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Washington's Highest Caches


Moun10Bike

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I don't see Goats 'R us on the list. It had been disabled for the winter, so I guess it was reenabled after the list was generated. This might actually be happening to other caches too.

 

If a highest cache challenge is created, the list should include caches temporarily disabled for the season - or just be generated late enough in the season for all those caches to be active again.

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You've DNF'd Ellinor... TWICE?! :o

 

The third time's the (dnf) charm, Bullmoose... Although if you wait a little longer, your daughter will be able to find it for you.

 

michelle

 

Well, once was in a pretty heavy snow, so I have an excuse for that one. Next time I go up, it's going to be just me and Chewie, and we'll take that mountain apart if we have to.

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I don't see Goats 'R us on the list. It had been disabled for the winter, so I guess it was reenabled after the list was generated. This might actually be happening to other caches too.

 

If a highest cache challenge is created, the list should include caches temporarily disabled for the season - or just be generated late enough in the season for all those caches to be active again.

 

I just checked my list and it appears that I neglected to add in temporarily disabled caches when I thought that I had done so. I'll re-run the list in a while to generate the proper list of the highest caches.

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There were only two disabled caches that made the list: "Are You Hungry?" by ravens3 (GCWNKM) and "Goats R Us" by ruck (GCMWT4).

 

This meant that two previous caches had to be dropped: "Kiser" by dentalstudent and "49 Degrees North" by wonlostdood, which slip to #101 and #102.

 

Here's the updated list:

 

