One of the Sickest Caches in North America, With a Big Cash Prize!

[+El Diablo]

Wish I was in the area. I know how to get it off of there and back up with out using any costly equipment. The biggest challenge I would have is getting to the pillar it's self.

 

El Diablo

[namiboy]

Perhaps I should rephrase my position on the subject.

 

Note the 'edit' portion of my post for starters, where I indicate it's the anticlimax, not the cache or the prize I'm referring to.

 

That said... I think namiboy said it the simplest:

"big cash prize"+"$100"=does not compute.

 

Basically... it's not the fact that it's 100 (or 160) dollars as the FTF prize that I find unfitting here. It's the fact that the cache keeps reiterating that there's a BIG PRIZE!!!1!11!!!one!!1! for the FTF. The FTF prize of a hundred bucks just doesn't come close to living up to the hype that is being built up around it.

 

So in retrospect... it's the overhype of the FTF prize that's unfitting of the cache... not the prize itself. As stated earlier... given the chance and means to go for this cache, I would regardless of a prize or not. It's rare that I even take anything from a cache to begin with. What I like best about geocaching is the journey and the act of finding than the contents of the cache itself. The only problem with this cache is the overhype of the FTF prize. It just seems quite unusual for someone who stated that they got three different crews to work on multiple occasions for this cache to keep saying that 100 is a large number.

Yes, I agree that in the world of high finance or corporate contests, $100 or $160 is not much money. Howerver, in the world of geo swag and geo prizes, which at best is usually exemplified by dollar store items and more often is dominated by broken toys from McDonalds, a prize or swag item of that size is indeed large, in my view. And most of the local cachers in this region seem to agree.

 

BTW, not sure what you are talking about regarding the web page: nowhere on the cache listing page does it use the terms "Big prize" or "large prize" or "big cash prize". To my memory, the only place where I employed this terminology was in the subtitle of this thread. However, as I noted above, the reality is that in the geo world, such amounts actually are large prizes.

 

i guess i should clarify: when i saw the original post saying "big cash prize" i thought i was gonna see something like at least a grrr or more. that's all i was saying. if i wasn't so new at this, and far from where it is, i too would try for this just for the hunt.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Wish I was in the area. I know how to get it off of there and back up with out using any costly equipment. The biggest challenge I would have is getting to the pillar it's self.

 

El Diablo

Gee, I wish you lived nearer, or at least had some good excuses (beyond the cache) to come out here! I would love to see you go for this! (After all, the reason I placed it was for the fun of hearing the adventure tales of the seekers, or maybe even getting to watch their attempts in person!)

 

Oh, and I would be happy to loan you my inflatable 2-person kayak plus two good anchors (and anchor line) for the trip out to the pylon. You launch the boat at a convenient spot about 600 feet upstream, and paddle with the current out to the center of the river just in time to intercept the pylon. . .

[+El Diablo]

Wish I was in the area. I know how to get it off of there and back up with out using any costly equipment. The biggest challenge I would have is getting to the pillar it's self.

 

El Diablo

Gee, I wish you lived nearer, or at least had some good excuses (beyond the cache) to come out here! I would love to see you go for this! (After all, the reason I placed it was for the fun of hearing the adventure tales of the seekers, or maybe even getting to watch their attempts in person!)

 

Oh, and I would be happy to loan you my inflatable 2-person kayak plus two good anchors (and anchor line) for the trip out to the pylon. You launch the boat at a convenient spot about 600 feet upstream, and paddle with the current out to the center of the river just in time to intercept the pylon. . .

 

You want me to post how to do it?

 

El Diablo

Edited September 14, 2006 by El Diablo

[+El Diablo]

If I can team up with a local, or anyone else that wants to do this cache and tell them how to accomplish the task, can I share in the find?

 

El Diablo

[+disenchanted]

This cache page reminds me of an eBay auction with all the repetetive hype. Please consider editing it. It was a chore to got all the way through it.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Wish I was in the area. I know how to get it off of there and back up with out using any costly equipment. The biggest challenge I would have is getting to the pillar it's self.

 

El Diablo

Gee, I wish you lived nearer, or at least had some good excuses (beyond the cache) to come out here! I would love to see you go for this! (After all, the reason I placed it was for the fun of hearing the adventure tales of the seekers, or maybe even getting to watch their attempts in person!)

 

Oh, and I would be happy to loan you my inflatable 2-person kayak plus two good anchors (and anchor line) for the trip out to the pylon. You launch the boat at a convenient spot about 600 feet upstream, and paddle with the current out to the center of the river just in time to intercept the pylon. . .

 

You want me to post how to do it?

