This cache is part of the Manson GeoQuest. If you're participating in the GeoQuest, be sure to stamp your passport with the ink stamp inside this cache to verify your visit.
This cache location provides the perfect finish for the Manson GeoQuest, with a spectacular view over vineyards and Lake Chelan.
The hills around Manson were once apple orchards, but today you’re more likely to see vineyards - a dramatic agricultural overhaul in just 20 years. The first production vineyard in the Lake Chelan Valley was established in 1998, when orchard acreage was replanted with grapes. In 2000, the first winery in Chelan County was licensed and bonded.
The lake-moderated climate turned out to be perfect for wine grapes: a long growing season with sun-drenched days and lake-cooled nights, plus a reduced risk of frost. Thanks to the ice-age glaciers that formed Lake Chelan, the soil is a coarse, sandy sediment with notable amounts of quartz and mica. This produces grapes with discernible textures, minerals, and nutrients.
More winemakers migrated to the area, and in 2009, the Lake Chelan Valley became the 11th American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Washington. Today, Manson is home to over 24 wineries, and the vineyards on its south-facing slopes produce a variety of wines, including chardonnay, viognier, pinot gris, riesling, syrah, merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, malbec, and port.
The Manson GeoQuest is a series of geocaches that showcases the beauty and recreational activities of this community on Lake Chelan.
- There are 8 caches in the series, and all the names start with "MansonGQ:" Bookmark list.
- Visit the GeoQuest page to download your passport and see the series prize.
- To qualify for a prize, you must stamp the passport with the ink stamp inside each cache. The passport includes instructions for claiming your prize (one per family/household).
- Share your adventures online using #MansonGeoQuest.