Gate 18: Blufftop Bushwhack Traditional Geocache
Trail Reader: As soon as I reached the trailhead, I knew that things had changed. At the Y-junction, the trail down to the beach had been fenced along one side and the trail to the cache looked overgrown. It soon became evident that the park was no longer maintaining this trail and probably hadn't done so for a while. Bushes grew chest high and the poison oak was almost unavoidable. It was rough going, rather than the stroll it used to be! When I reached GZ, I searched everywhere for my beloved ammo can and the reported 35mm. I found neither. My last ammo can hide bites the dust! Thanks to all who visited!! Archive.
Gate 18: Blufftop Bushwhack
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Explore coastal Garrapata State Park with this series of caches appropriate for cachers of all ages and abilities. Parking and trail access is via nineteen numbered turnouts along Highway 1. All are on the ocean side of the highway.
Bushwhack? Not really...
With views of the northern end of Garrapata Beach, the trail from Gate 18 follows the blufftop through the coastal scrub in the narrow strip of land between Highway 1 and the sea. As the trail passes the "Iceplant Hillside," it becomes narrower, more overgrown, and less passable. However, the trail is never completely lost in the brush. Long pants are recommended for the trek.
NOTE: When I hiked to the cache on 7/4/13, I found the trail beautifully maintained and virtually free of poison oak. The flowers were amazing--a wonderful nature hike of less than a quarter mile round trip!
The container is an ammo can filled with trade items, a log book, and a pen. You do not need to leave the trail to grab the container. If you walk past GZ to the north, then reverse your direction and walk back to the south, the ammo can will be visible.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre jbbql fgrzf ba ynaq fvqr bs genvy