Military stash Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Rocky terrain, steep climb, 950 meters but the view will make this worth the hike!
I paused at the spot where Laura fell to her death in 1998. The cliffs were steep, and had I tripped in the gravel, I would have joined her at the bottom. This place is often the first spot expatriates go to see the spectacular views from the escarpment. I tried to decide which way to go. To my left a long steep climb led to a pinnacle, which could have been a diving platform had it not been for the 500 foot drop. I decided to go to the right, a steep but more reasonable walk. I passed a deep crevasse and dropped a rock in to hear it bounce off the walls for what seemed to be an eternity. But I needed to go higher, further to the right. I didn't want the seeker to be disappointed.
At times fear told me to turn around -- or was it Laura warning me not to be over-confident? She was 28 when her life was cut short. The walk up is reasonable, but the sheer cliff facing west beckons to you as you climb -- like the sirens in Homer's Odyssey.
I did not hike alone. I had a US Army general officer, two "bird" colonels, non-commissioned officers and several wives supervising the placement. If this had been in the United States, there would have been an entrance fee, and fences to keep you away from the edge -- a National Park. But the price for entrance to this grand spot are a few scrapes on the bottom of your 4WD.
When I reached the top, I planted an American Flag -- red white and blue waving in the wind. One small step for man. To the right of where I stood the escarpment flattened out like a table-top -- flat and wide enough to pitch several tents and light a fire should you have had a need to rest.
And within a few feet I hid the cache -- away from unsuspecting eyes.
I have placed some US Army military trinkets in this cache. If you take something as a souvenir, please replace it with something else. It would be nice if you could keep a military theme to this cache.
Please note that I have coded this as a 5/5 for a reason. Other than a 4WD vehicle to get to the spot, you can hike to the cache without special equipment. But take great care as you near the spot. Don't walk blindly forward with your GPS in hand to guide your way. You will need your eyes placing your feet to keep you away from the escarpment edge. One false step could be your last. But don't let these warnings keep you away from this incredibly beautiful spot. Just be careful and you will be rewarded with views that rival the Grand Canyon!
There are two ways to drive in from Riyahd. For an easy drive, you can take the Old Makkah Rd turning north onto the pipeline road at 24 degrees 30.395N 46 degrees 20.761E. Or you can come in from the North East around Al Hegra coming in through the Acacia Valley. This way is about 30km shorter, but the road is rough, and you will encounter a sizable gate which has been open so far, but may be closed in the future.
A small road can be found at 24 degrees 51.806N, 46 degrees 06.794E. Drive in along the wide creekbed about 5.1km (west). Park your vehicle vicinity 24 degrees 51.896N, 46 degrees 04.955E.
I reduced the difficulty ratings from a 5/5 to a 4/3 based on advice from a more experienced geocacher. After all, you didn't need a rope. And if this was a 5, how could I make my next cache more difficult!! :-). I'm headed out this weekend for more fun -- watch for a true 5/5!!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Va gur funqr bs n uhtr syng obhyqre lbh jvyy svaq jung lbh frrx, uvqqra ol ebpxf sebz ivrj va n gval perinffr. Gur obhyqre vf crepurq ng n 45 qrterr natyr.