Being home schooled we have spent many hours “experiencing” the world around us. While studying the ecology of watersheds, wetlands and marshes, we discovered their many unique and multi-faceted personalities and thought they would make great cache sites.

Colorado is basically a large watershed state thus water conservation programs have become a priority. One result of these programs has created an abundance of wetlands and marshes, as well as wet and dry riverbeds.

Wetlands are simply lands affected by water, resulting in unique plants and soils. They may be classic cattail areas with a few feet of standing water, areas with very shallow water, or temporary habitats such as playa depressions on the eastern plains that only occasionally have standing water. Riparian areas next to streams that are subject to frequent flooding are also considered wetlands.

Wetlands and riparian areas represent only about 2% of the land area of Colorado, but provide benefits to over 75% of the species in the state, including waterfowl and several declining species! Colorado has lost 50% of its wetlands, and 95% of riparian areas in the West have been degraded by human activity. Therefore, protection, restoration, and enhancement of wetlands and riparian areas is vital to conserve wildlife diversity in the state.

Around Evergreen, there are lots of these – some are large and heavily managed such as the lake and its marshes, while others are small, trickling or dry riverbeds. But they all provide shelter, homes and hangouts for wetland-dependent wildlife as well as over 500 wetland plant species. They have seasonal cycles that are more subtle than the big world of forests, mountain parks, rivers and waterfalls, alpine lakes and glaciers. They sleep in winter, birth new life in spring, then work and play until it’s time to start over again.

While pursuing these geocaches, please be respectful of their ecosystems and enjoy their subtle beauty. Be gentle and circumspective as a steward of our earth’s resources. Depending on the season, you may encounter ice, mud and traversable streams. Also, summer grasses and cattails will increase the challenge of finds.

Directions for this 5-Stage Multi-cache:

This is a 5-stage multi-cache and there is no physical cache container at the initial coordinates. The given coordinates are off-set and put you in close proximity to stage 1, from which you start the hunt. Please do not post "corrected coordinates."

High Hooo, High Hooo - Come, join the seven dwarfs as they're off to hunt for treasure with their Geomap. If you explore the “ISLAND,” its ponds and streams, you will come across PEBBLE BEACH. As you follow the shore line of the creek, you will come upon 2 sets of Twin Double Barrels, like giant Binoculars, one looking east and one looking west. They are quite traversable and hold secrets of their own.

Between and around each set of these Binoculars are topiary sentries guarding the terrain and they also have a story to tell. The little people have great geosense and can help you uncover the multi-stages of this treasure hunt. There are 5 separate stages to this hide, each with directions inside - 6 if you count the Red Herring. Why 5 stages you may ask? Because the art of Geocaching is enjoying the journey, not necessarily finding the treasure at its end. The fun is in the hunt. So enjoy the ride, as tiny as it is.

NOTE: This is the first in a series of Wetland caches. In order to find the fourth in the series, you will need to find the Story Teller Guardians in the first three.

Story Teller Guardians:

Somewhere in each series you will come across a “Story Teller” – a small critter who keeps the secrets of the land. Make note of its name because it will be important for solving the puzzle for the fourth cache in the series. Bring your own pen.

Additional Waypoints