 

El Diablo

Well, that is entirely up to you whether you wish to share the method in a public medium such as this forum. However, if you wish to send me a private email (my email address is on my profile page), I will tell you wtether it seems doable to me from my perspective! And, I am assuming that you are referring to a method other than one of the 13 methods already outlined on the cache listing page under "options".

 

This is fun! Thanks!

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

If I can team up with a local, or anyone else that wants to do this cache and tell them how to accomplish the task, can I share in the find?

 

El Diablo

Well, first, you are more than welcome to team up with anyone to do this, from my point of view! I just hope you have much fun doing this!

 

As for sharing the FTF prizes with someone else, such as a team member who shared the FTF with you, that would be entirely for you to work out with that particular person. My FTF offer (and 2TF offer as well) make clear that the FTF prizes (and the 2TF prize) can only be awarded once, to one "individual", but yes, of course, if you and another cacher or cachers do manage to be FTF, you are welcome to shoose to share and split the FTF prizes among yourselves however you wish! You may just, of course, want to be sure that you make any such arrangements with those persons before tackling the cache. Usually, in my experience, jsut spelling out the details for sharing in an email (between each of you), followed by a verbal agrement or handshake as well, is usually suffficient (and you are welcome to cc me or anyone else you wish on such an email of agreement), but then again, I am a trusting kind of guy -- I have never had problems in this area with other people!

 

Oh, by the way: most of our local cachers, particularly the Team Psycho members, do NOT ever venture onto the national forums, and therefore, you have a few options for making sure that local MD/VA/WVA/PA cachers know of your offer, via any or all of the methods listed as follows:

• If you wish, I will be happy to re-post a note from you about your offer to my Psycho Cache email list group at Yahoo Groups; many of the local cachers who are into extreme caches belong to that group!
  
• You are welcome to post a note yourself on one of the PUC 13 threads on the Maryland Geocaching Society (MGS, at www.mdgps.org) website.
  
• You are welcome to join my Psycho Cache list group and post a message yourself to local MD/VA/WVA/PA extreme cachers with your offer(s)! Home page for list group at Yahoo Groups: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/psychocache/ or to join by email, send a note to: psychocache@yahoogroups.com (please be sure to mention your interest in the psycho caches so I can distinguish your membership applcation from that of robot spammers!)
  

I wish you much fun in this adventure! It would be a sheer joy for me to award those FTF prizes -- including the cash prize -- to a finder soon!

[+Fergus]

If I can team up with a local, or anyone else that wants to do this cache and tell them how to accomplish the task, can I share in the find?

 

El Diablo

PM sent. I am willing to make the climb, I just do not have enough climbing gear to make the climb.

[+sbell111]

I climbed it this morning, but the log was soaked so I couldn't sign. Can I still log my find on the page? By the way, you need to make a maintenance visit.

 

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I climbed it this morning, but the log was soaked so I couldn't sign. Can I still log my find on the page? By the way, you need to make a maintenance visit.

 

[+El Diablo]

If I can team up with a local, or anyone else that wants to do this cache and tell them how to accomplish the task, can I share in the find?

 

El Diablo

PM sent. I am willing to make the climb, I just do not have enough climbing gear to make the climb.

 

There is no need to climb. No need for RC aircraft, or real aircraft. All you need are a few simple items along with a boat.

 

I do have one question though.....if this cache hits the water will it float?

 

El Diablo

[+WyattEarp]

If I can team up with a local, or anyone else that wants to do this cache and tell them how to accomplish the task, can I share in the find?

 

El Diablo

PM sent. I am willing to make the climb, I just do not have enough climbing gear to make the climb.

 

There is no need to climb. No need for RC aircraft, or real aircraft. All you need are a few simple items along with a boat.

 

I do have one question though.....if this cache hits the water will it float?

 

El Diablo

 

I don't think it will with those weights attached. They are there to keep the cache from blowing off the pylon.

[+El Diablo]

Anyone know how deep that water is there?

 

El Diablo

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Anyone know how deep that water is there?

 

El Diablo

It largely depends on recent rainfall, but, speaking for the past week or two, near the shore it is knee-high to waist-high, then it quickly gets far deeper out near the middle (near the center pylon, for example), and it is likely that the water is about 10 to 18 feet deep there. Form having swum several two-way trips to pylons and back in that river in the past two weeks, I can also tell you that the current is quite strong!

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

If I can team up with a local, or anyone else that wants to do this cache and tell them how to accomplish the task, can I share in the find?

 

El Diablo

PM sent. I am willing to make the climb, I just do not have enough climbing gear to make the climb.