 RANK	  WAYPOINT							 CACHE											ELEV (feet)
1		GCPZBX		Rainier Summit Earthcache by run4cache								  14196.9
2		GC8D7C		Mt. Adams View by Garytlove											 12245.6
3		GC1192		Banana Slugs & High Places by bigkid, The Diepenbrocks				  10075.6
4		GCA69		 Top o' the field by cache cow										   10071.6
5		GCX7TH		Chopaka Mtn by The Quicksters											7877.2
6		GCXZAF		Aix & Pains by Og's outfit											   7619.8
7		GCGK6Y		DEW Line by Barnabirdy(s)												7415.9
8		GCCF4		 12 Birds at the Dome by Don											  7402.9
9		GCQ0Q9		Abercrombie Mtn. by halffast											 7305.9
  10		GCQ0RB		Meeko's Mountain Cache by lahontan and Meeko							 7269.0
  11		GC79AD		Butte of a View by Wilderness Guide and Mike							 7221.2
  12		GCQNRW		Hooknose Mountain by MedicOne											7176.6
  13		GCY2R3		Stormy Mountain by Patudles											  7172.3
  14		GCYXCQ		Nelson Ridge by Sgtmac1												  7135.8
  15		GCGMXH		O DARLAND by JCRAFTY adopted by Jeepinfool							   6965.5
  16		GCQ00K		Cutthroat Cache by theplugger & mtnmama2								 6862.0
  17		GCB67		 Above the Clouds by EraSeek											  6854.2
  18		GC92DC		A Beautiful View by All41												6851.5
  19		GCGQ2F		Lightnin' Bill by Barnabirdy(s)										  6833.1
  20		GC93C0		SIR5L SUMMIT by MARK/SHARON/PHILIP/RACHEL/IAN AND PEEWEE				 6824.9
  21		GCJX5H		Salmo Mountain Lookout by Lady Plott and Plott Hound					 6808.8
  22		GC92CC		Elk View by Fullcoverage												 6803.1
  23		GCGY9W		Maple Pass Loop Trail Cache by Bull Moose, Mrs. Moose, and Chewie		6795.8
  24		GCKB5G		Three Fingers Lookout by cache ahead									 6784.7
  25		GCPHB6		Big Hill Lookout Site by The Navigatorz								  6781.4
  26		GCPCVZ		Wenatchee Mountain Cache by Mr. Gadget #2								6726.5
  27		GCH3JR		Marmot Pass via the Big Quilcene Trail by Criminal					   6685.0
  28		GCK28R		McNeil Peak by Mr Trout and Garytlove									6640.0
  29		GCP6K1		Hot Brakes! Lookout! by spike the wonder dog							 6623.3
  30		GCPHBE		Junior Point Lookout Site by The Navigatorz							  6612.5
  31		GCPCVE		Naneum Point Look Out Site by Mr. Gadget #2							  6603.8
  32		GCQ8QC		Del Campo Summit by run4cache											6600.1
  33		GCWNKM		Are You Hungry? by ravens3											   6574.0
  34		GCX8EK		Skyline Ridge Cache by Team-Awesome									  6539.0
  35		GCGKHD		Round Top Mountain (TSM) by Firebuck									 6456.4
  36		GCK020		Goat Peak by Mr Trout and Garytlove									  6441.9
  37		GCC532		Altitude is Your Friend! by Water Lily								   6417.9
  38		GCMWTT		Tyler Peak by ruck													   6384.0
  39		GCJXZ3		Wolf Pack by Trout Gravy												 6374.6
  40		GCXV6A		Sourdough Gap by Third Saturday Hikers								   6362.8
  41		GCK40X		Renegade Rendezvous #05 Clover Springs by endurancenut				   6352.5
  42		GC158D		Zi Iob by dmollick													   6329.8
  43		GCGA1N		Lion Rock by Geologo													 6329.0
  44		GCKGKE		Tumac by Rentakid														6325.7
  45		GC14D8		Windy Pass Cache by KevMac											   6274.5
  46		GCGTN5		You Can See For Ever by Four Wheelin' Hillbillies						6264.6
  47		GCKDQF		Hart's Pass by The Navigatorz											6256.2
  48		GCG8CZ		Snoqualmie Mountain by dant											  6244.8
  49		GCPQCQ		Cultus Hole #1 (Wally's Cache) by ELKHUNTER8108						  6243.9
  50		GCYQDR		Lookout at Table Rock by fplmt										   6213.7
  51		GCXRN4		Snagglepuss by lakaco													6196.4
  52		GCGB3G		Uprooted by Rideabent													6186.4
  53		GCP56M		Don't Look Down by GeoRoo												6180.6
  54		GCPQ06		Table Rock Lookout by WR7X											   6174.7
  55		GCJQC1		The Howling by The Pathfinders										   6173.1
  56		GCPJFC		High with Ethel and Eileen by geospiker								  6171.2
  57		GCW4N9		Alpine Lookout by GeoRoo												 6170.1
  58		GCK63D		NW Jeepn3 Raven's Roost by kd7jov										6159.6
  59		GCQ3P6		BLT...not the sandwich by theplugger									 6150.6
  60		GCGDQF		Geocache by Waterboss by Waterboss									   6149.0
  61		GCWNM4		Buck Up! by ravens3													  6132.2
  62		GCJRCD		Eagle Nest (For My Friend Wayne) by Hazard							   6124.0
  63		GCP56J		Edge of the World by GeoRoo											  6119.5
  64		GCGMM0		K2 at Robin by mspm													  6113.0
  65		GCYJ4E		Camp F-42, Company #1213 by WR7X										 6099.6
  66		GC7969		Chinook Pass I "Sheep Lake" by Mountainhome & Ricky					  6099.2
  67		GCXGCG		High on a mountain top by KA-ZONG!									   6095.6
  68		GCGVT0		Shady Pass "De-Light" by Patudles										6074.0
  69		GC5AA3		Haney Meadows / Mt lillian by Rentakid								   6073.6
  70		GCXW2X		Maudeify Me by pkbagr													6072.4
  71		GCPMXZ		On Top of Grouse Springs Mtn. by Mr. Gadget #2						   6051.8
  72		GCPZ0E		Miners Ridge by mountainhome											 6042.7
  73		GCK77D		Mt. Townsend by Shunra (originally by bumblingbs)						6013.0
  74		GCPQ0D		Kendall Skyline Road by WR7X											 6010.3
  75		GCJV3F		Goat Lake by ruck														6003.5
  76		GCPEGJ		Noble Knob by Og's outfit												5984.4
  77		GC1773		South Baldy Stash by Moun10Bike										  5972.2
  78		GCP261		The Trail to Cougar Valley by Sgtmac1									5966.6
  79		GCMWT4		Goats R Us by ruck													   5942.8
  80		GCGF03		Tronson Ridge by Rentakid												5930.4
  81		GCG67D		Sunset Blues by Misfire & Mrs., HHooligan								5925.4
  82		GCGZXC		Tin Pan Gap Cache by run4cache										   5908.9
  83		GC82BD		Tolmie Peak by NW climber												5904.5
  84		GCQZPF		Misery by GEOCACHEFERRETS												5896.2
  85		GCQ84H		My Oh My! by the4Grays												   5887.3
  86		GCGDEN		Ode to Charlie by Jeepinfool and Cancannohand							5886.5
  87		GCGVMD		Mt. Ellinor Cache by Criminal											5867.4
  88		GCK56A		NW Jeepn 2 Moonrocks by geekgirlcarol									5852.4
  89		GCQT23		Skyline Divide by Mad Cacher											 5852.2
  90		GCY0B5		On Top of Mt Spokane TB Hotel by The Steaks							  5847.8
  91		GCYAA6		Nwjeepn.com #7, Blewett View by nwjeeper								 5847.3
  92		GCQEYF		Leg o' Mutton by hydnsek												 5845.7
  93		GCPMNZ		Barbecued Lollipop by 7scallywags										5843.8
  94		GCPMXQ		Wide Spot in The Road by Mr. Gadget #2								   5836.4
  95		GCH14X		Sheep Lake by LightningCrew (adopted by FluteFace)					   5820.7
  96		GCXPKV		A Stephen King Story by Ben's Honey									  5817.2
  97		GCM1TV		Chumstick Mountain Lookout Site by The Navigatorz						5812.9
  98		GCW4PM		Goat Rock by GeoRoo													  5811.2
  99		GCPKDA		Don't Be A Stranger by wonlostdood									   5805.0
 100		GCZ0G5		The BIG Ammo Can In The Woods by Bluesman63							  5798.1

