Geocache file generated by BrassCapCache BrassCapCache 2026-09-14T00:01:08.0000000-07:00 cache, geocache, groundspeak 590.4 2005-04-02T01:00:00-07:00 BCP189 Blueberry Hill by outforthehunt, Benchmark (1/1) http://brasscap.albertabattlecache.ca/capbreakdown/BCP189.html Blueberry Hill Geocache Geocache|Benchmark Blueberry Hill outforthehunt outforthehunt Benchmark Virtual 1 1 Canada Alberta <a href='http://brasscap.albertabattlecache.ca/capbreakdown/BCP189.html'TARGET='resource window'>Past Finds for BCP189</a> <a href='https://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?ID=17395&LogType=2'TARGET='resource window'>Log Your Find</a> FLUSH WITH GROUND; 1 M S OF GP ASC BRASS CAP FLUSH WITH GROUND; 1 M S OF GP.ON BLUEBERRY HILL Elevation 590.4 m Horz Datum NAD83 Latitude 54 22 10.93231 dms Longitude 110 01 37.57837 dms 2017-06-25T20:00:00 Found it Coolcat21 BCP189 - Blueberry Hill Posted: N54° 22.182' W110° 01.626' MyGPSr: N54° 22.183' W110° 01.629' (FOUND) I've had my eye on this cap for a long, long time. It promised a hike into unknown territory and a fun little "mini adventure". This morning, first thing, was finally the time to set out on that adventure. I made my way out to the Cherry Grove area from Cold Lake towards rat root's parking coords. Well almost. This little backroad was plenty wet and mucky after recent rains so I parked as close as I could get and walked in. At the trailhead at N54° 22.770' W110° 02.030' I found a huge pool of water and swampy forest on both sides of it. It took me a bit to make my way around all that but after I did it was the squish, squish, squish of now water-logged boots and "follow the quad trail" through the aspen forest. There were a few other nasty wet spots, but nothing that couldn't be skirted around pretty easily, and soon I'd arrived at N54° 22.618' W110° 01.364' where the quad trail meets with a very large pasture. Another log mentioned "following the quad trail all the way to the cap" and I knew before I came there'd be a issue finding the extension of this trail on the south side of the pasture. Instead of traipsing around looking for it, I went with my Google Earth researched Plan A and made my way through open pastures instead. This might not be the most "upstanding" way to go, since obviously I was walking through someone's pasture, but it was the most logical, direct way to me. I see Sleepy_Hollow and Strider's Ride took this route as well. "On the shoulders of giants", right? I made my way to and through a large opening in the fence at the end of the pasture at N54° 22.618' W110° 01.364, southwest along a cut line and then through gate at the north end of the field (N54° 22.431' W110° 01.844'). I was glad there were absolutely no cow sightings during my travels today. But what I did see was a couple of Sandhill Cranes in the middle of the field. A couple of other cappers have mentioned seeing the cranes, notably Black_Sharks about a year ago. I wonder if the same pair of cranes frequent this same pasture? The cranes were loud. I've done a bit of research since and their call is likened to a "loud, rolling, trumpeting sound". When I heard them I thought of it being more like a "ratcheting sound", almost like a chain being winched up. It's certainly distinctive. And these things must be loud. I'm really deaf, and normally wear hearing aids, but even though I didn't have them in during this little hike, I heard the birds loud and clear. I know I was bothering them just by being there, but it was cool experience hearing them and seeing their long strutting gait as I made my way southwest. Finally I reached another gate at the south end of the field ( N54° 22.190' W110° 01.851' ) where I rolled under the barbed wire fence since the gate was actually in the middle of a pool of water. The local cows wouldn't mind using that gate, but I did. Then it was an approx. 250m walk straight east to the crest of Blueberry Hill to be greeted by an awesome view complete with the loud chorus of cicadas buzzing incessantly from the all sides. What a great spot! The cap stands alone sans post right smack dab on the crest of the hill and is in excellent shape. After taking my cap pics and pics of the view on the horizon, I decided to simply to retrace my steps back to the parking spot instead of exploring the to me still fabled "follow the quad trail all the way to the cap" option. It was the devil I knew, if you know what I mean. Thanks very much for the experience and, before today, all the "map dreaming" in the past before arriving. Sometimes that dreaming and the anticipation of the journey is just as much fun! <a href="https://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=48127dff-bee3-4976-9c1f-0b40105f59c5" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">See an appended list of waypoints here...