Solve the puzzle and enjoy a hike in Apex Park! This cache is about enjoying the trip to the destination, although there are a few other geocaches in the park that can be grabbed while heading out to this cache.
This cache is located off of the Enchanted Forest Trail in Apex Park near Golden, Colorado. I recently discovered this trail while finding some other geocaches in this park and felt this was such a neat trail it needed a geocache as well. When I was first exploring this trail, I came upon a group of approximately 30 wild turkeys roaming through the forest a little ways down the trail from where the cache is located. Hopefully after finding the cache, you’ll explore the rest of this trail. Undoubtedly it is probably busier on the warmer days, but it has some nice solitude the further out you get. The trees offer nice shade on hot days.
This cache is not located at the coordinates above; to obtain the coordinates you’ll need to solve the puzzle below. It’s like a crossword puzzle, except that you’ll enter numbers instead of words. The puzzle grid can be found under the images section.
Across:
1. Date College of Charleston was founded.
2. Date Dartmouth College was founded.
5. Date University of Delaware was founded.
Down:
1. Date University of Colorado system was founded.
2. Date Indiana University was founded.
3. Date University of Tennessee was founded.
4. Date University of Georgia was founded.
The cache is located at N AB° CD.EFG, W HJK° LM.NPQ, where the letters are equivalent to the numbers in the completed grid:
A = F8
B = D5
C = B7
D = A7
E = D2
F = B5
G = B7
H = E1
J = A8
K = E4
L = C2
M = B7
N = B4
P = C5
Q = D5
As a check on your answers, A + B + C + D + E + F + G = 36, and H + J + K + L + M +N + P + Q = 27.
The elevation gain from the parking lot to the cache is approximately 950 feet. You’ll be able to take the trail most of the way to the cache – no need for extensive bushwacking or scrambling up steep slopes. It should be a quick find once you get to the right spot, although it could be more challenging in winter if there’s snow on the ground. The hike itself will be the most challenging part.
Initial cache contents include some coloring and puzzle books, and an unactivated micro geocoin trackable for the first to find. Hope you enjoy the cache – it’s my first!
***Congratulations to Greasepot for FTF honors on 11/18/2016!!!***
You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.
Additional Waypoints
FN6X120 - Final Location
N/S __ ° __ . ___ W/E ___ ° __ . ___
Enchanted Forest Trail in Apex Park
P06X120 - Parking for Apex Park
N 39° 42.989 W 105° 12.551
Parking lot and East Trailhead for Apex Park.
Wild Turkeys
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