Welcome to the South Mountain Partnership

The South Mountain Partnership has a new web site!! Please visit http://www.southmountainpartnership.org. The South Mountain blog will continue to be hosted at http://southmountaincli.blogspot.com

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

The South Mountain Geo-Trail

Travel across the South Mountain region and you will find an abundance of cultural and natural treasures from farms and farm markets, wineries, historic sites, forestlands, unique water features, and bustling recreation assets. During the spring and summer of 2010, Capital Resource Conservation and Development (Capital RC&D) will inventory and connect these sites through a “Geo-Cache Trail” project.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK OUT The Geo-Cache Website or The Geo-Cache Blog


Capital RC&D will work with South Mountain partners to designate the sites, develop South Mountain branding elements, recruit site stewards and promote the program. We will collaborate to develop guidelines and materials as well as to provide input on the final product. We will also involve students and volunteers who are interested in becoming “stewards” of the selected sites. Suggested sites will be farms and farm markets, wineries, community facilities, cultural features, and outdoor areas including parks, water features, etc. Geo-caching provides many benefits to the caching sites, including increased visitor use, increase revenue, the use of the program as an education tool, and developing awareness of the region’s assets. The South Mountain GeoTrail Project will enhance a sense of place for residents and visitors alike, by getting folks outdoors

What is Geo-Caching? This adventure sport/hobby is a great family activity and getting started is easy! All you need is a handheld GPS receiver (new ones are available for as little as $80) and internet access. With the tools outlined, the participant visits designated sites in a “treasure-hunt” style experience. A typical cache consists of a waterproof container, a log book, and trinkets. Signing the log book proves you found it, and the trinkets provide trade items; the idea is to take an item, then replace it with an item of equal value. Once the log book is signed and trinkets exchanged, the container is put back in exactly the same place it was found, to await the next finder.