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¿Do Geese See God? Mystery Cache

Hidden : 4/1/2006
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
3.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

The cache is not at the posted coordinates!!!  The cache is the promised reincarnation of the archived "Alaska Hold 'Em" puzzle cache.  Solve the puzzle and ski, snowshoe or hike into the heart of the 1800 acre Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge to find this cache.


The first geese, sandhill cranes, and other migratory birds begin showing up at the Refuge around the first week of April and pass back through in late-August and September.  Click the following links to download lists of birds and mammals you might spot along the way and be sure to log your sightings!  Downloading this map may help you plan your journey.  Parking may be found to the north at Musher's Hall or near the end of Constitution Drive, to the south at Creamer's Field, to the west at Henrik Court, or to the east at the Echo Acres airstrip accessed via Fideler Road.  If you park at Creamer's Field, be sure to stop by the Farmhouse (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) to say hello to The Friends of Creamer's Field and visit the nearby Alaska Bird Observatory.

Most of the route to the cache (up to the last quarter mile or so) is on groomed dog mushing trails in the winter used by skiers, skijorers, mushers, runners, snowshoers, hikers, and people on snowmachines (snowmobiles), so be aware of your surroundings and travel in the designated direction when possible.   Choose your route wisely, and your path to the cache will be less than one mile.  Alternative routes will run longer, but introduce you to even more of the Refuge.  If you are on foot or skis and you are approached by a dog team, step off to the side of the trail and stand quietly to let the team go by.  Dog teams travel at speeds in excess of 20 mph and are nearly silent, so be always vigilant when on the trails during the winter.  In the summer, waterproof footwear and LOTS of bug dope are recommended.  Off-road vehicles are not permitted in the Refuge at any time.  Trapping is permitted in the refuge, so keep your dog(s) close to you.  Hunting is also permitted at different times of the year.

The cache contents include some outdoor things and some kids things along with a Ladybug Kids geocoin and an unactivated Caught Red-Handed geocoin for first- and second-to-find prizes.

The sum of all the digits of the coordinates of the cache location equals 64, but you may e-mail the Ladybug Kids to verify your solution before you head into the wetlands.   You can also check your answers for this puzzle on Geochecker.com.

Artwork by Mark D. Ross

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View the handicap ratings for GCTY9X :  H55142

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[Puzzle]: TPUXWR, TP17W7L, TP202O [Cache]: Nzzb pna arfgyrq ng onfr bs guerr fznyy oynpx fcehpr gerrf

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)