2 Miles of Smiles

Legendary Degree: Part I

The cache IS at the posted coordinates. 

You can sign the log anytime, but to claim a find, you need to complete the following challenge:

2 Miles of Smiles Challenge: Legendary Degree - Part I

Have a cache find in every 50' for 1 Mile of Elevation (0'-5,280')

Welcome to the 2 Miles of Smiles Challenge Series.  Some of my favorite finds have involved deliberate planning and long hours on the trail just to reach one specific location to hunt one specific cache.  As an avid hiker, part-time peak-bagger, and all-out backcountry enthusiast, one of the caching statistics I began to value most was that third axis of every set of coordinates: elevation.  While I am a bit of a terrain hound, I'll still log an LPC just as happily as a I will a summit register.  What I've been paying closest attention to lately is exactly where my cache finds are located.  That means lat and long, obviously, but even more importantly, the exact elevation. 

I've seen (and signed) several "Elevated" Challenges over the years.  Some simply require you to grab a single cache above a single elevation mark to qualify, like the Such Great Heights Challenge I found in Atlanta.  Some of my favorites take a lot more effort and a lot more homework (like Plazmo's 50 @ 8,000ft Challenge).  The first elevation-based challenge I ever logged was The Professor's Elevated Challenge right here in Tahoe, and I've been hooked ever since. Through planning and persistence, I recently accomplished a personal goal I set for myself of filling a find in every 100' band of elevation from Sea Level up to 2 Miles High!  After that, it was time to drill down even more and fill in those 50' gaps!  It wasn't until Spring 2022 with a find of GC5MY34: Smokey says "Drown Campfires" that I filled my last gap in the first mile: 3250-3299'.  Turns out the first mile is a lot easier than mile 2, so the work continues!

The 2 Miles of Smiles Challenge is exactly that... have a geocache smiley face (successful find) in each designated elevation band from Sea Level through Two Miles High...  That's 0' through 10,560' !  Did you know you the full elevation range of El Dorado County alone is almost exactly 2 miles?!?!  You could almost knock out this whole challenge in a single county!  Any cache finds counts.  Having trouble filling a gap?  Try hosting an elevation event!  Project-GC Top has a great Top Elevation Statistics Tool where you can see how you stack up.  

As with any Challenge Series, we've got degrees of difficulty.  

(M) Masters Degree: Every 1000'  (GC9PAZC)

(D) Doctorate Degree: Every 500'  (GC9PAZH)

(C) Centurion Degree: Every 100'  (GC9MK3A)

(L) Legendary Edition Part I (Mile 1) (GC9PAZE) and Part II (Mile 2): Every 50' (GC9PAZF)

2 Miles of Smiles Challenge: Legendary Degree Part I Qualifications:

Have a cache find in every 50' for 1 Mile of Elevation (0'-5,280')  

You can verify your totals with the checker below!  

106 caches are required to qualify (the highest bracket is 5,250' - 5,500')

Here are my qualifying caches:

