Last week, a most interesting scroll was delivered to me under the cover of darkness. An old decrepit papyrus, bound with twine. Its message - a haunting invitation. Do you accept the challenge?
Updated 9/3/25 with more relevant information:
Survivor: Covenant Park is a friendly competition of Geocaching skill and wit. Attending the event does not require your participation in any of the activities. Onlookers who are not up for the challenge are certainly welcome (I'd suggest bringing a camp-style chair if this pertains to you). Attendees wishing to play the game will be randomly assigned to one of three teams (the only exception to this rule to allow parents to remain with their minors if they so choose). If you plan to participate, please be punctual.
Team draw and instruction will take place at 11:15. The games begin at 11:30 and will likely take between 60 and 90 minutes. Each team will visit 10 different locations that have some kind of task to be completed. The games are built around teamwork - communication and organization will lead you to victory - not speed.
What should you expect? A fun afternoon of team-building inspired by my love of reality competition shows. I promise you that you have never attended an event quite like this. Dozens of hours have been poured into this, with dozens more to come prior to the start. If you choose to partake, you are not required to play every location - rest is encouraged, but if you do, I would expect the total distance traveled over the 90 minute game to be around 2-3 miles - most of it traversing the groomed trails of Covenant Park, with some mild off-trail walking required. There should not be any heavy bushwhacking assuming you follow the mowed paths. Choose your attire and footware appropriately. Like most caches, you may come across snakes, ticks, poison ivy, and thorns on your journey.
The rest of the games and the rules will be explained at the start of the event. Since the event is over the lunch period, and since I expect a lot of people to be coming from CITO events both in Zeeland and in Lansing, the event is going to also serve as lunch. I will be grilling hot dogs and providing plates / utensils. I'm asking anyone who attends to bring a "lunch picnic" dish to share. Consider easy-to-serve foods like chips, fruit trays, cheese platters, cookies, brownies, etc. There are no outlets, so things like crock pots will not be useful.
For planning purposes, I'm asking you to please post a will attend on this event. It is more important than any event I've done in the past. I'm trying to make this a unique, fun, special event for our community!
All particpants should (barring some crazy turnout figure) walk away with a shiny collectible coin and team buff to commemorate the event.
I've provided some parking coordinates to assist. The large gravel lot doesn't have indicated parking, so just try to be considerate of others. Overflow parking is available at the clubhouse on the main drive in.
The checker below will be useful for the "6 words" stage of the event:
You can validate your puzzle solution with
certitude.
This Event is part of a limited release of Community Celebration Events to celebrate 25 years of geocaching. Geocachers hosted events between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025. Learn more about Community Celebration Events on the Geocaching Blog.
Disclaimer: You are under no obligation to hunt this cache. You do so at your own risk. Like any outdoor sport, it carries the risk of unforeseen hazards. Use your best judgment with the environment and conditions. As conditions and cache locations may vary, it is the responsibility of the searcher to be familiar with the conditions in the area to be searched, to adequately prepare for those conditions, and to conduct oneself safely and responsibly and remain within his or her personal abilities and limitations. When and if you find a cache, you are under no obligation to touch it, reach it, climb to it, dig for it, pick it up, or even open it. Open it at your own risk. Individual Geostash and GPS cache sponsors assume no liability for events, which may occur, related directly or indirectly to your searching for a stash.