On the Third Day of Christmas, mrGreen317 hid for me, a two-stage multi starting at a prominent evergreen tree!
Welcome to the Twelve Multi(cache)s of Christmas (12 MoC). Each cache is a simple two-stage multi leading to a small-sized latching box in one of our fine PA state game lands (SGL).
While the retailers are packing away the Christmas wares for 2019, the traditional Christmas season actually runs from December 25 through January 5, the "Twelve Days of Christmas". Here are some multi-caches hidden for the "Twelve Multis of Christmas" to grab this Christmas season or any other time of the year when geocaching is on the day's agenda.
This cache location is designed as a short exploration past another SGL gate, one that has its own geocache, but this area has yet to be incorporated into one of the previous Christmas series. Both stages are within 100 feet of each other, and the walk down the gravel SGL road towards GZ should be pleasant most times of the year. GZ of the stage one and final stage might be more grown up in the late spring and summer. There are, however, pleasant vistas downhill from this location.
There is plenty of parking outside the gate (near geocache GC85EXE). Please do not drive a vehicle past the gate, even if it is open, unless there is a white sign saying that it is allowed to do so. This gate seems to stay closed to vehicular travel most of the year. The parking area could be muddy and possibly icy in some weather conditions,and it might be possible to park just off Black Snake Road without going down in to that area. Please be sure just to not block the gate with your vehicle.
Vegetation Note: Since these caches are hidden in SGL in the non-growing months, it is always possible that access may get more challenging during late spring and summer growth seasons. When considering hide locations, an attempt was made to minimize this potential issue as much as possible, but when searching in the late spring or summer, just keep this in mind. Good, sturdy hiking footwear and possibly long pants (not shorts) are a good suggestion. Always be on the lookout for wild animals and ticks in the game lands. With this cache, the terrain rating is up half a step due to the location right around GZ, which might get thorny and slightly more overgrown in the late spring and summer. Use the provided 'trail' waypoint to head back towards your final coordinates from the clearing to get the likely easiest path to the final cache container. (The hint may also be of help if needed.)
This cache is located in state game lands, so PLEASE observe all state game land rules and wear orange during hunting seasons. During the primary hunting season, finding this cache is recommended on Sunday only.
Series Information of Note
- Each of the Twelve Multi-caches should have a stage one ornament hanging on a tree or similar object at the posted coordinates. To find stage two/final, replace the decimal portion of the north and west minutes with what you see affixed to the ornament at stage one. (See below for an example with this cache.)
- Each stage one has the numbers incorporated into the ornament hanging wire. This should be all the clues you need to find the final/stage two part of the cache.
- The log book in each final stage will have a code word, something that might relate with Christmas traditions. You will want to make a note of both the ornament design at stage one and this code word in stage two to get you the needed information for a future "final" geocache.
- FTF on each series cache: There is a small ornament for FTF that either matches stage one's ornament or is somehow thematically connected to it. Since not all FTF gifts exactly match the stage one ornaments, it is suggested that FTF cachers make note of the stage one ornaments for their records if seeking the series "final" cache. FTF will also have a different code word labeled on the FTF gift bag, a code that is different from the final stages's code word. This code is unique to the FTF gift and can be used to claim other additional prizes at the conclusion of the 12-days series. More information will be forthcoming.
Example for solving to stage two: For this cache, the posted coordinates for stage one is at: N 40 33.986' W 078 30.107', so to find the stage two, you would assume N 40 33.??? and W 078 30.???. To fill in the question marks, look for some numerical information at stage one, something that would give you three numbers to go with north and three numbers to go with west to replace those '?' in the previous coordinate formula.
A congratulations on FTF goes to r.e.s.t.seekers and ted28285 . Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Merry Christmas from the Green-Hippo household!
(mrGreen317, Sage-Hippo, and littleEEE)