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I like the idea of setting a goal of some total elevation, although I want to make sure it is high enough that this is truly a worthy challenge cache - i.e. a cache that involves some effort and takes you to multiple areas throughout the state.

I am leaning toward a dynamic list, but I am cautious of this for the reasons that runhills mentions - namely, that we've seen people throw out meaningless caches, often caches that don't meet the guidelines, in order to fulfill the requirements of a challenge cache. I am thinking along the lines of making any finds count, but only hides made after I posted this thread. Of course, then there's always the possibility of people teaming up to hide caches for the others to find and vice versa. Any suggestions on how to keep the noise down but permit the list to update with any legitimate caches is welcome!

There are a couple possibilities of ways to keep the noise down:

  • If one of the goals is to visit mulitple areas throughout the state, set up several regions of the state that a certain number of caches be found within (or some variation of the idea.)
  • Limit the number of placed caches that are counted.
  • Ask the hider to describe why a newly placed cache should be added to the list. (A set of criteria might need to be created.)

These all seems to be pretty onerous to administer. It seems to me that there can be some discrimination whether to include a newly placed cache or not by the keeper of that list. If there doesn't seem to be any redeaming value to the cache, then disallow it until it can be justified.

 

Questions to consider in administering the cache:

  1. How often will the list be updated? Monthly? Quarterly? Yearly?
  2. If a cache was found in a prior list but newer caches higher up have displaced it from the new list, will finding that cache still count?

Of all the challenge caches so far, to me this would be the most fun (followed by the History Challenge and the DeLorme Challenge.) I think for me to complete it as proposed so far will take a couple years though. But I have already seen ideas of places I want to visit this summer. Thank you! :o

Edited by Kiersolvd
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That beats me I've done 1 from the bookmark list. If I could afford the gas there are a few more I'd like to try for.

 

No dam* kidding... we're heading into the hills this weekend and I'm trying to decide on the auto of choice up to the point of abandonment... the burb, which will get me everywhere I need to go with ease BUT suck up tons of gas (ka-ching) or the micro-car which may not get me everywhere and I'll worry about getting stuck out in the middle of NOWHERE... but shoot, it'll be a lot cheaper to drive... ??

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That beats me I've done 1 from the bookmark list. If I could afford the gas there are a few more I'd like to try for.

