WILSON – Where are you?

[TillaMurphs]

Apologies in advance for a long, possibly uninteresting, story. However, we are going to share it anyway.

 

  RD1646 ***********************************************************************
RD1646  DESIGNATION -  WILSON		  
RD1646  PID		 -  RD1646
RD1646
RD1646* NAD 83(1991)-  45 38 48.34641(N)	123 20 30.75190(W)	 ADJUSTED  
RD1646* NAVD 88	 -	   369.1	(meters)	1211.	 (feet)  VERTCON   
RD1646  ___________________________________________________________________
RD1646  HORZ ORDER  -  THIRD
RD1646
RD1646|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
RD1646| PID	Reference Object					 Distance	  Geod. Az  |
RD1646|														   dddmmss.s |
RD1646| RD1645 RTE WILSON R STA 1843+19.6		  381.146 METERS 24836	 |
RD1646| RD1647 ROUND TOP LOT					   APPROX. 3.7 KM 3341744.3 |
RD1646|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
RD1646_SETTING: 0 = UNSPECIFIED SETTING
RD1646
RD1646  HISTORY	 - Date	 Condition		Report By
RD1646  HISTORY	 - 1937	 MONUMENTED	   USFS
RD1646
RD1646						  STATION DESCRIPTION
RD1646
RD1646'DESCRIBED BY US FOREST SERVICE 1937
RD1646'THIS OCCUPIED STATION IS ON ROUND-TOPPED KNOLL ABOUT 4 MILES W OF
RD1646'GLENWOOD, ON SLOPE BETWEEN WILSON RIVER HIGHWAY AND CONSOLIDATED
RD1646'TIMBER COMPANY LOGGING RAILROAD, ABOUT 0.5 MILE E OF RAILROAD AND
RD1646'HIGHWAY CROSSING.  STATION IS S OF AND ABOVE HIGHWAY.
RD1646'
RD1646'STATION IS MARKED BY A USFS DISK IN ROCK OUTCROP.

 

This was our second trip to search for RD1646. This location is surrounded by the Tillamook National Forest and was inside the area of the most famous forest fires in Oregon History – collectively referred to as The Tillamook Burn .

 

Near the station we found a stump from the 1945 fire:

 

 

Here is the log from our first search a month ago:

March 6th Search

 

We really wanted to find this. It is in our area and there were no recorded finds since monumentation. Heck, our name is derived from this area - we have to find it.

 

We went back for a second search last weekend.

It became clear that the adjusted coordinates could not be correct – they were on a steep slope and the summit was between the adjusted coordinates and one of the reference objects in the box score. This meant we had to search the entire area of the elongated summit with no helpful references. The summit had heavy brush cover and rocks everywhere.

 

Here is our base camp:

 

 

 

After 6 hours of inch-by-inch grid searching the tops of the myriad rocks under the heavy cover of Salal, Oregon Grape, moss and dirt we had only covered an area of 6 x 40 feet. This was less than 5% of the surface area of the top of the knoll.

Unfortunately, it was about time to gather up our stuff and head back home.

 

To start the day we had packed the metal detector all the way to summit. It sat unused all day because of the heavy brush cover. We figured that since we would not bring it back next time, we owed it to ourselves to at least make a token effort to use it before heading back down the hill.

 

Here is what the top of the summit looks like:

 

 

 

All we could do was plunge the detector down here and there amongst the brush. There was no possibility of using a sweeping motion. With the random insertions to the ground it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. This was a borrowed detector and we were coming to the conclusion that investing in one for our own use was not worth it given the typical brush cover in northwestern Oregon. We kept half-heartedly searching with plunges here and there (mainly to delay the packing up and heading back home).

After about 15 minutes we had two “hits” that we marked for digging. Both spots were a long ways from out 6 x 40’ search area. The first spot turned out to be a piece of wire. The second spot turned up a nail.

 

After picking up the nail, there was still a beep from the detector. Sifting through the dirt and fir needles we found another nail. This was repeated until we had 5 rusty nails. Oh great – a junkpile.

Or was it?

We had a remote hope – could the nails have been placed there specifically to provide a metal signature?

 

 

We kept digging.

 

Then – OH MY!

 

A small fragment of faded surveyor’s flagging! We scratched in the dirt and later found a few more fragments (*eyes widen*).

 

 

About 6 inches away were some loose rocks – however, they were not a solid “rock outcrop”.

 

But... what if they were… a cairn?

There was no mention of a cairn in the datasheet.

 

Yep!

 

 

Turning over the top rocks...

 

 

 

 

\/

 

 

\/

 

 

If the nails were not a coincidence, we could kiss the surveyor who placed them. We would not have found this mark if the metal detector had not picked up the nails.

 

Here is our newest log with full size photos: RD1646

 

 

Here is benchmark dog jumping for joy over the find (under the orange marker).

 

 

Thanks for reading.

[+Ernmark]

Nothing beats the reward of a hard-won find! Congrats!

[+Ashallond]

Especially one that hasn't found in nearly forever!

 

Way to go.

[foxtrot_xray]

Hehe, great find!

[+pgrig]

Whaddya mean?--that was a fine story! Footnote: I have recently found that the "plunge and pray" method of metal detecting can be very rewarding. See my recent recovery of MY0020, which featured a bit of Oregonian ground cover transposed to Massachusetts! It is also true that the Lord blesses s/he who has lugged the metal detector around all day by rewarding that "one last try."

-Paul

[+GrizzFlyer]

That was some determined searching! Bet that felt good when the disk was finally uncovered and you realized your success.

[+m&h]

Fabulous! Congratulations!

 

Cheers & huzzahs,

[+jwahl]

I hesitate to ask, but given your coordinate problem, is there anything to indicate that there has been something like logging in the area that could have destrutively moved things around? Since the datasheet mentions a logging railroad, perhaps it is a possibility?

 

From the pictures it doesn't look like it but then things can overgrow a lot in 20 years or more, and it would be hard to tell from here anyway.

 

Given that the coordinates seem to fall in a worse or more unlikely spot, perhaps there is something else going on.

 

Also since it is third order maybe something really went wrong with the USFS data or survey.

 

A mystery remains.

 

- jerry

[Difficult Run]

I really enjoyed the story, as we've all been in the same situation before.

 

When I read about the nails, I thought, "no biggie". They're probably the remnants from the old wooden tower falling in on the station as it decayed.

But wait... they were on top of old flagging material??????? Hmmm.... Yep, I believe they were intentionally placed.

 

Similar situation here. - There's a triangulation station on NPS property that I've been looking for several years now...

Since metal detectors aren't permitted, I've resorted to using a small magnet tied to a string so I can establish the pattern of the decayed tower.

Nails are left as found, but no luck so far...

 

... and when I do find it, I'll be sure to leave a few nails and a small cairn!

 

~ Mitch ~