Ape Cache Mission 7: Crab Creek

[+forman]

I will be coming to NY city with my family 6/26-7/1. There is 1 day with down time. I would like to get the Mission 7: Crab Creek, Maryland. I will either rent a car & go, or if a local wants I will pay for gas. Some how, I want to get this one. That day I will have my 16 year old son with me. The main goal is to get the APE and a little caching, not a marathon caching day. Not that an all day caching would not be fun but the kid would not be happy. I would like to go early in the am. I did map and it seems like about 3.5 hour one way drive. I hope that is right.

 

Don from California

[+briansnat]

I did map and it seems like about 3.5 hour one way drive

 

3.5 - 4 hours depending on traffic and the time of day you leave. Coming back could be a 5 or more hours.

[+kelly@9]

I did map and it seems like about 3.5 hour one way drive

 

3.5 - 4 hours depending on traffic and the time of day you leave. Coming back could be a 5 or more hours.

 

I would suggest that even 4 hours each way may be a bit optimistic unless you're travelling at 2am or something. Just plugging "New York City" to "Rockville, MD" into directions on Google Maps estimates 4 hours and 12 minutes for the trip. (And depending on where in NYC you're starting from, you might spend an hour just getting out of NYC!)

 

If you are going on a weekday, you are almost guaranteed to hit rush hour traffic in at least one of the cities between NYC and DC, if not more than one. And by "rush hour", in DC at least, we mean "drive very, very slowly for up to 3-4 hours". And if you go on a weekend day, you'll likely hit some weekend beach or other getaway traffic in various places along the I-95 corridor.

 

Also, note that if Friday June 30th is your day, many people may be starting a 4 or 5 day weekend early for the 4th of July!

[+rhelt100]

I will be coming to NY city with my family 6/26-7/1. There is 1 day with down time. I would like to get the Mission 7: Crab Creek, Maryland. I will either rent a car & go, or if a local wants I will pay for gas. Some how, I want to get this one. That day I will have my 16 year old son with me. The main goal is to get the APE and a little caching, not a marathon caching day. Not that an all day caching would not be fun but the kid would not be happy. I would like to go early in the am. I did map and it seems like about 3.5 hour one way drive. I hope that is right.

 

Don from California

 

 

You'll love the cache. I was there about a month ago while in Rockville on business and made the trek. I guarantee you've never seen a larger ammo can

[+Polgara]

I will be coming to NY city with my family 6/26-7/1. There is 1 day with down time. I would like to get the Mission 7: Crab Creek, Maryland. I will either rent a car & go, or if a local wants I will pay for gas. Some how, I want to get this one. That day I will have my 16 year old son with me. The main goal is to get the APE and a little caching, not a marathon caching day. Not that an all day caching would not be fun but the kid would not be happy. I would like to go early in the am. I did map and it seems like about 3.5 hour one way drive. I hope that is right.

 

Don from California

 

Plan to arrive at the cache by 10am, and get out of there by 1ish. Otherwise you'll hit all the beach traffic, which will come from both D.C. and Baltimore, along with rush hour. Not pretty.

 

Do not take I95, it will be a mess, and on the stretch between Wilmington DE, and Baltimore, there is a very expensive toll, like $6.00-$8.00 one way, you'd be paying that twice, once on the way to, and once on the way back. YUCK.

 

If i were you, I'd go route 78 or I80 through PA, grab 81S to 83S take that to Baltimore, then grab 695W....(there may be a better way than to go 695 here, a local to the area could be better at elaborating on that. Its been a few years since i lived in Baltimore.) I don't remeber from 695, what roads i took, I think it was 295, but not sure. I do know that you don't want to be anywhere near 695, 95, or 295, or 895 in the baltimore area, or on I95 in the WIlmington De area, or the PHilly area in the afternoon on that day. I can't elaborate on the NYC end or the NJ end of it, don't know much about their traffic patterns.

[+Polgara]

oops

Edited June 14, 2006 by Polgara

[+briansnat]

I've been driving to the area for the past year from northern NJ. Leaving on Monday by 6 a.m., I'm almost always there in 4 hours (sometimes a bit less). This Monday it was 5 1/2 hrs. because it was rainy and I hit traffic every possible place. Normally though, its pretty smooth sailing until the Beltway (495).

 

Coming home is a totally different story. In the winter it was about 4 1/2 hrs. coming home, but in the summer it took as many as 8 hours (leaving the DC area around 1:00 p.m.), but 6 hours was the norm. I started taking the western route (Rt 270) through Fredick MD, Gettysburg PA, Harrisburg PA , etc... to Rt 78. That was a consistent 5 hours. The only traffic I hit that way was around Harrisburg.

 

Be sure to hit the LL Bean outlet on 95 in Perryville on the way down or back. Incredible bargains. I mean incredible. $180 hiking boots and $90 shoes for $25. $50 pants for $9. Fleece pullovers for $16. Really nice winter jackets for $29.

Edited June 14, 2006 by briansnat

[+forman]

This is not looking to good. I also checked out the trains and it just seems a long way from NY City & having my 16 year old son, I think he would be an unhappy camper going for this one.

[+briansnat]

This is not looking to good. I also checked out the trains and it just seems a long way from NY City & having my 16 year old son, I think he would be an unhappy camper going for this one.

 

Well if if the A.P.E cache is out of the question, here are a few suggestions for great caching getaways.

 

Grab the Metro North train in Grand Central Station. Take it to Cold Spring and hit Mt Taurus and the awesome caches there, or get off at the Breakneck Ridge stop and hit the caches there. Its an absolutely beautiful area.

