This is a night cache that can be done during the daytime, but
it won't be as much fun. THE CACHE IS ONLY
AVAILABLE SATURDAY NIGHTS UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR NIGHT
CACHING. The cache is available between dawn and dusk on
any day for daytime caching.
The town of Needham has issued a permit for night caching for
Saturday night only. To comply with the requirements of the permit
cachers must print out and display the following sign in their
car:
Night Geocache Sign
Your task is to follow a series of FireTacks placed on trees
that are less than 10 feet off the trails. If you are unfamiliar
with FireTacks, they are pyramid shaped push pins "that utilize 3M
prismatic technology for brilliant reflectivity at night and in low
light conditions." In order to see the tacks you will need a method
for illuminating them. Since all of the tacks are placed about 5 to
6 feet off the ground, a headlamp or strong flashlight held at eye
level is the recommended equipment.
FireTack
To start your journey, go to the Horsford Pond entrance to the
Needham Town Forest located off Central Avenue. Follow the
coordinates given above and you find the trailhead parking. Take
the trail that is immediately to the right of the trailhead
kiosk and the metal sign. To familiarize you with what
FireTacks look like, we have placed one on the first tree on the
right as you enter the trail.
Here is the system that we used to mark the trail:
1 tack (either orange or white)= a point along the correct
trail
2 tacks (1 orange and a 1 white) = a trail intersection (You
have a decision to make here). Look for a tack a short distance
away on one of the trails.
3 tacks (1 orange and 2 white ) = a tree with a letter on the
back of it
When you find a tree with 3 tacks (1 orange and 2 whites) you
need to look on the back of it and record the letter you find
there. These letters will be needed to open the Wordlock™ at
the final. The letters you will find are given in the order they
will be needed to open the lock. When you locate the fifth
letter, you will also find the coordinates to the final on the back
of the same tree. After logging in, follow the tacks to the parking
lot.
There are 4 other caches in the Needham Town Forest that are
from .3 to .7 miles away from the parking lot you will use for
Needham At Night. As you walk the trails you may see miniature
birdhouses with colored roofs marking many trails. These are the
creation of Chooch, the geocacher who also created The Depot. This
unique cache has received press coverage and is often seen in lists
of "Favorites."
Night caching is a bit different from caching in the daytime and
we offer the following suggestions to promote your safety:
1. Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to
return.
2. Be sure to mark a waypoint at the car.
3. If you have access to a cell phone, bring it along.
3. Bring an extra set of batteries for your GPS and for your
light source. Carrying an extra light source is also a good
idea.
4. If you don't wear glasses, wear a pair of safety glasses to
protect your eyes in case you walk into an unseen branch.
The area is open in the Winter (great for XC skiing,
snowshoeing, etc.) but the cache will be difficult to find after a
heavy snowfall.
Map
of the Needham Town Forest
