WATERFALL ADVENTURE Traditional Cache
geomatrix: Hate to give this one up but it's been problematic and I haven't been able to replace. I think whether found or not everyone has enjoyed the adventure
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(regular)
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Throw on your hiking shoes, load up the kids, and head up to Leona Hieghts park. Just past the overgrown parking lot are four ancient bridges that will get you on to the York trail. Head up the trail along the natural spring fed Horseshoe creek. The redwoods, large rocks, steep valley walls, and ferns make this area lush and cool in the summer.
Keep an eye on your feet as the trail goes along some steep cliffs, is narrow, and full of obstacles in parts. As you travel up the creek (without a paddle) there are dozens of waterfalls as it makes a six hundred foot drop from Merrit college down to Leona lodge. The cache is located only part of the way up the trail (just past the plank that crosses the creek) after finding the cache I recomend continuing up further especialy if you have adventureous kids.. as they will have a blast going through the obstacle cousre of trees and climbing around on the huge boulders.
In the area of the York trailhead is one of the only old growth redwood trees left in Oakland said to be 500 years old with a base that is about 29 foot diameter. Dont feel bad if you miss it as they say its very hard to locate and best visible from devils punchbowl or from above the tree line. If you find it.. be sure and post pictures.
This area is also known for the Laundry Farm that was here in the late 1800's and the Laundry Farm hotel. They use to actualy boat cloths from San Francisco to be washed here in the natural spring water.
The cache is a brown or red mayo jar behind some rocks under a boulder to the left and across from falls just past the plank bridge. (a flashlite may be helpful) Be kind to the enviroment.. no reason to trample anything or do any rock or steep hill climbing. Ive uped the dificulty level because of the weak signal in the valley but hid the cache in a spot where there is less canopey(open to the sky above). Please dont ovefill the container and never leave matches or lighters as Smokey the Bear wouldnt approve.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
oruvaq fbzr ebpxf naq fgvpxf va gur pnir haqre n OBHYQRE yrsg njnl sebz jngresnyy
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