GC8ZJ2G A Navigational Challenge for KT--6
Type: Mystery | Size: Small | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: Denali41 @ | Hide Date: 08/22/2020 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N40° 13.166 W105° 24.014 | Last updated: 06/19/2022 | Fav points: 0
                       

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I have a new email friend whom I call “KT”. That’s not my new email acquaintance’s actual name, but it will do. KT emailed me claiming to be an excellent navigator. Of course effective navigation requires multifaceted skills, including knowing where to find and how to use salient map and other resources needed to determine possible routes to a destination--and from these options to chose the optimal route plus the tools needed to calculate coordinates and to achieve the destination of the cache hide. Recent episodes suggest that KT could benefit by refining his/her navigational skills, so I have developed several scenarios that can serve as checkpoints in establishing a reasonable portfolio of expertise. This is the sixth scenario. It is preceded and will be followed by others that employ additional facets of navigational techniques. The cache descriptions are not “instructional”; instead, they provide opportunities for the cache seeker to explore navigational solutions to attain success in calculating and getting to a cache’s coordinates. For those seekers who already possess the basic skills, developing a plan to reach each of the caches should be straight forward.
 
This cache is hidden relatively close to Ralph Price Reservoir (aka Button Rock Reservoir) in Boulder County. You must work through the specified steps in order to determine the cache’s actual location.  But first, use available navigational materials to determine a logical place to park and to plot out a good hiking route to the listed coordinates. Then make the moderately long hike to this starting point. Use the information below to determine its specific coordinates.

Begin at the listed coordinates.  They take you to a place that is relatively close to the picturesque natural arch shown in the photo, below.  Natural arches of this sort are quite unusual in this region, and seeing this one in the field is worth the hike in and of itself!  The natural arch can be found by walking a bearing of 275 degrees from the listed coordinates.  You will need to walk several hundred feet to find it. Keep your eyes searching for the arch! Have fun locating and then admiring the arch!

~The Natural Arch~

Once you locate the arch stand at its center and take accurate coordinates.  Determine the exact location of the cache using these instructions: The cache is located 325.42 m from the arch.  The arch is located at a bearing of 948.27 mils from the cache. You now have all the information needed to find the cache, so go find it!

Have an enjoyable hike and a successful “find” of the cache.  The navigational challenge of determining useful cache coordinates and determining the best route combined with the hiking distance and elevation gain provide a good back country geocaching adventure.  Have a great time!

Additional Waypoints

09/15/2020 By sleuthers
Another fun navigational challenge! The day was a big hazy and certainly hotter than I'd like, but it great to be out and hunt down another Denali41 cache. I encountered a bull moose on the trail I took. He was right on 'my' trail and he refused to move on, so I photographed him (poor pic) and detoured around. I had surveyed the area and made a guess about where the arch was going to be and was pleasantly surprised to find it about 25 feet away. Nice! I performed the projection and found the cache easily. Then I ventured further up Cook Mountain. I was confused about the actual summit. I ended up going to three different "summits" and signing two different log books. The one in the middle (without a log) was the most fun to climb! A good day.

09/07/2020 By icezebra11
I had a very nice hike up Cook Mountain a couple weeks ago and beta tested this cache, particularly confirming for the CO the location of the natural arch. What a neat and rare feature! The information given for determining the cache location is spot on and the cache was quickly revealed at the developed coordinates.

After signing the log, I hiked to the summit of Cook. There are some nice views at the top. Be sure to check them out and sign the summit register while you are there!

Because I beta tested the cache I am not claiming FTF so it's still up for grabs. Enjoy your hike getting there. Thanks Denali41 for creating this navigational challenge and placing another fine back country cache!!!

09/05/2020 By IgnotusPeverell
Published