Kiama suburbs - Saddleback Mountain Rose Valley, New South Wales, Australia
By Wilbert67 on 23-Jan-13. Waypoint GC44VEA

Absolutely loved trekking to this one. TFTC!

Forgot to add photos

Hiked down and back up the Fire trail Road, navigating pebbly terrain and a muddy patchs Fell on my bum near the geocache, got muddy, but found the cache and was attacked by bout 30 leeches. but thrilling adventure Nonetheless.

Spending a few days in the area, so grabbing a few local caches.TFTC

After spending some time earlier in the day collecting a cache in a location I’ve wanted to visit for years, I had some time to spare before I needed to pick up the Geomissus after her lunch with some of her friends that live in the area, so I randomly chose this location as it had two interesting sounding caches in an easy to reach location in one of my favourite locations, on top of a mountain.
While picking up said two caches, I noticed that there was actually one other not that far away. Unfortunately for me, as it was really hot and really sunny, and I discovered this hide while hunting down the others, I wasn’t able to read anything about it.
After completing the other two hides, I made my way towards this GZ, which to my surprise was very much downhill. Now while for me that’s not so bad, it would most certainly have some people considering their options here. I found that even with my very trusty trail shoes, I had very considerable issues on the way down due to the substrate hat had been laid on the trail, which lead to a slow and very cautious descent, with multiple slips, but no falls thank goodness. Eventually I reached the GZ and realised I wasn’t yet done with the scrambling. Soon enough, I had the CIH, but opened to find nothing but mush.
Fortunately, I happened to bring some WIR log strips and a ziplock bag with my, so I removed the mouldy contents and replaced them with a new log sheet.
Climbed back out of the wilderness and trudged back up the hill, and the return took me about 20 minutes but was quicker than the descent!
Upon the return home. I managed to read the log description, with the warnings of a steep descent as I’d discovered. But as I mentioned, the gravel underfoot was a bit concerning, but take your time and you should be right!
Thanks for the adventure

973 for the tribe

Out on a 7km hike down up down up the saddle on the tribe's first visit to Hoddles track. An epic hike which was way harder than the 7km it will give us credit for with plenty of downed trees to negotiate up towards Hoddles lookout. However rewarded with amazing views, 3 old caches, a waterfall crossing and a lyrebird sighting, the tribe left Saddleback satisfied. You could see all the way to Jervis Bay and to Pigeon house mountain from the summit. Amazing!

Ooh this one was a slimy mess! The container is intact but it needs a new logbook and zip lock bag. It was unsignable but we have photo proof we were here.

TFTC Wilbert! A decade old cache now, thanks for placing and maintaining.

Found cache could not sign log sheet which was wet.

Tftc. Havnt seen one like this yet! Found with Brody_H1bbs on a beautiful sunny day ️

Wow. What a big one indeed. Could not sign log as container is water logged. TFTC

Could not find this one.

Cache found quickly and hid back in same location however the inside was saturated and log book unsignable

My second find for the day, on my journey to the top.
The wet weather made the hunt a bit more slippery underfoot. Though the descent down the gravel trail to get here wasn't much better.
Though I can admit the slippery mud track finally got me on the way back to my car.
Thanks for the cache.

Bit of a slip and slide and the cache was in hand. From there you're in a great spot to look up and admire mother nature!

After parked the car we enjoyed the view at the lookout then we started the saddleback mountain trail.
The way down was a bit tricky. The track is slippery. At GZ we found the big one and his cache.
We also found found a black snake no far away.
TFTC

Jungletastic. Trees are cool. Great tarzan vines around

Quick find with mugglecousin.

Thanks for the cache!

Quick find with the dogues.

#525
My GeoWife and I are on our 8th Wedding anniversary weekend away.
Today she allowed me to collect some Caches in the area.
We made are way up to this one.
The look out is amazing.
We took a look at the towers.
After I found Saddleback, I thought I would go and get this one as it was so close. Well, I started down the track, and it went down and down. All I could think was I have to walk back up here. I started to regret starting this one.
Anyway I was committed now.
I arrived at GZ and found the clue, now to find the cache. I was a bit unsure if I should go down there, but after searching everywhere else, I had to go down.
I soon had the CIH.
I found the log to be wet, but I was still able to sign the log. I placed it all back.
Now for the walk back up. This took much longer that coming down.
TFTC Wilbert67

Found on the way out of Hoddles. Great walk. TFTC

Being just up the hill, we decided to take the leisurely stroll downhill to GZ. Continued down, and down, and down until at GZ I stumbled towards the hide and CIH.

Lovely weather here today and the hike out was so worth pained legs. TFTC! The environment here contributes to the favourite point earned.

Found it! Can’t wait to climb back out!! Eeek

Easy find on the way back from Hoddles. The thing about hills are they go quicker the faster ypu go up them! TFTC!!!

Our first cache ever, found on a rare misty afternoon in February

Remember what does down must come back up! What a climb. TFTC!!

