Background - A line of position
is a compass bearing between two points. When using a compass (or a
GPSr) to take a bearing to a point of interest, it is the angle
between north and the line passing through the compass and the
point of interest. A technique used to determine one's location is
to take a bearing from a known object, and plot those lines on a
map. With one bearing, all you know is that you are somewhere along
that line of position. If you know your distance from the known
object, you can plot your location on a map. If you take bearings
from two or more known objects, and plot those lines on a map, the
point where the lines of position intersect is your location. In
some circles, this is called a "fix."
And,
with a fix, you're no longer lost in the woods.
Your challenge - Find the point, in
Sanctuary Park, where four lines of position from known objects
intersect. I'll give you the lines of position and the distances
from each known object, and even give you a strategy to get
there.
LOPs
| Cache Name |
|
Bearing*
|
Distance
|
| Sanctuary |
|
103°M
|
.1
|
| Eagle
Mountain (WY) |
|
25°M
|
.11
|
| Stars
& Stripes |
|
306°M
|
.11
|
| Chaos
in the Woods |
|
248°M
|
.11
|
* Degrees magnetic
A
Strategy - Be sure your GPSr is set to give bearings in
magnetic (vice true). Lock your GPS onto Eagle Mountain. When you
get to the top of the stairs, turn left and follow the trail till
Eagle Mountain bears 25 degrees magnetic. Turn and head straight
for it. (Only minor bushwacking required.) When you are .1 mile
away, you should be pretty close. Lock onto Chaos in the Woods
(cause its at least 90 degrees from the first LOP) and move till
you are at the bearing and distance listed above. Now, you can do
the same with the other two caches, or you can start
looking.
Sanctuary Woods
Preserve - This park occupies approximately 40 acres in
the northwestern corner of Laketown Township, with parking off 66th
St. It is open from 6:00 am to dusk and features well-developed
trails through a back dune forest, great views of Lakes Macatawa
and Michigan, bird-watching, abundant wildlife, and the trackbed of
the old Grand Rapids, Holland & Chicago Railway. The cache is a
small decon container loaded with coins, and pathtags. After
logging your find, take a walk around the trail for a great view of
Lake Macatawa. And, all those bearings you took, lead back to some
great caches ... See the Sanctuary bookmark list for
more.
Click for more
info |
Placed & maintained by a member of
Michigan Geocaching Organization!
|
Congrats! to 1Patriot on FTF,
and thanks to my Secret Santa for the cache container and
logbook!