 

There is no need to climb. No need for RC aircraft, or real aircraft. All you need are a few simple items along with a boat.

 

I do have one question though.....if this cache hits the water will it float?

 

El Diablo

No. If the cache and its attached weights were to hit the water, it would sink and be immediately lost; the assembly weighs 26 ounces. Any such loss or damage to the cache would also not be welcomed.

[+El Diablo]

[

No. If the cache and its attached weights were to hit the water, it would sink and be immediately lost; the assembly weighs 26 ounces. Any such loss or damage to the cache would also not be welcomed.

 

Well I wouldn't intentionally drop it, but since there is probably no way of standing on top of the pylon and logging it, and given the scenarios that you offered, it's a distinct possibillity that someone may drop it over open water.

 

While we are at it...what is on top of that pylon? Brush, debris...etc. Or is it clear?

 

El Diablo

[+El Diablo]

Anyone know how deep that water is there?

 

El Diablo

It largely depends on recent rainfall, but, speaking for the past week or two, near the shore it is knee-high to waist-high, then it quickly gets far deeper out near the middle (near the center pylon, for example), and it is likely that the water is about 10 to 18 feet deep there. Form having swum several two-way trips to pylons and back in that river in the past two weeks, I can also tell you that the current is quite strong!

 

Is there a base at the bottom of the pylon to stand on?

 

El Diablo

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Anyone know how deep that water is there?

 

El Diablo

It largely depends on recent rainfall, but, speaking for the past week or two, near the shore it is knee-high to waist-high, then it quickly gets far deeper out near the middle (near the center pylon, for example), and it is likely that the water is about 10 to 18 feet deep there. Form having swum several two-way trips to pylons and back in that river in the past two weeks, I can also tell you that the current is quite strong!

 

Is there a base at the bottom of the pylon to stand on?

 

El Diablo

 

It looks like one side is stair-stepped. The builders had to have a way to get up, maybe steel spikes for climbing or even a ladder, Google Earth won't get in close enough to tell.

 

Is there a ladder inside the pillar maybe?

 

I wish I were able to go!

 

Ed

Edited September 14, 2006 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+Blue Power Ranger]

While we are at it...what is on top of that pylon? Brush, debris...etc. Or is it clear?

 

Diablo,

 

I believe we may have the same idea for getting this thing down.

 

My concern is with how to put it back.

 

-BPR

Edited September 14, 2006 by Blue Power Ranger

[+Jamie Z]

This cache looks awfully exciting. In fact, I have one somewhat similar, although quite a bit lower and not in such a precarious place.

 

That said, as I began to read the cache page, and read, and read... I gave up. Too much. I don't think you need to tell people it's dangerous. Not more than once anyway. And I don't need to be told how great it is over and over. I'm a big boy and can make up my own mind.

 

If I were seriously in the market to find the cache, I might end up reading the whole thing, but I just can't imagine what you're saying that I need to know.

 

I'm not a fan of geocaching cash prizes... The cache would have been just as good without it. And with a shorter cache page.

 

Looks like a fun trip!

 

Jamie

[+El Diablo]

While we are at it...what is on top of that pylon? Brush, debris...etc. Or is it clear?

 

Diablo,

 

I believe we may have the same idea for getting this thing down.

 

My concern is with how to put it back.

 

-BPR

 

If you have the same idea is I do...it will go back the same way it came down.

 

El Diablo

[+Blue Power Ranger]

If you have the same idea is I do...it will go back the same way it came down.

 

You plan to reverse gravity? Maybe we don't then.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Anyone know how deep that water is there?

 

El Diablo

It largely depends on recent rainfall, but, speaking for the past week or two, near the shore it is knee-high to waist-high, then it quickly gets far deeper out near the middle (near the center pylon, for example), and it is likely that the water is about 10 to 18 feet deep there. Form having swum several two-way trips to pylons and back in that river in the past two weeks, I can also tell you that the current is quite strong!

 

Is there a base at the bottom of the pylon to stand on?

 

El Diablo

 

It looks like one side is stair-stepped. The builders had to have a way to get up, maybe steel spikes for climbing or even a ladder, Google Earth won't get in close enough to tell.

 

Is there a ladder inside the pillar maybe?

 

I wish I were able to go!

 

Ed

Ed, let me try to supply as much information about the pillar as is possible. There are no stairs or climbing nooks obvious from close inspection of the four exterior walls of the pylon. That thing that looks like a giant step at the halfway mark from water level to plateau on all sides (seems most prominent on one side, though) is a sloping shoulder caused by the fact that the pylon's dimensions become smaller at that point, so it leaves a bit of a shoulder there. And no, unfortunately, none of these pylons have interior or exterior stairwells or access tubes/holes!

