The Prancing Ponies of Horsethief Park

This is part three of a tribute to 3 Willams Kidz (see what I did there?) for their two movie series that we have enjoyed. In the off-season, we watched the movies and then we would hike to the caches during our time here each summer. For the Classic Movie series, almost every cache was on a hiking trail new to us.

Classic Movie series, starting with Casablanca
Classic Monsters series, starting with Dracula (1931)

I did notice that one particular classic movie was not included in the list: The Sound of Music. At five minutes under three hours long, I can see why. In fact, it is one of a very few movies with an intermission that I have ever seen. For this reason, both acts have their own puzzle cache.

GCACYTX How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, Act 1
GCACYWD How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, Act 2

This cache, however, is just a simple, short multicache. It is hidden in an area that reminds me of the opening sequence of the movie, when Maria sings, “The Hills Are Alive.” Stage 1 is hidden in an area where one might tie up a horse and take a rest. I hope you enjoy it. You seek a small pill bottle holding the coordinates for Stage 2.

The name of the area, Horsethief Park, reminded me of the “Prancing Ponies” of Austria. In the sixteenth century, the Habsburg Empire developed a world famous breed of riding horse, the Lippanzer stallion.

The Lipizzaner is closely associated with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, where the horses demonstrate the haute école or "high school" movements of classical dressage, including the highly controlled, stylized jumps and other movements known as the "airs above the ground". These horses are mostly bred at the Piber Federal Stud, near Graz, Austria, and are trained using traditional methods of classical dressage that date back hundreds of years.

Eight stallions are recognized as the classic foundation bloodstock of the breed, all foaled in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. All modern Lipizzans trace their bloodlines to these eight stallions, and all breeding stallions have included in their name the name of the foundation sire of their bloodline. Also classic mare lines are known, with up to 35 recognized by various breed registries. The majority of horses are registered through the member organizations of the Lipizzan International Federation, which covers almost 11,000 horses in 19 countries and at 9 state studs in Europe. Most Lipizzans reside in Europe, with smaller numbers in the Americas, South Africa, and Australia.

The Sound of Music (film) Wikipedia page has information about the locations and sets used in the film.

Additional Waypoints

P0ACYXC - Parking Lot - East Side of Road
N 38° 50.054 W 105° 08.246
If you are coming from the north, be ready. It is on your left just past a blind curve. Head up the hill on FS Trail 704/704a
T0ACYXC - FS Trail 704 - Horsethief Park
N 38° 49.997 W 105° 07.686
Turn north here and cross the stream. There should be logs or stepping stones. (FS 704a continues east toward Horsethief Falls and a south turn for Pancake Rocks.