What was YOUR first 5 by 5 star find?

[+Psychoticjesters]

I just got my first D-5/T-5 geocache today. It was a traditional and I got it on foot. This one here:GC415Q7

 

I ran into 2 other cachers along the way so I had saftey in numbers. My hands and legs are really sore, but I feel really accomplished for going out and getting it done. Anyone else have some really awesome stories about thier 5x5 star finds?

Edited November 15, 2012 by Psychoticjester

[+dprovan]

My first 5/5 was some challenge cache that called itself 5/5 under the theory that all of the caches needed to meet the requirement, taken together, added up to a maximum difficulty and terrain rating.

[+OZ2CPU]

We only found

17 D5/T?

and

37 T5/D?

and

5 D5/T5

 

a true 5/5 takes several days to prepare/solve

and from many hrs to many days to find and sign.

you need special tools, and skils to solve and to find it.

 

if you can handle a 5/5 by foot, with no special equipment

it is not a 5/5 and you should request it to be downgraded.

 

anyway my first 5/5 was this (I think)

GC33W6N

it took me a week to solve, and I needed to call in a bunch of specialists.

it took a day to find and sign, needed to hire a boat and people to navigate and sail it.

I got it as FTF, even my first FTF :-)

Edited November 14, 2012 by OZ2CPU

[+redsox_mark]

My first was GC2GAKA followed by GC2GAMT.

 

My daughter and I went in a group of 8, which included someone who had been in these quarries before, so that was reassuring. It was very exciting. The scariest part was entering the quarry (had to slither on my back through a small hole)... then another place where I was momentarily stuck in a hole and needed a push.

 

I don't think it was a physically demanding as the one you (the OP) did. Though with the level of preparation needed, special equipment, the difficulty of navigating the tunnels without getting lost etc I think 5/5 is the correct rating.

 

Another one I've done which has the tidal risk similar to yours is GC15J1D but again not as physically difficult as "WarNinjas: Mission Impossible!". It can only be done on certain days when the tide is very low.

[+Straight-Cache-Homey]

There is one near me that is a 5/5 that needs special rappelling ropes, tree climbing skills, etc. Can't imagine I'll ever get that one.

[+JL_HSTRE]

My first (and so far only) 5/5 was a multi from 2005 with quite a few favorite points at a large local preserve area. 4 fairly easy bison tubes, 1 very hard to find nano blinkie, and an easy final ammo can. It took several hours to do the entire hike which was along a good trail.

 

I would probably call it a 4/3.5 myself, but it was still lots of fun.

[+Mike & Jess]

My first 5/5 was the Ishpatina Ridge Earth Cache.

Been back to it a second time this past summer as it is a great area for backpacking.

[+LightHouseSeekers]

The 1st rated 5/5 that We were not able to accomplish was located in the middle of a lake and required either a boat or plane to reach the destination. Not having a close friend with a plane and lost access to co-worker with a boat we never did this one. Even so IMHO that one is not truly a 5/5 as the virtual cache should be clearly visible upon arrival at GZ.

 

So set the sights on another 5/5 rating within reasonable distance of home.

Found that one, but didn't think it was properly rated as it was clearly visible at GZ. Though the terrain required wading through deep water, no special equipment was needed. So the terrain rating was also higher than it should have been.

[+lamoracke]

Mine was finishing a blackout challenge which coincidentally was basically my home territory. I just needed to do one boat cache and voila.

[+CanadianRockies]

Our first 5/5 was an overrated challenge cache that required finding 100 caches in a week. Our second 5/5 was a challenge to find 100 caches in a month. We've found 30 5/5 caches, all of which are overrated, IMHO. But then, I think most 5/5 caches are overrated (even the non-challenges).

[+dameetro]

Mine was the Search for George Owen Cash. Click Here. It was originally hidden by the local Search and Rescue Squad.

 

This one really taught me alot about GPS. Took a few weeks to finish the puzzle amd make the trek to each stage. And I was fortunate enough to adopt it...so I get to experience it every few months.

Edited November 14, 2012 by dameetro

[+acompofelice]

My first, and so far only, 5/5 was GCH52C Beyond Here, Lay Dragons.

It is in my hometown and I grew up seeing it's location without even knowing what it (or geocaching) were. A caching friend and I made the 45 min kayak trip to the GZ, retrieved the cache, took some photos, then made the 45 minute return trip. Was totally worth it!

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=6b5f37ac-a187-4b53-a2d0-bf018f7925a6

 

Anthony

[Andronicus]

Our first 5/5 was an overrated challenge cache that required finding 100 caches in a week. Our second 5/5 was a challenge to find 100 caches in a month. We've found 30 5/5 caches, all of which are overrated, IMHO. But then, I think most 5/5 caches are overrated (even the non-challenges).

