Skip to content

Iconography Challenge: Vertical Variety I Mystery Cache

Hidden : 10/28/2022
Difficulty:
5 out of 5
Terrain:
5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:


Welcome to a Highway 50 Iconography Challenge

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:

Welcome to another Highway 50 Challenge Cache!  This one is Iconography: Vertical Variety.  Cachers love collecting... from new counties to new countries, we all know that feeling of crossing a state line or landing in a new city and knowing you NEED to find at least one cache to get credit for being there!  How deep do you go, though?  This challenge rewards those who dig a little deeper (or a lot) into the local caching culture and find more than just one cache, just one icon.  Try new things, meet new people, explore your caching options beyond that Airport Adventure Lab, City Square Virtual, or LPC across the State Line.  It might take a little more work, but it also offers a lot more reward!

To access this cache by car, you need to be driving in the downhill direction, EASTBOUND on Highway 50.  DO NOT try to cross Highway 50 from the Westbound, Johnson Pass Road side. You can also access this by bike or foot by walking up the old Meyers Grade.

 

Challenge Qualifications: 

 

1. Find 9 Different cache types in a Country or US State

2. Find 8 Different cache types in 2 DIFFERENT Countries or US States (not used for #1)

3. Find 7 Different cache types in 3 DIFFERENT Countries or US States (not used above)

4. Find 6 Different cache types in 4 DIFFERENT Countries or US States (not used above)

5. Find 5 Different cache types in 5 DIFFERENT Countries or US States (not used above)

6. Find 4 Different cache types in 6 DIFFERENT Countries or US States (not used above)

7. Find 3 Different cache types in 7 DIFFERENT Countries or US States (not used above)

8. Find 2 Different cache types in 8 DIFFERENT Countries or US States (not used above)

9. Find 1 Different cache types in 9 DIFFERENT Countries or US States (not used above)

That is a minimum of 165 caches to qualify, and a minimum of 45 DIFFERENT Countries or US States.  Any cache find (other than Lab Caches and Benchmarks should count towards your total, and almost any cache type that offers a unique icon can be used (Traditional, Multi, Virtual, Event, CITO, Webcam, etc.)  Note: Lab Caches, Benchmarks, and Trackables do not count toward qualifications. Tahoe is tourist country and I want to give opportunity to cachers both foreign and domestic to qualify for this challenge.  You could qualify finding caches in every country in Europe, for example, (44) and use this as your 45th Country... or visit 45 of the 50 US States for credit... or any combination of Countries around the world and the 50 US States.  We're not counting counties though for this challenge.   Check your progress or prove your worth with the following Checker!

PGC Checker

Current Total Countries Represented in Qualifying Finds: 113

Current Total US States Represented in Qualifying Finds: 50 + D.C.

Current Total Canadian Provinces/Territories Represented in Qualifying Finds: 12  (someone claim Manitoba!)

As of November 2025, I have completed the qualifications using Just INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES, and I am getting ever closer to my personal goal of qualifying for this cache both ways independently, but am a few 2-types short of using Just US STATES ... so I'm still using a combination of both to claim full qualifying credit.  Here are my current qualifications using both options:

1 US State with at least 9 types

1. California 1306 caches 10 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif3.gif8.gif5.gif11.gifwherigo.gif6.gif13.gif

1 Country with at least 9 types

1. United States 3104 caches 12 types 2.gif8.gif4.gif5.gif3.gifearthcache.gif6.gifwherigo.gif13.gif11.gif

 

2 US States with at least 8 types

1. Nevada 693 caches 10 types 2.gif8.gif4.gif5.gif3.gifearthcache.gif6.gifwherigo.gif13.gif11.gif
2. Colorado 51 caches 8 types 2.gif4.gifearthcache.gif8.gif11.gifwherigo.gif3.gif5.gif

2 Countries with at least 8 types

1. Italy 142 caches 9 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif3.gif8.gif5.gif11.gifwherigo.gif6.gif
2. Japan 179 caches 8 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif8.gifwherigo.gif5.gif6.gif3.gif

 

3 US States with at least 7 types

1. Washington 209 caches 8 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif8.gifGroundspeak HQ3.gifwherigo.gif5.gif
2. Hawaii 196 caches 8 types 2.gif4.gifearthcache.gif8.gif5.gif11.gif3.gifwherigo.gif
3. Kansas 45 caches 7 types 2.gif8.gif4.gifearthcache.gif11.gif5.gifwherigo.gif

3 Countries with at least 7 types

1. Iceland 55 caches 7 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gifwherigo.gif5.gif3.gif8.gif
2. Ireland 76 caches 7 types 2.gif4.gifearthcache.gif8.gif5.gifwherigo.gif3.gif
3. Taiwan 50 caches 7 types 2.gif4.gifearthcache.gif8.gif5.gifwherigo.gif3.gif

 

4 US States with at least 6 types

1. Idaho 39 caches 7 types 2.gif8.gif4.gifwherigo.gifearthcache.gif3.gif5.gif
2. Oklahoma 15 caches 7 types 4.gif2.gifwherigo.gifearthcache.gif5.gif3.gif8.gif
3. South Dakota 22 caches 6 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif3.gif6.gif11.gif
4. Louisiana 36 caches 6 types 2.gif4.gif3.gif5.gif8.gif6.gif

4 Countries with at least 6 types

1. United Kingdom 79 caches 6 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif8.gif11.gif3.gif
2. Netherlands 30 caches 6 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gifwherigo.gif3.gif6.gif
3. Vietnam 20 caches 6 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif3.gif8.gif5.gif
4. India 9 caches 6 types earthcache.gif2.gif6.gif4.gif3.gif8.gif