 

Or take the NJ Transit Bus #197 from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and get off at the trailhead for Bearfort Ridge (near Greenwood Lake). You'll find some of the finest scenery and caches in the region there. It would be a full day of hiking, but well worth it. Even a 16 year old will appreciate it.

[+maggieszoo]

Amtrak goes from NYC to DC. Rent a car from there.

[+Velvet]

This is not looking to good. I also checked out the trains and it just seems a long way from NY City & having my 16 year old son, I think he would be an unhappy camper going for this one.

 

Trains are actually a good bet for you in this situation. When I lived in NYC I traveled to DC at least once a month for business, here's the rundown:

 

Planes: fastest, but most expensive. Commuter flights leave from LaGuardia to Reagan National every hour or so. The flight is so short you're never allowed out of your seat per the time guidelines to/from landing. From National you could rent the car or take a MARC train out past DC traffic to rent one. The flight is about an hour.

 

Trains: Also leave at least every hour. Amtrak runs Metroliner express trains through Baltimore where you could pick up a rental car, or take the Metroliner local which has more stops but will drop you outside the traffic. It's about two hours by train.

 

Automobiles: Waste of gas and time. The one and only time I decided to drive down instead of the other two options, it took 6 hours each way because of traffic. And, as Pol pointed out, there are MASSIVE tolls each way when you figure in NJ Turnpike, bridge tolls, and the way Delaware racks you. Add those to your gas money and rental fees and you might as well fly

[+forman]

Going for the APE!! Looks like the train to BWI & a rent car.

[+Polgara]

Going for the APE!! Looks like the train to BWI & a rent car.

 

EXCELLENT!!!!! Have an awesome time! Awesome idea, Velvet!

[+briansnat]

Planes: fastest, but most expensive. Commuter flights leave from LaGuardia to Reagan National every hour or so. The flight is so short you're never allowed out of your seat per the time guidelines to/from landing. From National you could rent the car or take a MARC train out past DC traffic to rent one. The flight is about an hour.

 

Actually I've found driving to be faster than flying most of the time. When I flew there it was 5 hours door to door, including driving to the airport, extra time for security, snagging a rental car, driving to my office, etc...

Driving is usually 4 hours, at least going down.

 

I think the total in tolls is around $9.75, at least from where I am in northern NJ.

[+Velvet]

Planes: fastest, but most expensive. Commuter flights leave from LaGuardia to Reagan National every hour or so. The flight is so short you're never allowed out of your seat per the time guidelines to/from landing. From National you could rent the car or take a MARC train out past DC traffic to rent one. The flight is about an hour.

 

Actually I've found driving to be faster than flying most of the time. When I flew there it was 5 hours door to door, including driving to the airport, extra time for security, snagging a rental car, driving to my office, etc...

Driving is usually 4 hours, at least going down.

 

I think the total in tolls is around $9.75, at least from where I am in northern NJ.

 

You're probably right, I didn't think to factor in "getting to the airport time" At the time, I lived within a fifteen minute cab ride of LaGuardia.....coming from Manhattan you could take the subway very close to the airport and cab the rest of the way.

 

As for security, it isn't too onerous on commuter flights. I made probably 90% of these trips with a Palestinian co-worker so of course we were "randomly selected" for additional security every single time. But, for these types of trips you very rarely have any checked luggage so the process is pretty quick. As long as you have your ID accessible and resist the urge to over-accessorize it really doesn't take long. And this was all in the months immediately following 9/11 when the place was crawling with National Guardsman, my guess is it would be a little more relaxed these days.

[avroair]

The APE cache has been disabled and moved to a safer spot.

 

June 28 by 2Wheel'in (807 found)

To all the "Watchers" and any others who are planning on hunting this cache in the near term....Lake Needwood Dam has given Montgomery County officials reason to evacuate the immediate area downstream from Lake Needwood...the reservoir is 25 feet above normal levels, and the dam may breach. Repairs are underway; however, in the interim the APE Cache is being retrieved (I asked flyingmoose to do the honors) and moved to a safer location. The cache will be temporarily Disabled, once the dam is declared safe...the cache will be put back in place. Thanks for your understanding.

 

After some further discussion we have temporarily disabled the cache and it will be replaced once things dry out a bit and the danger has passed.

 

Thanks to all who care so much about this cache!

 

Dep&Uno&Co

[+SharpShin']

Update on location of Mission 7: Crab Creek APE Cache

 

Dancingfool posted a note for Mission 7: Crab Creek (Project APE) (Disabled) (Project APE Cache) at 6/30/2006

 

Log Date: 6/30/2006

I went to the temporary location today to get coordinates.

The reception was a little spotty but I think they will get you close.There is a large recently fallen tree nearby.

N 39° 06.852

W 077° 07.970

The main section of the park is still closed but you can access the cache from Needwood Rd. The cache is located up the hill from its normal position. Follow the path on the west side of the lake until you reach the utility right of way. If you follow the right of way your gpsr should get a good signal. You should avoid the area around the dam as the work there is still ongoing. Please be sure to rehide it well. It is .85 miles from Neeedwood Rd but none of it is too difficult and the trail is well maintained . It seems a shame for folks to not get to log the cache. Once the danger of the dam breaking has passed the cache will be relocated to its original location

 

Posted by Dancing Fool at 7:38 PM - 6/30/06

[+SharpShin']

Update on location of Mission 7: Crab Creek APE Cache

 

Location: Maryland, United States

flyingmoose posted a note for Mission 7: Crab Creek (Project APE) (Disabled) (Project APE Cache) at 7/4/2006

 

Log Date: 7/4/2006

Cache is back in place, park is open to all visitors, most of all the Dam is ok, for now. Feel free to activate the cache.

flyingmoose