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Cache-cadians

The Navigatorz

By The Navigatorz
in Northwest

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Patudles

+Patudles

Posted
Posted

In last night's Wenatchee World there was a story and a picture of the Spanish Castle and a short story on the house built by the Coffin Brothers.

 

Spanish Castle

 

A former employ of the PUD knew the Coffin family and Stan Coffin worked for the PUD and lived int eh house before the water rose from the dam.

 

Enteresting history of the area.

 

When I was a kid we hiked in to the Spanish Castle and looked it over before they flooded it. It was a popular area to find Indian arrow heads. I have often thought of hiking into the area and planting a cache in the area but I don't think I could find my way there. Nav has a cache across the river from the it. I hope the development doesn't mess with the access to his cache because that area has a lot of memories for me from my childhood also.

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mmauvil

+mmauvil

Posted
Posted

Hello to all, we are fairly new to this all and just wanted to join in with the locals. We have been caching in the valley for about a year now. I just wanted to stop in an introduce ourselves.

 

We will have to do that. We see all your names, it would be fun to put faces to names!

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K-Ddid

+K-Ddid

Posted
Posted

:):) Yeah the familar smell of Pine trees sounds good. I have been their and would be happy to join you singly or as a group. Should be home April 1.

 

By the way, I should go check on those caches next spring after the snow melts, so if you or anyone wants to come with me, you're more than welcome. Maybe we can do a group hike, and hide a cache or two along the way.

 

Looks like a TB is stranded up in my Beehive Lookout cache called Traveling Angel

 

It set out on its journey in July 05 and 6 weeks later ended up in that cache, only to be stranded for 1-1/2 years. Poor TB. We're going to have to go up there and get it back into circulation.

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Mr. Gadget #2

+Mr. Gadget #2

Posted
Posted

This thread has been very quiet, yet there has been some good things taking place in Cascadian land. K-DDid has celebrated his 80th b-day. He got a few new FTF's for his achievement.

 

g-people has reached another milestone. They got thier 800th cache find at Chicks Kick Butt #7. Sorry you were not able to get your milestone, because snow covered the road preventing you from your first choice cache.

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g-people

+g-people

Posted
Posted

Yes this forum has been quiet! Thanks for the congrats Gadget.

For all of you coin lovers, Ambrosia sent me the below link (thank you!). This a a Cystic Fibrosis coin that is being sold to help a family with two children with CF. The profits will be given to the family to use towards a lung transplant one of their children needs. Who knows, maybe one of these coins will show up in my 65 Roses cache........

 

> http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=161300

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Patudles

+Patudles

Posted
Posted (edited)

On the way home from a day caching on the wetside we stopped and picked up the new WA State chapter coins. I have the ones that were bought and paid for by Cache-cadians. Please contact me for arrangements to get them.

 

THEY LOOK GOOD!

Edited by Patudles
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Patudles

+Patudles

Posted
Posted (edited)

I plan on making my first run on adding to my Fire Tower Lookout count Saturday afternoon. I am going to attempt "The Butte" by Rentakid. It is in the CleElum area and in section 4. I don't know anything about it and it has only been found by one person. Anyone game to join me? There are only 5 caches at lookouts hid in this section and one is far to challenging for me to go after so I have to go for this one.

Edited by Patudles
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The Navigatorz

+The Navigatorz

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I plan on making my first run on adding to my Fire Tower Lookout count Saturday afternoon. I am going to attempt "The Butte" by Rentakid. It is in the Cle Elum area and in section 4. I don't know anything about it and it has only been found by one person. Anyone game to join me? There are only 5 caches at lookouts hid in this section and one is far to challenging for me to go after so I have to go for this one.

 

The Butte (cache) is located on Teanaway Butte. It appears to be a 9 miles RT hike with a 2200' elevation gain.

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Patudles

+Patudles

Posted
Posted

I plan on making my first run on adding to my Fire Tower Lookout count Saturday afternoon. I am going to attempt "The Butte" by Rentakid. It is in the Cle Elum area and in section 4. I don't know anything about it and it has only been found by one person. Anyone game to join me? There are only 5 caches at lookouts hid in this section and one is far to challenging for me to go after so I have to go for this one.

 

The Butte (cache) is located on Teanaway Butte. It appears to be a 9 miles RT hike with a 2200' elevation gain.

