This is the second reincarnation for this cache. The original hiding area gets terribly over-grown in late Spring, so we moved it a ways down (and up đ) the trail, to a spot which likely won't ever get that bad. At least, we sure hope it doesn't! Sometime later, the second micro went missing, so we replaced it and have revised this description, shortening it some đ. The second micro is in a slightly different spot, and the co-ordinates "feel" better, too. Naturally, we revised the note in the first micro; it is now on a laminated piece of orange paper. We hope that your GPSr readings will be closer, now, but we left the second spoiler (revised), just in case. We took out the colors that we were using to highlight the changes from the first posting, and we redid the letter-number pairs. If you have an old print-out of this cache, we suggest that you recycle it and do another one!
Depending upon when you go, the difficulty can be anywhere from 3 to 4; we left the 3.5 as an average. It can get very hot in the Summer, so please prepare accordingly. At least there isn't any poison oak out there (yet). Good Hunting to you! đ
When we first hid this, there were only a handful of caches in Wildwood Park, and no multis. Now there are a couple of dozen caches, not counting the ones that have been muggled or otherwise archived. But this is still the only real multi-cache out there, as far as we can tell. If you plan things right, you can nab at least six other caches while working on this one. The total distance for this geocache is about 4 miles, with several easy to moderate elevation gains. The two micro-caches and the main cache are all within a few feet of the main trails; bushwhacking is not needed, and, in fact, is strongly discouraged. If you find yourself on the wrong trail, please do not cut across grassy areas, not even on game trails; it isnât that hard in this park to go back (or go ahead, as the case may be), and find a different route. The Park Department is trying to restore vegetation in many areas, so thanks for helping their efforts! If you are flummoxed as to which trail to take early in your hike, the first Hint will be all you will need to find the right path. But we bet you really wonât need it đ
The co-ordinates given are for the parking area, and a large signboard nearby. On that signboard are a number of flyers, maps, info sheets, etc. You will need to search for, and write down, certain pieces of numerical information from some of these papers. Answer the questions below, and fill in the numbers next to the letters. All answers should be according to the signboard, NOT any other source! The flyers were all still there on the date that we restored the second micro, and we will monitor the info to be sure that you can always get what you need.
- What is the length of a bobcatâs tail, in inches? ____ (D)
- What is the distance, in miles, from Wildwood Fort to the Meadows Cave Nature Center? _____ (O.G)
- What is the longest that a mountain lionâs tail gets, in inches? ____ (IT)
- How many species of ticks have been found in California? ____ (NC)
You also need to write down the three letters on the top of the pole just up the trail, and on the other side, from the sign board, not far from the poop-bag dispenser. The letter âBâ is the fourth character, after the three numbers; this âBâ is not part of the puzzle. ______ (FTA)
One digit has not been accounted for in the above questions. Yes, you *will* need it, and it *will* be provided for you, eventually đ
With the above information, you are ready to head on out. The two micro-stops are a black-plastic 35mm film can, and a painted Altoids can. Which one is in which spot is for *you* to determine. Neither is easy to see even if you happen to be sitting right nearby. They have been planted in rocky areas that will withstand lots of wear-and-tear; They are mere feet off the main trail, although in one case âtrailâ might be generous. Still, youâll take a trail to get to the area. In both cases, information on the next stop is inside the can.
The first micro-cache can be found at these co-ordinates:
        North 34Âș OI.GNC            West 118Âș DN.AOO
You should now be able to complete your quest, picking up info and directions as you go. The main cache is a square metal can, camo-painted. The area it is hiding in is a few feet off the main trail (the name of this cache will help you figure out which direction), just inches off a subsidiary trail. It has a few rocks on it. When rehidden, the box was fairly full. This is a longish hunt and we hope to attract lots of folks to one of our favorite view-points in Wildwood. The last stretches of trail are not good for strollers and rain tends to rut out most of the inclines, but the flat stretches are OK for them. The Park District works on the trails a lot, but Mother Nature always has the last say. Despite this, most of the area is safe enough for all but the youngest kids. Be aware, though, that this is a wild area (we saw a Western Diamondback when we replaced the second micro), and you are also some distance above sea level. So please take care, as we would not want to find out that you were shouting the name of this cache while taking âthe quick route down.â đź
Some final words. If this expedition has piqued your interest in this area, the logbook has information about where to head from the cache for more great views. The ratings for this cache were acquired using the ClayJar system, available through geocaching.com. And we *strongly* recommend that you read all of the logs from previous searchers. There are some good hints and observations that might help you with this and other geocaches.
We hope you enjoy this hunt even more than we did planning it for you!