Gore Four Mystery Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
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This is a five stage multi-cache with questions to answer along the way. Four of these stages are Gore Hall pinnacles, more about them below. This property’s attributes can be confusing because the FARMS section of the property has caching attributes that are mostly opposite from the GRASS RIDES part of the property. Please see the Attribute Notes below, the attributes we’ve lit up to the right are only those common to both parts of this nearly 1,000 acre property.
A gift of Colonel Francis R. Appleton, Jr., and his wife Joan, Appleton Farms is one of the oldest continuously operating farms in the country, established and maintained by nine generations of the Appleton family. Rolling grasslands, grazing livestock, stone walls, and historic farm buildings are part of this pastoral landscape – a rare glimpse into New England’s agricultural past. The Related Web Page link above brings you to the Trustees of Reservations web site and a downloadable map. Non-Trustees members are encouraged to pay a $3 fee for parking at the main parking areas. Please note, the property opens at sunrise and closes at sunset, NO NIGHT GEOCACHING.
In 1636, Samuel Appleton established the farm, growing vegetables, corn, and hay. Later generations of Appletons expanded into timber, beef, and dairy production, using progressive farming techniques beginning in 1868. By the late 19th century, the farm was primarily a summer country estate, complete with foxhunts and steeplechases, and the Grass Rides – five miles of trails and tree-lined grass avenues (called "rides") built for horseback and carriage driving. Some of these paths are part of the Bay Circuit Trail (visit link) , and some are part of the Discover Hamilton Trail (visit link) .
The granite pinnacles here once adorned Gore Hall, the library at Harvard College (visit link) , where several generations of Appletons were educated. When the building was torn down in 1912 to make way for the Widener Library, the Appletons acquired four granite pinnacles from the hall. Over the years, the Appletons sited the pinnacles throughout the farm in memory of family members. This cache is designed for you to visit all four pinnacles, and really get to know the trails here! The Puzzle Cache coordinates correspond with the crossroads at the northern corner of the stone paddock, a useful waypoint especially as the restrooms are nearby. There is NOTHING HIDDEN at the Puzzle Cache or Pinnacle coordinates, the only container is at Stage 5, the final stage.
Attributes for the FARMS section (698 acres): Dogs and bikes prohibited, horses allowed. Green Horse permits are required for horseback riding at Appleton Farms. Great for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Public restrooms are available in the Carriage Barn in the Farmstead. We are proud to usher in the new “Watch for livestock” attribute, which really only pertains to this side of the property.
Attributes for the GRASS RIDES section (255 acres): Dogs and bikes allowed, horses prohibited. Green Dogs permit required to walk dogs. Mountain bikes are not allowed from March 1 through April 30, the mud season. Great for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. There is even a separate web link for the Grass Rides section (visit link) .
NOTES FOR THE WAYPOINTS: Photographs are in the gallery for all of these, except the two main parking areas (one main parking area for each side of the property). There are many ways to access the trails on foot, all of our trailhead waypoints are ONLY accessible by horse (on the FARMS side), by bike (on the GRASS RIDES side), or on foot. All of the gates are for “authorized vehicles only.” All three waypoints for parking immediately access trails. Why so many waypoints? There are many trails here, and in the GRASS RIDES they are especially numerous and confusing. These waypoints will prevent disorientation and encourage coming at this puzzle from different angles.
TO FIND THIS CACHE, simply visit each of the Gore Hall pinnacles, in any order, and solve the puzzle by getting the coordinates for the final stage from the inscriptions on the stone pinnacles themselves. The coordinates for the final stage are +/- 8’ accurate, and the bushwhack is a mere 20-30’ from the trail. We've purposely designed this hide to be "winter friendly," however the bushwhack, not the hide, might be tough in deep snow. If you should make more than one visit to solve the puzzle, you may check your puzzle answer here: (visit link)
N 42° 38.ABC W 070° 51.DEF = Final cache location. Enjoy!
Pinnacle 1: On the CROWN OF LIFE inscription, there is an October date. Subtract 11 from that date of the month to get B. Harvard University’s seal has its Latin motto on it, “Veritas.” What does that translate to in English and how many times is that word used on the inscription that begins SO GRAVE? That number = D.
Pinnacle 2: The last word on this inscription has ___ letters in it. That number of letters is A.
SEPTEMBER 2012: This inscription has been vandalized, so please note that near this pinnacle is an informative sign. The word beneath the dark-lettered "The" that begins with "w" has ___ letters in it. Please use this in lieu of the inscription for Pinnacle 2.
Pinnacle 3: Both birthdates on this inscription end with the same number. That digit is E.
Pinnacle 4: How many “n”s are there on this inscription? That number = C. There are two years on this inscription, take the third number in each date and add them together for F.
Please don’t post spoiler photos, yes we will delete those logs. The container is a medium-sized peanut butter jar, large enough for small swag and trackables. If you should find a travel bug in this cache or any other cache, please be sure to log it electronically twice, once when you grab it and again when you put it in another cache. This must be done so that its travels can be tracked. You must be a signed on member to do this. If you are not a signed on member of geocaching.com and do not intend to become a member, please do not take the travel bug. Membership is free. Join up and get in on the fun. Please use caution when hunting and replacing a cache. A muggled cache could lead to the loss of Travel Bugs or Geocoins.
If you liked this spot, we have another puzzle cache just north of here, Julia Bird Reservation GC31N2H. Less walking, but more puzzle.
Harvard University was established in the same year, 1636, as Appleton Farms, so they both precede the formation of the USA by 140 years! Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the country. Our First-To-Find prize is a George Washington dollar coin (in a deluxe viewing box), the first of a series commemorating all of the presidents on dollar coins. This was the only way we could get chronologically “close” to 1636: with “The Father of Our Country.” FTF goes to the family four: HostaHead (LasaCana), WINDWAKER1, WolfTamer!, and Froedo Bagginz. Well done!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Byq Uneineq fcbegf gnhag, fhat jvgu eryvfu ol bgure Vil Yrnthr fpubbyf naq evinyf:
U-N-nue, U-N-nue, U-N-nue, jvgu n I
I-N-nue, I-N-nue, I-N-nue, jvgu n Q
Unnnuineq, Unnnuinuq – Enu! Enu!
Unuinuq zra ner ernyyl gbhtu,
Gurl xabj ubj gb xavg naq fghss!
Xavg bar, chey gjb
Unnnuinuq, LBB UBB!
(ab uvag)