Whalen and Snyder list two different spots for this station. Snyder describes a serpentine area past Rifle Camp. Whalen writes about Rifle Camp itself. We placed the cache near a smaller group of rocks between these two areas.
Four trails meet at Rifle Camp, which has a number of picnic tables. The origins of the name is somewhat obscure. Some say a dog named Schneider dug up a rifle here. If you are short on water, there is a potable spring on Rock Spring fire road just past the camp (but there are no guarantees that this runs in the summer or will remain drinkable).
As the North Side trail continues past Rifle Camp, you will pass a massive, mossy rock, beautiful in its own right. The path goes on to Serpentine Point with spectacular views of the surrounding area.
Gary Snyder:
A notable serpentine outcropping not far after Rifle Camp.
Om Shri Maitreya
Dhâranî for Removing Disasters
Philip Whalen:
Rifle Camp lunch, natural history:
Allen Ginsberg: "What do wasps do?"
Gary Snyder: "Mess around."
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You can reach Rifle Camp fom the Rock Spring-Lagunitas fire road. For a shorter (1.2 mile) walk (if you are not doing the complete circuit at once), take the Arturo Trail from West Peak Air Force Station. Park outside the fence.
From the camp, continue on the Upper Northside trail to the cache and on to Colier Spring.