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Washington Delorme Challenge


Moun10Bike

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Posted

Barnabirdy(s)

Same here. It's probably obvious that all the Walla Walla cache machine caches will be on page 95. I plan to hit Fort Simcoe (page 90) on the way there, hop up to Dayton (page 96) on Friday evening if I'm in the area early enough

 

For anyone going to Dayton to grab page 96 we recommend Lewis & Clark camp GCNBX8. Only a couple of miles from town and one of our most memorable finds.

 

I just added that one to my list for the CM run. I neglected to pick up that page when we were on our way back from the cache machine last year. I was just going to pick up a couple in Dayton, but now I'm routing out to Lewis&Clark. We're taking the LONG way to Walla Walla so that I can hit the Original Stash and then pick up the pages all along the Columbia.

 

If your going along the Columbia doing pages there, there are a couple on the southern part of page 96 that would be an alternate to Ft. Simcoe.

Posted (edited)

Barnabirdy(s)

Same here. It's probably obvious that all the Walla Walla cache machine caches will be on page 95. I plan to hit Fort Simcoe (page 90) on the way there, hop up to Dayton (page 96) on Friday evening if I'm in the area early enough

 

For anyone going to Dayton to grab page 96 we recommend Lewis & Clark camp GCNBX8. Only a couple of miles from town and one of our most memorable finds.

 

I just added that one to my list for the CM run. I neglected to pick up that page when we were on our way back from the cache machine last year. I was just going to pick up a couple in Dayton, but now I'm routing out to Lewis&Clark. We're taking the LONG way to Walla Walla so that I can hit the Original Stash and then pick up the pages all along the Columbia.

 

If your going along the Columbia doing pages there, there are a couple on the southern part of page 96 that would be an alternate to Ft. Simcoe.

Jim, I think that is on the southern part of page 90 Not sure what the snow level is this year. Last year they had a lot of snow. The two we did were T.T.T. and Set a spell I just checked the M&D as well as Grizwest found those caches in February. You might as well head over to Trout Lake on page 89 and pick up Trout Lake Cache which was also found by M&D as well as Grizwest in February. Still a good idea to check on the snow level Dick

Edited by W7WT
Posted

Jim, I think that is on the southern part of page 90 Not sure what the snow level is this year. Last year they had a lot of snow. The two we did were T.T.T. and Set a spell I just checked the M&D as well as Grizwest found those caches in February. You might as well head over to Trout Lake on page 89 and pick up Trout Lake Cache which was also found by M&D as well as Grizwest in February. Still a good idea to check on the snow level Dick

Good idea! The weather people are talking possible feet of snow in the next day or so.

Posted (edited)

I'm planning a trip soon so I can find more pages for this challenge.

 

But one page - Page 34 - has me puzzled. I can see the few caches in the block, but how do you get to them without a serious 4x4 or very long hiking?

 

While I have a small 4x4, I prefer (for safety reasons) to be able to drive on reasonable roads. I'm not averse to gravel for the last push to a cache, but I don't want to drive 50 miles thru bad gravel roads.

 

Anyone have suggestions for several relatively good accessible caches for this page?

 

Thanks

Fuzzywhip

Edited by Fuzzywhip
Posted (edited)

I'm planning a trip soon so I can find more pages for this challenge.

 

But one page - Page 34 - has me puzzled. I can see the few caches in the block, but how do you get to them without a serious 4x4 or very long hiking?

 

While I have a small 4x4, I prefer (for safety reasons) to be able to drive on reasonable roads. I'm not averse to gravel for the last push to a cache, but I don't want to drive 50 miles thru bad gravel roads.

 

Anyone have suggestions for several relatively good accessible caches for this page?

 

Thanks

Fuzzywhip

No problems when we did it in 2008. It was the highlight of the Delorme Challenge. The road starts out to be a nice paved highway and ends up being a little rough. We were driving a 2000 Land Cruiser but saw a lot of sedans. I would not want to take our Scion t5 as it is too low. You will have to check to see if they are still active but we found 4 Cottons GCQ03Q, Trint

y Mines, GCJX55 and GCQQ5R Phelp's Creek trailhead. Not sure if it is snow free yet or not. I am sure someone will have more up-to-date information. Good Luck. dick PS I just checked and they are all active but no finds since last fall so you may have to wait until late July. Also we never found Phelp's Creek trailhead. The parking lot was full so we didn't look for it.

