Parlee Brook Natural Amphitheatre Traditional Geocache
Parlee Brook Natural Amphitheatre
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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A great big thanks to Kelly Honeyman, Naturalist and Park Manager of the Irving Nature Park, for sharing information about this wondrous place.
The following description comes from the Irving Forest Discovery Network (IFDN) – Unique Areas Of Our Region: “This is an amazing geological formation. From an elevation of 330m above sea level, a flat plateau drops suddenly straight down into a deep gorge (150m) to the brook. The bottom of this gorge is shaped like the letter "U". This shape (much like the design of a theatre) allows even the most subtle of noises to be heard throughout the gorge, echoing off the rock walls. The gorge has a 75m cliff face. In the winter, trained climbers go straight up the cliff on the ice that has formed. The walls of this formation are so deep and sheltered from the sun, snow was found on the site in late June! The surrounding forests of Hemlock, Spruce and Sugar Maple add to the impressive scenery and a closer look reveals some beautiful and unusual plants such as the rare Large-Round Leaved Orchid and the scattered Purple Trillium”.
We’ve hiked into the amphitheatre in March. Pictures cannot capture how blue the ice is.
The box canyon is located in Waterford. This is just one of the many ways to get there:
Make your way to Sussex, then to Waterford (follow the blue signs to the Poley Mountain ski area). Before you reach the ski hill, turn right onto the Parlee Brook Road. The road is paved but becomes dirt. Once you see "The Abbey" take the road before it called Arnold's Hollow Road. The province maintains this road but it can get pretty rough or washed-out near the bottom. Head up the hill, then down the hill and park opposite the camp. Walk for about 5 minutes until you come to an area on the left that has been logged. Go past a very “burly” spruce tree on your left (see pics) and look for a very small stream that crosses the road. Turn left up this stream; it will lead you into the amphitheatre. Cache is a camo ammo box. GPSr WAAS accuracy was 9m when the cache was stashed. SINCE YOU'LL BE IN A CANYON YOU MAY LOSE THE SATELLITE SIGNAL TO YOUR GPS'r. PLEASE USE THE HINT! If you visit this site in the winter you’ll have to walk from the base of the Arnold’s Hollow Road. We’ve done it and it was worth the hike. The amphitheatre is amazing in the winter and you may meet people climbing the ice (see pics).
Photos of the area that we’ve taken can be seen by visiting the gallery. Please add some of your own.
Original contents of the cache:
• Logbook (with pen & pencil)
• Laminated FTF certificate
• Ursa Major mini bear
• 6” Slip joint pliers
• Folding hairbrush with mirror
• 3 pc set of brass padlocks
• ArmorAll protectant filled sponge
• Mini stapler set
• Ruler with electronic calculator
• LED multi-task light
• Vernier caliper
• Radical Racers car set
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Nf lbh arne gur onpx bs gur nzcuvgurnger lbh jvyy cnff ol n uhtr pyvss snpr ba lbhe yrsg xabja nf Gur Fhaonxr Jnyy. Fgbc gurer naq ybbx ng gur jnyy bs gur pnalba bccbfvgr Gur Fhaonxr Jnyy sbe n fznyy fgernz ehaavat qbja (frr cvpf). Urnq hc guvf fgernz n irel fubeg qvfgnapr, gura tb yrsg jura lbh pbzr gb gur ynetr fcehpr gerr pheirq arne vgf onfr. Lbh znl or uvtu rabhtu abj sbe lbhe TCF gb erprvir fvtanyf. Vs abg, ybbx ng gur cvpgher va gur tnyyrel ynoryrq “Pnpur Uvqvat Cynpr”.