TFTC
The gate was open and I drove into this one, but not too far down the track, it was steep down & felt even worse coming back up..
As I drove out the gate was locked, but lucky a worker was still on site.. phew...
Cheers
Seemyshell

Easy find. Good climb out. Thanks.

Well, it's one for the enthusiasts this. Not because it's particularly treacherous (the track is wide) - it's just continually taking you downhill for about 600m. So much so that your reward for finding the cache is to turn and head back UP to the carpark again! But it's actually a beautiful part of the world, so quit complaining...! (Having said that, not recommended in the wet, it could get rather slippery down there.) Note the dry stone wall peeking through on the southern edge of the track at the top... amazing how it's all through here, clearly overgrown in the century since. TFTC

Nice early morning walk on Huddles track. TFTC.

We have travelled down from Sydney to Kiama for the April school holidays, camping for a week at Kendells on the Beach Holiday Park in our Jayco Swan Outback camper trailer. Today we headed up to Saddleback Mountain for a solved multi-cache and a couple of Traditionals, then it was on to the Minnamurra Rainforest for an EarthCache and a Traditional. And the return journey had us stopping at Jerrara Dam for a couple of Traditionals. This was the 3rd of 8 finds for the day, and the 28th find for the holiday.

After finding "Saddleback" we continued along the same track, but soon realised that this one was going to be much more hard work than the last one. The track quickly dived down into the valley and became extremely steep. We continued going down down down until we eventually arrived at GZ.

And thankfully it was a quick find, as a DNF after all of that effort going down and even more on the way back up, would have been very disappointing indeed. TNLNSL, and then replaced as found. The log sheet is rather damp, but still signable. TFTC Wilbert67.

Find #1678

Nice run down the hill. Now wheres the bus? Log bit damp but signable. . Thankyou for the cache and walk/ run

Well after a long stroll down the very very steep hill ....sign the log .... now oh no the very very very steep climb back up i hope i can make it with cullum68 he might need to piggy back me up the hill thanks for the cache

Found! Good fun this one even in the mist

Found

Long walk. TFTC

TFTC. Was a long walk to reach GZ which IMO wasn't worth the steep hills, leeches and slippery mud. Not recommended for those who have small kids and don't like walking down and up hills.

I was amazed at the stone wall built beside the trail,that must of taken alot of hard work,
At GZ located the cache no worries
TFTC

Great cache

Woo, that was a work out. great hide and nice find. TFTC good one Wilbert67

Thanks Wilbert67 enjoyed the walk!!! Nice quick find, all is well with your cache.

Big walk back up for me and Alexskull, but we made it, TFTC

First geocaching day after finishing another year of uni!
Thought I'd keep chipping away at the 50km radius
Accompanied by Gaia/Aether
12:40 - 8:40
_______________________________


It was very foggy, a little misty and the sun was going down around now.
At the Trailhead lookout... it was dense fog. This is when I read the description about satanic rituals.

But - with everything stacked up against me, I couldn't give it up. Off I went.
Found the container okay, signed the log and tried to get back up the dreaded hill ASAP.


Thanks for the decent walk Wilbert - I needed the exercise/exorcise

Tftf

A quick find on the way up to Hoddles Hideaway. TFTC.

This is a big one but there is a bigger one deeper in the forest.

This was an adventurous find with Francofilly and the MajuraHathi party. We tramped off down the track and kept going down and going further down. At one point Francofilly declared we were only 100m to go, but perhaps there was some minor accuracy error as it was really 380m!
We dived off to find the cache and it was The Split who actually found the cache. So we headed slowly back up, some of us panting, some of us really panting and one of us (not this little black duck) ran back up. Later we realised that Francofilly made another find at this cache, a well sized leech, eeekh!
Thanks for the fun find, it was memorable!
Cheers
MajuraHathi

Over hill and dale we hit the winding trail..a few steeps descents later we located the treasure...and later realised I'd also located and transported a leech halfway back to Kiama. Leech was ejected from the vehicle safely near the next intended cache ..but long grass and recent parasites deterred me from the search. Maybe next time.

Having found Star 3, thought we would go via saddle back to find Star 4.

Unfortunately didn't find it and not willing to go back up the hill without finding it spent some time looking. In the end had to abandon our search for this and Star 4.

Didn't find the cache but found some leeches instead.

This was a serious adventure...especially in thongs. My partner Chloeboyd8 ended up spotting the cache after looking in the wrong area due to the trees interfering with the gps. I was happy to find it as id also ended up with a leech on my leg during the search. I left a little present for the next person to find

It has been quite a few years since I last walked this track, and I had forgotten how steep it was. Down to GZ was easy, and the find was even easier with the cache sitting out in the open and in danger of slipping down the slope - the tracks in the mud indicating that something had dragged it out of its hidey hole recently. Then it was back up the slope, which took much longer than the descent! Thanks Wilbert67 for the cache (and the exercise )

Rated: for Overall Experience

It's been years since I've been on this track and completely forgot how steep it is. Wearing inappropriate footwear did not help in getting there and actually retrieving the cache. Luckily I had trees to hang off to stop sliding down Have taken Tyler's golf ball and will move along to it's next destination!