 

5 US States with at least 5 types

1. New York 45 caches 6 types 2.gif4.gif3.gifearthcache.gif5.gifwherigo.gif
2. Vermont 15 caches 6 types 2.gif3.gifearthcache.gif6.gif4.gif8.gif
3. Oregon 43 caches 5 types 2.gif4.gif3.gifearthcache.gif8.gif
4. Arizona 59 caches 5 types 4.gif2.gif8.gifearthcache.gif5.gif
5. Pennsylvania 17 caches 5 types 8.gif4.gif2.gifearthcache.gif3.gif

5 Countries with at least 5 types

1. Greece 48 caches 5 types 2.gif4.gif8.gifearthcache.gif3.gif
2. Norway 46 caches 5 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif8.gif3.gif
3. Bulgaria 19 caches 5 types 2.gif4.gifwherigo.gifearthcache.gif5.gif
4. Spain 38 caches 5 types 2.gifearthcache.gif3.gif5.gifwherigo.gif
5. France 29 caches 5 types 8.gif4.gif2.gifearthcache.gif3.gif

 

6 US States with at least 4 types

1. Massachusetts 10 caches 5 types 2.gif3.gif5.gif4.gif6.gif
2. Tennessee 53 caches 5 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif8.gif11.gif
3. New Hampshire 10 caches 5 types 2.gif3.gifearthcache.gif6.gif11.gif
4. Texas 35 caches 4 types 8.gif2.gif4.gif11.gif
5. New Mexico 8 caches 4 types 2.gif4.gifearthcache.gif3.gif
6. Maine 15 caches 4 types 2.gif5.gif3.gifearthcache.gif

6 Countries with at least 4 types

1. Chile 8 caches 4 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif6.gif
2. Vatican City State 7 caches 4 types 8.gifearthcache.gif4.gifwherigo.gif
3. Germany 55 caches 4 types 2.gif4.gifearthcache.gif3.gif
4. Sweden 49 caches 4 types 2.gif8.gifearthcache.gif5.gif
5. Falkland Islands 24 caches 4 types 2.gif8.gifearthcache.gif6.gif
6. Mexico 14 caches 4 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif3.gif

 

7 US States with at least 3 types

1. Wyoming 16 caches 4 types 2.gif3.gif4.gif8.gif
2. Georgia 11 caches 3 types 2.gif8.gif4.gif
3. Montana 11 caches 3 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif
4. Mississippi 7 caches 3 types 4.gif2.gif8.gif
5. Missouri 15 caches 3 types earthcache.gif2.gif4.gif
6. Iowa 5 caches 3 types 2.gif4.gif3.gif
7. Minnesota 20 caches 3 types 4.gifearthcache.gif2.gif

7 Countries with at least 3 types

1. China 11 caches 3 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif
2. Switzerland 10 caches 3 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif
3. Ecuador 9 caches 3 types 2.gif4.gifearthcache.gif
4. Cambodia 17 caches 3 types 3.gif2.gifearthcache.gif
5. Belgium 7 caches 3 types 3.gif2.gif4.gif
6. Tanzania 19 caches 3 types 2.gif4.gifearthcache.gif
7. Uganda 3 caches 3 types 4.gifearthcache.gif2.gif

 

8 US States with at least 2 types

1. Florida 21 caches 3 types 2.gifearthcache.gif4.gif
2. Michigan 7 caches 3 types 2.gif4.gifearthcache.gif
3. Illinois 14 caches 3 types 2.gif4.gifearthcache.gif
4. Ohio 7 caches 2 types 2.gif4.gif
5. West Virginia 4 caches 2 types 2.gif3.gif
6. N/A xx caches 2 types  
7. N/A xx caches 2 types  
8. N/A xx caches 2 types  

8 Countries with at least 2 types

1. Slovenia 37 caches 3 types earthcache.gif8.gif
2. Singapore 3 caches 2 types 4.gif2.gif
3. Cuba 5 caches 2 types 2.gifearthcache.gif
4. Laos 5 caches 2 types 2.gifearthcache.gif
5. Sudan 3 caches 2 types earthcache.gif2.gif
6. Myanmar 3 caches 2 types 2.gifearthcache.gif
7. Romania 14 caches 2 types 2.gif4.gif
8. Hong Kong 10 caches 2 types 2.gif8.gif

 

9 US States with 1 Type

1. North Carolina 1 cache 1 type 2.gif
2. Connecticut 1 cache 1 type 2.gif
3. Delaware 1 cache 1 type 2.gif
4. Rhode Island 1 cache 1 type 2.gif
5. Alabama 1 cache 1 type 2.gif
6. South Carolina 1 cache 1 type 2.gif
7. Virginia 1 cache 1 type 2.gif
8. Kentucky 1 cache 1 type 2.gif
9. Nebraska 9 caches 1 type 2.gif

9 Countries with 1 Type

1. Poland 20 caches 2 types 2.gifearthcache.gif
2. Egypt 12 caches 2 types earthcache.gif4.gif
3. Croatia 26 cache 2 type 2.gif4.gif
4. Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 cache 1 type earthcache.gif
5. Moldova 1 cache 1 type 2.gif
6. Portugal 4 caches 1 type 2.gif
7. Montenegro 4 caches 1 type 2.gif
8. Thailand 2 cache 1 type 2.gif
9. Albania 1 cache 1 type 2.gif

 

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Trg iregvpny

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)