It's Been a Long Lonely Road Traditional Geocache
It's Been a Long Lonely Road
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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A cache on a beautiful ridge north of the Red Deer River to celebrate our Alberta Lonely Cache Challenge accomplishment.
Although we were still one cache short of the a/n challenge completion I just couldn't resist placing this cache high up on the ridge before heading down to the mountain pass to grab our last Lonely Cache. There were two qualifying caches down there and it's a good thing that we only needed one as a large Grizzly was guarding James Lake and wasn't interested in letting me get to that cache this day!
This cache is a large size red bison tube with only a log sheet so please BYOP. The hide is not difficult, this cache is all about the effort to get to the cache not the hide. I (BigR) placed this cache while looking for a route down the north face after grabbing the two caches near the top of the ridge. The cache is placed just above what I thought was a glorious skree field but it turned out to be a slate field that didn't allow for the fun of skree skiing.
If you are coming up here please use the parking coordinates and route directions for the ridge top cache. If you continue down from this point I suggest staying left at the bottom of the slate field as the right gully leads you to a waterfall cliff face with no option but to go back up and head west again to get around it (as I had to do the day I placed this cache). 
I certainly recommend coming at this cache from the west (after grabbing the two top caches and the brass cap) as that side of the ridge provides a much easier incline. Coming at this cache from the pass between Eagle & James Lakes will provide you with a steep 2 steps forward and 1 step back type of climb.
Geocaching (especially Lonely Caches) will get you out to some amazing places. Those cachers who are willing to trek out to this cache will get to experience a part of Alberta very few people see.
Happy Caching!
p.s. This is an off trail geocache that requires knowledge of back country route finding and some minor scrambing sections. Please come prepared for your mountain adventure.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Erq ovfba ghor ba gur rnfg fvqr bs n ybar gerr.