All cache finds used for the challenge must be on actual caches listed on Geocaching.com that you have visited in person- no temporary caches or locationless will count. In the case of multi or puzzle caches the listing coordinates provided on the cache page will be used to determine in which county the cache resides.
There are several ways that you can prove that you've met the challenge in order to recieve the final coordinates. The preferred method WAS to use the "It's Not About the Numbers" (www.itsnotaboutthenumbers.com) website, but they went belly up. Until mygeocachingstats.com or some other online stats generator gets a WV County Map generator we are left with fewer options.
According to guidelines, a cache owner cannot require a geocacher to create an account or provide personal information to another website to log a find. So I have to provide some alternatives. If you're not able or willing to use the itsnotaboutthenumbers site then a second option is to send me an e-mail at wvangler1@yahoo.com to alert me that you've completed all the counties and provide a link to your bookmark list containing all your claimed finds and specifying which county each cache is in.
A third option is to attach a file (such as an Excel spreadsheet) listing the following information for each of the 55 required county cache finds: County Name, Cache Name, "GC Number" of the cache, and the date of your "found it" log. I cannot accept GPX files using the proprietary Groundspeak extensions or otherwise relying on pocket query data obtained from Geocaching.com as this is against guidelines.
A fourth option is to use the stats generator macro with GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife). You can generate extensive caching stats and country/state/county maps with this macro as well. I personally use this generator on my profile page, feel free to visit my profile to see how it looks. In addition, there is a 'County Mapping' macro that you can get for GSAK that will map your county finds (as well as a DeLorme Challenge macro that will map your DeLorme finds). For more detailed information on how to do this please visit the GSAK forums or one of the West Virginia geocaching forums to discuss how you can make this handy software work for you.
After verifying your finds, I will then send you the coordinates and instructions to the final. Cache finds before and after the date of the creation of the challenge may be used. You do not have to 'start from scratch' on this challenge, past finds prior to the date of publish for this cache do count.
The listed difficulty is for the work needed to find and log 55 separate and unique caches across all counties in West Virginia. I would rate this final cache in isolation as about a 3.5 difficulty. The final location will require about an 1 to 2 hour hike round trip and I can attest that it will require more bushwacking than the WV DeLorme Challenge (which I'm proud to have completed). There are also some relatively dangerous cliffs nearby the final location. I have placed the final at a spot near and dear to my heart that I think sums up the beauty of our great state.
ATTENTION: All those who complete this challenge should also perform an optional request.
1.) There is a map of West Virginia inside the cache. Assuming that you are from West Virginia, please mark on this map where you call home (some people refer to where they currently reside as "home" while others refer to where they spent their childhood as "home". If you want to indicate both - where you live AND where you grew up, that is fine too). Please leave the map inside the container.
While it is painful that I (WVAngler) have completed the requirements for this challenge but won't get to log it since it is my own cache, it brings me pleasure to give geocachers added motivation to get out and see more of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. Feel free to post notes as to your progress, but do not make the cache listing a cluttered messageboard. Instead, take part in any one of the great WV online messageboard forums (i.e., KYOWVA, MAGPI, WVMountainsport, OVGeo, etc.) and talk about your progress there.