This puzzle cache is solved in multiple steps - the coordinates
given above are nearby the cache location, but not close enough. To
find the correct coordinates of the cache, you must first examine
these pictures of three towers: (1)
(2)
(3)
All three towers are within the city limits of Los Alamos, NM.
You do not necessarily have to go to the towers themselves (the
third tower is not publically accessible, anyway) but you must
determine the location from which the photo was taken.
If you stand at the location where a tower photo was taken, you
will be standing next to a sign with some numbers on it. Use your
GPS to take a waypoint at each of the signs. Close-up photos of
these signs are available here: (1)
(2)
(3)
Use the numbers on the signs to complete the following
information. Note that the close-up images above have been altered,
so trying to answer the following questions just using the photos
will give you wrong answers. Don't be surprised when you find that
the numbers on the signs are different (or there are more numbers
on the sign than you see in these images).
The first sign (metal numbers nailed to a wooden
pole):
A = The second digit from the top
B = The third digit from the top
C = The sum of all digits
The second sign (the "watersphere" sign):
D = First digit in the contract number
E = Sum of the digits below the word "Greenville" (note that there
is an S there, not a 5)
F = Sum of the digits in the year
G = The last digit under the word "Pickling"
The third sign (the yellow stickers):
H = The bottom digit
Now use this information to calculate the following two
numbers:
X = (D * H) + A + B
Y = E + F + G - C
Calculate the orthocenter of the triangle whose vertices are the
three sign locations (you may assume that the three points and the
orthocenter are coplanar). From the orthocenter, go X meters east
and Y meters south and you will find the cache.
Bear in mind that because you are combining multiple waypoints
when calculating the orthocenter, the errors in your position
measurement will be magnified. Your may have to do a bit more
searching around than usual.
Good luck and please post no hints.
For use in the field, here is a PDF document containing all six
images on one page: PDF
(409kB)