The Geocaching Cronan Ranch is a series of caches to celebrate the Geocachers, events and all things Cronan Ranch.
Tools Of The Trade (TOTT) Cronan Style are the same as regular TOTTs but with a few additions to keep you safe out here.
First you will need a Hiking stick or pole. It can be used not only as a hiking stick and to get caches from a high places but also as a rattlesnake finder. Don't stick your hand (or face) into dark places, it's a good way to get bit. Instead poke your stick in there and see if you hear a rattlesnake, then it is ok to reach in.
Cronan Ranch is a Poison Oak Rich Environment (PORE) and your hiking stick can be used to move Poison Oak out of your way and allow you to pass or reach in and grab the cache.
Another tool I find handy is a pair of gardening shears. I use it to cut Poison Oak and small branches when going cross country, trying to reach a cache or doing cache maintenance to clear the area around the cache.
Lastly if you leave the trail during certain times of the year you will need either long pants or a pair of gaiters, otherwise you will be making a sacrifice to the sticker gods. Either by spending time cleaning your socks (and not getting them all out) or throwing them away.
Other optional items would be Poison Oak pre-treatment and post treatment, a tick spoon, hat for the sun and water.
Another bit of advice. Never step over a log without checking with you hiking stick to see if there is a rattlesnake hiding on the other side otherwise you may get bit on the ankle.
Navagation Help: See addtional waypoints for the start of a game trail tht will take you near the cache. (N 38° 48.669' W 120° 59.333')
General Note: Remember to be careful out here at Cronan Ranch. In the Summer drink lots of water and use a stick or hiking pole to poke around so that the snakes will let you know if they are there.
Snakes, Geocaches and Poison Oak frequently occur in similar places. When I hid the cache the poison oak was easily avoidable and or it was the winter time. Now however conditions may be different. If there is a snake guarding any of my Geocaches you don't need to sign the log, but you owe me a good online log telling me why you didn't sign the log. Make it a good one.
If you noticed my Geocaching Cronan Ranch series is missing any caches please let me know. My records are not complete.
Please share any memories related to the Cacher or finding their cache in your log for others to enjoy.
Thank you, P-Hill Trekker