***FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION NO LONGER VALID, BUT LEFT FOR PURPOSE OF SHOWING ORIGINAL HAPPENINGS OUT HERE***
This final stop on your tour takes you to an area that juxtaposes the ancient trees with some of the technology that is being used to help save them. Just after you find this cache, you will likely want to sit on the picnic bench provided and have a snack, because you will no doubt have earned a rest. Once you're ready to head back to your car, go southwest-ish toward the funny looking structure seen through the trees. It is a rain gauge that electronically sends info on rain amounts here. You'll also see other things along your trek like mist condensers/recorders that measure how much moisture the air contains during given periods. All of these devices are interesting, but if there is not a path of woodchips to them, please inspect them from the official path. The areas beyond are tender and off limits to major traffic. The path to the Elfin Sentry cache site is less sensitive than these more open spots where foot traffic would create more damage. After you're done exploring, the trail past the rain gauge will immediately come to the parking area, or you can follow the trail going northeast-ish from the picnic bench for another nice path to the start of your hike at Elfin Sentry.
This is not an easy cache to find! You are asked to be very careful with the container itself, which you will not know to be the container until you have explored it a while. Touch it carefully, though the original cover hiding the cache is gone, the container may fall out and disappear without you knowing it if you move it too fast!!! Please treat with extreme care throughout the process to retain structural integrity. NO NEED TO LEAVE TRAIL TO GRAB THIS CACHE!
This area has been saved for future generations by LandPaths, a Sonoma County Open Space group whose efforts to retain open space for us all to enjoy have brought us Willow Creek, by Duncans Mills, Taylor Mountain, soon to open near Santa Rosa, and many other spots that otherwise would have seen building or development of some kind that would preclude us from being able to access them publicly. LandPaths is worth any support you can give them! Once you walk these mystical woods, among these beautiful trees, ferns and blissfully quiet trails, you'll understand why they do what they do.
Enjoy the area! Please visit LandPaths for information on saving and enjoying our precious open space! Consider joining or becoming a volunteer!
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