Beacon Ridge
Summit
This is the second in a
series of 3 caches that will lead you on a loop hike of Mt. Wire,
also known as Big Beacon in reference to the 1960s airplane beacon
located at the summit. The 3 caches are:
Beacon Ridge Ascent (6-stage multicache)
Beacon Ridge Summit (an
easy puzzle cache)
Beacon Ridge Descent (5-stage multicache)
This one is an easy puzzle cache. It requires
visiting the summit, but not climbing the beacon tower (since I'm
too chicken to do it). When you solve the puzzle, you will be
able to find the cache on the way down the southwest ridge.
The Mt. Wire summit has long been a favorite place
of mine. Growing up in the early 60s, I remember seeing the
aircraft beacon in operation from the window of my parents'
home. The beacon tower remains today, but is no longer
operational. A few years ago, an extraordinarily dedicated
individual (not me) made dozens of trips to the summit, carrying
spray paint cans. Over an extended period, he hand-painted
the entire tower. That's what I call an act of love.
On the way to the summit, you will pass two large
towers which were once used to repeat radio communications between
Salt Lake and points in eastern Utah. You can grab
Cach-U-Nuts'
The Billboards on the Mountain cache here. The
"billboards" are visible throughout the Salt Lake valley and give
Mt. Wire much of its character.
On to the summit! Be sure to look for the
Mt. Wire Coin Cache near the top. Summit elevation:
7,137 feet.
If you are still full of energy, you can make a
short detour to the northeast to pick up
Wasatch Workout - Mt. Wire and
XXXIII.
Now for the puzzle:
The number of fence posts around the perimeter of
the enclosure (excluding the 2 for the gate) = A
The number of rungs in the ladder = B
The earliest of the two years inscribed in the two
BEACON markers just outside the fence to the south = C
The later of the two years inscribed in the two
BEACON markers just outside the fence to the south = D
XX = (A * B) - 115
YY = D - C + B + 7
The cache is at:
N 40 46.0XX
W 111 48.0YY
The descent follows the ridge to the west of that
you ascended by. To begin, hike back down to the billboards
and go right at a trail fork that will take you just west of the
western billboard. Continue on to coordinates obtained from
the puzzle.
Beacon Ridge Summit is a match tube.
Elevation: 6,850 feet.
To continue the 3-cache series, proceed to
Beacon Ridge Descent.