The cache is NOT at the posted coordinates. You will have to solve the multi-stage puzzle below to find the final coordinates.
The Spray Lakes hydroelectric system comprises three hydro plants on the Spray River, which joins the Bow River in Canmore. These three plants have provided power to the Canmore area at peak usage times since 1951. The three plants are:
Three Sisters - The first (upstream) plant is the smallest of the three and provides only 3 MW of power. As the other plants do not have reservoirs designed to vary in volume, this reservoir controls the flow of the water, but doesn't generate much power because of the low change in altitude (head).
Spray - The second (midstream) plant is the most powerful of the three, providing 103 MW of power, with the highest head of any hydro plant in Canada. The plant is familiar to anyone who has hiked to Grassi Lakes and noticed the large silver penstock. This conduit carries the water from the inlet at Whitemans Pond, past Grassi Lakes and into the Rundle Canal.
Rundle - The final (downstream) plant is the closest to the townsite of Canmore. If you travel to the Nordic Centre, you pass over the crest of the Rundle Canal Dam. The effluence of this plant flows directly into the Bow River.
Now that you know a little more about each of the hydro plants, complete the following multi-stage adventure puzzle to reveal the coordinates of the final cache location.
Welcome to the multi-stage adventure puzzle!
WP1: Start in the Nordic Centre parking lot. Find a long row of national flags. Count the number of flags to the left (south) of the Canadian flag and let this number be X. The Canadian flag will be the (X+1)th flag. Take a bearing from the Canadian flag such that the distance of the bearing will be X00 meters at a true angle of 1X5 degrees.
WP2: As you are driving here, pay attention to the speed limit. Pull over at WP2 and within 10 meters of your coordinates look for a one meter tall steel post marking a Canadian Survey Brass Cap. Perform your next projection originating from this steel post. The distance of the bearing in meters will be 10 times the speed limit. The angle of the bearing will be the number of the highway (a sign is nearby if you're unsure), read BACKWARDS (in degrees true). Drive here.
WP3: Now ditch the car and find the wooden sign with the embossed title of three white words. Originating from this sign, you will calculate a third bearing. To get the distance, take the date found in the 5th line and transpose the center two numbers. If the date is ABCD, the distance will be ACBDm (the distance is > 1km). The degree of this bearing can be solved using the following line-word-letter cipher on the body of the text:
4-7-5, 9-4-4, 7-2-1, 12-3-2, 13-1-5, 7-6-5, 17-1-6, 14-3-5, 11-1-1, 1-7-4, 10-6-1
WP4: At the end of this bearing search within 50 meters to find a rather nice metal plaque set in stone along the path. Project from this plaque. The distance in meters is the total number of ALL letters and numerals on the sign (including the logo, checksum = 4). To determine the degree portion, YBG°, determine the frequency of the letters Y, B and G on the sign (checksum = 6). Follow this bearing to the cache.