 

If you should decide to come up to try for it, I will be happy to extend as much help to you as possible, and also give you an introduction to all the local extreme cachers, such as the members of Team Psycho!

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Anyone know how deep that water is there?

 

El Diablo

It largely depends on recent rainfall, but, speaking for the past week or two, near the shore it is knee-high to waist-high, then it quickly gets far deeper out near the middle (near the center pylon, for example), and it is likely that the water is about 10 to 18 feet deep there. Form having swum several two-way trips to pylons and back in that river in the past two weeks, I can also tell you that the current is quite strong!

 

Is there a base at the bottom of the pylon to stand on?

 

El Diablo

No, not really, although there may be some broken cut stone blocks near the base at a few spots, but these are usually rare. At a few spots on a couple of sides of the pylon at its base, there are some medium-sized and small trees growing, as well as a bit of debris and some weed-like plants. The aerial photos kinda show these features if you look closely.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

 

Ed, let me try to supply as much information about the pillar as is possible. There are no stairs or climbing nooks obvious from close inspection of the four exterior walls of the pylon. That thing that looks like a giant step at the halfway mark from water level to plateau on all sides (seems most prominent on one side, though) is a sloping shoulder caused by the fact that the pylon's dimensions become smaller at that point, so it leaves a bit of a shoulder there. And no, unfortunately, none of these pylons have interior or exterior stairwells or access tubes/holes!

 

If you should decide to come up to try for it, I will be happy to extend as much help to you as possible, and also give you an introduction to all the local extreme cachers, such as the members of Team Psycho!

 

Man, you don't know how tempting that great offer is! Thanks!

 

I am saving my pennies to host what will be an expensive event or I would try to put together a team effort!

 

What I think we should do is one of us log it every day!

 

Vinny will have to climb up there every day to check the log to make sure we didn't sign it.

 

After a week of this he'll move it to an easier place!

 

Ed

Edited September 14, 2006 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

 

Ed, let me try to supply as much information about the pillar as is possible. There are no stairs or climbing nooks obvious from close inspection of the four exterior walls of the pylon. That thing that looks like a giant step at the halfway mark from water level to plateau on all sides (seems most prominent on one side, though) is a sloping shoulder caused by the fact that the pylon's dimensions become smaller at that point, so it leaves a bit of a shoulder there. And no, unfortunately, none of these pylons have interior or exterior stairwells or access tubes/holes!

 

If you should decide to come up to try for it, I will be happy to extend as much help to you as possible, and also give you an introduction to all the local extreme cachers, such as the members of Team Psycho!

 

Man, you don't know how tempting that great offer is! Thanks!

 

I am saving my pennies to host what will be an expensive event or I would try to put together a team effort!

 

What I think we should do is one of us log it every day!

 

Vinny will have to climb up there every day to check the log to make sure we didn't sign it.

 

After a week of this he'll move it to an easier place!

 

Ed

Ed, if you do get up this way, and if I were to introduce you beforehand to some members of Team Psycho, I am sure that some of them would be willing to team with you to tackle this! And, I will be happy to take you out to dinner!

 

Oh.... and airfare is mighty cheap right now!

 

And, as far as your mention of my having climbed up there... It is true that I have been up there (more than once, actually), once to scout it out, once to place the cache, and also again to check on it, among other visits, but... you seem to have assumed that I climbed up there. To give you a bit of a hint that such may not have been the case... it is a 55 minute drive from my home to the NPS parking lot nearest the pylon in the river. On the day that I placed the cache (Friday of last week), I made two trips to the tops of the pylons, each about four hours apart. For the latter (i.e., second) trip to the top of the pylons, which is the one which resulted in my successfully placing the cache in its hide spot atop the center pylon, I left home at 6:35 PM for my trip, placed the cache on the center of the plateau at 7:43 PM (after sunset), adjusted its position a bit a few minutes later, then spent some time studying the pylon in the rapidly fading light, and was back home before 9:00 PM. Would that have given me time to drive from my home to the parking lot, walk to the river with lots of gear, boat or swim out to the pylon, climb the pylon, place the cache, descend the pylon, return to shore, hike back to the car, and then drive home?

[+LadeBear68]

Do you have pictures of you placing the cache?

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Do you have pictures of you placing the cache?