 

Thanks with that info in mind I don't have time to hike it. So I will search for another agenda. I will probably still go somewhere so if anyone wants to join me they are welcome.

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Blue J Wenatchee

+Blue J Wenatchee

Posted
Posted

Good Morning Cachers.

 

I am going to be doing a walking tour of Wenatchee Downtown Caches and Waymarks on Saturday July 7. This will start at Memorail Park doing the caches and waymarks in that area. Then South on Chelan to the museum, then down to Wenatchee Avenue to do the cache and waymarks at Millenium Plaza. Then south on Wen Ave to Kittatas street to do the old Chelan County courthouse and the Swift sign. Then North on Wen ave to the Wenatchee hotel. Then North to Palouse to see the 4 historic buildings on the corners. Then north to the fountain and the walkbridge to Riverwalk Crossing. Then up to Mission Street to the Liberty Theater signs and building. Then to the World building and up finish at Memorial Park. We could also do a lunch stop at WOK if anyone wants to do that.

 

If anyone is interested in this walking tour let me know. We will Start at about 11. There are a few caches and a lot of Waymarks to do if anyone wants to get started in Waymarking.

 

Jon Blue J

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Ambrosia

+Ambrosia

Posted
Posted

Oh, great, I have a few waymarks in town that I've created but never totally finished and hit the button on, so I better get on the ball there! :laughing:

 

This sounds wonderful, something that I would have done if life were different for me right now. Wish I could join you, but it would be way too much for me. Thanks for doing that, hope you have a good time! <_<

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Blue J Wenatchee

+Blue J Wenatchee

Posted
Posted

Well I think my lunch up on Burch Mt. got cooked. I think that I lost at least 2 of the 3 that I have hidden up there. When the fire danger is down and they open roads I will have to take a drive up there and check out the remains of the caches. I should have given the coordinates to the borade droppers or the helicopter buckets operaters to see if they could save them from the flames. I guess they had more important things to protect than my lunch.

 

A great job was done by the ground crews and the air crews in fighting the fire that consumed a lot of the mountain Saturday and Sunday. I went up to Panorama and watched the action from that vantage point.

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Ambrosia

+Ambrosia

Posted
Posted

I'm pretty sure that Valley View and the ones in that immediate area are ok, but it's hard to tell from the distance. We tried today to go up there, but there was a policeman sitting there guarding the entrance (although it was open for service people). He said he didn't know when it would be open, but possibly as soon as tomorrow. Just depends on when the fire people deem it ok. He didn't think there was anyone to call, just that we should check every day. I'm wanting to get up there to check on Valley View and to replace 7th Heaven.

 

My parents helped on the fire for the first couple of days or so. My dad was pulling late nighters and got very little sleep. He's a volunteer firefighter, but because of certain training that he keeps up on he was able to be paid for this fire. My mom helped prepare meals for the fire fighters and answer the phones at the main station.

 

I was going to post a couple pictures but I haven't been up to it, maybe later. I'm so glad that the fire wasn't as bad as it could have been for everyone, although sad to see what damage it did do! I'm sad about the caches, but we'll see what happens. Cache-mirror did alright with that last fire.

 

Another spot that I was realizing could have been hit was Ohme Gardens. I'm glad to see it sticking out nice and green today.

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Patudles

+Patudles

Posted
Posted

It looks like all my caches are okay, There are a few caches that may not have survived. As for the homes they were all saved. Just a few had fire damage and some lost some out buildings. My sister and her family had to evacuate early Sunday morning but when it got light enough they were able to get the helicopters up again and put out the area that was getting close. They got to go back home that evening.

 

:D Robinego needs to quit going on these houseboat vacations this is the second time we have had wildfires in this area while she was gone. Two summers ago and this one. The people in her area didn't have to evacuate but they were put on notice to be ready. It's all safe now Robinego and you can come home now. Your pets will be fine.

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hydnsek

+hydnsek

Posted
Posted

 

Is there a map anywhere that shows the fire area?

 

I couldn't find a map, but here is an aerial photo from Wenatchee looking north. You can see where the Wenatchee and Columbia rivers meet.

 

I seem to recall that Robinego's house is up in that area! I hope they are doing OK.

Yep, I emailed her a few days ago and she said they were fine. She's actually on vacation, but their neighborhood was on stand-by evacuation, and her neighbors were taking care of the animals and valuables. All ended well.

