, and gave battle east of the ridge at the base of the pass connecting Chambersburg and Gettysburg. Badly mauled, his army controlled secure routes of retreat, via both the Chambersburg-Gettysburg turnpike and via Monterrey Pass to the southwest and beyond to the Potomac.

Private John W. Baker enlisted in the 209th Pennsylvania Volunteers on 9 September, 1864. Eight months later, on 31 May, 1865 he was mustered back out. Baker owned a large farm in Cold Springs Valley. A member of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), he lived 82 years and is buried there along with his wife Mary.

Well off the beaten-track, this cache is located near the final resting of John W. Baker. The round-trip hike on a public access trail is about two thirds of a mile. The only parking available is at the provided waypoint. Please do not block the gate and wear blaze orange during hunting season.

My good friend and fellow law enforcement officer, who goes by the GC nickname "10-09," discovered this site last year. That nickname, "10-09" by the way, is a radio code for "Repeat" or "Say Again" or in his case "Huh?" Our gratitude to him for sharing this place!