A Bear Valley Puzzler Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

HighCountryAdmin: I am archiving this defunct geocache to keep it from continually showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements. If you wish to repair or replace the cache sometime in the future, please contact me via my profile, and assuming it still meets the guidelines, I will be happy to unarchive it.

Thank you,
HighCountryAdmin
Volunteer Cache Reviewer

Geocaching Guidelines: http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx
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Hidden : 6/14/2005
Difficulty:
3.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:

A Bear Valley Puzzler

Because of temporary, but long-term, changes to a key part of this chache, as of April of 2010, the rules for sucessfully completing this cache have changed. There is still a physical log, but cachers are now required to solve the riddle before claiming credit for this cache. Do NOT post the answer here - email proof that it has been solved to WeWereWaz. I will then provide instructions on how to log.

5/1/09 - Some updates to the instructions were made because of changes to the puzzler area. There were no significant changes to the waypoint coordinates, however.

Dedicated to Dee Ann Unrein, who was instrumental in placing this cache.

In addition to GPS, there are numerous ways to determine geographic location, and there can be two or more ways to identify a specific location. For example, think about this cache listing. Geocaching.com gives you many different ways of identifying/locating the coordinates listed, as well as direct links to other geographic products, which also give you spatial context. To find this cache, you may want to take advantage of some of these links.

This cache requires you to reference many sources of information (not just geographic information) to solve the puzzle & find the log-only cache. In all likelihood, you will need to look up some information before starting out, and during the journey as well. The cache location and all waypoints are within a 1-mile radius of the starting point, none are located on private property (churches, houses, etc), or on any school grounds, and all are publicly accessible, although some locations are not open 24 hours a day. The distance from the coordinates listed to the cache – stopping at each waypoint along the way – is less than 4 miles. Although you can do this puzzler on foot, all waypoints are within 250ft of a place to park.

Keep track of ALL information collected, because you might need it later. You will need to calculate 'line-of-sight' distance between the waypoints you find, so do not delete them from your GPSr until you are finished.

Just as there is more than one way to determine geographic location, there is more than one way to search. If/when you get to any dead ends (or what appears to be a dead end), keep searching - you are probably closer than it appears. Think outside the box, and make sure you have looked at all of your options.

Other than when specifically instructed to determine/look up piece of information, everything you will need to do your research is here in the cache listing. The ultimate location of the cache is itself cryptic & enigmatic – a riddle:

It is both hidden & within plain sight.
You can find it almost anywhere,
but it is only located in one place.
It is both inconspicuous & unmistakable.
You can find it anytime,
but it is not accessible all of the time.

Please put the cache back where you found it, and NO SPOILERS (they will be deleted immediately). No additional hints will be given, but if you have questions, you can e-mail me for clarification. Good luck, and cache on!

Starting at the posted coordinates (call it waypoint 1), follow these directions & answer the questions.

Step 1:

There is a sculpture at the posted coordinates. You will need to know the quantity & type of each animal represented.

Step 2:

Directly south of the sculpture (approx. 300ft) there is a paved trail. Stay on THIS trail to find waypoint 2, which is at the center of the first footbridge (downstream) where THIS paved trail crosses the creek (there is a new footbridge that crosses the creek on a trail that branches off to the right - this is not the correct footbridge). Use your GPSr to mark waypoint 2. Determine the distance along a straight line between waypoints 1 & 2. If your GPSr displays this distance in miles, record that distance. If it does not, you will need to convert EACH LEG SEPERATELY into miles, rounding to 2 decimal places.

Step 3:

Another way of determining location is the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), the township/range/section identification system. As an example, waypoint 1 (the posted coordinates) is located in the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 31, township 4 south, range 68 west, 6th principal meridian (SW¼SW¼SW¼, sec 31, T. 4 S., R. 68 W., Sixth Principle Meridian). Assuming that section 31 is a one-square-mile block of land, containing 640 acres, or approximately one thirty-sixth of a township (due to the curvature of the Earth, sections may occasionally be slightly smaller than one square mile), waypoint 1 is approximately 260 feet east, and 630 north of the southwest corner of the section.

To find the next waypoint, go to the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 6, township 5 south, range 68 west, 6th principal meridian (NE¼NW¼SW¼, sec 6, T. 5 S., R. 68 W., Sixth Principle Meridian). Find the tallest object in this 10-acre open area. Use your GPSr to mark waypoint 3 at the base of this object. Determine the distance (in miles) along a straight line between waypoints 2 & 3.

Step 4:

Find the nearest 3-way intersection southwest of waypoint 3. Without crossing any streets, near that intersection you will find a short yellow pipe labeled 'water line,' from which you can see all of waypoint 3. This used to be a bus stop when the cache was first designed (with the bus route headed in the direction of traffic, had you boarded the bus where the yellow post is). Use your GPSr to mark waypoint 4 at the yellow post. Determine the distance (in miles) along a straight line between waypoints 3 & 4. You will determine the bus route number for the route that used to stop here in step 6.

Step 5:

Street names and numbers (addresses) are another way of determining location. Remember the smaller of the 2 street (block) numbers that intersect here. Note that one of the street names is a famous location (many of the streets in this part of town are named after this type of place).

Step 6:

Assume that the bus route that used to service this intersection followed the direction of traffic as described in step 4 (the bus route still services this street - it just does not extend as far anymore). The bus route (it was a 'Limited') followed the street you are on until it turned onto a street that bears the name of a place in Lewiston, Maine. Using this information, follow the path of the bus route (you will intersect the current bus route after a few blocks) until you come to the first stop past the street that bears the name of a place in Lewiston, Maine (it is the same type of place as the street sign from step 5). Use your GPSr to mark waypoint 5 at the bus stop sign. Determine the distance (in miles) along a straight line between waypoints 4 & 5. Remember the street (block) number of the cross street you are at, as well as the bus route number.

Step 7:

The route you followed in step 6 is along one major street, which is also a designated state highway. What is that state highway number?

Step 8:

Now you are ready to find the cache location. It is located approximately 0.42 miles from waypoint 5. You will use the information collected thus far to create a 13-digit parcel identification number. This parcel ID is for the county in which all of the waypoints are located. The cache is located at the parcel identified by this parcel ID.

Digit 1:

The number of reptiles in the sculpture from step 1.

Digits 2 & 3:

The bus route number plus the total number of animals in the sculpture from step 1.

Digits 4 & 5:

Using the street (block) numbers you collected - the number of blocks between the street referenced in step 5 and the street referenced in step 6 plus the number of animal types in the sculpture from step 1.

Digit 6:

The number of amphibians in the sculpture from step 1.

Digits 7 & 8:

The state highway number from step 7 minus the number 5.

Digits 9 through 13:

Determined from the total number of miles of straight-line distance between each waypoint. First total up the 4 separate distances (waypoint 1 through waypoint 5, in miles) & round to 2 decimal places. Next, multiply that total by 5280 to convert to feet (if you did not collect the separate distances in miles, you will need to convert them all separately into miles, add the 4 separate distances, round to 2 decimal places, and then convert that total back into feet, or you may get incorrect results). To account for the differences between receivers - differing accuracies & methodologies for determining distance - subtract 400 feet from the total. Next, round the number of feet to the nearest 1000 (10499 would be 10000, 10500 would be 11000, etc). You should come up with a 5-digit number ending with three zeros. I have collected these distances a number of times using 2 different receivers (a MeriGold & an ETrex Vista C), and came up with the same number each time.

FTF - Rocket Man & Aardvark56

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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