 

No dam* kidding... we're heading into the hills this weekend and I'm trying to decide on the auto of choice up to the point of abandonment... the burb, which will get me everywhere I need to go with ease BUT suck up tons of gas (ka-ching) or the micro-car which may not get me everywhere and I'll worry about getting stuck out in the middle of NOWHERE... but shoot, it'll be a lot cheaper to drive... ??

Understand that. We have a Suburban that spends most of its time parked.

My caching vehicle gets 25mpg on a good day, downhill with a tail wind, or I could take the commuter car, 35mpg easily, however it has about 2 inches of clearance.

Last year we were caching on almost every weekend. This year we might be able to afford to go out once a month, maybe twice a month if I could just give up eating. :(

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There are a couple possibilities of ways to keep the noise down:

  • If one of the goals is to visit mulitple areas throughout the state, set up several regions of the state that a certain number of caches be found within (or some variation of the idea.)
  • Limit the number of placed caches that are counted.
  • Ask the hider to describe why a newly placed cache should be added to the list. (A set of criteria might need to be created.)

These all seems to be pretty onerous to administer. It seems to me that there can be some discrimination whether to include a newly placed cache or not by the keeper of that list. If there doesn't seem to be any redeaming value to the cache, then disallow it until it can be justified.

 

Those do seem pretty onerous and I think could create problems with subjectivity, etc. I've been toying with an idea of runhills' to require X number of caches in the top 10, Y number of caches in the top 25, etc., but those are just thoughts. I'm also leaning toward not allowing hides made after 5/1/07 count unless prior discussion has occurred between the hider and me and the thumbs up has been given. That could still be pretty onerous.

 

Questions to consider in administering the cache:

  • How often will the list be updated? Monthly? Quarterly? Yearly?

 

I'd plan on updating at least weekly (as my Pocket Queries come in) and more frequently as needed when informed of new or archived caches changing the list.

 

  • If a cache was found in a prior list but newer caches higher up have displaced it from the new list, will finding that cache still count?

 

No. Only by having X* number of caches found/hidden in the list at the time of informing me of completion can a cacher be given the coordinates for the final. I see this as a good way of encouraging people to go for the higher caches.

 

*Note that I still haven't determined what a reasonable number of finds/hides from the list would make for a good challenge. Still looking for feedback on this.

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More to ponder, sorry Jon!

 

Personally I like the idea of the top 100 because that seems like a goal that I could achieve but not all can. So the reason for this post is to ponder ways to provide a challenge to those that are not up to my aspirations.

 

What if multiple caches (levels if you will) were created? More thought is in work but I will toss this out for others to comment. To log the first cache (level) one would have to find a percentage of those caches above 5000 feet. To log the second one would have to find a pecentage above 6000 feet and to log the third a percentage of those above 7000 feet. For any completion, the finds must still be active at the time of completion but the lists could be dynamic as the elevated hides grown in number. People going to altitude will leave new hides. But if more hides are dropped, then one would need to find more to meet the percentage. This might police the lame micro hides.

 

In the current list, there are 15 hides above 7000 feet; some can be driven to within striking distance in the family auto. I would establish the percentage based on the number for the 7000 level such that some will require hiking but yet one would not have to climb Rainier to log the 7000 level. This should provide a challenge to anybody yet keeping book minimal. If there is community acceptance, I will do some further research.

 

Having a climbing background; saying that I have climbed everything above 9000 feet in the state means something to the non-climbing community. Saying I have climbed 25 percent of those above 5000 feet has little meaning.

 

For now, what on the top 100 is not still snowed it?

Edited by runhills
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Given that the current #100 cache sits at 5798 feet, I was curious where new caches that would bump it off the list might have a chance of being placed. I fiddled with the data and here's what I found:

 

washingtonshighestcacheos7.th.jpg

Huh, the Olympics aren't as high as they look from here. :anitongue:

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Given that the current #100 cache sits at 5798 feet, I was curious where new caches that would bump it off the list might have a chance of being placed. I fiddled with the data and here's what I found:

 

washingtonshighestcacheos7.th.jpg

Huh, the Olympics aren't as high as they look from here. :anitongue:

 

It looks like all the red areas in Jon's data fall outside the National Parks. Mt Olympus is just under 8000 feet and surrounded by peaks above 5798 but they are in the National Park which makes them off-limits for physical hides and virtuals are no longer allowed.

