GC78V49 Redmond Rain #28 - Mouth of Bear Creek (Traditional Cache) in Washington, United States created by RedmondRain

GC78V49 ▼

A cache by RedmondRain Message this owner

Hidden : 7/22/2017

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

Redmond Rain . . . backwaters stream channels

A walk to Bear Creek from Marymoor Park. Plan to linger at GZ to enjoy the wildlife. Post your pics!

You will get your boots wet. If they have been in Bellevue streams, please decon them before coming here. Leave Fido at home. (See below).

FTF = GeoLoafing & GeoReady123

ALERT!

The Invasive New Zealand Mud Snail is being spread to streams by unsuspecting hikers and geocachers. Don't walk in streams or allow your pets to walk in streams. Learn how to decontaminate your gear.

* Don’t move damp or muddy clothing and gear between water bodies. Hiking boots, sandals, wading gear, bike tires, pets, fishing gear, and nets can all provide attachment places for mudsnails to hitch a ride to a new home.

* Clean your gear at the site. At a minimum, wash thoroughly, brush, and inspect any gear (or pets) that went near the water. Be sure to remove all mud, twigs, animals and debris that are caught on your gear or your pet’s fur. A stiff brush works well for scrubbing your gear, followed by a thorough rinse with clean water.

* Completely dry your clothes and gear in a dryer on high heat for at least 2 hours or air dry for at least 48 hours. New Zealand mudsnails can survive in damp conditions for days and sometimes even weeks.

Getting there

* Don't attempt from the freeway (too dangerous, and illegal).
* Don't attempt from Redmond Town Center (requires a boat or a swim).
* Do start in Marymoor Park

Parking is available at Marymoor Park for a fee, or on some city streets near Marymoor Park for free. If you attempt from the west, you will need a boat to cross the Sammamish River. This could be an interesting paddle cache, but you would need to get out of your boat to retrieve the cache. I recommend that you park at the posted parking coordinates and plan for a 1 mile hike (round trip). Find the trailhead tucked into the trees for a pleasant start to your journey. Or approach from along the river from the pedestrian bridge. Don't attempt from the north as that would require crossing Bear Creek. Don't attempt from the SR520 highway, since it is posted no parking and features a large retaining wall, and stopping on highways is dangerous. Following the recommended path, most of the hike will be easy, 2 star terrain. The challenge will come when you need to cross the backwater channel. When the river is high, this will be a 5 star terrain. When the river is low, perhaps 2.5 stars.

The Hide

Years ago, Bear Creek was straightened to improve flood control and use of land nearby. This was bad for fish. In 2010, the City of Redmond built a new channel for Bear Creek that lets it do what it should do, providing great habitat for fish. The old channel was kept intact, as a backwater, without a stream connection upstream.

A backwater is a part of a river in which there is little or no current. It refers either to a branch of a main river, which lies alongside it and then rejoins it, or to a body of water in a main river, backed up by the tide or by an obstruction such as a dam. In this case, the old Bear Creek stream channel acts as a backwater, only filling up with water when the river rises.

Backwater Channel

When the river is high, this backwater provides valuable resting habitat for salmon as they prepare to make the run up Bear Creek or continue into Lake Sammamish.

Thank You

Thanks to verygeeky and the Pomological Passion cache for providing the seed for this cache. The "seed" is a 2-liter bottle "preform," well sealed. You'll find the seed makes for some odd fruit in a new tree.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Uvtu rabhtu gb fgnl qel. Pnzb cersbez obggyr. Cyrnfr urrq gur jneavat nobhg Arj Mrnynaq Zhqfanvy va gur pnpur qrfpevcgvba naq qrpbagnzvangr nal trne orsber oevatvat vg urer.

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)

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Redmond Rain #28 - Mouth of Bear Creek Traditional Geocache

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