No, I do not, although I have pics of the cache and its attached weights after it was placed. While I had at least one partner (a highly-trained technical specialist, and a different one on each journey to the plataus) with me at my side during both of my visits that day, and while we had a very competent and highly-trained support team of technical specialists back on the ground who had helped tremendously in supporting and planning the mission (and who were thrilled when we returned safely, having accomplished the mission), each was either waaay too busy or too far away to be able to take any meaningful pictures at that time (plus, it was after sunset, in very dim lighting conditions.) I am not understating the case at all when I say that the actual plateau phase (atop the pylon, after sundown) of the successful placement attempt was extremely dangerous, and during that attempt (as well as during the earlier attempt four hours previously) there was very great danger of near-instant major injury or death, and most of the success of the second attempt is due to great equipment, incredible tecnhical support from my partners/support people, and incredible coordination and timing. I am not exaggerating one whit when I say that if my support partner had tried to pause to take a picture of me, we would have been dead within three seconds.

Edited September 15, 2006 by Vinny & Sue Team

[+Confucius' Cat]

I find these extreme caches very interesting.

It seems obvious to me that there is a (relatively) easy way to get there (as evidenced by OPs earlier post). Notwithstanding the hype, I suspect that the big game here is to discover the hider's methods and duplicate them. - If indeed this is not just a hoax like a lot of other "extreme" caches.

 

I vote "hoax". Wanna pay my airfare to witness your ascent to the top and report back to the community along with pictures and certification? I won't be "too busy" to take pix.

 

Oh, but that would reveal your "secret" wouldn't it? I guess that would be a "lose/lose" situation. If it is a hoax, you lose. If it is real, you reveal how to do it. lose/lose.

 

If I lived nearby, I would love to witness and document attempts - either way it turns out.

 

(Don't get me wrong, if it IS a hoax, that is cool. I love a well executed hoax! )

Edited September 15, 2006 by Confucius' Cat

[+El Diablo]

I vote "hoax". Wanna pay my airfare to witness your ascent to the top and report back to the community along with pictures and certification? I won't be "too busy" to take pix.

 

Oh, but that would reveal your "secret" wouldn't it? I guess that would be a "lose/lose" situation. If it is a hoax, you lose. If it is real, you reveal how to do it. lose/lose.

 

 

 

It's not a hoax. The cache is there. Also I know how he placed it. The cache will be logged shortly in a lot easier way than it was placed.

 

El Diablo

[+WyattEarp]

I vote "hoax". Wanna pay my airfare to witness your ascent to the top and report back to the community along with pictures and certification? I won't be "too busy" to take pix.

 

Oh, but that would reveal your "secret" wouldn't it? I guess that would be a "lose/lose" situation. If it is a hoax, you lose. If it is real, you reveal how to do it. lose/lose.

 

 

 

It's not a hoax. The cache is there. Also I know how he placed it. The cache will be logged shortly in a lot easier way than it was placed.

 

El Diablo

 

Well, it's obvious from his hints how HE did it. It's so obvious I won't even mention it. The real questions is can anybody else do it? Either his way or some other way.

 

Vinny, can someone place anchors in the side of the pylons? Either driven in or via wedges or cams?

[+CheshireFrog]

It's not a hoax. The cache is there. Also I know how he placed it. The cache will be logged shortly in a lot easier way than it was placed.

 

Well, I wasn't sure before, but El Diablo's posts have made it obvious.

 

Vinnie shot himself out of a cannon and landed directly on top of the pylon. The "technicians" he's talking about were obviously members of the 110th field artillery of the Maryland Army National Guard. I dismissed this idea at first, wondering how he got down from the pylon, until I realized he's still up there. He's posting from his laptop, and he's accelerated his posting rate because he knows the batteries will go dead soon.

 

El Diablo's reference to retrieving the cache easier than it was placed can only mean that he's planning on studying under a yogi on a mountain top in Babaji, India for 30 years. Then he will simply levitate up to the top of the pylon and log the cache.

 

Vinnie's hoping El Diablo will bring a pizza with him.

[+Confucius' Cat]

Yes! Levitation!

 

I've got a better idea.

 

The Good Book says if you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can move mountains. So...

 

We will enlist a bunch of believers of various faiths to have a prayer/seance/(whatever else any other religion might call their faith expression) and by the collective force of all the consiousnesses (including the universal mind and great spirit of geocache unification), we will have the pylon remove itself to dry land, invert and we will tunnel under the now inverted pylon, sign the log and reverse the process, leaving the pylon about 200 feet from where it presently is and then post that the coordiantes were way off.

 

Come on Vinnie! PROVE it is really there! Anyone can SAY they placed a cache in some inaccessible location. Tell us who your accomplices were! Let them come on the forum and swear they saw you put it there. (sockpuppets all!)

 

HOAX!

