The GEOCAC Benchmark Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(large)
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Coconino County, USGS quad: Turkey Mountain, near the summit of Turkey Mountain at 7361 feet.
The purpose of this cache is to bring you to the Arizona GEOCAC benchmark.
I have been told by the director of the project that this is the first GEOCAC mark to be set...EVER!
GEOCAC is the official agency code for Geocachers who report their benchmark recoveries to the National Geodetic Survey.
GEO*Trailblazer 1 has created a project to have a commemorative mark like this one set in each state of the union, and to get them included into the NGS database. Unfortunately, the Geocaching.com database is static, and (so it seems) no new marks will be added, therefore a geocache is needed to show everyone the location of the mark.
The cache is NOT at the listed co-ordinates, but you should go there and view the benchmark!
Once you are at the benchmark, you will need to go 427 feet on a bearing of 251 True to get to the cache container.
There are at least two ways to approach the mark:
From Clint's Well, at the junction of SR 87 and SR 487 (Lake Mary Road, Forest Highway 3), travel north on SR 487 for 6.53 miles to the junction of County Road 211. Turn right, (east) on County Road 211 and proceed east for 4.16 miles to the junction of Forest Road 93. Turn left (north) on Forest Road 93.
It is interesting to note that Forest Road 93 is a part of the Arizona Trail, and is signed as such. This is a VERY ROUGH road. During our approach along this road to place the cache and monument the mark, we saw a flock of at least 25-30 wild turkeys meandering through the woods! Although 4WD will not be needed in dry weather, high ground-clearance, good tires, and careful driving will be needed.
Continue northward on Forest Road 93 for 3.40 miles to a T-junction, turn right, keeping on Forest Road 93 for an additional 1.40 miles northeast to the southeast side of Turkey Mountain (somewhere around N 34 41.491' W 111 16.231') and the end of vehicular travel.
The alternate, and preferable approach is:
From Clint's Well, at the junction of SR 87 and SR 487 (Lake Mary Road, Forest Highway 3), travel northeast on SR 87 for 9.10 miles to the junction of County Road 211 on the left. Turn left and proceed 3.21 miles to the junction of Forest Road 82 on the right. Turn right on Forest road 82, and continue 3.76 miles northward to the junction of Forest Road 82G on the left. (NOTE: My DeLorme Topo USA 7.0 mapping software lists this road as FR 82H, but the signage indicates it is FR 82G)
Up to this point, any standard sedan should have little difficulty. In general, FR 82G is a much better road than FR 93 in the previous approach description, but there are some short sections that are just as rough. As with FR 93, 4WD should not be needed, but high ground-clearance, good tires and careful driving are required. I have no idea just how far you might get in a 'regular car', but this is the way to go if you don't have a pick-up or back-country SUV.
Proceed northwest on FR 82G for 2.66 miles,and a T-junction with FR 93. Turn left on FR 93, continue 0.21 miles to the southeast side of Turkey Mountain, and the end of vehicular travel at or near N 34 41.491' W 111 16.231'.
Of course, there are many other ways to get here, and lots of other Forest Roads coming in from all directions. Feel free to create your own adventure, and approach by any route you choose.
It is an easy stroll up the mountain from the included parking co-ordinates to the listed co-ordinates, and the location of the benchmark...with the exception that there is a barbed-wire fence to be crossed along the way.
If possible, I would appreciate it if you could post a photo of the mark in your log. This is in no way a requirement, since I didn't want to make this an unknown/puzzle cache.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Pna lbh cebwrpg n jnlcbvag?