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Foster's Puzzler Mystery Cache

Hidden : 1/5/2008
Difficulty:
3.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

If you head to the coordinates listed above you will be able to get a cup of coffee and some pretty decent pie, but you won’t find this cache. To find this cache read Foster’s story, take the test and then solve the puzzle.



Foster was many things to many people, but few knew that he was an avid Vancouver historian. One day while sitting on a bench he had a local school teacher approach him. “Mr. Foster, will you create a quiz for my students?” Well, Foster being foster could not resist the challenge and set to work. After he had completed his task he thought, “How might the students find the answers to my quiz? There are probably many ways to do it. One is just as good as another. I suppose that they could use that new fangled Cyber-Highway thingy, but some answers might not be found there. One thing is for darn sure, the answers are out there.”


Here is Foster’s Quiz:


1) The city of Vancouver was incorporated in January of 1857. On what day of the month did this occur? (Multiply your answer by 100)

2) Mount St. Helens erupted May 18th, 1980 and it shook the very foundations of the Vancouver. However, this was not the first time the mountain blew. Residents of Fort Vancouver experienced an eruption on December 5th in the 1840’s. There was also another eruption that same year on November 22nd. What was the exact year?

3) George Simpson (Governor of the Hudson Bay Territory), took a bottle of rum smashing it on the fort’s flagstaff thereby dedicating the first Fort Vancouver. This took place on March 19th of what year?

4) At the location where Ester Short Park is today the first county fair was held on October 21st of what year?

5) A major fire known as the “Yacolt Burn” swept through the area destroying 238,920 acres of timber in September of what year? This is the largest recorded forest fire in Washington State’s history.

6) Peter S. Ogden led many hazardous trapping expeditions into the Snake River area in the 1820s. Mr. Ogden later joined the Hudson's Bay Company. He was sent north to help establish a new post named Fort Simpson near the mouth of the Nass River in British Columbia. He was Promoted chief factor in 1834 and was given command of the New Caledonia district, to succeed Peter Warren Dease. This move was strongly supported by Governor Simpson, but not without trepidations. Ogden reached his new headquarters at Fort St James (B.C.) on Stuart Lake and began his his new duties. He remained there until 1844. Later he returned to Fort Vancouver and remained there until 1854. In what year did he take command of the New Caledonia district?

7) In what year did the man known as the “White-headed Eagle” send an angry letter to Governor Simpson and retire from the service of the Hudson Bay Company? He was born on the St Lawrence River, Quebec Canada in 1784. He was a politician, surgeon by trade, and was also an adept fur trader.

8) John McLoughlin died in Oregon City, Oregon at the age of 73 in what year?


Part 2 – Foster’s Puzzle

Once you have all the answers to the quiz fill in the table below. One box has been filled in for you. No, you don’t have to thank me it was the least I could do.



Reading left to right find the location of the cache.

AA = The first two numbers in the green boxes.
XXX = The next three green numbers.
BB = The next two green
YYY = The last three green numbers.

Fill in the coordinates: N45 AA.XXX W122 BB.YYY

The cache location:

The cache is located on private property, but I promise you won’t feel like you are intruding. It has been placed with the full permission of the owner. The neighbor’s have been informed of the cache, but they won’t be able to see you anyway. Please park on the street and not in the driveway. There is no need to bushwhack or step on any grass or even go anywhere near the residence. In fact the cache is within two feet of the street. I picked this location for two reasons: First, I grew up in this house and second, I wanted this cache to be completely muggle proof. Please only visit this cache from 7am to 9pm. To find the cache use this famous phrase by Foster himself: "That gold stuff does not rust on the ground, and rocks surely don't get soaked in the rain."

Note: I have had a few emails about searching for this one on private property. Use the link below to check your answer before you go looking.

You can check your answers for this puzzle on Geochecker.com.



Check out the complete Foster's Cache List:

Foster's Cache
Foster’s Rendezvous
Foster’s Puzzler
Foster’s War Story
Foster's Creek Side Cache
Foster's Bonus Cache
Foster's Logger
Foster's Photo Finsh


Fosters Hidden Treasures

Additional Hints (No hints available.)