HI Geocachers: Scenic View- The Old Saddle Road Traditional Cache
HI Geocachers: Scenic View- The Old Saddle Road
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size:  (regular)
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The old Saddle Road was a narrow road, filled with twists and turns. It was a nightmare when the fog rolled in from the mountains. The fear and danger made this island road a place of legend.
Potholes, narrow one-lane turns, blind spots, and fog made the old historic Saddle Road on Hawaii island a challenging ride for those brave enough to drive it. The road was considered one of the most dangerous paved roads in the state, with many one-lane bridges and areas of marginally maintained pavement. The highway reaches a maximum elevation of 6,632 feet (2,021 m) and is subject to fog and low visibility. Many rental car companies used to prohibit use of their cars on Saddle Road, but some now permit use of the road. The highway experiences heavy use as it provides the shortest driving route from Hilo to Kailua-Kona and access to the slopes of Mauna Loa and the Mauna Kea Observatories.
Since 1992 there has been increased attention on the road, with efforts to rebuild and renovate the highway into a practical cross-island route. This resulted in repaving some sections and complete rebuilding of others.
The cache is located just after the 21 mile marker near the "Scenic View" sign. Here you may see a great view of Mauna Kea on a rare clear day. A short hike(or drive)from the "scenic view" will take you to a unpaved, rocky driveway ending in four boulders blocking vehicle access to the "old Saddle Road". Walk down this highway until you see more boulders on the left-hand side, then you will see a power pole. The cache is beyond the pole.
Although the terrain may look stable in most areas, PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE LOOSE LAVA ROCKS and cracks in the ground. Practice CITO when you can, and placed the cache back as you found it. PLEASE NO SPOILERS! Happy Geocaching...aloha!
Mahalo to 4B Ohana...FTF!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Trbetr, Wro, naq Oneonen