Welcome to the Big Sky Conference Challenge:
University of Nevada Reno Edition
The cache IS at the posted coordinates.
The difficulty is because of the distance you must travel to qualify for the challenge!
Actual difficulty of the hide is more like a 1.5
Parking during game day or reunion weekend might be hard, but all other times should be real easy!
You can sign the log anytime, but to claim a find, you need to complete the following challenge:
University of Nevada Reno
- Washoe County, Nevada -
Your challenge is to find a geocache (or attend an event) in at least 5 of the Big Sky Conference counties. UNR isn't part of the Big Sky Conference anymore... as it is currently competing in the Mountain West Conference, but it WAS a Big Sky member from 1979-1992. Here's a list of all the counties with a Big Sky conference school (or former member) in them:
Northern Arizona University - Coconino County, Arizona (1970-)
California State University, Northridge - Los Angeles County, California (1996-2001)
Sacramento State - Sacramento County, California (1996-)
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo County, California (Football Affiliate: 2012-)
University of California, Davis - Yolo County, California (Football Affiliate: 2012-) Link
University of Northern Colorado - Weld County, Colorado (2006-) Link
University of Hartford, Capitol Region, Connecticut (Golf Affiliate: 2014-)
Boise State University, Ada County, Idaho (1970-1996)
Idaho State University, Bannock County, Idaho (1963-) Link
University of Idaho, Latah County, Idaho (1963-1996, 2014-) Link
Montana State University - Gallatin County, Montana (1963-) Link
University of Montana - Missoula County, Montana (1963-) Link
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks County, North Dakota (2012-2018)
University of Nevada Reno, Washoe County, Nevada (1979-1992) Link
Binghamton University (SUNY), Broome County, New York (Golf Affiliate: 2014-) Link
Portland State University - Multnomah County, Oregon (1996-) Link
Southern Utah University - Iron County, Utah (2012-2022) Link
Big Sky Headquarters, Davis County, Utah
Weber State University, Weber County, Utah (1963-)
Eastern Washington University, Spokane County, Washington (1987-)
It doesn't matter what date your finds were hidden, what date you find them, what type they are, size, terrain, nor what difficulty. As long as between your finds you have at least 5 of the counties from the list, you are victorious and can log this as found after signing.
For the visual learners among you, here is a map showing the different counties as well as the dates they are/were in the conference. Remember, even if the county wasn't in the conference at the date you found your geocache, it is still valid. Anything since May 2000 counts.
Here is a checker to see if you passed the challenge yet:
Source: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sky_Conference](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sky_Conference)
Big Sky History
The Big Sky Conference completed its 60th year overall and 35th year of women's competition during the 2022-23 academic year.
The Conference was established in 1963 by six charter members – Idaho, Idaho State, Gonzaga, Montana, Montana State and Weber State. The name originated in a novel written by A.B. Guthrie of Great Falls, MT, titled "The Big Sky". The six presidents of the charter members adopted the name “Big Sky” for their new conference on February 25, 1963.
With 151 teams representing 14 institutions in 16 sports (seven men's, nine women's), the Big Sky prides itself on its "#ExperienceElevated" platform that emphasizes the unique traits and lifelong benefits that the conference and its member institutions provide to around 3,300 student-athletes each year. The conference has 10 full members (Eastern Washington University; the University of Idaho; Idaho State University; the University of Montana; Montana State University; Northern Arizona University; the University of Northern Colorado; Portland State University; California State University, Sacramento; and Weber State University) located in eight states across the western United States, plus two football affiliate members (California Polytechnic State University and the University of California, Davis) and two men's golf affiliate members (Binghamton University and the University of Hartford).
As of publication, I qualify with finds in 8 counties, as shown below:
Bannock County (ID) - 2021-11-25 GC5C Southern Idaho's First! - (Traditional Cache)
Coconino County (AZ) - 2014-03-05 GCAF3E Grand Canyon Explorers - (Virtual Cache)
Gallatin County (MT) - 2022-10-14 GC51TKJ Downtown / Main Street USA: Bozeman, MT - (Traditional Cache)
Los Angeles County (CA) - 2014-01-02 GC3KBE6 La Cañada Steals JPL - (Traditional Cache)
Sacramento County (CA) - 2014-04-13 GCGRRZ Going to the "Tent" - (Traditional Cache)
San Luis Obispo County (CA) - 2016-09-17 GC3JC7Q cearst hastle - (Traditional Cache)
Washoe County (NV) - 2012-04-24 GC20DM8 Reno/Tahoe IAP TB Hotel - (Traditional Cache)
Yolo County (CA) - 2016-04-16 GC1KP2J tuonni nut - (Traditional Cache)