The Maryland Scavenger Hunt Mystery Cache

Welcome to The Maryland Scavenger Hunt!  We have found lots of stuff while caching besides the caches.  These things have inspired this challenge.

Geocache Description

The cache is NOT at the posted coordinates but that is where you should park and project a waypoint from to find it. See the puzzle towards the bottom to solve the TRUE Bearing and Distance for your projection. We added this puzzle because of the recent cache regulations change that eliminate Alternative Logging Requirements (ALRs). This cache is not considered a challenge cache and would require being changed to a Traditional cache with optional, suggested requirements. We wanted to keep it as a Puzzle/Mystery Cache to make it more of a challenge and to prevent it from being stolen. For the puzzle, certain numbers will be found at some of the unique items on the list. Those numbers will be used to solve a math problem to determine the bearing and distance. If you have already found those items but do not know the associated number needed, email us and we will give you the required info.

Due to the new regulations we cannot require you to collect and submit photos of all 100 items, nor can we delete any find logs of those who skip the photos and just solve the puzzle and find the cache. However, we believe that the real cachers out there, the ones we designed this for, will comply with the original requirements before seeking the cache and any cachers who merely solve it and find it without completing the Scavenger Hunt in full will be mocked and ridiculed.

The Idea

Geocaching has brought us to so many great locations in Maryland that we may not have ever found without this great game.  Some are fun and quirky, while some are solemn and reflective.  Some are beautiful and inspiring, while some seem out of place and make you do a double-take.  You can probably look through a list of your cache finds and remember something, or several things, special about most of the locations caching has taken you to.   We came up with the idea when we spotted the first item on the list while driving to the Laurel MML Geotrail cache.  Hopefully those still working on the MML (which should be just about everybody except The8Searchers) and those who will be participating in CAM 2009 will also be able to work on this challenge while traveling our great state. 

To claim credit for this cache you must find each of the 100 items listed below.  Finding means taking a picture of you/your team with the item in the background. If you don't want to take a selfie then you must include your GPS device or a personal item (such as your Geocaching name written on a piece of paper) in hand. The photos and corresponding waypoint coords must be submitted to us for verification.  Once you do and the finds are verified, you can then go find and log the cache. Any find logs that come before completion and verification of the scavenger hunt will be deleted.

The Rules

• All items must be found in Maryland.
• No more than three items may be found at the same specific location/waypoint. Multiple items in the same city/town are acceptable
• Feel free to form teams, but no more than 5 cachers per team.  In this case, a cacher equals a geocaching.com account name, not necessarily an individual.  A family under one account name would only be considered one cacher and could team up with other cachers.
• Teams may break up the list of items into groups and then submit their collective photos and waypoints for verification.
• Items with (*) after them require an official sign with the necessary name/info to be included in the picture.
• A few items are not site-specific or will be found indoors.  Your GPSr or personal item must still be in the photos of those items. 

The Details

We suggest you create a Google Doc or similar sharable document and list your items, photos and location there and then send the link to us for verification instead of the older suggestions listed below. If you have another suggestions on how to submit the info, please feel free to contact us.  Remember, the faster we can confirm your finds, the faster you can hunt for the cache!

(outdated but still an option: There are a few ways you can submit your photos and information.  There are some free photo sharing sites like Flickr and Picasa (by Google) that allow you to "geo-tag" your photos by simply dragging and dropping them onto a zoom-able map.  This would be the ideal way to submit your photos, but not the only way.  You could also create a google map plotting the waypoints of each item and it's picture.  Or you can submit a list of waypoints for each item and an online photo album.  The final way would be to submit photos in a log on this cache page, but that may provide other cachers an advantage by seeing the locations of some of the trickier locations.)

Some of the items are easier than others.  Most of the items can be found throughout Central Maryland, but a few of them will require traveling to the western and eastern edges of our state.  Most items can be found in multiple locations, about 20% of them can only be found in just one or two locations.  Some of the items, or at least the category, came from the Waymarking site, so that may help if you get stuck.  If you have a question about an item or want to test a "creative interpretation" of an item, feel free to contact us. (note: There is an old MGS forum post that has some information on where to locate items as well, but most of the information is outdated.)

You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.

The Last Paragraph

Pay attention to the rules and don't be afraid to ask questions.  We don't want to turn down any submissions. DO NOT TRY TO REACH THIS CACHE FROM ROUTE 32! The overall difficulty rating is based on the fact that it will take some time to complete the challenge. The difficulty/terrain of the hide is probably a 2/2. After noodling this idea we looked for other Scavenger Hunt caches and found The Great NOVA Scavenger Hunt, now archived, which we borrowed some ideas from.  

Have fun!

Kid Friendly • Dogs Allowed

Poison Plant Alert • Thorns

Snakes • Ticks—Wear Bug Repellant!

Available Year Round • Accessible in Winter

Mud!

Congrats to Team CHF for the FTF!! Members include Cody Hollow Farm, Ferret Pack, sfcchaz, missy111574 and gusso1027.