I suspect that the average 4.5/4.5 would be multipl times more difficult than the average 5/5.

[+TheBlizzles]

Our first 5/5 was an overrated challenge cache that required finding 100 caches in a week. Our second 5/5 was a challenge to find 100 caches in a month. We've found 30 5/5 caches, all of which are overrated, IMHO. But then, I think most 5/5 caches are overrated (even the non-challenges).

I suspect that the average 4.5/4.5 would be multipl times more difficult than the average 5/5.

 

I think you suspicions are likely correct.

[+livlina]

My first 5/5 was a cache hidden in a large cave system outside a small village in Sweden. The cave had several entrances and it took us hours to find the cache. When we finaly spotted the cache it was a couple of meters from us. Allready exhausted from squeezing through small openings and sliding down minimal gaps between the rock for hours we were relieved of course.

 

The final squeeze was the tightest one yet and I just about made it through crawling on my elbows. Getting out of there took about another 40 minutes. But, it was awesome. The cache.

[+DragonsWest]

My first 5/5 find was an utter fraud. The event organizer moved the date so some guest would be able to make it, so they decided the way to reward everyone who still attended at the new date a bright, shiny 5/5.

 

There aren't a lot of things which irk me in geocaching, but events with D/T above 1/1 which require no special equipment, no problem solving, just driving up in a car or riding up on a bike (or walking from home if so fortunate) and walking up to the log put to mark your variation on 'X', do. Utter mockery of D/T, for what? Might as well lie about finding caches, too.

[+Isonzo Karst]

My first 5/5 was the Locationless Zippy's Roadside Attractions http://coord.info/GCA8A6. The rating, like the subject matter, entirely humorous.

 

I have 4 5/5 finds, more accurate difficulty rating on them would be from 1 to 3.

 

Because boat = 5 terrain thing, I have a lot of terrain 5 finds. Around here, the tough terrain is 4 and 4.5 - heavy going in swamp, or very dense scrub.

[+Harry Dolphin]

My fist 5/5 cache was Five Star New York.

Took us ten months to visit most of the locations and finally solve the puzzle. Definitely 5 Star puzzle! I guess if you walk the ten miles needed, it might qualify as a 5 terrain. But not really. I'd give it a 5/3.

Next was a moving cache. You could only find it by accident. New coords never listed. Not sure if 5/5 is appropriate. 5 difficulty, perhaps. But not 5 terrain. Make this a 5/2.

Third might have been 5/5 in the good old days. 7 mile hike on a rail trail to get the coords. (Or use a little logic and Google Streets... That only took an hour or so. And we did the final as a cache and dash. Which required climbing out on a bridge on the rail trail.) 4/3 when originally listed. Now a 3/2.

[+Harry Dolphin]

delete double post

Edited November 30, 2012 by Harry Dolphin

[+Treknschmidt]

We've found 30 5/5 caches, all of which are overrated, IMHO. But then, I think most 5/5 caches are overrated (even the non-challenges).

 

I concur! We've found 26 5/5s and I'd say there were only 2 that deserved the rating.

[+Mr. Wilson & a Mt. Goat]

My first 2 5/5 caches were events, and I don't think either should have really been rated that high. I have found a few other 5/5 caches, but they were all swimming caches, sure special equipment was required, but they weren't hard to find and probably didn't deserve the D5 rating.

[+briansnat]

I have two 5/5 finds and I can't for the life of me recall what they were. My guess is that they really weren't 5/5s. I'd be willing to bet that 90 percent of the 5/5s really aren't.

[+Isonzo Karst]

I have two 5/5 finds and I can't for the life of me recall what they were. My guess is that they really weren't 5/5s. I'd be willing to bet that 90 percent of the 5/5s really aren't.

 

Rank your finds by D - the two 5/5 were a couple of paddle multis. Read like D3/T5.

 

I'd guess 97% of 5/5 really aren't ;-)

[+macatac1961]

I've got 2 - 5/5's and like others said, neither was a true 5/5. One was handed to me while on a line to register for an event. It's easy to make something a 5 terrain since any equipment needed like a boat automatically makes it a 5T. It's the 5 difficulty that's not so easy to do. As a matter of fact, out of the 11 - 5 difficulty finds on my scorecard, I don't think any of them actually qualify... or I probably wouldn't have figured them out.

[+J the Goat]

Nemesis will be the first 5/5 I complete once I actually finish it. No special equipment has been needed so far, but with the 40 miles of hiking over 4 trips it's taken to find the first 7 stages and DNF the final once already, and some of the terrain along the way, a solid argument for a true 5/5 can easily be made for this cache.

