Ghosts of Keoua's Army Virtual Cache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(virtual)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The Footprints of Keoua's Army: This is a virtual cache located within the Ka`u Desert in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
In 1790, Kilauea had one of its few explosive eruptions. Kamehameha was also beginning his conquest of Hawai`i during that time period. But while Kamehameha was busy planning his invasion of Maui, Keoua, a rival ali`i, sent his army to do battle against Kamehameha near Hilo. In the end though Kamehameha forced Keoua to retreat to Ka`u. Keoua's army ended up camping near Kilauea, which was the same night hot ash and rock began spewing out of the caldera. His army attempted to escape; but it is estimated he lost about 1/3 of his army to asphyxiation due to an even larger eruption that took place 3 days later. All saw this as a sign that Keoua had angered Pele and it is thought that this demoralization helped to lead to his eventual defeat by Kamehameha. The retreating solders of Keoua who survived left deep footprints in the fallen ash which were preserved and can be seen at the cache coordinates. (Though they are pretty weathered now)
Begin your trek at the Ka`u Desert Trailhead (N 19o 22.127'; W 155o 22.046'). It is about 2 miles r/t, so it is recommended you bring water and sunscreen. To get credit for this cache, you need to post along with your log a picture of you and your GPS in front of the information plaque that notes the number of warriors, women, and children killed by the eruption.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Jura lbh ner pybfr, lbh jvyy frr gur cnivyvba gung pbiref/cebgrpgf gur sbbgcevagf.