Wellington Mystery Cache

Geocache Description:

The cache is not at the posted coordinates. Please read below to solve for the correct location.

This is part of an ongoing project started by Tom.dog to place "a cache in every quad" - the 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle maps made by the U.S. Geological Survey during the 20th Century. He has focused his early caches in the series on quads within Wyoming, and has encouraged Denali41 to place caches in 7.5-minute quadrangles within Colorado. These particular maps have captured both of our interests for many years and have inspired the exploration of the far-and-near reaches of the mountains, canyons, and plains of the American West. It is worth noting that Tom.dog has no realistic intention of hiding a cache within the boundary of every quad map, even with assistance! With over 55,000 such maps covering the Lower 48 alone, many of which contain no publicly accessible land, it's highly unlikely that a cache can be hidden in every quad (not to mention that life is probably too short to visit the lands illustrated in each map). Fundamentally, the objective of this project is to broaden exploration of the country in areas both familiar and unknown and to inspire fellow geocachers to do the same.

A fairly simple puzzle is provided for each cache in this project. Aside from geocaching, a favorite hobby of Tom.dog and Denali41 over the years has been survey mark documentation. The puzzles are a derivative of this interest and aren't intended to be difficult, assuming that the solver has an awareness of publicly available survey mark records. We will only be referencing survey marks with adjusted coordinates - assume that the coordinates provided in the public records are spot-on due to their adjusted nature. Please also note that we are using the NAD83 position given for these survey marks to develop the puzzles, thereby making the technically false (but not egregiously incorrect) assumption that NAD83 is identical to the WGS84 datum that we use for Geocaching. There is no need to adjust anything because of our use of NAD83, nor is it necessary to physically visit any survey mark to solve the puzzle.

Wellington

The Wellington quadrangle is comprised entirely of municipal and private lands, featuring 25 significant lakes--almost all of which were constructed as water storage reservoirs in the late 1800s by the North Poudre Irrigation Company. Until the fairly recent expansion of the Town of Wellington on to adjoining agricultural land, the non-water portions of the quadrangle have supported farming operations. Interstate 25 runs just east of the quad area and provides access to Wellington by Colorado Highway 1, which connects to several Larimer County Roads that service the farms, the lakes, small housing complexes and other private enterprises occupying the quad’s area.

In 1976 Denali41 purchased a farm east of Bee Lake, on a low ridge a mile southwest of the town and built his home there. At that time and over the following 30+ years the Town of Wellington population remained at fewer than 500 residents. Enormous changes have occurred in the 2000s and the town’s population now exceeds 13,000 residents! When questing for this cache, consider also visiting his farm, where nine geocaches are hidden for your pleasure.

The cache is placed in a recently-developed portion of Wellington. It is very close to street-side parking and should be easily findable. You will need to search on the north side of an electric junction box to find the cache container. Be certain to carefully re hide the cache after you've signed the log.

Puzzle

LL1010

North: -0.844

West: +0.564

Coordinate check:

NXX XX.XX6 WXXX XX.XX7