[+briansnat]

I have two 5/5 finds and I can't for the life of me recall what they were. My guess is that they really weren't 5/5s. I'd be willing to bet that 90 percent of the 5/5s really aren't.

 

Rank your finds by D - the two 5/5 were a couple of paddle multis. Read like D3/T5.

 

I'd guess 97% of 5/5 really aren't ;-)

 

Now that I see what they were, I would have rated GC15NAF a 1.5/5 and GC13FTH was probably more of a 2.5/5

[+Manville Possum]

My first 5/5 find? A stinking Liar's cache that is only about a 2/2 rating.

[+bjmccacher]

My first 5/5 was sitting on a spider in wichita ks, definitely an awesome cache. I recently placed my first 5/5 traditional cache, and it's absolutely a legit 5/5, and I got pictures to prove it (climbing gear was used, not to place but to retrieve)! I hate when caches aren't rated appropriately!

[+DeepButi]

My first and only one GC1XH9X, clearly overrated.

 

As a final bonus, doing it the "expected" way can be a T=5 (97Km hike), but D=1 as a maximum! I found 18 of the 39 and all needed data with short walks from nearby car accessible points (it took me several weeks but can be done in one day), so a maximum of T=2.5.

[+OZ2CPU]

you talk alot about overrated, or the rating of some caches, interesing topic too

maybe you could address this to the CO of the caches you find ?

while a cache is new, the first few finds, a CO is most likely to listen to your comments and suggestions.

 

also a thing to note, some players are VERY skilled, and very good health atletic types,

with tons of outdoor experiance, and tons of equipment, and been caching for 5-10 years,

such people may say, very easy, to stuff others claim to be nearly impossible..

[Andronicus]

My first 5/5 was sitting on a spider in wichita ks, definitely an awesome cache. I recently placed my first 5/5 traditional cache, and it's absolutely a legit 5/5, and I got pictures to prove it (climbing gear was used, not to place but to retrieve)! I hate when caches aren't rated appropriately!

I must say that I am always skeptical of 5/5 caches. However, yours seems like it may be accuriate. However, being that 2 teams have found it, with no DNFs, I would think it more like a 4/5. Isn't the defenition of 5* difficulty that most cachers will require multiple attempts to make the find?

 

Seeing as I have not been on site, I could be way off. Maybe both of these are significantly more skilled than most cachers. And both teams did say it took a long time to make the find. So anyway, it could well be a 5* difficulty, I am just a skeptical kind of guy.

[+niraD]

Isn't the defenition of 5* difficulty that most cachers will require multiple attempts to make the find?

The definition of 4* difficulty includes "May require multiple days / trips to complete."

 

The definition of 5* difficulty doesn't say anything about multiple days/trips: "A serious mental or physical challenge. May require specialized knowledge or skills to find or open the cache."

[+terratin]

Our first 5/5 was a challenge: Rogaland Rundt http://coord.info/GC122XF

You have to find at least one cache in every of the 26 community in Rogaland, Norway. When we worked on it there weren't too many caches around so we did a few mountain hikes and we needed trips to several islands. One of which only had one Mystery at that time, another one involved getting up very early, taking a ferry to another part of Rogaland and some more driving to be in time for the boat leaving to a rather remote island with limited connections. Another caching round involved I think.. 5 ferry crossings on one day and I'm glad we really managed to find a cache in all communities we still needed. It's certainly still a favourite of mine.

 

Our second was an old diving mystery where the answers could be found online instead of going for a dive.

[+Wes_and_Tara]

While not our first rated 5/5, our first 5/5 that we actually feel was accurately rated was DeadMan's Hunt: The Search for John Wilkes Booth (GC390QM). It's a fantastic cache, incorporating interesting history with home and field puzzles and some difficult searches. It takes a good solid day (or more in winter) to complete -- and that's if you are very committed. It took us several partial days, plus a 8 hour day in 12-degree weather. Highly recommended for countless reasons.

[Tahosa and Sons]

Haven't found any, but I have hidden a few of them. Did the first 5 x 5 in Co on 5/5/05 Here is a list

[+bjmccacher]

I was along for the ride in the first group, and my caching buddy was in the second. It's a legit 5/5, I promise you that one! First group had 2 cachers with 27 times fizzy, and the other one is a star chaser and averages way over 2/2. Each of them agreed that it's for real. It's a nano on a bridge, at some point there was a flood and the bridge is now full of debris, and has been for years. I wish there were more local cachers here willing to attempt it, i only have 1 more person within 200 miles that will even look for it. Gotta pray we get visiting cachers sometime!

[+Packanack]

http://coord.info/GCHTK1

 

Five Star New York, there is really only one place you are likely to get killed looking for the hint.