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The Rivals LbNA #17678

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Aug 25, 2005
Location:
City:Meyers/South Lake Tahoe
County:El Dorado
State:California
Boxes:2
Planted by:artTrekker
Found by: girlguides
Last found:Aug 31, 2013
Status:FFFFFF
Last edited:Jun 7, 2017
The Cal/Stanford rivalry dates back to the 19th century and the Story of the Stanford Axe. You can Google the rivalry and find stories of pranks like the one in 1991 when most of the road signs on the freeway exits to Stanford University mysteriously had their spelling changed to "Stanfurd." Or the one in 1982, when, three days after "The Play," which resulted in Cal's victory over the Stanford Band in the Big Game, Stanfordites printed thousands of fake copies of the Daily Californian newspaper with stories claiming that the NCAA had overruled the refs' decision and awarded the win to Stanford. This was before the internet, and I'm sure it had many Californians in a cold sweat until they could confirm it was a hoax.

Here on the south shore of Lake Tahoe, the rivalry is alive and well, as both rivals maintain Sierra camps in the area, and plenty of alumni have acquired first and second homes in their own little territories, and heaven forbid if "the other" should move in next door. These two boxes are about 20 miles apart (that should be far enough to keep things civil), and the series is dedicated to Old Blue, about as open-minded and congenial a Californian as one could hope to meet. (I stand on neutral ground and giggle when people get too serious!)

Box 1, Berkeley Echo Lake Camp, established 1922 & actually run by the City of Berkeley and not the school. From Highway 50 a mile or so west of Echo Summit, take Johnson Pass Rd.--the sign says "Berkeley Camp" and "Echo Lake", on the left if you're traveling east--half a mile to Echo Lakes Road. Turn left and proceed another .4 mi to Berkeley Camp parking on your left. (There is currently a hand-painted sign for 9163 Echo Lakes Road as you approach the parking lot.) Go up to the gravel parking lot. At 160 across the parking lot from the dumpster (this may not be entirely accurate--they may have moved the dumpster since I took this reading. If you stand with your back to the dumpster and look across the parking lot, said landmark will be in the vicinity of noonish) is a cluster of small boulders with currant bushes growing among them. Nestled in the furthest bush, under a rock, is Rival #1.

Box 2, Stanford Sierra Camp, Fallen Leaf Lake, established 1905. Take Highway 89 North (from the big South Lake Tahoe intersection where Hwy 50 goes east toward Stateline) about 3 miles to Fallen Leaf Road. Turn left and drive about 5 miles to Stanford Sierra Camp. Take the right fork at the Fire Station and go across the bridge. The Camp entrance is .6 mi past the Fallen Leaf Store. You'll need to proceed carefully, stealthily and slowly all the way through the Camp, about .4 mi, to the parking lot at the rear. At the back of the parking lot, lake side, find the land survey monument and then the decaying log on either side of the Tallac Trailhead. Step onto the trail, and find a short log just past the small boulder on the right. Just behind the cut end of the log (the opposite end of the 2' log is twisty/pointy) under duff and a piece of bark is Rival #2.

The Tallac Trailhead is a good place from which to hike to Mt. Tallac. It is steeper and shorter than the route that starts at Spring Lake Tract, and joins that trail partway in. There are signs all over the parking lot forbidding public parking, though, so if you plan to hike this way, you'll need to hike or get a ride in. Parking long enough to get the box should not be a problem. If you have any blue and gold decals on your car or person, though, you might want to proceed with caution. Have fun!