chubby forest monkey

There is also The Gold Creek Mine Cache, which was archived after my no-find, but I have this feeling it's still there and I just couldn't find it. I don't think the person who placed it ever checked to see if it was actually gone (he does not seem to be actively caching now). Though not far from a busy trailhead and very popular hiking area, it seemed so remote! This was the funnest cache hunt I've ever been on without ever finding the treasure. I might just put one up there myself to reactivate it. I will surely be visiting your Opal Creek Caches Sparklehorse because you are my hero!

"Room with a View" on Mt Emily is on my top five list

I've been all over except I skipped the midwest. Came here for my job and after six years in this area- I feel I've put down some roots. I love it here, would never to return to Florida, Boston or Buffalo. I loved living in Hoboken and Baltimore as a young single 20-something, but the urban phase of my life is over. I went to Grad school in beautiful Colorado, but the front range has become a rat race as bad as any eastern corridor. Because of Oregon, I need a regular dose of the woods each week! Besides geocaching, I am a member of a hiking club and the Native Plant society. I often find I know more about the terrain and natural history of many parts of Oregon than most native (alien) Oregonians I meet. My son, 2 months old, is a native and has already gone on several cache hunts.

If you feel miffed by Sparrowhawk's thinly veiled ridicule of your topography, take heart. If you look at her found list, you will see that the majority of her finds are located within the city of Portland. See also her log for my cache The Secret Old Growth Forest

Here's one that needs you: Don't Bring a Dog, placed during an event called "Paddle Oregon". You might also have a go at Wells Island. I was the last to visit and DID NOTfind it, but I am just a stupid monkey, and it was a cool spot anyhow.

Gold Creek Mine Cache A beautiful area in the Oregon Cascades. I finally reached the cache area after the third attempt. After I reported I couldn't find it, the owner archived the cache without ever bothering to go check it out. I'm just a slow witted monkey,so for all you savvy cachers-it could still be there!

If the forest management notices the area is getting trampled, they may shut down geocaching altogether. This happened in the MacDonald-Dunn forest near Corvallis where several caches were placed in sensitive areas. All caches were removed and geocaching was temporarily banned. They will now allow geocaching under the guidelines that the habitat is not disturbed and the cachers stay on the designated trail system.

I like caches involving hearty hikes and beautiful scenery, so I recommend these...Squaw Creek Room with a ViewCamp Krummholz Timothy Lake Bike CacheBayocean Another favorite which might have been removed by the forest ranger is the Marion Lake Cache

The Hole of Inaccessability

I regret what I said earlier about our area caches. What's wrong with me? What do I know? I'll shut up now.

Sorry Cole, I am from the Corvallis/Salem area, and while there are a large number of caches, I don't think there is anything special here, in fact, I have to admit most of our local caches are-well, kinda lame. I guess that's because my idea of a "traditional cache" is a pleasant hike into a beatuiful area. I just don't get the cache and dashers who proudly report "this is my 12th find of 34 today", seems rather insulting to the persom who carefully planned out and hid the cache. What we mostly have here are little suburban parks with caches under the picnic bench 20 feet from the car-perfect for the cache and dashers, but frankly unsatisfying for us who like to savor our adventure. Since I don't have little kids, there is no thrill in this kind of hunt for me. Not sure how other adults would find these satisfying either. IMHO, these 1/1 caches in suburban parks are boring and hardly worth the gas mileage! - a snobby nature lover

Be selective. Look at the description and the rating that fits you best. A 1/1 in a suburban park is a yawner for the rugged outdoorsy monkey, but perfect for a family with little kids. I look for 3+ terrain rated caches that involve hikes on trails on public land. I look for descriptions like: "This is one of my favorite places and I am sharing it with you", and the logs read "Wow, it's so beautiful here!"

If you like exercise and scenery: Bayocean, Rabbit's G spot, Cape Lookout, Father's Day at the Falls are all on the way south to Newport. I haven't been to the new cache on Neakahnie Mtn, but that is also an excellent hike.

CharlieP, thank you so much for your list. All these years, I have eschewed walking sticks. I've considered them as silly props for nerdy hikers. But seeing your list and thinking of my recent obsession, I think I'm going to put one on my holiday gift list. It will be especially useful for probing for old benchmarks.

Until this fall, there were 4 caches in the MacDonald-Dunn Forest outside of Corvallis. These forests are part of the OSU College of Forestry, and their primary mission is research. None of us cache hiders (myself included) asked permission to place these caches. Some were placed near research plots or in sensitive areas. This fall, all the caches were removed by the forest management, pending formulation of a new geocaching policy. They now have developed a policy. Here it is: In the last year the presence of Geocaching on the College Forest has dramatically increased. Caches are being placed without our approval and often are placed in areas that have the potential to damage research, cultural sites or other forest resources. Also, descriptions on how to access these caches often discuss crossing private property. In order to avoid this damage we have developed the following policy: Caches may be placed on OSU College Forest property as long as they: ? Don’t require travel off authorized roads or trails. Authorized trails are marked with brown carsonite posts listing the use allowed on the trail and the seasons it is open. All other trails are unauthorized ? Don’t require travel from or to adjacent landowners through unauthorized access points ? Don’t require digging, damaging flora or otherwise disturbing an area ? Are not in an area that is dangerous ? Are not located in areas that are sensitive due to research, teaching, cultural resources or threatened and endangered species ? Do not include items that are illegal, inappropriate for children or that may damage forest resources ? Are restricted to hours that the forest is open to the public If at any time Geocaching proves to hinder the effective implementation of the OSU College Forests mission and goals, it will no longer be an approved recreational use on the forest. Those placing caches shall contact OSU College Forest staff in order to obtain approval for their cache by calling 541-737-6702. Caches must be approved of in advance before they are placed on the forest. OSU College Forests reserves the right to remove Geocaches that are found to in any way adversely effect the OSU College Forests mission and goals, or any forest resource. All other forest rules must be obeyed.

check out this thread

If you want to avoid the campground scene and don't need to car-camp, you camp right on the beach at BayOcean

Squaw Creek Camp Krummholz

I just saw a roll of them in the Hole of Inaccessability. This is truly a worthwhile trip if you would like to have a challenging hike amid spectacular scenery.Hole of Inaccessability

I would like to recommend some caches to all you geo-adventurers. I just went on a trip to Central Oregon and did the Squaw Creek cache, Camp Krummolz cache and the Hole of Inaccesibility bonus cache(which has its own CD). These gems are located in the Crooked River National Grasslands. It was just absolutely gorgeous there. I was surprised at how few have done these caches. With the cool weather approaching, the fall is a great time to do these high desert rambles. The area closes Dec 1st.CAmp Krummholz Squaw Creek

Be sure to visit one of the Mac forest caches such as Agatha's Kiss, McDonald and Beaver Marsh. The latter two are fairly close together.

The beaver might seem partisan, I prefer the tree. Zzzoey's rendition is so clever!

Mystic Mist Marion Lake Cache

I've been eying these caches for a month, and finally went up there today. It was very beautiful, not too hard, but challenging and rewarding.

Although it is my personal opinion that religious material is as valuable as political material and does not belong in a cache, I think other cachers who actually do practice religion may agree with me when I say: WE SHOULD KEEP GEOCACHING A SECULAR SPORT!