GC1D17VThe Celtic Cross--A Tribute to Tahosa on Crosier
Type: Multi
| Size: Regular
| Difficulty:
| Terrain:
By: Denali41@
| Hide Date: 06/07/2008
| Status: Available
Country: United States
| State: Colorado Coordinates: N40° 26.400 W105° 21.780 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
CONGRATULATIONS TO CLAN MROCZKO FOR FTF!!
THIS CACHE IS NOT AT THE LISTED COORDINATES!!!
The Celtic Cross is a very challenging cache that should not be attempted without a complete understanding of the prerequisite caches.
The Celtic Cross is in tribute to Tahosa, who with his family is leaving Colorado to care for his elderly Dad in Arizona. His contributions to geocaching are legendary, and his patient instruction, training, and good humor have served many of us in myriad fashions. In order for us to locate his complex mountain cache scenarios, Tahosa has forced us to become knowledgeable of and proficient with baseplate compasses and maps, with protractors and rulers, with compass dividers, with waypoint projections, with resections/triangulations, with True vs. Magnetic vs. Mariner’s compass bearings, with UTMs and UTM grid scalers, etc. He’s introduced us to and has required us to use various distance unit and coordinate systems. And he’s coerced us to visit the Sage, the library, so we can prepare to locate novel cache placements and history-packed virtuals. And many of his caches have forced us to take multiple, strenuous hikes in mountainous terrain. He’s the only walking, living cache I’m aware of, possessing two unique GC numbers for Geo-Touring and Geoteering. How richly we’ve benefited from Tahosa’s efforts and creativity!
No locality better exemplifies the diversity and challenges of Tahosa’s caches than does Crosier Mountain. Eleven Tahosa caches are hidden on Crosier. To find Tahosa’s Celtic Cross, you will need to visit each of these 11 caches where in 10 you will find a single UTM coordinate digit on the inside lid of the cache container. One of the 11 lacks a digit, but you’ll need to visit all in order to eliminate the cache container that has no coordinate clue. In order to locate all 11 caches, you will need to employ most of the techniques listed above–the ones that Tahosa has taught us or has forced us to learn independently. If you are efficient in working your way around the mountain, you can limit your total hiking distance to between 20 and 25 miles and cumulative elevation gain to between 7,500 and 8,000 feet. If you work on The Celtic Cross without a well-designed plan, these distance and elevation parameters can increase considerably. Keep in mind that six of the caches are multi-caches with as many as seven stages. Seven of the caches have 4 or 5-star Difficulty and/or Terrain ratings.
So don’t undertake this adventure lightly. On the inside lid of 10 cache containers you will find an Alpha-Numeric code. The Alpha code refers to the table below. The Number in the lid is to be placed in the table, corresponding to the Alpha, and refers to a digit position for the Easting or Northing of the UTM coordinates for The Celtic Cross cache location. Write in the name of the cache associated with the Alpha/Numeric to help keep things straight. So complete the table, plug the coordinates into your GPSr, and find the cache!
Tahosa has provided the First To Find Prize that’s in the cache box. It’s meaning will become apparent to the first finder. CONGRATULATIONS TO CLAN MROCZKO FOR FTF, as they covered about 40 miles in an amazingly short time interval!!! Who will be Second To Find??
GC5X4QY Bronco in the meadows (20.28 kms E) GC7QWWJ AR_Colorado's First (23.54 kms E) GC2XJTG CO-Vikings: Ralph Price Overview (24.64 kms S) GC5X4RZ Sundance likes the estates (24.96 kms E) GC619F GBNF II (Gone But Not Forgotten) (29.25 kms NE)
09/09/2017 By jaredandkayla I believe I started working on this cache by beginning the "marbles" cache about 2 years ago. This is another one of those caches where I read the description a long time ago and thought, cool - but I'll never find that one! So, to finally find it is surreal. And honestly it also leaves me feeling somewhat melancholy. What do I have to work on now?! Of course, there are still more on Crosier I haven't found. That is good, I love that mountain. Thanks for the great cache adventure.
10/29/2015 By Path Pacer I've been working on this one since August. Some of the caches were easy (Cailey, Parsley), some were physically demanding (Danny Boy, Lil Tahosa), and some made me pull my hair out (yes, Marbles, I'm looking at you; and you, Drake). I remember first seeing one of the codes in 2012 when I found Bishop's Staff and thinking, "Is this important?" Wish I'd written it down then!
And what a lovely spot the Cross turned out to be. I tend to think of Crosier as a mild mountain, mostly meadow, forest, and the occasional rock outcropping (many of which have a Tahosa cache on them), but this is one of the drama spots. Naturally, I took many pictures; I've attached what I hope is a non-spoilerish shot of the general location that will lure others there.
Took the chocolate coins (tsk, tsk) and left a bandanna with a pathtag.
Thanks for a very challenging summer on Crosier Mountain!
09/10/2015 By Denali41 When I conceptualized and laid out all of the dimensions of this cache many years ago as a tribute to Tahosa and Sons, I hoped it would inspire cachers to get serious about learning many of the important caching lessons that are at the heart of some of the Tahosa caches on Crosier Mountain. After I settled on the details for the cache I was pleased that Tahosa and his son Corey asked if they could also participate, by locating a special place for the actual cache container. Indeed it IS a special place that was selected! And the Clan Mrozcko was, as expected, the FTF. Now I see that Kathy of the Clan joined Joe for their second visit to this amazing spot where the cache is placed. That hike together had to have been a very special occasion for both of them.
And, as originally envisioned, this cache HAS stimulated a number of fine cachers to learn some Tahosa techniques and to appreciate this fine mountain. It's been a "winner" for all who have taken up the challenge, and I hope many more will.
09/09/2015 By Clan Mroczko Ah, Lucky me! I was able to join Tahosa on a trek up to this fantastic spot to retrieve a special TB. It was a gorgeous day, and just a special place to be. The sky was blue, the birds were singing and the mountain was beckoning! Thanks for letting me tag along, and thanks for bringing me back to this place 7 years after visiting it the first time. It has been too long.
09/09/2015 By Tahosa and Sons What a place to spend my 14th year birthday as being a geocaher on a very special cache on a very important mountain. And it was so nice that Kathy of Clan Mrczoka, the FTF'ers on this cache was able to join me on this hike.
What a difference of seven years can make when I was looking for the spot we placed this cache at twilight. Coming back in daylight it was like, ok where did we place this cache. And as I have said before Corey sure found a good place.
The views from this cache are just awesome, but I will not post pictures of it, for you must find this place on your own accord. The travel bug that Justin gave me is now in my possession and will travel with me as go geocaching.
The Celtic Cross--A Tribute to Tahosa on Crosier
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