This cache is part of an occasional series about Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The cache is not located at the posted coordinates.
Christmas gift delivery requires a lot of coordination. Santa’s prep work is to make a list and check it twice. Elves prepare the gifts in their workshop. Reindeer pull the sleigh that delivers the gifts, though Rudolph seems to have an additional role in navigation. On delivery night, Santa is very busy driving the sleigh, and getting his exercise in chimneys. The role Mrs. Claus plays is not defined (nor is her first name).
No, this cache is not about the speed required to do all of the deliveries and the resulting conflagration. It’s a women in stem cache, so clearly it’s about the females involved in the process, specifically the four-legged ones: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph. According to science, the northern hemisphere reindeer are all probably females.
Reindeer are the only species of deer in which females grow antlers. Male reindeer shed their antlers in the fall after mating season, females keep their antlers a bit longer and shed them in winter if they’re not pregnant or in spring after they give birth. As Christmas is a few days after solstice, it is clearly in the winter, so Dasher and friends must be female. Disclaimer: this discussion is limited to the North Pole-based reindeer.
Female reindeer have a much greater fat-to-body mass ratio than males which provides insulation for temperatures colder than -40 Celsius or Fahrenheit.
Reindeer can see in the dark and can see ultraviolet, clearly useful attributes both in their Arctic habitat and during their annual delivery.
Reindeer have long-distance stamina and speed, reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour on land though to my knowledge, scientists have not empirically measured their maximum speed in flight.
Reindeer have an excellent sense of smell which allows them to locate food buried deep in the snow. It might also be helpful for sniffing cookies.
The footpads on reindeer hooves shrink and tighten in the cold, a feature that likely helps with landing on steep and snow-covered roofs.
The coordinates to the cache can be found by impersonating a reindeer and digging in the snow. There are a few themed items in the container for the early finders.
N 45° 31.316' W 122° 50.045'