The Ridge Trail Plateau Traditional Cache
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This is an interesting little plateau, a couple hundred feet East of the ridge trail.
The ridge trail is an unmarked path that goes parallel to the Aptos fire road, as it climbs from above the Sand Point overlook to the overlook at the top of the park near Santa Rosalia mountain. This section of the road is known by mountain bikers as 'the wall'. If you come by mountain bike, you usually ride down the path, and up the fire road. The path is virtually impossible to ride uphill. The wall (the road) is hard enough. This path is comparable to many of the mountain bike trails on the Soquel Demonstration forest. When I went up to this spot, I rode to the beginning of the ridge trail, then walked up the path.
The path runs along the ridge, with some occasional spectacular views of Watsonville and beyond, as well as glimpses of the Aptos Creek Canyon below. In fact, I discovered this spot looking for a way down to the creek. It is possible to get down to the creek from this point, if you need water, like I did the day I hid the cache, or if you're after one of the caches down in the canyon. Its about 20 minutes down, and 30 minutes up. Study the topo maps before attempting, and plan a rough route beforehand, you wouldn't want to end up in the wrong canyon, or get in over your head with the steepness.
To find the ridge trail from the top, go 50 feet past 50sumtins GC144V9 Overlook cache, and you will see the beginning of the path on the left. Once you're on it, its very obvious. Travel down the path, when you get close you will have to do some easy bushwhacking about 200-300 feet off the trail, at an interesting clearing on a little plateau. To find the ridge trail from the bottom, climb up past Sand Point overlook, then go another mile, and when you see the 'no bikes allowed' sign, this is the pigs trail, a trail that goes down to the White Lagoon. After passing the Pigs trail, within 100 yards, start looking for a drainage ditch on the right. Follow the drainage ditch, the ridge trail ends there.
Enjoy the ridge trail!
The cache is a small lock-n-lock container with log book and pen.
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