[pct-l] Cache history

[AsABat]

I have a "whatever" attitude towards caches. However, some might not know
that the PCT in this area was planned to go on the next mountain range to
the west, Volcan Mountain, with trees and natural springs. The feds didn't
want to force Rutherford Ranch to give them an easement, and ended up giving
up and moving the trail to the San Felipe Hills. There was plan to drill a
well part way along this stretch but that never happened - not sure if it
was money, no way to get the drilling rig there, or just no water there to
drill for. When the 3rd Gate Cache was established, there was talk about can
we drill a well there. At the same time, there has been local discussion
about relocating the PCT back to Volcan Mountain where it belongs, since the
ranch is now public open space. No point spending a lot of money drilling a
well if the trail is going to get moved. Neither the well nor the relocation
has gone anywhere. In this particular case, the cache substitutes for the
nonexistant well.

There seems to be a trend that the guvmint is not maintaining water supplies
for PCT hikers as they used to. Mason Valley Truck Trail water tank has been
dry for years. Pioneer Mail trough has gone dry in the past, and the feds
say hikers shouldn't use the water, only horses. (Yeah, right!) Three Points
trailhead in Section D the water spigot was capped off years ago with no
replacement. The water system at Walker Pass has been dry a couple years
now, the fed's response was "put a water cache there." (Yes, there's
a trough of sorts down the highway a little bit.) Even those the state put a
well at Sunrise Trailhead on Laguna, it too is signed horses only (although
lots of hikers use it).

So since their broke, the guvmint can't help us. Maybe someone wants to fund
a well in the San Felipes, or volunteer to coordinate the relocation of the
PCT to Volcan Mountain.

Everyone please, keep the caches clean. Tie up the empty bottles so they
don't blow away. Do not leave trash at caches, there is no trash pickup,
people volunteer to hump the water to the cache, don't make they haul your
trash out too.

AsABat



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