[Az-Geocaching] Cache 71199 description
Mike Schwarz
listserv@azgeocaching.com
Fri, 30 May 2003 17:12:08
Well, looks like the powers that be at geocaching.com set it up
so nobody but me can see it, even if you ARE logged in. Drats.
Here's the text of the description I submitted, just to satisfy
any curiousity anyone may have about my ill-fated virtual cache.
Or if anyone wants to try to locate the thermometer, even though you
won't increase your numbers for anything by doing so. This does
require a 2 mile round trip hike, with 500 feet of elevation gain.
Unless you're doing more of the Groom Creek trail. Again, if
anyone does locate it, let me know via an email. And if someone
who lives in the Prescott area wishes to place a physical cache
near it, that would be great:
NAME: What's the Temperature?
N 34 27.750 W 112 25.526
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Get a little workout, make a weather observation, and score a cache.
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RATING: 1.5/2.5
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This is probably the first cache in Arizona that asks you to make a
meteorological observation!
I don't like to have people driving around in circles trying to figure out
where to park, and contributing to air pollution. So, drive south from
Prescott on the paved Senator Highway, go about 6 miles, and park at the
Groom Creek trailhead parking lot, at N 34 27.881, W 112 26.448. There is
a 2 dollar forest service fee there. Then put on your hiking boots and
walk just over a mile up the 307 trail, with about 500 feet of elevation
gain, to a thermometer in the middle of nowhere.
What is a thermometer doing HERE, of all places? Beats me. I didn't place
it here, but it's been here for over 10 years. I first noticed it after
relieving myself in the early 1990's, long before geocaching started, just
north of the the trail. As I walked back, the white color of the
instrument caught my eye. It is located on the back side of a tree within
10 feet of the trail.
I'm sure at least a few other people have spotted this thermometer, but no
one has removed it during the 11 years or so I've known of its existence;
and for all I know, it may have been there for years before the early
1990's. It is NOT in a wilderness area, just a regular National forest
area, so it doesn't violate any wilderness ethics. The numbers showing 50,
60, 70, 80 degrees have definitely faded with time, but are still readable.
You will need to look at 2 words on the thermometer. At the top there is
one word (probably brand name); write that down. In the lower left, below
minus 60 degrees (doubt it ever gets anywhere near that cold here), is a
word followed by 3 initials (probably the company name); write that down.
This item in the lower left is faded and a bit hard to read, so I will
accept reasonable fascimiles of what it says. The word on top is still
very clear, however.
To get credit for this virtual cache, you will need to email me (Mike) with
the word at the top, and the word plus 3 initials on the lower left of the
thermometer. Make sure you do NOT post your answers here, even if encrypted.
Then, note the temperature reading on the thermometer, and please DO post
that with your log, along with the time of day. It will be interesting to
see how the readings vary with whether its early morning or afternoon,
whether its rained recently, and of course, the time of year. For the
record, it read 73 degrees at 5 PM on 5/25/2003.
When you get to the listed coordinates, at about 6920 feet elevation, look
on the back side of a tree within 10 feet of the trail, on the north side
of the trail. This is a ponderosa pine forest, and even though the trees
aren't real tall here, GPS signals can be degraded some. If you don't find
the thermometer right away, search in a 40-foot radius. The trail isn't
too high-traffic, but in case a group of hikers or horseback riders comes
by when you are at the thermometer, be discrete and try not to draw
attention to it until they pass. As with a physical cache container, we
don't want those who don't currently know about the thermometer to know of
its existence, and possibly decide to remove it.
If you feel so inclined, and have the time, continue on up the trail to the
summit of Spruce Mtn. This will be a 6 mile roundtrip hike, with 1400 feet
of elevation gain total. Or, if you're really ambitious, do the full 9
mile loop hike clockwise. If you haven't been to the <B>Spruce "Wild
Goose" Cache</B> yet, that cache awaits you near the summit, just 1.5 miles
from here! So, score 2 caches on this hike, not just this one!
Have fun contributing to the climatic records for Arizona!
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HINT:
Some shrubbery guards the approach to the back side of the tree; it's not
very open there. However, I have yet to wear long pants on this trail.
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Mike
Team Malthusian
Brian wrote:
>
>Message: 1
>Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 21:38:14 -0700
>From: Brian Cluff <brian@Snaptek.com>
>To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
>Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] Thermometer Virtual Cache rejected :(
>Reply-To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
>
>Mike Schwarz wrote:
>> The cache is now in an archived state, and I believe it will
>> be viewable IF you are logged in to geocaching.com, at this URL:
>>
>> http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=71199
>
>> N 34 27.750 W 112 25.526
>
>Looks like it won't let anyone but you view the cache, even if you are
>logged in. I was going to add it to the list of archived caches, so
>that people could get credit for logging it.
>Oh well.. It seemed interesting to me.
>
>Brian Cluff
>Team Snaptek
>
>
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