Iron Mountain Cache
GCB73 - June 20, 2001
I had to reverse my only failure to find a cache. Iron Mountain Cache by Gregg and Claudia apparently was pilfered before my first attempt on June 6, 2001. No wonder I couldn't find it! The cache page has since been revised, the cache moved and a nice little twist was added. The original coordinates, thought still listed on the cache page are obsolete. To find the new coordinates and the cache, you first must find the hints at the picnic table on top of Iron Mountain.
Additionally, Gregg + Claudia have provided magnetic bearings from the cache toward the Scripps Poway Parkway and Poway Road intersections with Rte. 67. Theoretically, if you position yourself so that your compass duplicates those bearings, you are at the cache location. Easier said than done with my 5 degree increment compass. But that combined with my GPS and climbing skills learned while I was a Sherpa guide on Mt. Everest, I was able to maneuver to the vicinity of the cache and spot it form a few feet away.
Iron Mountain from the trailhead near Poway Road.
Look near where I'm pointing for the hint.
Here are the two reference intersections
If you find this spot in the photo on the left, you're getting warm. The middle shows the cache contents: a can of sardines, cacher's note (The note from the cache owner says that whoever finds the cache is a "Geocaching hoo doo master"! I guess I've been called worse things.) and ready to use first aid pouch which I took. I left the level from the North Fortuna Cache and I left the stinky sardines for someone who has a cat. On the right is the "log" I left. Notice the classy Stork logo.
This cache involved a fair amount of rock scrambling and climbing. This photo is looking straight DOWN from the cache ledge. It's hard to get a perspective but you can see my shadow on the rocks below at the lower right corner.
Here I am with the cache. I was the first one to log this cache and according to the cache page get a dinner somewhere in SD. I'm thinking maybe Mille Fleur, someplace like that.