GC5DNV2 Moose's Game Trail: The Puzzle
Type: Mystery | Size: Small | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: MooseTag @ | Hide Date: 09/26/2014 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N40° 31.644 W105° 02.837 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
                   

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This is my first puzzle cache, it is intended to be very easy and requires easy field calculations that your "calves" will be able to do.  This is an easy walk around a park.  The cache is not at the posted coordinates, this is a good place to start the "puzzle" though!

Congrats estrek on another FTF early morning! At least you missed this horrible storm we're having in the afternoon!

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Note: I Highly recommend doing this puzzle if you plan on visiting my nearby trail of caches, starting at Moose's Game Trail #1: GC5DM5M. You will be able to finish this entire puzzle by the time you reach the first cache.

When I was but a young moose, Father moose migrated us up here to Fort Collins.  This park holds many memories for me.  I remember meeting my first moose friend here, his name was Luke.  I remember spending time fishing, playing on the playground (it has been remodeled since), playing moose games in the grass with other moose, and riding my moose bike around this path over and over.  Many good moose memories were had in this park.  I recommend you bring your own moose calves with you on this easy walk around a nice park where you can share my memories and create some of your own. 

While walking around the trail, make sure to keep an eye on things.  Moose like to count, so I will have you count many things along the way!

A. When you begin the trail, there is a sign with rules.  Moose obey rules.  There is also a PO Box listed at the bottom in case you want to contact "Little Tikes Commercial Play Systems".  Take the 3rd number of that PO Box number, and that is A.

B. How many tennis nets are there?

C. How many posts are there for bikes near the start point? Divide this number by 2.

D. How many fitness stops are along this trail? Keep the second digit only.

E. How many picnic tables are in the Gazebo?

F. How many horses are you guaranteed to see in the playground every day?

G. On the trail, the second fitness piece has numbers on it, subtract 9 from the highest number.

H. How many stations are completely yellow in color? Add 1 to the total.

I. How many letters are in the name of the first moose friend I made when I migrated here?

J.  Moose's favorite color is blue.  Please count the number of vertical blue poles in all the fitness stations combined.  Moose doesn't like horizontal bars, the bars attached to the starting sign with rules do not count, and neither do any bars in the playground.  Moose just wants to you to stay on the game trail!  Once you have counted all the blue poles, moose wants you to subtract 20 from the total.

Once you have walked around the game trail and solved all these questions, here is the puzzle to find the following coordinates:

N 40 EF.ABI W 105 DC.GHJ

The final cache is within walking distance of the start zone.  There are two ways to get to the final cache, check the hint if you want to drive to a closer spot.  Moose says be careful here, don't let the calves get too close to the edge of the creek and it may not be findable with snow on the ground.

The final cache is a camo'd container and is big enough to allow trackables. I started the cache off with some moose calf toys and other small things to entice you to bring your moose calves to this wonderful park! 

This puzzle isn't meant to be hard, so feel free to email me with comments, concerns, or feedback.  Enjoy!

Additional Waypoints

P15DNV2 - Parking
N 40° 31.647 W 105° 02.881

12/26/2018 By Denali41
I've neglected getting after this cache for a long time. Today I promised my puppies Orizaba and Chimborazo a walk along the Power Trail after they made a short wait in the vehicle for me at Fort Collins Club. So off we went on this easy adventure. There is only one possible ambiguity in interpreting the needed numbers--Item "B". The most reasonable number is the lesser of the two, but using it takes the seeker of the final out into the ditch itself. Using the higher number places the final coordinates slightly farther north, but in a very, very logical spot for a hide. I noted the previous DNFs on this cache--that has lacked maintenance for several years now. The cache was likely missing. In accordance with the CO's note in his last-ever owner's log in 2016, I brought a small replacement and put it at the exact location identified when the higher of the two possible numbers for "B" is used. So the cache is good to go again, assuming the higher number. Thanks for laying this out, MooseTag. As communicated directly to you long ago, if you are unable to maintain your caches, as you indicate you cannot, they should be adopted out or archived. The cache localities should be freed up for other cachers to make placements that will be properly maintained. I wouldn't normally put such a statement in a cache log, but you do not respond to emails or messages by cachers.

03/25/2018 By bothofus+2
No joy found the ditch but not the cache

08/29/2017 By mike2find
Went through the steps, but where my final showed is most likely not correct. Was visiting from Southern California and will most likely not be back to finish.

06/12/2017 By GeekWill
While we thoroughly enjoyed walking around the park, and it was nice to have four of us to keep all our counts straight, we did not reap the benefits of our labor. No dice where the coordinates pointed us. We've all agreed to come back and try this one again when I'm back in town. Thanks for the fun puzzle!

04/13/2017 By rangerhal
Out grabbing some caches after the donerstag event. Last time here they were burning the ditch, but all quiet today. The cache is still here, but the GZ is about 60 feet off. Only a few likely hiding spots though, so spotted it hidden nicely, but visible. Thanks for the adventure. Gets a favorite point.

04/06/2017 By rangerhal
Solved this one I think, but the ditch company was burning the vegetation along the canal. So, I wasn't able to search for the cache. Will have to return.