Hetch Hetchy Multi-cache

I was surprised when I saw that such an amazing place as Hetch Hetchy didn’t have a cache. So I created this two step multi-cache that starts at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir inside Yosemite National Park, but ends outside the national park.

As I write this cache I am trying to decide what aspects of Hetch Hetchy I should mention.

First, I’ll start with the practical: Hetch Hetchy is part of Yosemite National Park and similar to when you go to the valley floor, you have to pass through an entrance gate. This will cost $20. If you are coming from Yosemite Valley, keep your receipt because it is good for a week.

Second, I thought I should mention the obvious. Hetch Hetchy Valley is a ‘sister’ valley of Yosemite Valley. Both were created by glaciers and both have large exposed granite walls and hanging waterfalls. Truly spectacular. Amazingly under visited.

At this point I could talk about how John Muir fought long and hard to try to keep the dam from being constructed. He was unsuccessful and the valley was submerged. I could mention that this water is piped all the way to San Francisco for drinking water and that the City of San Francisco doesn’t allow people to swim or boat in the lake. Pages and pages have been written by groups who want the dam removed (just goggle Hetch Hetchy for some very interesting web sites). Just recently, Governor Schwarzenegger has decided to assess studies of restoring the submerged Hetch Hetchy Valley, but that gets fairly political.

The first stage and the cache are at least an hour apart.

At the first stage you will find four plaques. Feel free to read all four plaques. As you face the lake, look at the third plaque. On this plaque near the bottom is a nine letter word that starts with ‘H’. This is the ‘first cache word’. On this plaque near the bottom right is a six letter word that starts with ‘S’. This is the ‘second cache word’. You will need the Decoder the coordinates for the final stage.

The coordinates for the second (final) stage:
N37 51._ _ _
W119 52._ _ _

Using the Decoder “ring” at the bottom of this page,
the first blank is the fourth letter of the first cache word,
the second blank is the seventh letter of the first cache word,
the third blank is the ninth letter of the first cache word,
the fourth blank is the third letter of the second cache word,
the fifth blank is the fifth letter of the second cache word,
the sixth blank is the sixth letter of the second cache word,

The final stage is the size of a film canister.

Decoder Ring