</a> 2017-06-25T20:00:00 Write note Coolcat21 BCP189 - Blueberry Hill List of waypoints: Parking: (thanks rat root!) N 54°22.815 W 110°01.945 Quadtrailhead: N54° 22.770' W110° 02.030' Gate where quad trail meets pasture: N54° 22.618' W110° 01.364' If you decide to go the way I went, instead of going all the way to the above waypoint, you can leave the quad trail at N54° 22.670' W110° 01.610', make your way over to the barbed wire fence at N54° 22.618' W110° 01.599' and do a roll under the fence maneuver for a little shortcut. That worked for me on the way back. North field gate: N54° 22.431' W110° 01.844' (Opens with a wire latch) South field gate: N54° 22.190' W110° 01.851' (Opens with a wire latch, but I rolled under the wire - the gate was a pool of water today) 2016-07-10T20:00:00 Found it Black Shark BCP189 Blueberry Hill Lesson: When someone recommends a clear route in a log and especially when you decide it's a good plan, you really should stick with it. The parking coords and the quad trail mentioned by previous finders were helpful for non-locals, thank you. There had been rain in the morning and a light sprinkle as we drove out, but there were no real serious looking clouds--we just packed rain gear. This cap held considerable appeal and we calculated that we had lots of time to get it before meeting friends for a BBQ and it would be our last opportunity before leaving. We parked where the quad trail crossed the road and started down the trail. However, when the GPS arrow swung past three o'clock and there seemed no promising turn on the trail ahead and not wanting to be late for the BBQ we decided we needed to be more direct. No time for wild tangents. So into a trailside clearing, down a little animal path, a little light bushwacking, across an open pasture, another small path, pathless portions, up a hill. Wrong hill. More of the same down that wooded hill and a winding trek up the next treed hill following animal trails when they served us, then making our own way until another trail was going our direction. It wasn't hard bushwacking but we were really feeling the high humidity. The numbers kept getting smaller, though, so we were clearly making progress. Right? Finally, we emerged on a hilltop, but the promised view was nowhere to be seen. But there was that quad trail again and it was just a short distance down it and the grand vista was laid out in front of us! Wow! This made it all worth it! We had brought all the capping gear that was easy to carry this distance but the only thing that made it out of the bag was our photogenic little shark! We didn't even wipe the cap off with our hand or pull a single blade of grass. We quickly took photos of the cap and the view, nibbled on a few saskatoons from tiny little bushes, gazed at the view and briefly searched in vain for blueberries. We had taken longer than expected to get here and we sadly turned our backs on the view. We (wisely) decided that if we had any hope of being back in time for supper we had to return on the quad trail. The route took us directly down the hill which was slow going because recent rains and a lot of cow traffic had made it muddy and slippery. We often chose side routes the cows had made around the worst spots; they don't like slipping in the mud any more than people do. The rest of the route was easy and flat. Each time we crossed the pasture we pushed an impressive bow wave of dozens of small grasshoppers jumping ahead of us. On our return we had barely got the wave going when we heard loud squawking. We looked across the field to see two very large birds in the distance to one side. For the second time on this hike we were sorry we'd forgotten the binoculars. However, after studying the pictures we took, we are sure the birds were Sandhill Cranes--a very exciting first sighting for us!! We wish we might have been closer for a better look but considering that they periodically spread their large wings and leapt into the air, a threatening move towards predators according to our research, maybe not. They kept their distance as we moved across the pasture and their squawking continued non-stop until we had gone through the gate and were well down the trail and out of sight. <a href="https://coord.info/GLNKWBXA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Continued</a> 2013-09-07T20:00:00 Found it MKFmly BCP189 Blueberry Hill Posted Coordinates: N54° 22.182 W110° 01.626 My Phone Coordinates: N54° 22.185 W110° 01.624 This cap has such great views (for our area) that it is worth a revisit every fall. Knowing the way into this cap certainly helped, after wrongly approaching (a 3 km detour) it in the winter for a DNF. Starting at the parking area (south side of the approach) we made our way in along the trail, skirted the field, down the cutline/fence line and then back onto the trail. Ground Zero provides a nice view of the hills to the East and lots of Blueberry bushes, hence the name. You can see Highway 55 to the south if you look hard and the Humphrey Lake tower to the North East. Ground zero was close but not quite where I was searching in the wintertime. There is a stump of the guide post that is long gone and will be covered in the winter. After taking some pictures and having a little snack we made our way back towards the van. Arriving at the last field there are multiple vehicles parked, tables set up and some things that look suspiciously like targets. No one approached us but as we left we stopped someone coming in and asked what was happening. It's "Shootin Day"... Thanks for the Cap, OFTH! 2012-08-20T20:00:00 Found it Sears Tower BCP189 - Blueberry Hill Well, where do I begin. First of all, work was over for the day. I just had to get to Slave lake for the night. We parked at the recommended coordinates and then I set off. I spooked to white tails in the first 100 meters or so. Then it got interesting with many wrong decisions on direction and then the cow in the way, so I back tracked and took a route on the other side of the fence only to come across more cows and their calves. I ended up bushwhacking for about 450 meters to go around them. The view was worth it and I took the much easier quad trail back. TFTH #9 of 14