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Ambrosia

+Ambrosia

Posted
Posted

I found the map on the site that Nav linked us to. :)

 

I haven't gone up to Burch Mt. since Saturday, but my dad came by today to get some wood to work on signs and stuff for fire areas. I asked him if Burch Mt. was open, and he didn't know specifically but he said that they were all still up in those areas making sure that it was wrapped up so he was pretty sure that it would still be closed. :o I was going to drive up there today, but now I don't think I will after talking to him. I don't feel up to it anyway, so I'm glad.

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g-people

+g-people

Posted
Posted

We live in one of the areas that was evacuated. We were able to get in on Sunday but we were still on level 3 evacuation until 9ish that night when they dropped it to a 2. They stopped restricting the neighborhoods to non-residents on Thursday and School St is open now in front of Sunnyslope School where all the firefighters were camping. After work tonight it looked like they had pretty much cleaned up their camp and were just about ready to leave.

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hydnsek

+hydnsek

Posted
Posted

We live in one of the areas that was evacuated. We were able to get in on Sunday but we were still on level 3 evacuation until 9ish that night when they dropped it to a 2. They stopped restricting the neighborhoods to non-residents on Thursday and School St is open now in front of Sunnyslope School where all the firefighters were camping. After work tonight it looked like they had pretty much cleaned up their camp and were just about ready to leave.

Glad to hear you and your home are safe! Sounds like all the Wenatchee folks came out ok. :)

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robinego

+robinego

Posted
Posted

 

Is there a map anywhere that shows the fire area?

 

I couldn't find a map, but here is an aerial photo from Wenatchee looking north. You can see where the Wenatchee and Columbia rivers meet.

 

I seem to recall that Robinego's house is up in that area! I hope they are doing OK.

Yep, I emailed her a few days ago and she said they were fine. She's actually on vacation, but their neighborhood was on stand-by evacuation, and her neighbors were taking care of the animals and valuables. All ended well.

 

Ok, I'm back and seeing what has happened...

 

Came to within .12 miles of my house. Fire Retardant overspray on some of my lawn furniture, no biggie!! We were at a mandatory evacuation, or at least my neighbors were since I was busy drinking margaritas on the deck of a houseboat. The cats, my computer CPU, and an antique clock were all I wanted out of the house. I figured the fireproof safe would prove itself. Rudy fortunately had been bitten by a rattler (in the area of the fire incidentally and a whole 'nother story) and was spending time at the vets while we were gone.

 

So moral of the story...do not, I repeat, do not stick yourself on a houseboat with your mother, brother, SIL, teenagers and 2 screaming kids without the luxury of a helicoptor or unlimited alcohol/medication to save your sanity. I swear, even my house burning down couldn't get me off that d-- boat!

 

I will try to go up Monday and see if it's passable and if caches are still available.

 

To those of you who e-mailed/called, Thank you!!! It was very difficult with such spotty reception and after I while I just threw my hands up and figured life goes on and my family as much as they were making me crazy, were all safe with me.

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Ambrosia

+Ambrosia

Posted
Posted

^_^ Good to hear from you, Robin. Glad that everything turned out as well as it did.

 

We went up this afternoon, and it was still closed. <sigh> I'm going bonkers waiting. :D:) But I'm pretty sure that Balloon Toss is alright, though of course not definate until we go up.

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Ambrosia

+Ambrosia

Posted
Posted (edited)

We went and checked Burch Mt. road again after church this Saturday. Closed as usual.

 

So I finally broke down and called my friend Rod, the Fire Marshall. He told me that Burch Mt. Road was one of the standard roads that get closed every year between the end of July until October or November, as long as the burn restrictions are in effect. I never knew that Burch Mt. Road was included in those roads. So for now, it is considered Level 1 and Level 2. The website that you can find the list of roads on is here: Linky. Click the search button, then click the link that says, "Chapter 7.52". Scroll down just a bit and you'll get the definition of the levels, and a chart with the roads on it.

