CZ Trail: Nehalem Divide East Mystery Cache
CZ Trail: Nehalem Divide East
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Along the Scappoose-Vernonia Trail.
This cache is located along the future Scappoose-Vernonia linear trail. This right-of-way is on BLM land. The rights to this land were acquired by Columbia County in December 2004 in a purchase from Crown-Zellerbach. Development is proceeding as allowed by funding and other concerns. This route was originally logged by rail at the turn of the century. For the second harvest in the 1960's, the route was converted to a truck road. Recent uses of this route have been forest maintenance and as an emergency east/west route when landslides closed the highway in the late 90's. Current progress of the development into a linear trail can be located on the county's website at www.co.columbia.or.us.
You will find this cache on the east side of the Nehalem Divide. Rain which falls here drains into the Scappoose Creek watershed and eventually to the Columbia River. It is an easy downhill walk from the parking coordinates. When looking at a map, you will recognize a distinctive horseshoe curve in the trail as it crosses the summit of the divide. This cache is located at the eastern end of this horseshoe.
Once you locate the cache, you will notice you are standing on an old railroad grade (yes, large trees grow there now). When standing at the cache, look in the direction of compass heading 180 degrees (South). Notice there are two trees which appear to be both growing at an angle. A closer examination will show these are not trees, but the remains of a railroad trestle. If you were to cross the creek this trestle once spanned, you will notice the rail grade used river rock for ballast - not something which would be found naturally at this elevation. This was probably a spur line which was in use for a year or two during the first harvest, and then was drawn back up.
The coordinates listed above are the parking coordinates. First visit the log-only companion cache, CZ Trail: Nehalem Divide West (GCYYZC) to find the coordinates of this cache. Expect a total round trip for both caches to be around 1 1/2 miles. Container is an ammo can. No bushwacking is required, and the cache can be found by following a faint game trail into the woods.
Edit 12/16/06 - The first people to locate this cache have had difficulty finding it. Feel free to drop me an email if you would like additional clues. Hints gladly given. Please be specific in how much help you would like - that way I won't give you too much info and spoil the hunt (unless you want me to do so).
Edit 5/18/2008 - My spiffy new GPS does averaging of coordinates. The cache is in the same location, but I did fine tune the coordinates written on the cover of the cache log for GCYYZC - so do not be surprised when you see the old coordinates crossed out.
Edit 3/17/19 - This cache is not visited often, so do not expect to find the typical matted down and heavily searched areas indicating where the cache is located. You will be off the trail, but not too far. Please note, this is a rural cache out in the country. It will offer you a hike in the woods away from the interruptions of modern life. Yes, there are still areas in the country without cellular reception. This is one of those. Do not expect to access geocaching.com for hints, logs, or clues while you are searching for this cache.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fvzvyne va pbaprcg, ohg qvssrerag va qrfvta sebz TPLLMP