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Trail Mix #18: Elk Meadow Mystery Cache

Hidden : 1/2/2017
Difficulty:
3.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

This cache is hidden off of one of the nice trails in Elk Meadow Park.  The posted coordinates are a good place to park but since this is a puzzle cache, you have to figure out where the cache actually is.  In order to find this cache you must have found three of the Trail Mix caches numbered 11 to 16. But which ones?


You can park near the posted coordinates and then hike a good ways to get to the cache.  I actually made a loop out of my hike since there is more than one way to get there.  When I hid the cache there was some snow and ice on the trail in places. The cache is about 60 feet from the trail so don't leave the trail until you are that close.

Solve this puzzle to figure out where your actual destination is:

For each cache in the TM series 11-16 that have an animal written on the inside of its lid that does NOT start with b or c, take the letters in the animal name and convert them to numbers (a=1, b=2, etc.). Then add the numbers together for each animal to get three sums. For instance, cat would be 3+1+20 = 24. Subtract 3 from the middle number and then divide by 2 to get xx. Subtract the smallest number from the largest number and then add 7 to get yy. Then plug those numbers here:

N39 40.xx6 W105 22.yy0

Oh, and bring your own pen. If you found and logged one of the earlier TM series but failed to write down the name of the animal, send me an email and I will provide it free of charge.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Oruvaq n whavcre. Va gur ebpxf ohg ab arrq gb pyvzo nal ebpxf.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)