CARLISLE, PA (June 7, 2010) A regional nonprofit is asking residents of South Central PA to nominate their favorite places in the South Mountain region for a new adventure sport trail with a high-tech twist.

The Capital Resource Conservation and Development (Capital RC&D) Area Council, in collaboration with the South Mountain Partnership, will inventory and connect these sites by creating the South Mountain GeoTrail: a collection of geocache sites that help both residents and visitors to explore the area and learn more about its unique attractions.

"We want to showcase the best agricultural, natural and heritage sites the region has to offer, and we need the help of our community to do it," said Capital RC&D Outreach Specialist Cheryl Burns.

 "No one knows the South Mountain region better than the people who live, work and play here, so we're asking the citizens to nominate potential geocache sites for the trail."

Geocaching is an outdoor adventure sport in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate hidden containers, called "caches." A typical cache is a small waterproof container that holds a logbook and trinkets for participants to trade.

Sites for consideration along the South Mountain GeoTrail should have a good spot to hide a cache, and should represent the South Mountain region. They can be easy or difficult to access, since the chosen sites will represent a range of difficulty levels.

The South Mountain GeoTrail area includes the Blue Ridge Mountain range and nearby towns, from the Pennsylvania border up to Carlisle and Boiling Springs.

The goal of the project is to assist in marketing tourism opportunities in and around the South Mountain Conservation Landscape and its communities in Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York counties.

"Cache locations should bring visitors to areas that show off something about the local community," Burns said.

"Good spots could include cultural sites, scenic vistas, parks, hiking trails, farm markets or other assets of the region that would interest visitors."

To nominate a site or to find more information on geocaching in the South Mountain region, visit www.capitalrcd.org/ or call (717) 241-4361.

Capital RC&D plans to choose up to 40 sites for the trail. A kickoff event will launch the trail in October 2010, and the group will make GPS units available on loan at visitor's centers in the region.

Funding for this project is provided by the South Mountain Partnership through a grant from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.        

The Capital Resource Conservation and Development Area Council (Capital RC&D) is a regional non-profit organization that networks people, resources and projects to promote responsible use and conservation of our region's natural, community and economic resources.  Capital RC&D is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

The South Mountain Partnership is a unified group of private citizens, businesses, not-for-profit organizations and governmental officials working to protect, preserve and enhance the South Mountain Landscape in Central Pennsylvania.