[+MoxieMan]

I haven't attempted this one yet, GCNT03--NH Gauntlet...Let the Games Begin, but reading the logs I believe this cache would be more difficult. And the cache page is an easier read.

Edited September 15, 2006 by MoxieMan

[+El Diablo]

It's not a hoax. The cache is there. Also I know how he placed it. The cache will be logged shortly in a lot easier way than it was placed.

 

Well, I wasn't sure before, but El Diablo's posts have made it obvious.

 

Vinnie shot himself out of a cannon and landed directly on top of the pylon. The "technicians" he's talking about were obviously members of the 110th field artillery of the Maryland Army National Guard. I dismissed this idea at first, wondering how he got down from the pylon, until I realized he's still up there. He's posting from his laptop, and he's accelerated his posting rate because he knows the batteries will go dead soon.

 

El Diablo's reference to retrieving the cache easier than it was placed can only mean that he's planning on studying under a yogi on a mountain top in Babaji, India for 30 years. Then he will simply levitate up to the top of the pylon and log the cache.

 

Vinnie's hoping El Diablo will bring a pizza with him.

 

I can't believe you figured that out!

 

El Diablo

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I find these extreme caches very interesting.

It seems obvious to me that there is a (relatively) easy way to get there (as evidenced by OPs earlier post). Notwithstanding the hype, I suspect that the big game here is to discover the hider's methods and duplicate them. - If indeed this is not just a hoax like a lot of other "extreme" caches.

 

I vote "hoax". Wanna pay my airfare to witness your ascent to the top and report back to the community along with pictures and certification? I won't be "too busy" to take pix.

 

Oh, but that would reveal your "secret" wouldn't it? I guess that would be a "lose/lose" situation. If it is a hoax, you lose. If it is real, you reveal how to do it. lose/lose.

 

If I lived nearby, I would love to witness and document attempts - either way it turns out.

 

(Don't get me wrong, if it IS a hoax, that is cool. I love a well executed hoax! )

What you are talking about when wondering if this cache is a "hoax cache" is what we usually call a tall tale cache, aka a creative writing cache. And yes, there are some of them in the USA (and some number among my most favorite caches), but to my best knowledge, any such cache must be classified as a riddle/puzzle or special requirement cache rather than as a traditional cache. If you will look again at the cache listing page for PUC #13, it is classified as s simple, single-stage traditional cache, and NOT as a riddle or special requirement cache. The cache is real. Very real. And very difficult and perilous. That is entirely true and no joke. The act of placing it, and later maintenance visits as well, took very little time out of my life -- as evinced by my statements in my earlier post of a few hours ago -- but each of my several visits was rather dangerous, and in each case, we were seconds from death if a single misstep was made or if mother nature suddenly became uncooperative.

 

And, no, I have no desire to pay your airfare anywhere. I have nothing to prove to you nor to anyone else. I am quite happy with my life and also with this cache, and am simply extremely grateful that Holy Spirit and the angels gave me a chance to place this cache last week, after having wished to place a cache on this pylon for the past 15 months. If you have become convinced that the cache must be very easy to find, and if you are indeed becoming obsessed about the matter, why not come out and give it a try and show us (and yourself) how easy it is? I offer you plenty of information about the challenges involved, and plenty of hints and suggestions about the 13 methods for tackling it which have occurred to me, on the cache listing page, and I have offered even further information about the pylon and the challenge in this thread and in other threads on local forums.

 

BTW, to my best knowledge, there is no magical easy way to tackle this cache, i.e., no secret stairwell, no hidden overhead tramway offering service to the top of the pylon, no midnight rides in ummarked black helicopters offered by a secret Alien branch of the Air Force, and no secret magical method for reaching the top. The method which I used to emplace the cache (and for other visits as well) was fraught with danger, and several cache hunters who have explored using the same method in the past few days have been firmly told "NO, TOO DANGEROUS!" by the technical support specialists whom they approached for (possible) assistance, even when they offered to hire these specialists for sizeable sums of money. In fact, as my earlier posts have shown, my own first effort to place the cache failed, in that we were able to reach the tops of all three pylons, but due to equipment limitations and also skill limitations on the part of my technical support specialist, we decided to abort the mission at that time without having placed the cache. I returned four hours later with different equipment and a different technical support team (who had been fully briefed beforehand, and who promised me that we would get the job done without dying) and on that attempt I managed to successfully place the cache about 14 minutes after sundown.