 

Really interesting mapping, thanks for sharing.

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All those dirt roads and knocking the muffler around on my car has paid off to some extent it looks like, cause I have found 18 and hid 2 of the highest caches. Looks like a fun challenge. If it doesn't get to difficult I might give it a try. Thanks for coming up with another challenge.

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Thanks Jon for the new challenge idea. After doing the WDC I kinda got burned out on geocaching, so this would be a great way to jump back into the fray and renew my interest. Hiking cache would be awesome! I see 4 of my hides and not sure on finds. Maybe 5-6.

 

I didn't realize how many high caches there are in our state. I'd say many above 6,000 ft. are only going to be accessable for a limited time this year. The percentage levels might be more fair to the ones that don't hike. Is this going to be a drive to cache or hiking cache? Get er done!....I'm ready to go.

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If you are interested in this challenge and following this thread, would you mind posting the number of finds and hides you have out of this list? It will help me decide what the target number of required caches should be in the challenge.

 

I have currently found or hidden 11 of the caches on the top 100 list.

1 for me... it's a start :laughing:

 

Ummm 3 :laughing: . I guess it helps to drvie to the top of the pass instead of starting close to sea level.

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That beats me I've done 1 from the bookmark list. If I could afford the gas there are a few more I'd like to try for.

 

No dam* kidding... we're heading into the hills this weekend and I'm trying to decide on the auto of choice up to the point of abandonment... the burb, which will get me everywhere I need to go with ease BUT suck up tons of gas (ka-ching) or the micro-car which may not get me everywhere and I'll worry about getting stuck out in the middle of NOWHERE... but shoot, it'll be a lot cheaper to drive... ??

 

I hear that.. I've got an old beater Manual Mazda (Ford) Escort Wagon. I don't know how many times I've bottomed it out on mountain roads, but it keeps on running and gets 38MPG on the freeway.

 

On the other hand I've got an old beater jeep that will get me to any trail head with ease and can carry the jogging stroller without my having to take the front wheel off but it only gets 20MPG.

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Moun10bike,

 

Any chance you could run this same query for Oregon? Or at least steer me in the right direction?

 

Thanks.

 

I don't run queries for all of Oregon, so I am unable to generate the data needed. What you need to do is to load up DEM data for the state (available for free at seamless.usgs.gov) along with the Oregon caches in your favorite GIS software. You can then export the caches with elevations taken from the DEM. I start with 30 meter DEM data as it is a fraction of the size of the more familiar 10 meter data, but you of course lose some resolution. For this reason I have been sorting the results and taking the top 250 caches, then loading up 10 meter data for those areas and repeating the process with the higher resolution mesh and taking the top 100 from those 250. That is seeming to work well in limiting the amount of data you have to handle at the outset while not accidentally missing a cache that falls in the top 100.

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Ok, I'm ready for a Highest Caches cache, Moun10Bike. :D:D

 

I've pretty much abandoned the idea. I think that there is just too much overlap with Navigatorz's Lookout Challenge. I told this to Mike and he replied that only 28 (out of 100) of the caches are the same, but that seems to be way too many to me. More importantly, however, is that they are so similar in terms of spirit and intent - getting people up into the mountains.

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Ok, I'm ready for a Highest Caches cache, Moun10Bike. :D:D

 

I've pretty much abandoned the idea. I think that there is just too much overlap with Navigatorz's Lookout Challenge. I told this to Mike and he replied that only 28 (out of 100) of the caches are the same, but that seems to be way too many to me. More importantly, however, is that they are so similar in terms of spirit and intent - getting people up into the mountains.

Bummer, although 28 caches does sound like too much overlap (we already have that with the DeLorme and County challenges). Thanks for considering it, though!

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There were only two disabled caches that made the list: "Are You Hungry?" by ravens3 (GCWNKM) and "Goats R Us" by ruck (GCMWT4).

 

This meant that two previous caches had to be dropped: "Kiser" by dentalstudent and "49 Degrees North" by wonlostdood, which slip to #101 and #102.

