In Memoriam: Lucifer's Spine

[+RiverExplorer]

I've never posted to these forums before, largely because they seem a bit intimidating, with all the "friction" that seems to come out, but for quite some time, I've thoroughly enjoyed lurking, laughing, shaking my head, and learning an immense amount about this activity we all (mostly) enjoy. I was finally compelled to post today because of a sense of loss surrounding my favorite cache, which had to be archived this week. Read the recent posts on this cache for an explanation of what happened.

 

Lucifer's Spine

 

For the majority of you who have never visited this one, this cache was in a small nature preserve in West Cental Indiana with unreal natural features. The centerpiece of this park is a narrow ridge about 6 ft. wide, with 100 ft. drops on either side, known as Devil's Backbone. The view here is truly breathtakingly beautiful. This area is made even more exceptional because most of the rest of this part of the country is table-top flat, and planted in uniform 1 mile squares of corn and soybeans. Despite it's uniqueness, it seems largely unknown, and relatively few people venture the fairly long hike back to the preserve, and fewer brave the climb to the top. Near the top of the backbone was a hollow log, where a tupperware cache box had remained, unobtrusively, for 3 1/2 years. It had been logged 90+ times, and most of the logs contain many superlatives to describe this place, many proclaiming it their favorite cache yet. It was the one that I placed a Birthday card in for CYBret, who chose it for his 500th cache on his most recent birthday, as was noted and commented on here in the forums. Now it's gone. I guess I am asking here what the next step should be. Ask for a virtual? Try to get permission to place a new one? Or just forget it. I realize that this cache was probably placed without first obtaining permission, back when that was the way it was done, but I'm looking at the bigger picture, and the greater good, and I really believe the cache was good for this little known preserve. Is the person that removed it just a Neanderthal, or am I looking at this wrong? Is there anything more I can do to help make our sport more accepted, and seen as a good, proper, and educational use of public lands? I'd appreciate others thoughts. Thanks for listening.

[+Torry]

Man, what a shame. I think I may have been with Indy Diver when he tracked it down. I know he wore me out at a couple of those.

 

Sorry to see it go.

[+5¢]

Riverexplorer, I don't have an answer for you and I wish I did. I would guess that if an official park ranger had cito the cache he would have said who he was. I have not been there but is there another spot the cache could be placed. Could someone ask a park official what the deal is? It is too bad something so good could go to waste. Someone needs to do some research. I think if nothing a virt is the answer. Good caches are good caches as far as i am concerned. Posse up. Lets get to the bottom of this. I am all in for helping to get the answer.

[+Renegade Knight]

I'd say it wasn't the park that did it. They tend to either just confiscate the cache or confiscate and post a note to the cache page. They wouldn't compound the issue by leaving something in the same location for cachers to continue to find.

 

If it wasn't the park then your cache was stolen.

[+Bull Moose]

There are a lot of busy bodies that think they own public park. Hell, around here, there's even a group that calls themselves the "North Cascades Institute" and go around to trails telling people to put their dogs on a leash (law says they don't have to be) and the like. I think their head would've exploded if I told them I was caching when I ran into them.

 

Anyway... why not try asking for permission to replace the cache? The worst they can say is no and then you are in the same place as you are now,

[+ZackJones]

Contact someone at the park and see if you can get permission to replace it. If you can't then I think, based upon its "WOW" factor it could be converted to a virtual. Good luck!

 

Zack

[+briansnat]

Sounds like a busybody to me. When caches are confiscated by park personnel, they usually tell you by signing the note with their name and title, or posting something on the cache page. Most legit park rangers do the latter, because they don't want more people going out to look for the cache when its gone.

 

Find out if there are any regulations governing geocaching in the park and of not, put it back where it was.

 

I doubt if it could be a virtual cache, because as the guidelines say "a view is not a cache", and also, how would you verify finds? But there is a new cache type in the pipeline called an "earth cache", that can be used to bring people to an interesting geological feature. Not sure how far away it is from implementation though.

