Phantom_491
07-06-2004, 08:10 AM
Wow What a Hike!!! It was 90 degrees or so and very humid. This was my 1st trip with my new cache-mobile (Jeep Cherokee). We stopped at the lookout/grave site. Logged the Benchmark up there. Anybody ever notice that the rock on the South East point of the Mt looks like a Gorilla's Face?!? (See my log of the BM http://www.geocaching.com/mark/log.aspx?LUID=da9f1be1-cdcf-4b84-8ab5-af42f16d14be)
Drove on out to the lodge and started down the trail. Heading down wasn't too bad, but I remember thinking 'Man this is going to be a tough climb out!'. Found the cache, then continued to the falls. Dipped my feet in the pool, then hiked a trail that runs along the East Side of the valley. It only goes for about 1/4 a mile before it ends in a 15' drop. Walked back to the falls and collected the rest of the group. We hiked back. One of the other adults and I started up the steps and wound up leaving the rest of the group. We stopped about halfway and waited for them to catch up. When they finally caught up, I started off again, and got to the lodge. I waited for them, it seemed like forever. I saw other hikers that I had passed come up and finally some of the group arrived. I asked 'Where's the other kids?' and was told that they had turned onto the trail for the Bear Cave Rocks.
Very enjoyable area well worth the exertion/blisters/leg cramps/etc.
I'll have to plan another trip to get the other caches out there.
Drove on out to the lodge and started down the trail. Heading down wasn't too bad, but I remember thinking 'Man this is going to be a tough climb out!'. Found the cache, then continued to the falls. Dipped my feet in the pool, then hiked a trail that runs along the East Side of the valley. It only goes for about 1/4 a mile before it ends in a 15' drop. Walked back to the falls and collected the rest of the group. We hiked back. One of the other adults and I started up the steps and wound up leaving the rest of the group. We stopped about halfway and waited for them to catch up. When they finally caught up, I started off again, and got to the lodge. I waited for them, it seemed like forever. I saw other hikers that I had passed come up and finally some of the group arrived. I asked 'Where's the other kids?' and was told that they had turned onto the trail for the Bear Cave Rocks.
Very enjoyable area well worth the exertion/blisters/leg cramps/etc.
I'll have to plan another trip to get the other caches out there.