If you know Del Mar as a beach, restaurants, and shopping, hold on
to your hat. This hike will show you a part of Del Mar the way it
was before the hillsides were covered with houses.
You do NOT need to cross any private land, go illegally
off-trail or bushwhack to find this cache. Instead of plowing
through the vegetation, look for the right paths, and you will walk
right up to the cache. (UP is the operative word.)
The cache is on State Park land. The trailhead is at 32 56.306,
117 15.168. (Don’t worry, this will still be challenge! Just
because I give you a trailhead doesn’t mean that there aren’t lots
of zigs and zags and ups and downs in your search.)
NATURAL BEAUTY: Wild Cucumber, Lemonadeberry, Telegraph weed,
California Flat-top Buckwheat, yellow Mariposa lilies, fields of
purple Wild Snapdragon, here and there light blue Twiggy Wreath
plant (Stephanomaria), Toyon, Coyote Brush, Chamise (Greasewood),
Ceanothus, dozens of Rock Rose (bright yellow flowers), a Bunny
Wabbit was hopping awong, Morning Glories, Bushrue (spice bush),
White Sage, Deerweed (finished blooming), California Bush
Sunflowers (still a few blooms left!), Red Monkeyflower, Yerba
Santa, California Coastal Sage, a field of Scarlet Larkspur just
east of the bridge, Prickly Pear cactus in bloom, Lanceleaf
Dudleya, Tree Tobacco with yellow tubular flowers, Cleveland Sage
in fragrant iridescent blue bloom, Black Sage, Bush Poppy (in
blazing yellow bloom), Del Mar Manzanita, Horseweed (a/k/a Flax
Leaf Fleabane), Mojave Yucca, yellow Pincushion flowers, Sand
Asters, Scrub Oak, one inch tall Hooked Navarretia (Skunk Flower)
with tiny purple flowers on the trail, Bedstraw, Bird’s Beak, Black
Mustard, Canchalagua, Chaparral Broom, Bush Mallow, Locoweed,
Torrey Pines, California Buckwheat, California Sunflower, Laurel
Sumac, Morning Glorys. Whew!
The cache is real well hidden due to the use of the area. I
recommend that you print out the cheater hints and take them with
you just in case you need them.
After your hike, on the way back to the trailhead, set your
coordinates for 32 56.333, 117 15.236 for a real treat. There’s
even a bench to enjoy a view that you’ll remember for a long time.
Enjoy!
Carpe Diem!
Tuna
http://www.SoCalBirding.com
Thanks to Alefcourt for the following notes on
11/11/2009: Note to future cachers... the prickly pear is
gone, but the coords are spot on in any case. If you are one of
those who feels that time spent on the wrong trail is time wasted,
please note that when the instructions say "look for the right
paths" it should read "look for the correct paths." 'Nuf said!
TFTC!