MINIMUM number of finders required: FOUR (two teams of two people). MAXIMUM number of finders: TEN (two teams of five people).
Tools of the trade, caching supplies, the contents of your cache pack... whatever you call it, it boils down to being prepared. As a geocacher, preparation is important. Being prepared to find the cache, being prepared to retrieve the cache, and being prepared to keep yourself safe while doing it.
I hope this series of caches will prove to be a fun reminder that not all geocaches in the woods are ammo boxes covered with pine straw, and not all urban geocaches are under lamp post skirts. Similarly I hope it will remind cache hunters that preparedness -- what we have with us while we search -- is important.
None of this series should be extremely difficult, but will hopefully make for an enjoyable finding experience. edit: this cache may be challenging and, if attempted alone, this cache will be extremely difficult.
TEAMWORK: Almost as important as the tools we carry with us while searching for geocaches, especially for those dangerous or remote hides, are the people we bring with us. A partner can give you another set of eyes, ears, and hands to use in the search. And sometimes it's important to have another person's opinion on whether or not a particular challenge is just too challenging for your current skill level.
This is a straightforward multicache with minimal brain-teasers to solve - only information to gather. However the trek is designed to encourage teamwork. Attempting this multi alone will be extremely difficult -- for a lone cacher this one is probably a 5/5, if it's possible at all.
The first stage is located at the posted coordinates and contains the coordinates for two stages which lie in different directions along different trails. The main obstacle is that each of those stages contains coordinates and a hint for the next stage along the other trail. You will be finding the coordinates of your teammates' next stage and they will be finding the coordinates of your next stage.
Because each team member will locate, in his/her stages, the coordinates of the other next cache for the other half of the team, communication will be important. Cell phones (or walkie-talkies, carrier pigeon, telepathy, etc.) will be important to communicate your findings to the other half of your team.
Some finders have gathered almost 20 cachers to search. I would recommend limiting the total group to about 10. More than that attracts too much attention. If you cannot use stealth, DO NOT SEARCH FOR THIS CACHE.
Total distance from the parking lot to the final is approximately 2.5 miles for each team.
Items required for finding this cache:
- At least four, but no more than ten people. Ideally an even number.
- Cell phones or other means of communication.
- Pen(cil) and paper for taking notes along the way. You'll also need the pen(cil) to sign the log at the final.
- New: Flashlight(s).
- New: Shoes that you do not mind getting muddy/wet. Some wading may be required.
Advice for finding this cache:
- Four people can complete this cache in a few hours by splitting up but working together.
- You may wish to gather a larger team. The additional members can be effectively used as lookouts since these trails are at times heavily infested with muggles.
- Try to keep your total number of searchers to no more than 8-10 to ensure a good finding experience. More than about 10 cachers (split into two 5-member halves) will make the finding too easy and draw unwarranted attention from muggles.
- Having a non-cacher on speed dial, to provide transportation back from the final to the start, may be desirable. Otherwise, the round-trip distance is approximately 5 miles.
- If you opt to walk back, there are other caches along both trails which may be found - either on the walk back or during any downtime while waiting on the other half of your team to locate stages.
- For bonus karma points, introduce 2 friendly muggles to geocaching. Include one muggle on each half of your team. Please make sure at least one experienced geocacher is leading each half of the team.
- For some stages, GPSr reception is not great. Use the hints.
- Coordinate corrections are welcomed, but if posted must be expressed as an OFFSET (+/-) from the given coordinates. Logs which contain actual coordinates of any stage other than the very first stage (whose coordinates are posted) will be deleted.
- The Bolin trail is paved and easy to navigate; the Battle trail is natural-surface and more difficult. Don't let this lull you into thinking that the Bolin team will (or won't) have an easier journey.
Final holds a deck of cards as the FTF prize.
Beware the poison plants near the first stage.