Honey hole: a secret spot that has yielded mushrooms. Their locations are carefully guarded by foragers. But as a cacher I'm breaking the rules!
The Cap
- To reveal a map with the required information for finding this cache, enter clues from the three land-based Honey Holes (exclude the Oyster clue) in alphabetical order into certitude
- On the certitude success screen, there will be another certitude link where you can enter the Oyster code word for bonus information and hints (optional)
- Also use this second certitude link to input codes recovered at the stages in the field to reveal final coodinates
- A 2- to 3-mile round trip hike, mostly off-trail, moderate terrain
- Looking for mushrooms is optional
- Chanterelles are my favorite wild mushroom to hunt!
The Ridges
- Stage 1 is at posted coordinates
- Locations on topo map are approximate; use in conjuction with drawings of the hides
- Part of the difficulty rating is due to requirement of previous caches in the series (15-21 stages)
- There are three different types of chanterelles that grow here: golden, smooth, and cinnabar
- The shaded areas of the map are locations that have a good chance of producing chanterelles
- The cache is available year-round; the season for chanterelles is late June to early Septemper
The Mushroom
Chanterelles are choice edibles. As they have never been cultivated, it is rare to find them in stores. To experience their deliciousness, to the forest you must go.
Cinnabar chanterelles are bright orange and tiny, often growing in moss along creekbeds. They dont have much meat, but are easy to spot and make a nice colorful splash to an omelet or stir fry.
Golden chanterelles are the first ones I found here, near S2 (see shaded area on improved map). One key identification note on chanterelles is that their "gills" run down the stem from the cap. Goldens are dense and apricotty and yummy.
Smooth chanterelles grow larger and have a floppy orange cap. Lots of meat here, it just takes some time to clean grit out of the folds. The distinctive yellow poplar leaves that fall in the summer are often (at a distance) mistaken for these...but that is the general idea of what you are looking for. The ammo can art is a smooth chanterelle. Sliced, dry-sauteed, and then put on a pizza, they are mushroom heaven.
If you don't plan on eating what you find (and you shouldn't eat anything unless certain of your identification of it), please leave them in situ. Photos encouraged! Good luck!
You can validate your puzzle solution with
certitude.
Links to caches in the series
Placed with the approval of:
Park is open dawn to dusk. No night caching.