Category: Geocache of the Week

/ Derek H /

A Geocache 113 Million Years in the Making – Dinosaur Valley Earthcache (GCQMHY) – Geocache of the Week

 

Staring contest, you and me. Go. Photo by geocacher Indigo Parrish.
Staring contest, you and me. Go. Photo by geocacher Indigo Parrish.

Millions of years ago, a sea covered a large portion of the land that is now the United States. During this time, dinosaurs called Sauropods and Theropods roamed North Texas. Some experts* say they were geocaching, potentially looking for terrain five geocaches. These giant reptiles left footprints in the soft mud that have been preserved for millions of years. And until this documentary becomes a (terrifying) reality, finding the Dinosaur Valley Earthcache (GCQMHY) might be as close as we can get to living dinosaurs.

Mrs. Scattermycaches excited to be at the park's entrance.
Mrs. Scattermycaches excited to be at the park’s entrance.

The dino footprints that you’ll see while you’re in the park were made about 113 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. The tracks were discovered in the early 1900s, however they did not become famous until 1937 when palentologist R.T. Bird saw them while collecting fossils. Bird continued exploring the Paluxy River looking for more prints and eventually uncovered a large Sauropod and Theropod trackway.

As you follow in the footsteps of these dinosaurs, you might be wondering what these beasts looked like. The three-toed footprints are most likely from Acrocanthosaurus, a smaller relative of T-Rex. These meat-eating, giant lizards were about 20–30 feet long.

Discovering Theropod tracks. Photo by geocacher Silver Fox 62
Discovering Theropod tracks. Photo by geocacher Silver Fox 62

The round and smaller hoof-like footprints come from Sauropods. This group of dinosaurs are large plant-eaters that walked on all fours. Bones found in 1996 led to the discovery that the tracks belonged to a new species of dinosaur: Paluxysaurus jonesi. At 60–70 feet long and 12 feet tall, these giants became the official dinosaur of Texas in 2009.

To earn your smiley for this Earthcache, you’ll have to answer a few dino-related questions. Although the questions aren’t easy to answer, that hasn’t deterred geocachers from experiencing this amazing place. “We love Earth caches for the education that they provide, and this one was no exception. It was amazing to walk in the same footsteps as the dinosaurs!” said geocacher BANDA in their log.

These amazing tracks were discovered by someone searching in the woods. What’s the most amazing (and appropriate) thing you’ve discovered while searching for a geocache? Tell us in the comments.

Continue to explore some of the most engaging geocaches around the globe. Check out all the Geocaches of the Week on the Geocaching blog or view the Bookmark List on Geocaching.com.

If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, send an email with your name, comments, the name of the geocache, and the GC code to pr@geocaching.com.

 

*experts at Geocaching HQ

/ Adela B

Table Mountain Travel Bug® Hotel – GC31WXR – GEOCACHE OF THE WEEK – September 17, 2012

A very organized TB Hotel

Trackable Week highlights a Travel Bug® haven where TBs check-in and check-out with ease. You can find an outstanding example of one of these locations in South Africa. The Travel Bug Hotel is sure to take your geocaching adventures to new heights. Table Mountain Travel Bug Hotel (GC31WXR) in Cape Town is the cache to log, drop off, and retrieve Travel Bugs from all over the world.

You might even see a local

Located on top of the city’s iconic mountain, the difficulty 1, terrain 1 traditional cache is quite the attraction. Geocachers can hike up the mountain or take a cable car to get to the hidden treasure. Not only is this a safe and secure cache that requires a code to be opened, it also comes with an incredible view.

Visited by millions of tourists each year, this ancient mountain has also attracted nearly 250 geocachers to summit for a chance to look for the cache. Treasure hunters from 33 different countries awarded this creative and well-organized treasure 55 Favorite Points in just one year.

Checking in

The cache page provides fun facts about the location, but the logs and pictures submitted by geocachers describe incredible experiences.

CapeDoc was inspired to create a cache on Table Mountain when he visited this area not too long ago. He says, “I noticed the amazing international blend of people on the top of the mountain. It struck me that it would be a great place for a Travel Bug hotel. The cache fits my philosophy: good listing + interesting hide + awesome location = great cache.”

Geocachers who logged this cache agree. One cacher writes, “A very nice TB hotel with lots of travelers waiting to be taken to their respective destinations. With this being such a popular tourist destination, I’m sure this one will become one of the most visited caches in SA. TFTC!”

Continue to explore some of the most engaging geocaches around the globe. Check out all the Geocaches of the Week on the Latitude 47 blog or view the Bookmark List on Geocaching.com.

If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, send an email with your name, comments, the name of the geocache, and the GC code to pr@groundspeak.com. 

View from the mountain
/ Adela B /

What the CLUCK? – GC3K9TV – GEOCACHE OF THE WEEK – September 3, 2012

The cache hunt starts with the chicken statue

So, why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the Geocache of the Week, of course!

What the CLUCK? (GC3K9TV) is a difficulty 1.5, terrain 1.5 traditional cache located just outside of Newburg, Wisconsin.

Inspired by a 10-year-old geocacher who raises chickens for 4-H – a youth development organization, the cache quickly became a favorite among local cachers since it was created in May.

