Gateway to Broken Top Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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The forest road that brings you near the cache is only maintained for high clearance vehicles. Please note that the coordinates are not those of the cache. Read the longer description below or you will not find the Gateway to Broken Top. Enjoy the splendid views.
You will need to consult a map, such as the excellent Geo-Graphics map of the Three Sisters Wilderness or the “Broken Top” USGS quad map (based on photographs taken in 1959, but with the UTM grid). The one lane road to the trail head at 7,250 feet is a shock tester (OK, guys, hence the 4 star terrain rating), so figure an hour or more from the highway. Park your high clearance rig, sign in for a hike and set off down the trail. Note that the elevation of your destination is 7,172 feet, that will keep you straight.
The coordinates will take you to a point. Along the "baseline" of the trail, you will spot an almost buried bolder at the edge. From this point go back up the trail about 14 good paces (mine, not those of Little Max). Use your compass to take a bearing of 001 degrees (True). Spot a prominent snag. Now, look around and find a way to get to that snag that will Leave-No-Trace. There are several short routes within 50 or 100 feet.
The cache is about 6 paces at a bearing of 180 degrees (True) from the snag. Again, please Leave-No-Trace of your find. The cache should be easy to spot. You have come to far, not to log this one.
Gateway to Broken Top contains a lizard, a beetle, a Maxim stainless steel pocket knife for your Ten Essentials, a string of blue beads, a brass military button, 2 golf balls (yellow), a new wrist watch, a blue Brinkman mini flashlight that needs some TLC that came from Evac, two pet rocks (blond and brunette), no trail fees stickers (2), official mosquito trap from Alaska, a yellow clip, an EMS/SAR accident report form, a new yellow poncho (that was to big for Tiny), and the requisite log (uh, with pencil or pen??) and the official Geocaching info form.
Little Max and I actually placed this cache during an overnight backpacking trip to the glacial tarn on the north side of Broken Top. For more info on this trip see my personal website.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre gur erfg bs gur fgbel.