Swede George Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Who is Swede George anyway?
This cache is the second of our responses to parking lot micros.
Daisy, the geospaniel, was mad at me for not placing a second cache at this location when we were out placing a different cache.
"Woof," she said, "how come you didn't just haul another one of those metal things out here the first time? You know how much I love this spot."
Another beautiful, little known spot on Alpine Lake's less traveled shore. The only information I can find on Swede George is that he had a cabin in this area in the 1870s. Hopefully one of our local geo-historians can shed a little more light.
Check out the exquisite construction of the hand hewn bridge. It was restored in 2003 by the Marin Conservation Corps.
There are a few things to take note of as you make your way out here. First, check out the fire scars on the redwoods from the great fire of 1929 that devastated parts of Mill Valley and burned much of Mt. Tamalpais. This area was logged a century or so ago, and you'll notice some of the massive old growth redwood stumps in the area.
Also check out the massive die-off of the tan oaks-- one of our favorite trees. Sudden oak death is spreading rampantly through the area, and tan oaks are particularly vulnerable. All over Mt. Tam the tan oaks are dying, sometimes acres at a time. Other oaks are also dying too. Is there is another major wildland fire, sudden oak death could be a major contributing factor to its intensity.
Cachers making their way out here in winter or spring will know they are close when they start hearing the sound of water flowing. The sound starts quickly as you come over the ridge toward the cache in either direction.
Do a reality check with a map before attempting this cache. Although it is only about 0.6 miles from the nearest road, there are many ridges to cross to get there.
GPS reception is almost non-existant in this area, so use the hint to guide you to the final location. The cache, an ammo box, is sitting inside a tree. Check out the picks for guidance to the cache too.
Here is a link to a handy map of the watershed (cut and paste into your browser):
(visit link)
While you are out here, you might as well get Daisy's other cache in the area-- X Markts the Spot.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fgnaq va gur zvqqyr bs gur oevqtr naq ybbx hcfgernz. Abgvpr gur pbasyhrapr bs gjb perrxf n yvggyr ovg hcfgernz. Urnq hcfgernz nobhg 100 lneqf (gurer vf n fznyy cngu ba gur rnfg fvqr bs gur oevqtr). Pebff gb gur pragre "L" orgjrra gur pbasyhrapr naq ybbx sbe n irel hahfhny erqjbbq gerr (frr cvp). Gur pnpur vf va gur gerr. Gurer ner fbzr avpr ynetr, zbff pbirerq ebpxf gb fvg ba naq fvta gur ybt.