 

Interestingly, our local reviewer and several other reviewers from around the country who were consulted during the review process know fully how I placed the cache, because I disclosed the method to them. And, two local extreme cachers also know how I emplaced the cache. In fact, one of them is visiting us at our home tonite, and he told me earlier tonite that he is confident that he has the resources available to find the cache in the same way in which I had placed it (and I agree with him that he does; he has many friends with special technical skills and resources in many interesting places), and he further told me that he plans to log a find on this cache in about two or three months, but first, he wants to give other seekers the chance to nab the FTF and 2TF. (Neither he nor I place any importance on FTFs, and thus we tend to leave FTFs for those people to whom they matter.) Another local extreme cacher plans to use the same method that I did in about three weeks, and I have agreed to loan him a critical piece of gear for his mission.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I vote "hoax". Wanna pay my airfare to witness your ascent to the top and report back to the community along with pictures and certification? I won't be "too busy" to take pix.

 

Oh, but that would reveal your "secret" wouldn't it? I guess that would be a "lose/lose" situation. If it is a hoax, you lose. If it is real, you reveal how to do it. lose/lose.

 

 

 

It's not a hoax. The cache is there. Also I know how he placed it. The cache will be logged shortly in a lot easier way than it was placed.

 

El Diablo

I agree! There are many ways to skin a cat, and the way in which I placed the cache is NOT the only way to reach it! Rather, it is only one of many. I simply chose the way that I did because it was incredibly quick and convenient, although it did require facing serious danger and required lots of skill and planning.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I vote "hoax". Wanna pay my airfare to witness your ascent to the top and report back to the community along with pictures and certification? I won't be "too busy" to take pix.

 

Oh, but that would reveal your "secret" wouldn't it? I guess that would be a "lose/lose" situation. If it is a hoax, you lose. If it is real, you reveal how to do it. lose/lose.

 

 

 

It's not a hoax. The cache is there. Also I know how he placed it. The cache will be logged shortly in a lot easier way than it was placed.

 

El Diablo

 

Well, it's obvious from his hints how HE did it. It's so obvious I won't even mention it. The real questions is can anybody else do it? Either his way or some other way.

 

Vinny, can someone place anchors in the side of the pylons? Either driven in or via wedges or cams?

Yes, I agree that the method I employed, while dangerous and a bit costly, is rather obvious. I have more than given away the method in this thread and elsewhere. A few local extreme cachers have already surmised the method and have had their suspicions confirmed via private communications.

 

To answer your second question, the faces of the pylon seem to be in quite good shape, meaning that the massive cut stone blocks are largely not breaking or crumbling, and the mortar in the wide seams between them does not seem to be unduly crumbling. However, I suspect that there should be just enough cracks in the mortar, and perhaps even in some of the stone blocks, to allow placing climbing protection devices such as nuts, friends or cams. And gee, someone might even wish to drive in a few pitons!

I also suspect, from close examination of many of my photos of the pylon, that there may even be a kinda large vertical jagged crack starting fairly low on the NW side, moving across and up the western face, and then wrapping to the southern face (and conveniently passing a tree growing out of the narrow shoulder on the western face at the halfway mark) and then continuing up the pylon to the 120 foot mark on the southern face.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

It's not a hoax. The cache is there. Also I know how he placed it. The cache will be logged shortly in a lot easier way than it was placed.

 

Well, I wasn't sure before, but El Diablo's posts have made it obvious.

 

Vinnie shot himself out of a cannon and landed directly on top of the pylon. The "technicians" he's talking about were obviously members of the 110th field artillery of the Maryland Army National Guard. I dismissed this idea at first, wondering how he got down from the pylon, until I realized he's still up there. He's posting from his laptop, and he's accelerated his posting rate because he knows the batteries will go dead soon.

 

El Diablo's reference to retrieving the cache easier than it was placed can only mean that he's planning on studying under a yogi on a mountain top in Babaji, India for 30 years. Then he will simply levitate up to the top of the pylon and log the cache.

 

Vinnie's hoping El Diablo will bring a pizza with him.

Sadly, you have figured out what happened. I have only a few hours of life left in my spare NiMH battery pack for the laptop, and the WiFi signal from the Shepherdstown municipal WiFi system is a bit faint up here, making my Internet connection a bit iffy. The biggest pain is sleeping in my sleeping bag on the concrete and stone plateau at night. While the bag is quite comfortable, I have several times almost rolled off the sheer edge of the tiny plateau while tossing and turning in the middle of the night. Oh, and there is a very aggressive female goose who keeps landing here and telling me that this is her nesting area; she wants me to leave. sigh!

 

El Diablo, please also bring steamed dumplings!

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I haven't attempted this one yet, GCNT03--NH Gauntlet...Let the Games Begin, but reading the logs I believe this cache would be more difficult. And the cache page is an easier read.

