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Hwy 20 - Alpha/Omega Multi-Cache

Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Welcome to the 4th oldest active Multicache in the Northern California DeLorme map area, and THE oldest Multicache in Nevada County. Enjoy the scenery and informative signs.

This Multicache has TWO STAGES and can be completed in about 30 minutes, if you don't spend too long at the overlook. Both stages will be much harder to access when winter snow is present.


Finding this Multicache is a requirement for at least two challenges:

• Nor-Cal's 5 Oldest Challenge (GC18MBV) by LewisClan77

• Nevada County's Oldest Caches Challenge (GC5M89G) by POLYPODY}}::}:>

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The posted coordinates bring you to the overlook platform. Do not go past the platform and down the hill. You are looking for GPS coordinates inscribed under the platform. On a clear day, there are excellent views of the former Alpha and Omega hydraulic gold mine diggings (foreground, below), the South Yuba River canyon and the Sierra Buttes (in the distance). See the interpretive sign.

After finding the 2nd Stage coordinates, you will retrace your walk back to the parking lot area and then continue further east.

Note #1: (11/10/25) —The coordinates for BOTH Stage 1 and Stage 2 (Final) were updated for better accuracy and safety. Stage 1 (at the platform) was re-hidden for better safety.

Note #2 (11/24/24) — This Multicache's original cache description has been moved to the 1st log entry (10/27/01) for preservation and archival purposes. I wanted to clear it out of the current cache description since most of the info is out-of-date.

 

 

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Fgntr 1: Yrsg fvqr, haqre, ba na V ornz. Fgntr 2: Onfr bs gerr, angheny pbire.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)