Cache owner Stewzoo1 explains, “When you first drive up, the statue of the chicken is on opposite side of the road. You go to it thinking that it is the cache but soon learn it isn’t. When you turn around, you get a clear shot of the cache box across the street.  This still is not the cache, but a container holding cups of chicken treats (there is a note inside the box saying that this is to keep the natives happy and they still must find the log container). The container is located around the corner at the front of the coop. They must walk around, feeding the chickens in order to get to the cache.”

The chickens now love it when geocachers visit, because they know that they’re going to get fed every time a car pulls up.

Chickens on a mission to get their treats

With 42 logged visits and 25 Favorite Points over a course of three months, this cache gives local geocachers something to talk about. In fact, What the CLUCK? made for quite the conversation at the West Bend $1000 Cache Ba$h 2012 Mega-Event.

One geocacher who logged this creative find says, “Instant favorite point! This cache made me smile. I was like, ‘OMG, they’re real!’ And then we had fun laughing at the crazy sounds some of them made, and feeding them, and then looking at all the different varieties. Thanks for introducing cachers to your chickens and chickens to the geocachers… I imagine they probably have similar conversations as us, like ‘Look at that silly cacher with the hat and sunglasses!’ haha TFTC!”

Continue to explore some of the most engaging geocaches around the globe. Check out all the Geocaches of the Week on the Latitude 47 blog or view the Bookmark List on Geocaching.com.

If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, send an email with your name, comments, the name of the geocache, and the GC code to pr@groundspeak.com

Keeping the natives happy
/ Eric Schudiske /

Tsaagan Subarga GC1DPJV – GEOCACHE OF THE WEEK – February 13, 2012

View from near the cache location

There are few locations on earth where the nearest geocache is more than one hundred kilometers away. You’re looking at one of those rare locations.

Tsaagan Subarga (GC1DPJV) is cradled in the heart of the Gobi Desert. It’s reachable by reliable vehicle or on the back of a camel or horse. The cache is named after the striking location. It’s known for the red, pink, yellow, and white stripes in the rock formations.

Wild Boy hid the cache in 2008 and has arranged for a local cache guardian to perform maintenance when he’s not in Mongolia.  The difficulty 1, terrain 1.5 cache still has fewer than ten finds.

Four geocachers discovered the cache in 2011. One writes, ” I found it with my tour group on our 6th day in the Gobi desert. Our cook and driver were impressed to find this in the desert!! The cache is still in good shape and there’s a lot of places in the logbook.”

FTF on "Tsaagna Subarga"

Looks like there’s room for your name on the Tsagaan Subarga logbook. Have you ever claimed a smiley for a geocache in the desert before?

Continue to explore some of the most engaging geocaches around the globe. Check out all the Geocaches of the Week on the Latitude 47 blog or view the Bookmark List on Geocaching.com.

If you’ d like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, send an email with your name, comments, the name of the geocache, and the GC code to pr@groundspeak.com.

/ Eric Schudiske /

TNT : Donjons & Mountains GCJPN4 GEOCACHE OF THE WEEK – January 23, 2012

Attempting "Donjons & Mountains"

TNT : Donjons & Mountains (GCJPN4) earns its difficulty 5, terrain 5 rating. It also earns a “wow” from the geocaching community. The Multi-Cache has tallied more than 90 Favorite Points so far.

Geocachers spend a day tracking down clues throughout rural Belgium and France. The clues help crack the codes on the cache page.

Once geocachers find the answers they discover coordinates for the final cache. Through it all gecoachers follow their GPS to encounter donjons (fortified towers) seemingly sprouting in the deep forest. They finally finish on a “mountain.”

Cachemier created the cache in 2004.  He crafted a comprehensive cache page that’s worth eyeballing. It lays out all the information a geocachers needs in a clear and playful way.

On the cache hunt
Donjon

The cache page is also clear with a warning. It reads, “If you are afraid or unsure of: heights,depths, darkness, small spaces, various wildlife like spiders, snakes, birds, bats, getting dirty, wet, cold, scratched by briers, bruised, tired, hungry and thirsty — then you should seriously reconsider going on this geocache hunt. One or more of the above elements WILL happen to you on this hunt. However, if you like adventurous hikes and you thrive for the challenge and don’t mind a bit of discomfort then this is the Belgian Geocache hunt for you! If you do decide to take on this challenge, your experience will be one you will remember!”

Car packed to attempt "Donjons & Mountains"

The cache page also lists the items you’ll need to complete the cache which includes dozens of items like a climbing harness, safety rope and carabiners.

News of Donjons & Mountains is spreading from geocacher to geocacher. It’s already on 37 Bookmark Lists.

One geocacher who logged a smiley on Donjons writes, “A while ago, I had a long interesting conversation with a geocacher from Belgium. He highly recommended this cache. Reading the listing, the logs – I decided, yes this cache has to go on my To-Do-List. We really enjoyed our TNT: Donjons & Mountains Trip. Thanks for this adventure and greetings from Germany.”

Continue to explore of some of the most engaging geocaches around the globe. Explore all the Geocaches of the Week on the Latitude 47 blog or view the Bookmark List on Geocaching.com. If you’ d like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, send an email with your name, comments, the name of the geocache, and the GC code to pr@groundspeak.com.