Abstract: Cache is located at the posted coordinates; however, because there are additional logging requirements this cache is classified as a puzzle. The major requirement is to find, or to have found, in Minnesota, 31 caches, one for each day of January according to the date it was placed. Thus you'll find one that was placed on the first, one that was placed on the 2nd, and so on.
Genesis: January is a great month in Minnesota. It's a sunny month. The ice is solid enough to support ice skating, ice fishing, ice sailing and walking to caches that otherwise would require a watercraft. There's enough snow to enable sledding, downhill and x-country skiing, as well as snowmobiling. Perhaps it's because of all these other outdoor possibilities that geocaching drops off. According to my unofficial estimate, the number of geocaches placed in January is at least a third less than the monthly average. The purpose of this cache is to encourage January caching.
FAQ:
- What counts and what doesn't? Caches that have physical logs, i.e. traditionals, multi's, puzzles, and letterbox hybrids but not virtuals, events, earthcaches, webcams, or locationless caches. Furhermore premium member only and whereigo caches don't count.
- How about other months? Please go ahead and place a "February Blackout Challenge", also Mar-Dec. That would create a total of 12 caches.
- Why just Minnesota? No rewards for snowbirds. For example, January in a very popular month in Arizona.
- How about Wisconsin? Go ahead and place a "January Blackout Challenge - WI". If we did that for each state and each month we'd have 600 new caches!
- How about using find dates rather than placed dates? Wow! That'd be 1200 new caches.
- Do prior finds count? Yes, but that's not as big of an advantage as it might seem.
- Why's that? If you just were to find January-placed caches at random, after a while you would start to duplicate placement dates. For example, after about 30 finds of January-placed caches you still would have about eleven to go, after 60 that would be down to about four; only after 120 would you have half a chance of finding them all. And multiply those numbers by about 20 to account for all months and you'd need a couple thousand or so Minnesota finds to have even half a chance. So most cachers should have at least a few caches to find.
- What are the logging requirements? In either order, you have to find and sign the log at the posted coordinates and you have to either bookmark or email a list of the GCXXX for your 31 finds, each of which must have been found and logged by you personally. After you've done both you may claim the find. Please try to order yours by January placement date.
- How can I easily obtain the placements dates of caches I've found? One way is to scan the "All Cache Finds" list for your profile.
- How do I find caches according to their placement date?One way is to scan through caches listed for Minnesota. These are arranged by placement date. You might need to go back through the years.
- What if I've more questions? Just ask. Anything significant that's been overlooked will be listed and dated here.
(added 6/9/11) Collect caches for the other months:
and then BW's bonus 12-Month Challenge cache