 

 

Well, I guess I need to go hide another one - just a little higher. I need the satisfaction of getting in the top 100 list!

 

:o

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Ok, I'm ready for a Highest Caches cache, Moun10Bike. :huh::angry:

 

I've pretty much abandoned the idea. I think that there is just too much overlap with Navigatorz's Lookout Challenge. I told this to Mike and he replied that only 28 (out of 100) of the caches are the same, but that seems to be way too many to me. More importantly, however, is that they are so similar in terms of spirit and intent - getting people up into the mountains.

Well, that's disapointing. :unsure: I don't think that they overlap that much, and this was the one challenge out of all of them that I thought that I might have a chance of actually finishing. :huh: It's my second favorite next to the history challenge, which I cannot do.

 

You know from all the responses in this thread that people would love to have this challenge in place.

 

Any way of changing your mind? :rolleyes::huh::(

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You know from all the responses in this thread that people would love to have this challenge in place.

 

Any way of changing your mind? :signalviolin::drama::mmraspberry:

 

A lot of the responses came before the Lookout Challenge cache posted, though. I would certainly reconsider if people wanted to see both, but I've gotten the impression that people are getting burned out on challenge caches.

 

I wish we could do polls in these forums. Do people still want to see a Highest Challenge?

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I may be an outsider from across the country, but hopefully my completion of 20 Washington DeLorme grids, 13 Washington counties and four of the highest 100 Washington caches gives me an admission ticket to this thread.

 

I say, the more challenges the better. Nobody has to complete all of them. The Highest 100 caches challenge would give folks an opportunity to complete a challenge because some of the other challenges are beyond their physical capabilities (but not their will and desire for fun).

 

Here in Pennsylvania I am the co-owner of our DeLorme Challenge and All Counties Challenge. We established a rule saying that you could not use the same cache to qualify for both challenges. What if you did the same thing, and said that if you used a high-altitude cache for the fire lookout challenge, you'd have to choose a different one for the highest caches challenge? This way, each challenge requires different new experiences and opportunities to have fun.

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[A lot of the responses came before the Lookout Challenge cache posted, though. I would certainly reconsider if people wanted to see both, but I've gotten the impression that people are getting burned out on challenge caches.

 

I wish we could do polls in these forums. Do people still want to see a Highest Challenge?

 

I was looking forward to this challenge. I doubt that I will complete either for a couple years but this is the one I would have actively worked on.

 

As far as challenges go, some I will actively work on and others I probably won't. Like looking for caches, some seem interesting while others I'll pass by.

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Yes, I would do them both. I also was looking forward to doing this challenge. If the caches overlap somewhat it won't matter to me. I don't think it will make that much of a difference. Both of these challenges will be more long term challenges for me than the DeLorme was. Hope you go for it! <_<

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I think both challenges (Highest Elevation and Lookouts) could co-exist and not diminish the challenge of either.

 

There are actually 31 caches common to both challenges. Here is a breakdown showing the location of the common caches, using the areas defined in the lookout challenge.

 

Area 1: 0 caches

Area 2: 3 caches

Area 3: 7 caches

Area 4: 0 caches

Area 5: 8 caches

Area 6: 0 caches

Area 7: 3 caches

Area 8: 7 caches

Area 9: 3 caches

 

As you can see, three of the areas (1, 4 and 6) have no caches in common to both challenges. So, if someone participated in both challenges, and could get to and find "all" 31 of the common caches, only 3 of the 9 areas of the lookout challenge would be complete, and one would still need to find 19 more lookout caches (to get the 50 required for the lookout challenge). Personally I know I won't be getting to all 31 common caches, as some require mountain climbing skills, such as those on Mt. Adams and Rainier. So my guess is that on average a geocacher might get to only 15-20 of the common caches, leaving 30-35 un-common caches to find in each challenge (if the goal of the Highest Challenge is also to find 50 caches). That's still a challenge!!

 

So I would like to see a Highest Elevation Cache Challenge. Besides, I can log a find on the Highest challenge when I finish it (I won't be able to for the Lookout Challenge since its mine). <_<

Edited by The Navigatorz
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