Mine Mountain Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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A stimulating hillside scramble from the lower River Road trail just east of the river in Housatonic State Forest, West Cornwall, Connecticut. Bring a lunch and plan to spend some time exploring the top of the hill which has plenty to offer from wildlife to vistas galore.
There is very little written about Mine Mountain other than the fact that it was yet another NW CT source of iron ore in the mid-1800s. It became part of the Housatonic State Forest in the late 1920s and is now primarily the domain of end-of-year hunters (so be aware of this and dress accordingly!).
Due to the abundance of rock/ledge I would avoid this during times of icy-ness. Depending on your approach the bushwhack can get thick in places. For this reason I would discourage bringing children who are not robust enough to handle a potentially steep ledge scramble. Also, you probably want to leave the dog at home. Of course, if any of you discover a "real" trail that is kid/dog friendly post it and I'll change the description.
There is a rumour that the very apparent Trinity Center (who does NOT own the road, it is public!) has a trail to the summit but trust me, they wouldn't want a rag tag bunch like us going anywhere near it. So...
After parking at the end of Lower River Road (N41 51.810' W073 22.210') you decide whether to take the less difficult route by walking to the end of the riverside trail then heading NNE up the ridge to the cache OR take the more challenging trajectory approximately due East from Milestone's Housatonic Walk cache GC18MG4 (N41 51.636' W073 22.411') to the summit plateau, then enjoy the nice hike south to GZ.
During thaws and wet seasons the beaver pond (N41 51.738' W073 22.319') tends to flood the river side trail. If you don't want to forge it you can avoid the water by heading straight to the railroad tracks from the parking area then carefully, with ears & eyes open, head south along the side of the railway bed before making your move on the hill.
Finally, as always, be safe. If you feel conditions are not to your liking and ability, turn around and spend some time enjoying the river walk as well as the sweet town of West Cornwall.
Happy Caching!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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