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Welcome to my first Geocache!! Decided to call it the Oakey-Dokey Runaround, named for the CITO Event I hosted in 2005.
This cache will take you around the Clover Park Tech. College outdoor Environmental Sciences Lab. This area includes over 700 Garry Oaks, a salmon stream, wetlands, and a ton of critters!! The property used to be part of the Flett Dairy pasture land. Where the Dairy buildings used to stand, there is now new housing, and the North side of this area has recently had the new Mt. Tahoma High School built.
CPTC has been involved in many restorative efforts for this area, including tree planting to help young salmon out, water monitoring, tree mapping, invasive species eradication and mapping, trail creation and maintenance, and quite a few others. This area being open for years, was used as a convenient illegal dump spot, and is slowly being cleaned back up. April 16, 2005 there was a CITO event here, in appreciation of the caching friendly attitude of Andy Fritz, one of the teachers for the Env. Sciences program, whom I've been working with to coordinate cache placement.
I have left some brochures from the school, outlining the projects they've been working on, and future plans for the area, please take one and learn a bit about this wonderful little spot!!
You will be very likely to see a variety of wildlife while here. There's a very active pair of Red-tailed Hawks that love to cruise the area playing with each other, a long list of different birds, rabbits, fox, owls, frogs, etc... quite the audio display when you get closer to the water.
I have created a multi-stage cache to take you around the bulk of the property owned by the school, during your travels, you will stay within the bermed borders of the Oak savannah, and will stay on established trails. Please refrain from bushwhacking or shortcutting. Unless it's blackberries, then knock yourself out!!
Parking is easiest at the Memorial Park next door, there is a lot at N 47' 10.668 W 122' 29.903 you could use. PLEASE DON'T DRIVE THROUGH ANY OF THE AREAS THE OAKS ARE IN, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE RECENT TIRE TRACKS THROUGH HERE. THANK YOU!!
Just so everybody knows, i've utilized the fact that there are many spots to hide at each point to make it a bit more difficult. The clues will help you out. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REPLACE ALL WP CONTAINERS EXACTLY AS FOUND!!! APPARENTLY THE BIRDS HERE LOVE BISON TUBES..
The first 2 waypoints are small green Bison (metal) tubes, well hidden. (if you've never dealt with these, please place the paper back inside the LID prior to closing or you won't get them shut properly!)
The first one is a nice spot for a sit. You'll be close to the micro from your rest spot.
Second might find you in way over your head.
When going to the final from WP2, please stay within the bermed borders of the oak grove. The intended trail starts within the school property, almost due north from WP2 and takes you to the final without the need for bushwhacking!!! Thanks!
The final is an ammo can full of stuff. I will be keeping this final full of CITO bags as often as I can, there's a few for now, please take one and use it here, or at your next caching trip!
Coordinates for each step were averaged out at different times over the course of a week. If you have problems with them, please email me. If I get enough emails, i will update as needed. PLEASE replace the final better than you might find it, and double check it before you leave. It's unlikely to be wandered onto, but just cover it well. Thanks!!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[1st WP:]Byq ornpu oblf ahzore fbat gerr, jvguva 12 cnprf bs fvggvat gerr.
[2nd WP:]Abg ba tebhaq, guvax fvk+ srrg hc.
[Final:]Onfr bs prqne. abg gur boivbhf bar!