Thank you very much for your recomendation to check out this cache! I will check out the listing page carefully! At first glance, it does not seem quite as tough or impossible as PUC #13, but it looks like a nice solid Terrain 5 cache!

 

Oh, and that cache page for NH Gauntlet probably IS easier and faster to read! I insist -- for my extreme caches -- on warning prospective seekers of hazards and dangers, and also, for this one, sharing suggestions on how it might be tackled. That is just my preference and my style.

Edited September 15, 2006 by Vinny & Sue Team

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Harrier Jump Jet?

 

A Barge with a crane on it?

 

I figure in the time frame allowed you either lowered it down from a helicopter or lifted it with a crane.

 

If I were to make an attempt I think I would enlist the help of these guys, who I imagine would love the challenge!

 

On the other hand, riding a Bosun's Chair up on a crane would be a hoot!

 

Good luck to whoever tries!

 

Ed

Edited September 15, 2006 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+El Diablo]

El Diablo, please also bring steamed dumplings!

 

Don't push it. It's hard enough crawling up there with a pizza in the hot bag. I'm not toting no pot of dumplings up there.

 

El Diablo

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Don't push it. It's hard enough crawling up there with a pizza in the hot bag. I'm not toting no pot of dumplings up there.

 

El Diablo

Oh, and please bring me a 3-ounce cup of that great steamed dumpling dipping sauce, and a bit of hot sauce as well! And, don't you dare spill the dumpling sauce on the way up! Thank you!

 

And, I want hot pepper (spice) on my pizza! Thanks!

Edited September 15, 2006 by Vinny & Sue Team

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Harrier Jump Jet?

 

A Barge with a crane on it?

 

I figure in the time frame allowed you either lowered it down from a helicopter or lifted it with a crane.

 

If I were to make an attempt I think I would enlist the help of these guys, who I imagine would love the challenge!

 

On the other hand, riding a Bosun's Chair up on a crane would be a hoot!

 

Good luck to whoever tries!

 

Ed

Gosh, those VSTOL craft with the 3,000 horsepower swivel turbojets are NOISY!

[markandlynn]

One of the sickest ??? should of used "hardest"

As i live in the UK i wont be going over soon.

I would put on a full harness (ie not normal climbing harness) attach enough weather ballons to achieve just a small amount of lift.

Attache rope to ground .

Go to the windward side of the column gently ascend using hands to ensure i didnt get blown to far off course. (need a good weather report for this)

Reach top grab cache of course if blown a way off rely on ground crew to move accordingly.

Release some hydrogen from balloons and descend.

 

NB

Your listing is WAY too long. Has anyone posting here actually read all of it ? i havent.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

One of the sickest ??? should of used "hardest"

As i live in the UK i wont be going over soon.

I would put on a full harness (ie not normal climbing harness) attach enough weather ballons to achieve just a small amount of lift.

Attache rope to ground .

Go to the windward side of the column gently ascend using hands to ensure i didnt get blown to far off course. (need a good weather report for this)

Reach top grab cache of course if blown a way off rely on ground crew to move accordingly.

Release some hydrogen from balloons and descend.

 

NB

Your listing is WAY too long. Has anyone posting here actually read all of it ? i havent.

I am sure that your idea would work. And, while you are up there, you could even string and drop a good sturdy 11 cm top-rope for the use of future cache hunters!

[+NotThePainter]

I insist -- for my extreme caches -- on warning prospective seekers of hazards and dangers,

 

This is where you fail, sorry, you don't want to hear that but you.

 

Communication should be clear, not clouded with hyperbole. Yours is so difficult to read I'm still not sure if I missed anything and that could be truely dangerous.

 

Market the cache all you want, but don't mess with the safety stuff.

 

As for doing it? I'd rather walk into nuclear reactor than face my fear of heights on that pylon. Oh... I see, never mind...

 

Paul

[+Big Max]

You definitely have a screw loose. If I was 10 years younger and lived a little closer I would have to give some of your psycho caches a shot. No longer have the body to climb the wall nor the wallet to rent a helicopter.

[+CheshireFrog]

Your listing is WAY too long. Has anyone posting here actually read all of it ? i havent.

 

I'm surprised to hear that so often. I've read the entire listing, as I did for the rest of the PUC series some time ago. At first I thought the danger associated with these caches was overstated, thinking to myself that Tyvek suits do nothing to shield the wearer from radiation, for instance, but I quickly realized that it's a mixture of trying to warn off the park-n-grab club and just plain fun.

 

For the record, I believe there is a cache up there, and sooner or later I see myself attempting it. My work doesn't very often take me that far east, but someday...