De Chambeau Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Beautiful Eastern Sierra landscape, hot springs and wildlife refuge
This celebrates beautiful De Chambeau Ponds, a little-known public wildlife refuge approx. 8 miles east of 395, north of Lee Vining. NOT for power cachers, anyone in a hurry or folks with a nice car. You probably won't see any other people here and the views of Mono Lake are spectacular.
Turn off 395 at Cemetery Rd., going toward County Park (check out my Mono Pioneers virtual cache en route), and go 5 miles on the main dirt road past the Black Pt. turnoff - you will need high clearance most of the year. At 5 miles (38 03.298, 119 05.458), you reach an "X" intersection and a Mono Basin Scenic Area sign; take the S/E road a couple more miles and park at 38 03.046, 119 04.939. Wander around the ponds, particularly the north pond with the hot water springs (105+ degree temps) caused by the Long Valley Caldera volcanic activity. Look for ducks, blackbirds, herons, swallows and prepare to be enchanted by the beauty, diversity and solitude of this spot.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Nzzb pna va n jbbql ohfu haqre n cvrpr bs fpenc zrgny.