Alhambra Headwaters Multi-Cache

Alhambra Creek originates in the hills of Briones Regional Park and flows to the Carquinez Straight through the City of Martinez.

The headwater of Alhambra Creek is at a spring, which flows through a tunnel in the side of the hill. This tunnel, located at the coordinates listed above, was made by speculators years ago to try to tap into what was thought to be a vast underground river that came from the Sierras. The thought was that the lagoons on Briones Crest represented a vast underground store of water. But this "aqueous mother lode" turned out to be illusory, so the tunnel was abandoned.

Despite the lack of the vast underground river, the water of Alhambra Creek still became famous. Remember the green trucks with the sparkling sign and the slogan, "Me and Alhambra Water, makin' friends?" The beginning of Alhambra Water, now known throughout the west coast, was established in 1903 by L.M. Lasell, who piped water from the Alhambra Valley mineral springs 5 miles to downtown Martinez. The original bottling plant was located across from the Martinez train depot. Alhambra Water was sold in the 1960s, and is now a part of the French conglomerate Danone..

The cache is a standard ammo can, well camouflaged.

To find the cache, you need to be observant and correctly answer the following questions. Substitute your answers into the equation below to reveal the coordinates of the actual cache, which is approximately a ten-minute walk from the Alhambra headwaters. The actual cache location is located about 250 feet off a major trail and no major bushwacking is needed....in fact, a deer trail leads to within 100 feet of it.

Please replace the cache carefully to ensure its longevity and preserve the challenge for future cachers. Enjoy the hunt!

Cache coordinates: N 37 56.C0D W 122 07.A0(B+E)

Face the entrance to the spring and answer the following questions.

Note that the answers may not be numbered with the usual 1-4 sequence.

A: How many vertical bars are on each gate (including the side bars)?

B: How many strands of barbed wire are on the fence to your right?

C: What is hanging from the barbed wire fence on your left?

D: The spring is located closest to which trail?

E: Looking above you and behind you, what kind of tree overhangs the trail on the left and right?

If you're stumped, see the hint for an easier, replacement Question E.