0-49: GC346T8: SOMA Garden, 2011-11-25, 
50-99: GC24Y8J: Mission San Francisco de Asís, 2011-11-25, 
100-149: GCJFXR: Morning on Market, 2011-11-25, 
150-199: GCKYA6: MUSCLEBOUND , 2011-06-07, 
200-249: GCNDTN: Totally Tubular!, 2011-06-08, 
250-299: GC2ERGY: Noah's Ark Cache, 2011-06-07, 
300-349: GCNYKE: Totally Tubular II, 2011-06-08, 
350-399: GC2HRTX: SR&S - Stop It, 2011-06-09, 
400-449: GC2MCMR: Jack & the Donut King, 2012-02-11, 
450-499: GCRJF2: 42, 2013-01-16, 
500-549: GC1TK1G: GMRRC, 2014-01-02, 
550-599: GC67YE0: ON THE WAY, 2015-12-25, 
600-649: GC9B8B: A Capitol Cache, 2014-02-16, 
650-699: GCR7B1: EASTBOUND REST AREA, 2014-02-16, 
700-749: GCGDC3: Where The Tooth Fairest Dwells, 2014-02-17, 
750-799: GC2H27J: Rathaus Tour Nr. 4, 2015-02-25, 
800-849: GC1A2JV: RED, 2014-02-19, 
850-899: GC6YBTP: OLIVENZA. S. MARIA TORRE Y MUSEO, 2017-03-14, 
900-949: GC1YV5A: Don's Corner, 2013-04-07, 
950-999: GC31AWZ: Capitol View Overlook, 2014-02-19, 
1000-1049: GC231E3: Stadium Cache, 2014-03-10, 
1050-1099: GC4995: Inspired By Steve, 2014-03-07, 
1100-1149: GC17Y0E: Ahhh! My Burger Urge Is Satisfied, 2013-12-31, 
1150-1199: GC3KBE6: La Cañada Steals JPL, 2014-01-02, 
1200-1249: GC1B74F: Totally Tubular, 2013-04-04, 
1250-1299: GC3RW54: 1854 Pot Of Gold, 2013-04-04, 
1300-1349: GC1909X: Remembering...Sam's Town, 2014-11-21, 
1350-1399: GC1QRQ1: Zuerich Hirschengraben, 2015-02-23, 
1400-1449: GC3GDP4: Jeffries Tube, 2015-03-07, 
1450-1499: GCB286: Even The Mighty Start Small, 2017-11-30, 
1500-1549: GC621C: Water's Loo, 2014-02-17, 
1250-1599: GC3RW54: 1854 Pot Of Gold, 2013-04-04, 
1600-1649: GC20P38: MÖNCHSBERG, 2015-03-06, 
1650-1699: GC25DQW: Kulturerbe Hallstatt, 2015-03-07, 
1700-1749: GC17XEQ: Fern- oder Heimweh?, 2015-03-04, 
1750-1799: GC3YA3Q: Okoli Bohinjskega jezera I, 2015-03-12, 
1800-1849: GC4F5P0: Chameleon (Welcome to Placerville), 2014-03-27, 
1850-1899: GCN71Y: Free Wifi 3 - Ashland, 2011-12-14, 
1900-1949: GC27832: Kaffe Kache, 2011-12-14, 
1950-1999: GC1MTYJ: Triangle Park, 2011-12-14, 
2000-2049: GC186ZW: A Stroll Above the Park, 2011-12-14, 
2050-2099: GCAGGZG: "Secret" No Parking Trailhead, 2024-06-24, 
2100-2149: GC10EA: Lithia , 2013-02-14, 
2150-2199: GC1GHN5: Opossum's Lookout, 2011-12-14, 
2200-2249: GC22BYF: Mala Osojnica Bled, 2015-03-10, 
2250-2299: GC6GQBN: Botanico, 2017-03-18, 
2300-2349: GC1Q175: Get Your KIcks!, 2014-03-03, 
2350-2399: GC6Y3FM: Mirador de Carvajales, 2017-03-18, 
2400-2449: GC7A78J: Bordering on Eternity, 2021-12-11, 
2450-2499: GC9EKN1: Better than the movie, 2021-12-11, 
2500-2549: GC175E7: Coffee for cache, 2013-04-04, 
2550-2599: GC5JR5P: Die Brücke 1998, 2015-03-02, 
2600-2649: GCKMFE: OLD BOUNDARY, 2021-05-09, 
2650-2699: GC6Q2WH: Stairways to... Sinaia Train Station, 2019-12-31, 
2700-2749: GC390V7: Hom, 2015-03-11, 
