Massai Point is just one of the attractions of the wild and
beautiful Chiricahua National Monument, it is a high vantage
point to take in the views of the rest of the park and the
surrounding region. At 6,870 feet elevation and 2,000 feet above
the neighboring valleys, it is a Sky Island. This Earthcache
experience offers a wide variety of amazing natural features
mingled with a rich human history. Upon completion of this
challenge, the geocacher will understand what natural processes
took place to create the unique rock formations of columns,
pinnacles, and balanced rocks that are the main attraction at this
park. They will learn the names of the various rock types that the
stone features are comprised of. They will also understand what
natural forces created the surrounding mountain ranges and valleys.
As a bonus, human history facts are included in the quest. Upon
completion, visitors must submit, by email, the answers to four
questions that can only be found by visiting the Earthcache and
participating in the educational trail in order to get credit for
“finding” this cache.
You must pay an entrance fee to access the park by car. The road
up to Massai Point is sometimes closed in the winter due to snow
and ice. Please stay on established trails. The total distance
covered is under 1500 feet with only a few feet loss and gain in
elevation. The entire course is wheel chair accessible with
assistance. All necessary course and answer data is provided on
the National Park’s interpretive signs. No additional research is
necessary. There are many other educational and directional
(trail) signs along the path that are not included in this
Earthcache experience but which also supply a great wealth of
natural and human history information. We have designed this cache
to be web-solving and short-cutting resistant.
Point One: At the posted coordinates, a sign illustrates
how huge blocks of the Earth’s crust were thrust up to create the
surrounding mountains, and other blocks sank down forming the
valleys and basins. The illustration shows ___ (A)
named valleys and ___ (B)
named mountain ranges. Apply the missing
numbers in the last sentence to the next set of coordinates to get
to point two. N32° 00.530 W109° 18.7A B.
Point Two: The sign here helps you to see a profile of
the head of the great Apache Indian chief, Cochise, in a colossal
rock formation. His eyelash is formed by a _ _ _ foot Douglas Fir
tree. Find answer #1 here. Add 402 to the number
missing from the last sentence to determine the missing values for
the next point. N32° 00._ _ _ W109° 18.696
Point Three explains why the San Simon Valley has turned
from fertile grassland into a desert shrub-land. Subtract
‘3’ from the only date on this sign to derive the missing
easting in the next set of coordinates. These coordinates will get
you to point four: N32° 00.498 W109° _ _._ _4
Point Four is a sign describing the Cochise Stronghold
rock formation which is part of the Dragoon Mountain range across
the valley toward the west and usually visible from here. The
Dragoon Mountains are named for an elite type of military unit that
patrolled there in the _ _ _ _s. Add 25 years to the missing date
from the last sentence to determine the easting in the next set of
coordinates which will take you to the final point. N32° 00.432
W109° _ _._ _2
Point Five: At this location you can clearly see and
understand the natural processes that form the columns, pinnacles,
and balanced rocks that this park is so famous and loved for.
Find the answers to questions 3-4 on the sign here.
1) The Cochise Head rock formation is made of _____ ______, a
rock formed from _____ _____.
2) The deep vertical cracks pointed out here are called
_______.
3) The formation displayed here was started by how many of these
cracks_______.
4) The formations are made of _______ (type of rock).
Please email all four answers to Team Scrawlinn for
credit.You may go ahead and log your find without an
acknowledgement from us, but logs posted without correct answers
will be deleted. Please don't post pictures of the signs used in
the quest. Thank you for your interest in our Earthcache!
This Earthcache was approved by:
Superintendent Brian Carey & Chief Ranger Andey Brinkley
Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic
Site
12856 East Rhyolite Creek Road
Willcox, AZ 85643
(520) 824-3560 x202 office
For more info on The Chiricahua National Monument go to:
www.nps.gov/chir/