Had the best of the weather this afternoon. Found after a short search. Then went on to Hoddle's Hideaway for a return visit. Hoddle's Track is much dryer than the last time we went there. TFTC

First time in this area some great views out to the coast and to Barren Grounds. Found the cache without any trouble, bit of a tricky walk down and what goes down must come back up. TFTC.

Great trek but we have to get back to the top.

Found it on a glorious Boxing Day while staying in the area. We found the way out was easier going than the way in and loved the bush here. TFTC

Tftc. The second last one in the series. Nice walk down, tougher walk back. Prob could have had a bigger cache here, doubt it'll be muggled

Was getting close... about 250m away and then dead batteries
WILL DO AGAIN but definately not in thongs this time. Very steep for a maintained track.
Met some interesting (cute too) walkers at start

I really wanted to find this so searched extensively, but for some reason had no luck. Made the climb back up somewhat disappointing.

TFTC and thank you for the great location. Caches like this make it a worthwhile activity.

It's always enjoyable walking out here, especially on a crisp and windy day. Cache at correct coordinates. Took a path tag for Chip.

Cheers

Dropped a guitar pick

The hint was most useful as the GPSr decided that the cache was 9m away. I presume this was because of the tree cover. Nice little walk in and out. Thanks for the hide.

Initially had intended to look for the one near Honeymoon Bay but the road was closed so chose this one as knew I would expend a bit of energy. Calm & warm at home but cold & windy up here. Slipped my way down with the brakes (thighs) on to see a forest giant. Fortunately a quick find & to lighten the load of my daypack, left two polished stones & my pathtag. Able to walk back up with minimal stops. Thanks Wilbert67.

Quick find once we got to it, then there was the return trek.........

Out for a days caching with steeba and we chose to concentrate our efforts in the Kiama region.
I think over my caching career I've done a few caches up here, but this is the first down this trail. It was a cool morning as we walked out, but by our return we were feeling the heat.

As always the views are breathtaking
Thanks

Found on a run with The Rats mainly tackling the Kiama suburbs series by Wilbert67.

I'd say this one was probably the most physical challenge for the day but another did come close. All that downhill meant we would have to come back up but it wasn't too bad in the end! Cache took a few minutes finding but yes the co-ords seemed pretty right. TFTC!

Ah, you suckered me in with the two previous park and grab ones, but this one was a lot more hard work! I've been up here a long time ago for another cache but didn't go anywhere near as far along this path. All the way down I was dreading how my poor thighs would cope on the way back up! What a magnificent tree at GZ. I scrambled around for a while then had a sit and a think and a read of some old logs. On the way down to check out a likely spot I tried somewhere else on a whim and there was the cache, very well camouflaged, either by the previous finder or by nature in the meantime. Phew! Took the small geocoin. Once caching duties completed and back on the path I took my shoes off and wasn't surprised to find a small leech in one of them. Fortunately he hadn't latched on yet and no others in evidence. Then the trek back to the GeoVan which left me puffing and panting but wasn't as bad as I expected - caching must be making me fitter. During the drive back down the hill I stopped to take some photos of the amazing view of the fields, town and ocean. TFTC!

Wow....really need to get back to the gym! Was glad I left the youngest geokiddies behind with their father for this one. Legs are gonna hurt tomorrow SL TFTC!

Walking along this track today brought back a lot of fond memories for us. The last time we were here was in 2006 looking for Hoddles Hideaway hidden by cache track.
Todays walk was just as memorable. Several passionfruit vines bearing ripe fruit were discovered along the way and they were very delicious too.
Arriving at GZ we found the tricky hides cords to be spot on. Getting it out with short arms proved a challenge as it slid in a little further with each grab we made although success was achieved in the end.
Many thanks for the cache Wilbert67 and thanks for giving us another reason to revisit this very historic place.

There's always another cache we haven't found but glad to have stopped to grab this one. Good crank up the hill on the way back. I enjoyed a challenging days caching with J+J.au once again. SL..TFTC

Baja and I were headed home, but wait there's a cache just on the way home, hmmm hunger pains , need food. Wait I have a kit kat we can share. Off we went to the hunt. Been this way but not that way, well we were in for a treat, lots of lier birds, the birds were vocal, the fog is setting in, quit eerie... Cool.. Just as well!! well and truly we burnt the kit kat off. Located the cache well hidden. Dropped off TB. What a grand area this is. Thanks Wilbert.

Oh, I have practiced such restraint - all these new caches being published, and I'm trying to restrict caching to my empty calendar days.. But today was a caching day, and this was published just before I headed out. My restraint was rewarded by a very rare FTF, a very steep climb in and an even steeper climb back! Lots of cloud cover and misty rain, but at least it wasn't hot!

Thanks Wilbert67, I'm looking forward to the rest of the Kiama series!

Cache #1112

Published