Edited August 18, 2004 by briansnat

[Pipanella]

Oh, I hope this one can be replaced! I live close enough that I could do this one at some point, and by reading the logs and seeing the pictures posted, it's one that I would definitely go out of my way to do.

 

We recently did a cache that was located in a covered bridge (Under Cover), and maintenance employees had found the cache. They not only left it there, they signed the log:

 

[+Touchstone]

Sounds like it was a great cache I'd say give the Manager types a call and see if they have a policy regarding caching in the Preserve. Might take a bit of time to go through all the hoops, but it sounds like a terrific spot for a cache.

 

Good Luck.

[+CYBret]

I was very sad when I read the last log on "Lucifer's Spine." As RiverExplorer mentioned, this was my 500th cache and my birthday cache....for the ...yeah...most recent one. Anyway, you can read about that here.

 

The more I think about it the more I wonder if this was a legitimate park official or someone ...ummm....illegitimate (you know what I mean). I think someone should contact the park to ask them about this. It sure wouldn't hurt to do it in person and take a copy of all the logs of people who have enjoyed the park because of the geocache in it.

 

Oh, and by the way, Pipanella, I was first finder on "Under Cover." I found it after the electrical crew had uncovered it while running wire. They thought it was pretty cool too.

 

Bret

Edited August 18, 2004 by CYBret

[+RPW]

Being the person who found the note -- and I hope that I am correct that there was no cache; I basically gave up looking for a cache after finding the note -- I feel somehow responsible for the archiving ... or at least very sad. Pine Hills is a beautiful and unique spot in Indiana. We should try to get a new cache placed.

 

A curious tidbit is that the note was dated the same day that the previous cacher (whose name is Gridlock) found the cache. I have written him in order to see if he has any information. I will pass along anything I find out.

 

There is a big sign on entry to the preserve that states "EVERYTHING IS PROTECTED" and thus I can see why a non-cacher do-gooder might remove the cache.

 

The original hiders (Ed & Trixie) have not logged into geocaching.com since Sept. 2002 so they appear to be long gone from the sport. I am a bit far away to try to maintain the cache even if it could be legally replaced. Is there anyone close by?

 

For CyBret: I just a birthday myself (in fact we were deliberately hunting the cache on my b'day.) I leave you with a quote I just ran across:

Fourty is the old age of youth; fifty is the youth of old age.

Ah, to be "old" again.

[+Cach-U-Nuts]

This sounds like a perfect candidate for these new Earth Caches.

[+sept1c_tank]

I'd say it wasn't the park that did it.  They tend to either just confiscate the cache or confiscate and post a note to the cache page.  They wouldn't compound the issue by leaving something in the same location for cachers to continue to find.

 

If it wasn't the park then your cache was stolen.

I'd say it was the park officials that removed it. This cache, only a few hundred yards away, met the same demise a year ago; the cache was removed and replaced with an unsigned note. Personally, I think if it was the park rangers that removed it, they could have been a little more professional about it.

 

I have visited the Pine Hills nature preserve many times. The area is one of the most unique in Indiana, and it is obvious from the signs around the area that the state is very protective.

 

BTW, the ranger lives right across the road from the entrance.

 

I, too, am saddened by this loss.

[+RPW]

The last finder -- Gridlock -- wrote back to me and confirmed that I did indeed find the note where the cache should have been. He also says:

 

I can't think of anything we could have done to cause the cache to be removed. There was no one around when we found it, although there were others on the way in and on the way out. We found it and then replaced everything the way it was.

 

It's hard to see how it could have been found by accident but who knows.

 

 

It does seem that Pine Hills nature preserve would be worthy of becoming an Earthcache. So perhaps it will be revived some day. Or perhaps someone near Pine Hills could go through official channels in order to get a real cache replaced there. MountainClimber said, at one time, that there would soon be an official Indiana State parks geocaching policy (and, by extension, a nature preserve policy) however I have not heard anything more about this for several months.