Impending death of a great cache

[+Waterboy]

Urbanization is about to end the life of one of New Jersey’s greatest hiking caches, Splitrock Overlook by Team Magster. Urbanization is about to end the life of one of New Jersey’s greatest hiking caches, Splitrock Overlook by Team Magster. We hiked past this superb cache on August 31, and saw construction of large, expensive housing only a few feet from the cache. We went down and checked that the cache is still located where it always was. Now we regretfully suggest that Team Magster either:

A. Remove and archive this cache

B. Relocate this cache

I hope the Magster will make choice B. This cache has some of our fondest memories.

 

Since our memories are linked with those of Mopar and Geo Ho I hope they will write something into this thread.

 

Thank you Team Magster for an excellent cache and for great memories.

 

Attached is a photo taken near the cache of the construction site.

Waterboy With Wife

[+Quoddy]

My TerraCache "Quoddy Quandry #1" is located right under that construction pile, just 84' from the "Spllitrock Overlook" Geocache.

[+edscott]

Ughhh.. from a secluded piece of woods to a "great spot for a film container" in a few ugly weeks...

[+Old Navy]

I also discovered the destruction of this beautiful scenic spot overlooking Spilt Rock Reservoir. I hiked up to retrieve the Quoddy Quandary One Terracache in July, only to discover GZ buried under boulders. The nearby Overlook Geocache is within 10 feet of the road construction, and will be found once the building starts. Its a shame to see suburban sprawl approaching even these remote locations. See pictures : http://www.terracaching.com/viewcache.cgi?C=TCPU

Edited September 3, 2006 by Old Navy

[+IV_Warrior]

See pictures : http://www.terracaching.com/viewcache.cgi?C=TCPU

 

Note, you gotta be a sponsored member to get to the archived cache page to see the pictures.

[+briansnat]

Unfortunately I don't think Team Magster is involved with geocaching anymore so if anything is to be done about this cache it will have to be a helpful local geocacher.

 

Shame. This was a beautiful area.

Edited September 4, 2006 by briansnat

[bigpix]

I've been kayaking on Split Rock since they opened it up to paddler.

 

I've lived in Rockaway for twenty years now and was in awe of the pristine beauty of SR. Until last year.

 

We were paddling along and I noticed that ridge looked different somehow. My friend and I hauled out our boats and walked across the road only to discover just how close to the lake the destruction had come.

 

We both had the same feeling at that time. It was like that old anti littering ad years ago showing the Indian with tears forming in his eyes.

 

Ever since then I hear construction gear working away and this spring for the first time saw the houses up on the ridge from out on the lake. What was once a lake with only a couple of cell phone towers in view and one house that you could see near the put in before the trees leaf out is now home to some selfish folks who prize the Million Dollar View.

 

It really is shameful that no one thought that developing that land was plain wrong.

 

I wonder how long it will be before one of the homeowners tries to build a dock on the shore.

[+Packanack]

Who owns the land ? Doesn't ownership of the land confer the right to develope it ? I live in a house that is built on land that once was open, do you ? I am not asking this to be a smart a**, but to point out that we need to be mindful of preservation efforts before it is all gone and to demand proper planning. I saw a story in the paper that indicates that Bergen County is now being eyed for removal of one family homes en masse for the purpose of replacing them with high density NYC style apartment complexes.

Edited September 7, 2006 by Packanack

[bigpix]

Who owns the land ? Doesn't ownership of the land confer the right to develope it ? I live in a house that is built on land that once was open, do you ? I am not asking this to be a smart a**, but to point out that we need to be mindful of preservation efforts before it is all gone and to demand proper planning. I saw a story in the paper that indicates that Bergen County is now being eyed for removal of one family homes en masse for the purpose of replacing them with high density NYC style apartment complexes.

 

Our home is built on what was private wooded land in Rockaway forever.

 

No doubt that the owners of the land have the right to do as they see fit with it. I also have no doubt that they have been salivating for years to build these super premium homes with the only views of this once pristine lake.

 

Too bad they were able to sneak it in before the Highlands Act was established.

 

Too bad that the Morris Conservancy or another like minded group couldn't get to it before the greedy ones did.

 

I still wonder how they were able to build on land so close to a reservoir.

 

I view the homes on that site as a totem, a reminder of how we need to be even more vigilant in protecting open spaces in NJ and elsewhere.

[+briansnat]

I find it sad because when paddling on Split Rock you didn't see any human made structures other than the dam. It gave you a feeling that you were in a much more remote area than you actually were. Of course the owners had the right to develop their property, but I really wish there was a way to preserve it.

[+avroair]

I agree with Bigpix, but unfortuneatly the world turns on money and the astigmatic developer and stolid millionaires only care for themselves.

 

A real shame. How long will it be before all the land is around there is developed and no spots for caches such as my Project X cache can exsist.

[bigpix]

I agree with Bigpix, but unfortuneatly the world turns on money and the astigmatic developer and stolid millionaires only care for themselves.

 

A real shame. How long will it be before all the land is around there is developed and no spots for caches such as my Project X cache can exsist.

 

The other caches around the lake are safe. I'm still surprised that the developer was allowed to clear land so close to the lake. Someone either missed something or was paid off.

 

The other caches in the area are on state land now. But it wasn't that long ago that the whole area was under threat due to the private holdings.

 

It just would have been nice to have one place with just trees and hills and no homes in view.

 

I just give them the finger as I paddle on by.