 

From the website:

 

(1) Level 1 area activity restrictions include:

 

(A) No fireworks;

 

(B No open flames devices;

 

(C No motor vehicles off the roadway;

 

(D) No outdoor fires except for recreational/home campfire rings installed in accordance with the Chelan County fire advisory board guidelines. "Campfire enclosure" is an outdoor fire burning materials other than rubbish where the fuel being burned is contained within a metal (minimum ten gauge) ring or other approved noncombustible material, not more than thirty-six inches in diameter and not more than seven inches in height above grade and not more than sixteen inches in depth, set in cement (four inches thick) and having all combustible material removed down to mineral soil, and no less than one and one-half feet from the perimeter of the fire ring and filled in with gravel or rock. Fuel for the recreational/home campfire can not extend above the edge of the campfire enclosure or ring.

 

(2) Level 2 road travel restrictions, authorized traffic only:

 

(A) Residents and landowners;

 

(B Leaseholders;

 

(C Utilities and services;

 

(D) Authorized and official business;

 

(E) Access to open public land for legitimate purpose/use.

 

Notice of restrictions, Exhibit A, is posted accordingly and upon such posting shall become effective immediately and remain so until ordered otherwise by resolution by the board of Chelan County commissioners. A list of area and road designations shall be kept in the Chelan County public works department.

 

Well, now I'm in a bit of a quandary. I had disabled my "Valley View" cache, because I didn't want anyone to go up there while the road was closed. Someone just went to it. If I knew that they actually moved the ROAD CLOSED sawhorses so that they could drive up there, I would delete their log. But since they didn't say so, I'll assume that they walked. But I don't want my cache to cast any bad light onto the sport. If anyone is caught driving up there without valid reason (and Geocaching is not a valid reason :laughing: ), they would get a ticket. I don't want them to then mention Geocaching and start a bad chain of events.

 

So my question is this. I could do two things in this situation (every year at this time):

 

1. Disable the cache (which it is already), but keep a note at the top that says if they walk to the cache they can log it.

 

2. Keep the cache running, but say at the top that they cannot drive on the dirt road portion, to park and walk from the road closed sign at the end of the pavement.

 

I'm not sure what is best for liability, mine (as well as all the other cachers who have caches up the mountain) or the sports.

 

I also have my new cache, "7th Heaven" which is above "Valley View". The physical cache itself is in my possesion, but I can't walk that far to replace it. So I guess that one will have to be disabled until the road is open and then we can drive closer, unless I can make my husband or someone else walk up there for me to put it back.

 

879136042_dd996efffe.jpg

Edited by Ambrosia
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Patudles

+Patudles

Posted
Posted

How interesting about the yearly burn restriction. I know of other roads that are closed during high fire season but I had never noticed Burch Mt. road being included in that. I am sure I have been up that road during those months in the past. I guess all you can do is post the warning because it is probably still open to mountain bikers. So it depends on how badly they want those caches. Me I will wait till fall.

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Ambrosia

+Ambrosia

Posted
Posted

I thought it was odd, too. I pressed him on the fact that Burch Mt. was "always" closed to vehicular traffic during the summer and fall, and he upheld his statement that it always has been.

 

It's true that hikers and bicycles can go up there, so I guess a big red notice at the top of the cache page should be good, at least if anyone asks, I put up a disclaimer.

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robinego

+robinego

Posted
Posted

I thought it was odd, too. I pressed him on the fact that Burch Mt. was "always" closed to vehicular traffic during the summer and fall, and he upheld his statement that it always has been.

 

It's true that hikers and bicycles can go up there, so I guess a big red notice at the top of the cache page should be good, at least if anyone asks, I put up a disclaimer.

 

Well I have always assumed (say what you will) that 2)e has applied to me being up there during the so called burn ban! (another story at another time!) It's public, I'm staying on the road and simply enjoying the scenery... Who's to say what is legitimate?

 

I have seen cars come and go at all times of night and day, every day of the year! I have never seen the big sign and will confirm with the friend who lives 20' from it.

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Ambrosia

+Ambrosia

Posted
Posted

I thought it was odd, too. I pressed him on the fact that Burch Mt. was "always" closed to vehicular traffic during the summer and fall, and he upheld his statement that it always has been.

 

It's true that hikers and bicycles can go up there, so I guess a big red notice at the top of the cache page should be good, at least if anyone asks, I put up a disclaimer.

 

Well I have always assumed (say what you will) that 2)e has applied to me being up there during the so called burn ban! (another story at another time!) It's public, I'm staying on the road and simply enjoying the scenery... Who's to say what is legitimate?

 

I have seen cars come and go at all times of night and day, every day of the year! I have never seen the big sign and will confirm with the friend who lives 20' from it.