Edited by W7WT
Posted

I'm planning a trip soon so I can find more pages for this challenge.

 

But one page - Page 34 - has me puzzled. I can see the few caches in the block, but how do you get to them without a serious 4x4 or very long hiking?

 

While I have a small 4x4, I prefer (for safety reasons) to be able to drive on reasonable roads. I'm not averse to gravel for the last push to a cache, but I don't want to drive 50 miles thru bad gravel roads.

 

Anyone have suggestions for several relatively good accessible caches for this page?

 

Thanks

Fuzzywhip

We did GC1P38J - Cascade River, North Fork. It was a very easy (but long) drive with a short walk. The road entrance is up near Marblemount.

Posted (edited)

I logged both Trinity Mines and 4~Cottons. I drove a Pontiac G6 Sedan. I remember thinking I was crazy as I was driving around some of the potholes that appeared to be smaller versions of the Grand Canyon, but I made it without problems. Once I arrived I noticed about half the vehicles in the parking lot were normal sedans, so I was not completely crazy. Only the last maybe two miles of the road were challenging, the rest was paved or maintained gravel. A very nice area and enjoyed it while I was there. I logged the caches in early August, I would imagine the snow danger is getting less each day if it has not disappeared already.

 

GC1P38J was not an option when I did the challenge.

Edited by jholly
Posted (edited)

I'm planning a trip soon so I can find more pages for this challenge.

 

But one page - Page 34 - has me puzzled. I can see the few caches in the block, but how do you get to them without a serious 4x4 or very long hiking?

 

While I have a small 4x4, I prefer (for safety reasons) to be able to drive on reasonable roads. I'm not averse to gravel for the last push to a cache, but I don't want to drive 50 miles thru bad gravel roads.

 

Anyone have suggestions for several relatively good accessible caches for this page?

 

Thanks

Fuzzywhip

We did GC1P38J - Cascade River, North Fork. It was a very easy (but long) drive with a short walk. The road entrance is up near Marblemount.

As the CO of this cache, I confirm T&P's assessment. :P The road is quite good and any vehicle can make it, even the gravel part - much better road than the one to Trinity Mines (altho that is also doable). You turn off Hwy 20 at Marblemount and head south. The "short walk" at the cache area is a level 50 feet or so on a trail. Depending on time of year, you really should head beyond it to the end to get Cascade Pass Trailhead cache - inside the national park and the world's most scenic parking lot!

Edited by hydnsek
Posted

I'm planning a trip soon so I can find more pages for this challenge.

 

But one page - Page 34 - has me puzzled. I can see the few caches in the block, but how do you get to them without a serious 4x4 or very long hiking?

 

While I have a small 4x4, I prefer (for safety reasons) to be able to drive on reasonable roads. I'm not averse to gravel for the last push to a cache, but I don't want to drive 50 miles thru bad gravel roads.

 

Anyone have suggestions for several relatively good accessible caches for this page?

 

Thanks

Fuzzywhip

We did GC1P38J - Cascade River, North Fork. It was a very easy (but long) drive with a short walk. The road entrance is up near Marblemount.

As the CO of this cache, I confirm T&P's assessment. :P The road is quite good and any vehicle can make it, even the gravel part - much better road than the one to Trinity Mines (altho that is also doable). You turn off Hwy 20 at Marblemount and head south. The "short walk" at the cache area is a level 50 feet or so on a trail. Depending on time of year, you really should head beyond it to the end to get Cascade Pass Trailhead cache - inside the national park and the world's most scenic parking lot!

That doesn't sound like any fun at all :P Nice roads and a short walk on a level path. Can't get the heart rate up that that way! But I'll have to put it on the list for the trip to or from the September cache machine. :)

Posted

I'm planning a trip soon so I can find more pages for this challenge.

 

But one page - Page 34 - has me puzzled. I can see the few caches in the block, but how do you get to them without a serious 4x4 or very long hiking?

