Giant Geckos - The Lost World Multi-Cache
Team Gecko: Thanks to all who visited over the years.
-Gecko Dad
Giant Geckos - The Lost World
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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The Poway area features numerous attractive hiking and riding trails. One of these trails parallels a series of east-west trending ridges south of town. It offers surprisingly secluded vistas to the west, north, and east. Along one section, the intrepid cache seeker may encounter THE LOST WORLD where gecko kin have grown to gigantic size.
There are multiple access points to the main trail. While not the closest place you could park to hike to the cache, there is a nice approach starting from N 32 56.798, W 117 03.445. As you are driving south along a short dead end spur to the posted coordinates, notice the street sign for the last cross street before you reach the barrier fence. The street name starts with the letter B and the sign has a 5-digit number - xyz50 - that indicates the address range. You need this number to compute your first intermediate waypoint at N 32 56.7xx, W 117 03.(x+y)93.
Follow the single track south and slightly uphill until you reach this junction with the main trail. You now can follow a wider dirt road to the second intermediate waypoint at N 32 56.(x+z)17, W 117 03.(x+z)83.
At this point, after traveling about 1/2 mile from the parking area, you should encounter a faint single track on your left heading steeply uphill on an easterly bearing. This is the preferred way in to THE LOST WORLD since it avoids bushwhacking and is highly encouraged to help prevent vegetation and erosion damage from your passage. There is no need or reason to go cross-country to reach the cache.
Your next stop will be at the cache itself. Coordinates are N 32 56.6(x+y)9 W 117 03.(z-x)89. The container is a large camouflaged Costco-style peanut jar. Total one-way distance is less than 3/4 mile.
On you way back, you might consider continuing east from the first trail junction. This section of trail crosses a seasonal stream then climbs a short distance up to follow another ridgeline that offers a series of panoramic views of Poway.
As always, be cautious and on the lookout for rattlesnakes when hiking in our foothill grasslands. I have not encountered any along these trails but this is their natural habitat.
Have fun!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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