2750-2799: GC3MV8V: I-70 EB cache break #1, 2014-02-15, 
2800-2849: GC3G4NQ: Good Friends, 2013-04-04, 
2850-2899: GCTPGY: MAMAEWA  GULCH - Kohala Series, 2022-02-05, 
2900-2949: GCR0KR: Apple Hill Cache, 2021-12-11, 
2950-2999: GC6Q1GP: Peleș Castle #4 - The castle's gardens, 2019-12-31, 
3000-3049: GC2EFCE: Kjosfossen Waterfall , 2016-11-29, 
3050-3099: GC700MQ: The Old Sawmill, 2021-12-11, 
3100-3149: GC4NBVC: The Sentinel, 2022-02-04, 
3150-3199: GC65QT1: Bima, 2016-03-18, 
3200-3249: GC9FYBK: Pillar Falls Trail - See Them Pillars, 2021-11-29, 
3250-3299: GC5MY34: Smokey says "Drown Campfires", 2022-03-12, 
3300-3349: GC22E7: Fallen Bride Unveiled, 2016-04-02, 
3350-3399: GCXXWF: TANAPA Tarangire NP, 2016-03-28, 
3400-3449: GC13Z10: Above the lake, 2015-03-12, 
3450-3499: GC919RP: A quarter might be helpful, 2021-05-09, 
3500-3549: GC4JZBM: Wolf and Bear Cub Scouts Only, 2021-12-11, 
3550-3599: GC2TA48: Golden Rock, 2014-04-10, 
3600-3649: GC3FQD4: HistoricAZ66: Snell Summit Station, 2021-05-10, 
3650-3699: GC35375: Sierra Travels--Visitor Center, 2014-03-10, 
3700-3749: GC7B6K9: Soure of the Nile, 2020-01-23, 
3750-3799: GCG19A: McGuireville South 2, 2014-03-07, 
3800-3849: GC1QZVP: Only stopping for a Stretch (and a cache), 2013-04-04, 
3850-3899: GC2ZK7J: 0001-E.T., 2021-05-09, 
3900-3949: GC4TKRD: Heaven's Gate, 2021-05-10, 
3950-3999: GCHV0X: For Climbers, 2013-04-05, 
4000-4049: GCJHJ4: The Highest Leaping Waterfall in the World, 2013-04-06, 
4050-4099: GC363DH: Welcome To California, 2016-12-20, 
4100-4149: GC4T8BP: Shasta View, 2016-12-20, 
4150-4199: GC69D1: Park Dedication, 2016-12-21, 
4200-4249: GC5WDXC: FR 413 PE, 2021-11-24, 
4250-4299: GCVZG7: Yea, but where's the school?, 2014-02-13, 
4300-4349: GC5J5HW: GSEA: Headquarters, 2016-03-28, 
4350-4399: GC21J4X: HERB ROWE MEMORIAL PARK, 2017-07-09, 
4400-4449: GC20DM8: Reno/Tahoe IAP TB Hotel, 2012-04-24, 
4450-4499: GC2695H: Nobody Home Here, 2012-04-27, 
4500-4549: GCHTYH: Up State, 2014-02-13, 
4550-4599: GC2NJYQ: Reno's BIGGEST LITTLE park, 2012-05-01, 
4600-4649: GC4YH9J: Labyrinth Puzzle, 2015-08-30, 
4650-4699: GC3AXEM: SHM #196 - The U.S. Mint Carson City, Nevada, 2012-04-27, 
4700-4749: GC1740W: This ain't FLA, 2015-09-27, 
4750-4799: GC1T0YG: Almost Forgotten, 2011-06-27, 
4800-4849: GC23PT6: "bailys' overlook", 2011-06-27, 
4850-4899: GC2MBJD: Park n Find, 2011-07-11, 
4900-4949: GC41MKE: Rock and Roll Country Turnout, 2021-08-12, 
4950-4999: GC1CTRM: Jack's Valley #7, 2021-08-29, 
5000-5049: GC46P7F: "The 2nd coming of the Messiah", 2016-12-20, 
5050-5099: GC1N7NH: Purpose?, 2021-03-30, 
5100-5149: GC69F0: Ash Fork, 2021-05-11, 
5150-5199: GC5J5HG: GSEA: Climbing Gate, 2016-03-19, 
5200-5249: GC2M5H0: The Mall Ride, 2014-02-15, 
5250-5500: GC2FCKH: MAGNETO (ginnefp) 1 of 3, 2014-02-14

1 Mile is 5,280 feet... so I qualify!