This is a NIGHT CACHE. While it may be possible to do it in daylight, you'll miss the fun and adventure of caching at night. 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 of 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
You must put the following sign (created by the Town of Needham) in your car window before entering the woods:
Night Geocache Permit
To start your journey, go to the Horsford Pond entrance to the Needham Town Forest located off Central Avenue. Follow the coordinates given above to 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 a FireTack looks like, we have placed one on the first tree on the right as you enter the trail.
Shortly beyond that tree is a metal wire stretched across the trail to prevent vehicles from entering. Please watch for it so that you do not trip over it.
Here is the system that we used to mark the trail:
1 tack (any color) = a point along the correct trail
1 round, flat, white tack usually surrounded by 4 other tacks= a trail intersection. (You have a decision to make). Look for a tack a short distance away on one of the trails.
2 tacks (any color) PLUS 2 large, round, flat, orange dots = a tree with a letter on the back of it.
When you find a tree with 2 tacks plus 2 orange dots, 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 get to GZ you will find 4 orange dots and the last letter. You are now within 20 feet of the cache. Look around for a FireTack marking its location. After logging in, follow the tacks back to the parking lot.
The letters on the trees have been known to disappear. If you can't find all 5 of them, don't be concerned, just use the hint.
Trail Map