Well, I took that picture up there on Saturday. :laughing:

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robinego

+robinego

Posted
Posted

I thought it was odd, too. I pressed him on the fact that Burch Mt. was "always" closed to vehicular traffic during the summer and fall, and he upheld his statement that it always has been.

 

It's true that hikers and bicycles can go up there, so I guess a big red notice at the top of the cache page should be good, at least if anyone asks, I put up a disclaimer.

 

Well I have always assumed (say what you will) that 2)e has applied to me being up there during the so called burn ban! (another story at another time!) It's public, I'm staying on the road and simply enjoying the scenery... Who's to say what is legitimate?

 

I have seen cars come and go at all times of night and day, every day of the year! I have never seen the big sign and will confirm with the friend who lives 20' from it.

Well, I took that picture up there on Saturday. :rolleyes:

I see that. In fact, I can see that big ugly sign (ugly because it seems so in my face and I want to go up there) from my kitchen window. I look at it every day to see if it's gone. The point was, that sign on the saw horses is new. They don't put that one up every year. Only the smaller 2'x2' on a pole to the right of the road. Ironically, the red and white barriers are new since they widened the road to keep yahoos from trying to kill themselves then they already do going up there. I'm hoping the TPTB don't plan on leaving that sign up all season. I think we may be saying the same thing, only talking around each other.

I'm sorry you had to make the trip up here, I could have told you it was still closed.

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Ambrosia

+Ambrosia

Posted
Posted

Ah, I see what you're saying. I didn't believe that it's been there before, either, that's why I pushed the fire marshall. I would have asked him a few more questions to really pin down things, but I could tell I wasn't going to get anywhere on this subject (luv ya, Rod (hug)). Anyway, if you anyone wants to know more, ask for the fire marshall cause out of the ten million people my dad (who knows whot to call cause of being involved) and I called, Rod says that he's completely in charge of when those signs are posted and taken down. But you're right, he mostly talked about the other signs, not the blockage to the road. I hadn't gotten to the blockage much, because at that point the conversation was going nowhere.

 

But I will tell you, even if the blockage was not there in previous years, from what he is saying the other signs have been there saying that during the mid-late summer to fall months, Burch Mt. has always been on level 2 which is authorized people only. Perhaps people didn't take time to read all the fine print since there wasn't a road blockage? It's possible that the road blockage was put in during the fire and then forgotten about. But it doesn't take away from the fact that Geocachers aren't really authorized vehicles and really should only be walking or biking (non-motorized) up there.

 

And Robin....All41's been telling me from the beginning to talk to you about the road, that you live close enough that you could check it for us every couple days. At first you were gone, then I didn't want to bother you and ask you to go out of your way, although I figured you must be keeping an eye on it since you have caches up there too. But I had no idea you could see it from your window! :P:rolleyes:

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Recdiver

+Recdiver

Posted
Posted

Ah, I see what you're saying. I didn't believe that it's been there before, either, that's why I pushed the fire marshall. I would have asked him a few more questions to really pin down things, but I could tell I wasn't going to get anywhere on this subject (luv ya, Rod (hug)). Anyway, if you anyone wants to know more, ask for the fire marshall cause out of the ten million people my dad (who knows whot to call cause of being involved) and I called, Rod says that he's completely in charge of when those signs are posted and taken down. But you're right, he mostly talked about the other signs, not the blockage to the road. I hadn't gotten to the blockage much, because at that point the conversation was going nowhere.

 

But I will tell you, even if the blockage was not there in previous years, from what he is saying the other signs have been there saying that during the mid-late summer to fall months, Burch Mt. has always been on level 2 which is authorized people only. Perhaps people didn't take time to read all the fine print since there wasn't a road blockage? It's possible that the road blockage was put in during the fire and then forgotten about. But it doesn't take away from the fact that Geocachers aren't really authorized vehicles and really should only be walking or biking (non-motorized) up there.

 

And Robin....All41's been telling me from the beginning to talk to you about the road, that you live close enough that you could check it for us every couple days. At first you were gone, then I didn't want to bother you and ask you to go out of your way, although I figured you must be keeping an eye on it since you have caches up there too. But I had no idea you could see it from your window! :rolleyes::P

I would argue the point.

No we aren't vehicles authorized or not.

However we are geocachers and who would be more authorized to be on that mountain road than us.

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