 

While I have a small 4x4, I prefer (for safety reasons) to be able to drive on reasonable roads. I'm not averse to gravel for the last push to a cache, but I don't want to drive 50 miles thru bad gravel roads.

 

Anyone have suggestions for several relatively good accessible caches for this page?

 

Thanks

Fuzzywhip

We did GC1P38J - Cascade River, North Fork. It was a very easy (but long) drive with a short walk. The road entrance is up near Marblemount.

As the CO of this cache, I confirm T&P's assessment. :P The road is quite good and any vehicle can make it, even the gravel part - much better road than the one to Trinity Mines (altho that is also doable). You turn off Hwy 20 at Marblemount and head south. The "short walk" at the cache area is a level 50 feet or so on a trail. Depending on time of year, you really should head beyond it to the end to get Cascade Pass Trailhead cache - inside the national park and the world's most scenic parking lot!

That doesn't sound like any fun at all :P Nice roads and a short walk on a level path. Can't get the heart rate up that that way! But I'll have to put it on the list for the trip to or from the September cache machine. :)

Well, what you SHOULD do is hike up to Cascade Pass once you get to the parking lot. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the Cascades, and it will get your heart pumping. Popular day hike, about 7 miles RT.

Posted

Well, what you SHOULD do is hike up to Cascade Pass once you get to the parking lot. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the Cascades, and it will get your heart pumping. Popular day hike, about 7 miles RT.

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'll try on this trip, or make a special trip for this Page.

 

(If my health was better, and I had other cachers with me, then I would be more adventurous. I have a fear of getting lost in the mountains, especially in WA. One fallen tree that blocks the one road in/out, and I'm stuck! Not as worried about bears, but getting stuck in the mountains overnight (or worse) doesn't thrill me!)

 

Fuzzywhip

Posted

Well, what you SHOULD do is hike up to Cascade Pass once you get to the parking lot. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the Cascades, and it will get your heart pumping. Popular day hike, about 7 miles RT.

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'll try on this trip, or make a special trip for this Page.

 

(If my health was better, and I had other cachers with me, then I would be more adventurous. I have a fear of getting lost in the mountains, especially in WA. One fallen tree that blocks the one road in/out, and I'm stuck! Not as worried about bears, but getting stuck in the mountains overnight (or worse) doesn't thrill me!)

 

Fuzzywhip

I would not worry about the road to trinity mines. There were at least 15 vehicles in the parking lot and I did see another car on the road. Far Hydnseek's cache I don't thing there is much worry there.

Posted (edited)

Well, what you SHOULD do is hike up to Cascade Pass once you get to the parking lot. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the Cascades, and it will get your heart pumping. Popular day hike, about 7 miles RT.

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'll try on this trip, or make a special trip for this Page.

 

(If my health was better, and I had other cachers with me, then I would be more adventurous. I have a fear of getting lost in the mountains, especially in WA. One fallen tree that blocks the one road in/out, and I'm stuck! Not as worried about bears, but getting stuck in the mountains overnight (or worse) doesn't thrill me!)

 

Fuzzywhip

I would not worry about the road to trinity mines. There were at least 15 vehicles in the parking lot and I did see another car on the road. Far Hydnseek's cache I don't thing there is much worry there.

 

We were glad we did not take our sports car but our little Vibe crossover managed it without much ado. Very busy parking lots, was amazed that many cars came there, some with trailers and one was a sports car (who looked nervous when we spotted his face driving in)

Edited by lamoracke
Posted

Well, what you SHOULD do is hike up to Cascade Pass once you get to the parking lot. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the Cascades, and it will get your heart pumping. Popular day hike, about 7 miles RT.

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'll try on this trip, or make a special trip for this Page.

 

(If my health was better, and I had other cachers with me, then I would be more adventurous. I have a fear of getting lost in the mountains, especially in WA. One fallen tree that blocks the one road in/out, and I'm stuck! Not as worried about bears, but getting stuck in the mountains overnight (or worse) doesn't thrill me!)

 

Fuzzywhip

 

Thanks everyone for suggestions on Page 34. I found Cascade River, North Fork GC1P38J a couple days ago. Also polished off 19 other pages, so there are only a few left!

 

Fuzzywhip

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