GC1H25A Know Your Caching Mirror (Multi-cache) in California, United States created by ecrane

This cache has been archived.

ecrane: This one had a great run--thanks to all who tried it! And credit to all who conquered it![b][green]
~ecrane h#31
Davis, CA USA

GC1H25A ▼

A cache by ecrane Message this owner

Hidden : 10/24/2008

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:

When you finish all four stages of this Davis odyssey, you will have accomplished something truly special! This one is not for the faint of heart!

I learned pretty quickly that carrying a compact mirror is a good idea for lots of different geocaches. A mirror will be handy for three of this cache's four stages.

Your journey starts at the posted coordinates, where you will find a five-digit number that is about 7 feet off the ground. Once you locate a large structure topped by a blue and yellow flag, go to its southwest corner. Most folks will find that there's no need to climb at Stage 1 if you have a compact mirror. Of course, if you don't like reading numbers in mirrors, you could climb if you want to and look down on the number!

Stage 2 is at N 38° 3A.BCD W 121° 4E.FGH.
Break down the number from Stage 1 into its prime factors, and list the numbers from lowest to highest. (For example, if the number was 10000, you should obtain the answer 2*2*2*2*5*5*5*5.) Subtract the third-to-last number in your list from the second-to-last number in your list. Multiply the result by the largest number in your list. Now subtract both the second number in your list and the second-to-last number in your list. The result is ABCD. To determine the west coordinate of Stage 2, take the five-digit number that you found at Stage 1 and write it backwards (that is, reverse its digits). Now, break down this number into prime factors, listed lowest to highest. Add the two smallest numbers in your new list and multiply that by the product of the two largest numbers in your new list. To this number, add four times the cube root of the product of all the digits of the number from Stage 1. The result is EFGH. There's no more math on this hide--I promise! Here's a Stage 2 checker, added 1/20/2012:

You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.

Stage 3: Instructions to Stage 3 are hidden in Stage 2. Again, a compact mirror would be handy.

Final: The final coordinates are hidden in Stage 3. Time again to break out that mirror! When you get to the final, there is no need to reach inside of anything.

To launch this cache, my first 5-star-difficulty hide (!), I'm regifting a $5 FTF prize (from a very cool cache and recent FTF) and a FTF pin (another regift). Happy hunting! No hints or confirmation of final coords on a five-star, but you get the extra satisfaction when you find it!

Congrats to two bison for the FTF!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[Final] qba'g pheo gur frnepu--whfg urnq n srj srrg rnfg

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)