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Located at one of the overlooks on Hwy101 on Neahkahnie Mountain. BRING YOUR CAMERA!!!!!!!
AT THIS TIME THE CACHE IS A 35MM CANISTER. THE ORIGONAL CACHE WAS MUGGLED,BUT I WILL PUT A BIGGER CACHE BACK THERE WHEN I GET BACK THERE IN THE SPRING.
Before I get into the cache, let me tell you about one of the best statesman that Oregon has ever had. The name of this man is Oswald West. The Oregon State park here is named for him. He was Oregon's governor from 1910 untill 1914. He served ALL Oregonian's with his help for womens sufferage as well as setting up our states Workmans Comp insurance. But in my book he is tops for what he did for Oregon's outdoor lovers, that we all get to enjoy to this day. He set up the state forestry, the state fish and game, and he made it to where our beaches belong to the highway department so that we all can enjoy them. If you have ever been to California and tried to get on a beach that is surrounded by homes, you understand. He was born in Ontario Canada in 1873, but moved to Oregon when he was 4. He went to school in Salem, and even went to the Alaska goldfields in 1899 for the last great gold rush that the U.S. has had. Governor Chamberlain appointed him to be State Land Agent in 1903, and in that capacity he was responsible for the recovery of some 900,000 acres of Oregon school lands fraudulently obtained by land speculators. In 1907 he was appointed to a four-year term on the Oregon Railroad Commission. Having gained a reputation as an effective reformer, West won the primary election and became the Democratic candidate for governor in 1910. He conducted a nonpartisan campaign defending the "Oregon System" of government, including the initiative, referendum and direct primary. We lost this statesman in 1960, but his legacy lives on with much of what we enjoy today, both politically as well as recreationally.For his efforts I am pleased that they made a beautiful park here for all to enjoy. The park is usually very full in the summer with beach goers and hikers alike.
Now for the cache. It is at the Neahkahnie Mountain Waypoint pullout on Hwy101. There you can get some beautiful views of the coastline looking south. On a clear day you can see all the way down to Pacific city, as well as the opening of Tillimook Bay as well as most of Nehalem Bay just southeast of where you will be. There is a circle of reader boards for your information about the many campgrounds and parks along this stretch of the coast, and a nice plaque commemorating the fine Governor West. Now at this cache you will have to go over the wall, but don't worry, there is a staircase on the otherside at the beginning of the trail that goes all the way out to the point. This trail at ground level is good, but it does have some overgrowth at about the 3 to 5 feet level. I placed this cache in the rain and with the flu, and it wasn't bad at all. The next day I took the rest of Team Geogold there to look for the cache and see how they felt about it and what it should be rated. They went strait to the cache, but forgot the camera, so they came back for it, and then went back to the cache and beyond to grab some awesome shots from the top of the cliffs. We all agree that as long as you keep your kids with you that this is a VERY safe cache for them, and that they would love it. Just remember that as you are hiking the trail, keep right and on the uphill side and you will allways be in the middle of the point and no where near any cliffs. You also don't go all the way out to the point to get the cache, it is only 440 feet from the parking area. After about 5 stairs the trail is a mix of blacktop and gravel untill it levels off, then it changes to dirt. You can do this in shorts and a t-shirt and sandles like I did, but I would recommend long pants and sleeves if you are worried about getting a little scratched. This is a VERY little known trail here and some of the looks that the tourists were giving us were funny, as you can't see the trail from above after about 40 feet. Bring a lunch with you and go to the end after you find the cache to have a nice private pic-nic with amazing views that only you will have. And I can't stress enough, this IS a kid friendly cache, so take them with you. Have fun be safe, and remember that we can all thank Governor West for making it possable to enjoy this place, otherwise it would be a great place for a cliffside condo, NOT!!! And please practice cito when possable.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Jura lbh trg gb gur fznyy ebpxf evtug orsber lbh fgneg qbja gur uvyy ntnva gbjneq gur raq, ybbx va gur ohfu gb lbhe evtug.