Geocaching by a Dormant Volcano


The other day, my family and I hiked around Lake Calavera. 

Carlsbad’s Lake Calavera Preserve features wetlands, a lake, coastal sage-scrub, and volcanic Mt. Calavera. This oasis tucked into the suburban sprawl of North County offers satisfying diversity for a hike this brief, as well as a few adventurous moments and surprises on the trail. This 3.2 mile lollipop loop visits the most interesting and attractive features of the preserve.


A Geocache


Another Geocache



Lots of Geocaches in this wilderness area!




This Geocache container was in bad shape. Bent and mangled, the lid no longer fit on which meant that water from the next rain wouldn't be kept out.


My Leatherman Wave Multitool to the rescue. One of the most useful things I carry. I used the tool to re-shape the cache so that the lid fit on properly once again.


Mount Calavera is 513-ft volcanic plug that was created 22 million years ago in what today is now Carlsbad, Ca. A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is created when magma hardens within the vent of an active volcano (plug). However, when the ‘hot-spot’ which created the volcano moves on because of the conveyor belt system of plate tectonics, the volcano becomes extinct leaving a plug behind. Mount Calavera is only one of three volcanic plugs in Southern California.



A great day of hiking and Geocaching

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