Serious Geocachers Only Need Apply

For some of us, normal geocaches just don't hold much attraction. Some of us are tired of the same old caches: guardrail caches, lamp post caches, nanos on electrical boxes, plastic tubes buried under a couple of rocks, 0.25 mile hike for a cache hidden in a hole in a tree. Don't get me wrong . . . some people are happy finding those every day of the week. And that's OK. If that's you, you probably don't qualify for this cache.

Then, there are some people that want more adventure in their caching. It might start with a Psycho Urban Cache or two. Maybe you end up climbing a tree for an ammo can. Someone places a cache in a sewer and you choose to find it for a milestone. But one day, you realize you want more. You keep looking for higher difficulty and terrain caches until you become obsessed. You don't enjoy caching unless you're putting your life at risk every couple of weeks.

This cache is for those people that really enjoy Extreme Geocaching. Whether it be extremely challenging terrain, extremely challenging hides, extremely challenging puzzles, or all of the above. If that sounds like you, read on.

How can I claim a smiley, you ask?

To qualify for this cache, you need to have proven that you are an Extreme Geocacher. You will need to have found twenty (yes, 20) 5/5 caches. You CAN make this your 20th 5/5, since it is a true 5/5 hide. Technically, that means you only need to find 19 5/5s to qualify for this. To make it a little easier, you can also qualify if the number of caches that you’ve found with a Difficulty of 5 (any Terrain) plus the number of caches you’ve found with a Terrain of 5 (any Difficulty) is equal to or greater than 100.

The easiest way to determine if you qualify is to look at your statistics tab in your profile. Click on the “Statistics” tab and scroll down to “Difficulty and Terrain of Caches I’ve Found”. This is also how I will verify qualification for this cache.

Death Wish Dave's D/T Chart

Once you determine that you qualify, you have to find the actual cache. This is a magnetic key holder on the back side of a guardrail right by the highway.

You know I had to make this close to a true 5/5 hide. Real qualified finders wouldn’t have it any other way.

Any coordinates that appear to be on the road or the shoulder of the road are definitely not. Seriously? Did you even consider it for a second? The first stage will take you into the depths. The second stage will take you to the heights.

To get to the first stage, the posted coordinates, you will not be comfortable and you will get wet. Please do not try to get into the trailer storage area where this stage seems to be. I have provided Trailhead coordinates. Use them to start. When you get there, turn your GPSr off, drop down, and head 277 feet due North and start looking up. Think Psycho Urban Cache #7 - A Good Day to Die.

For the second stage, it's a simple field puzzle. You are trying to solve for the last 4 digits in the latitude and longitude. Note the attributes. I did not need equipment to place this. Close parking but short thorny bushwhack to get there.

For the final: It is on State Park property so no caching after dark. If the park is open (daylight hours) and the gate is closed, foot traffic is welcome. In the winter, sometimes they will close the gate to the area. Not at all extreme except for all the low bushes and green briars which will be there during the warmer months. It's a bushwhack in an area where very few humans go. I saw lots of deer paths there heading down to the water. Permission was given for the placement of the final. When you put it back, please make sure the lid is closed properly. Let me know if it's damp at all. It is a large container that has some very nice SWAG in it. There are some new decks of cards from a couple of Intel Agencies. A piece of pottery from my wife. There are some small lock n locks if you'd like to take one to place another cache. I also put a variety of pathtags for anyone who wants to trade. There are some old Eisenhower Silver Dollars in there too. If you plan to swap SWAG, please bring some decent stuff ($3-$5 range).

First two qualified finders get their choice of an unactivated geocoin (The Devil Made Me Do it) or a travel bug dog tag.

I hope you enjoy the hunt. I’m sure it won’t be the most exciting cache you’ve ever done (if you qualified for this) but I’m sure it will be fun. Sorry that the stages are relatively far apart (almost 2 miles) but I wanted to provide a terrain challenge, field puzzle, and a large container that would not be likely to get muggled. There is fairly close parking at each stage. Of course, to a true extreme geocacher, that could mean anything less than 5 miles.

If it is raining or has recently rained, you will probably not be able to get to stage 1. I am NOT JOKING about that part. This stage will be treacherous during flash floods or substantial or extended rain events. Please use prudence when going after it. A lot can happen in 277 feet in a confined space.

Background picture is flaffle climbing the pillar for Psycho Urban Cache #13 - Impossible! Give Up Now!