Secondary (optional fun):
- Post up a (pic) of yourself using some of the survival tools. A dynamic survivor self-pose (or) first person shooter/user view!!
- Consider locating other additional air dropped geocaches nearby.
- Attempt collaped tunnel assessment...(pic?)
- Attempt trestle assessment from safe distance atop tunnel side trail...(pic?) ... Report: ARE ANY ZOMBIES CROSSING OVER?
IN A HURRY? ... This cache is quite doable within 20min return by the average young adult! TERRAIN RATE: Has been nudged up a bit to reflect seasonal & climatic change upon this area. On a perfect summer day accessing this location offers an average 3.5 surface. Rain heavily influences here. Edges/slopes soften quickly. Minimal daily sun. The scramble/hike up gains elevation quickly. Very slick when wet. Also, accessibility from the highway will be greatly influenced by rainy/snowy conditions. Be very very careful exiting/re-joining traffic, especially regarding the direct (upper Ladner Creek Bridge) access. DIFFICULTY: Also nudged up a tad for Letterboxers. Clues are vague.
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SITUATION:
Global extent of zombie apocalypse (see 'Walking Dead'). You (your team) were dropped off by helicopter (LZ: #5 Exit 195) to investigate S.O.S. signals (ELT & voice transmissions) detected somewhere between Siwash Creek Rd & the west ridge above Ladner Creek. Last contact was 3-days ago. Objectives: Conduct search & rescue (if possible) using moderate stealth as not to attract zombies. Radio for extraction. Return to LZ. Await heli arrival.
5 hours into your SAR attempt, as you investigate fresh wreckage along an old rail-trail, a large zombie hoard (over 100) emerges from the woods from both sides at your position! Your small SAR team is lightly equipped/armed with 2 flare guns, bear/flash bangs, and 2 pistols with 10 rounds, machettes, knives, ... Your clearest vector is east along the old grade, ... ...RUN!! ...
The rickety old trestle is extremely unsafe however, it's your only hope! ... You (your team) cross safely. Persuant zombies are crossing as well. Some fall through the rotted wood, bouncing off the frame pieces below. As you enter the tunnel there are a handfull of zombies at the other end. Many have crossed and are closing the gap! ... ...RUN! ... (the risk of the many outweighs risking a few!) ... ... One of your team members deploys a flare & flash-bangs the rear attackers while the others take out the ones near the escape portal .... suddenly it's all black around you! Dirt and rock surrounds your body. ... You call out,.... ... VOICES! ... Your team mate(s) dig you out. You right arm is compromised however, one member is injured and bleeding badly! They assist you out beyond what remains of the east portal and assess the current situation.
One member is unaccounted for. The main medical supply pack is also unaccounted for as well as your 2nd radio. Your primary hand held radio indicates low battery. There is no cell reception. Using up remaining battery power, you arrange immediate supply drop and alternate LZ for extraction... your radio goes silent. Assisting one another your team makes it's way along the old railbed, navigating fallen trees and rock. Within an hour an aircraft buzzes low overhead deploying 3 small consecutive chutes with packages, ...the 3rd one being fairly big, that must be the medical kit. A priority, you head for that one first.
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... as you approach the kit, you hear a chopper landing a bit south east and slightly below your position. ...
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*** PLEASE NOTE ***
Do not leave any candy, food, drink, or perfume items within the cache. Be Bear Aware! ... Please do not leave band-aids or other absorbent materials within. It is quite moist with little sun here. Those items tend to rot!...yuck!! Feel free to help keep the cache clean by removing anything crumbly, broken, rotted, etc. ... The plastic toy radio, medical kit, binoculars, etc are ment to remain for adventureous cachers who post up posed survivor pics in their log.
Getting to this cache as well as the other neighbouring caches does not require one to cross any unsafe bridge nor through any unsafe tunnel. The only bridge/tunnel you will encounter will be those directly involved with travelling Highway #5 in your vehicle.
There are 2 short/narrow trails to follow uphill from the designated parking waypoint. One takes you up the small rock fall. The other runs aside it to the left, through the trees. There is a small power/com. line to a pole at the parking location. Use that pole to help locate the foot trail(s) up. The first part is a short steep climb. The pathways converge and head upwards to your left as the incline becomes half as steep, eventually easier etc. Follow along the ridge/edge. You will soon step over a slight hump and onto an obviouse flat travel corridor (railbed).
While the old KVR rail-trail is reasonably wide, flat and safe, this stretch is not a secure/maintained park. Be aware of seasonal and weather related hazards such as land sliding/sluffing, tree & rock fall potential. The rock in this area is generally subject to cracking, flaking, etc. It is not a good 'climbers rock'. Stay on the pathway corridor. Be careful near the ridge edge. The tunnel portal beyond is reasonably safe to approach, however I recommend 'not' venturing directly atop it upon the rock fallen debris field. There is a trail heading up and over the left shoulder. Be very caeful! Wear good hiking shoes/boots with grip for mud & loose gravel grip. The trestle can be viewed nicely from the top of this side trail. Following the trail down requires good judgement. The steel framed bridge is unsafe for traversing by foot, bike or otherwise. Please don't be tempted to walk across along the flanking support beams. A gust of wind or a simple slip may cause you to fall.