5.0 Difficulty Ideas

[+brekkcaching123]

I'm looking at hiding a power trail of 5.0 caches. I'm looking for ideas on hiding 5.0 caches. I've found a few and have some ideas but I'm looking for some ideas so I can make a variety of caches instead of just 1 or 2 types of 5.0 caches.

[+brekkcaching123]

Also if anyone has any ideas for a gadget cache that isn't too complicated let me know as well!

[+kunarion]

9 minutes ago, brekkcaching123 said:

Also if anyone has any ideas for a gadget cache that isn't too complicated let me know as well!

 

The "gadget" I've used in my gadget caches is a combination lock (on a birdhouse hinged door), with various types of puzzles to obtain the combination.  A surprising number of Geocachers are very challenged by a combination lock.

[+brekkcaching123]

2 minutes ago, kunarion said:

 

The "gadget" I've used in my gadget caches is a combination lock (on a birdhouse hinged door), with various types of puzzles to obtain the combination.  A surprising number of Geocachers are very challenged by a combination lock.

Thanks for the idea! That could be very useful. I'm into puzzle caches so maybe a tricky field puzzle to figure out the combination.

[+barefootjeff]

I'm not sure if this would be classed as a "gadget", as it's purely mechanical, but on a recent hide I used this kangaroo jack-in-the-box toy with the logbook in the kangaroo's pouch:

 

 

It plays "pop goes the weasel" as you wind the handle, then on the "pop" note it pops open. I included laminated instructions for resetting it on the inside of the lid.

 

It hasn't been very popular, with only one visit since it was published in mid February, a father and adult daughter team claiming joint FTF, but that might be more due to its quite ridiculous hiding place (the cache, a QR-based puzzle, is called Quite Ridiculous) than the cache itself. At least if it doesn't get any more finds I won't have to worry about it not being reset properly.

Edited April 18 by barefootjeff

[+niraD]

4 hours ago, brekkcaching123 said:

I'm looking for some ideas so I can make a variety of caches instead of just 1 or 2 types of 5.0 caches.

Most of the D5 caches that I've found either required "specialized knowledge, skills, [and/or] tools" to solve, or required "specialized [...] tools" to access the cache (e.g., elevated caches where the CO expected people to retrieve the cache with a long pole rather than by climbing to the cache location). Actually, most of them were puzzle caches that were specifically designed to be solved by a team of people working together, as part of Venona's annual "ACTIVITIES", back before Venona's retirement.

[+brekkcaching123]

16 hours ago, niraD said:

Most of the D5 caches that I've found either required "specialized knowledge, skills, [and/or] tools" to solve, or required "specialized [...] tools" to access the cache (e.g., elevated caches where the CO expected people to retrieve the cache with a long pole rather than by climbing to the cache location). Actually, most of them were puzzle caches that were specifically designed to be solved by a team of people working together, as part of Venona's annual "ACTIVITIES", back before Venona's retirement.

I've got a few of 5.0 difficulty puzzles and I currently have 1 5.0 difficulty hide. Rock flipping😂Probably not going to hide another one, those are tricky to find even as the CO. Thanks for the ideas. A cache that requires a special tool could be pretty nice. 

[+brekkcaching123]

19 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

I'm not sure if this would be classed as a "gadget", as it's purely mechanical, but on a recent hide I used this kangaroo jack-in-the-box toy with the logbook in the kangaroo's pouch:

 

 

It plays "pop goes the weasel" as you wind the handle, then on the "pop" note it pops open. I included laminated instructions for resetting it on the inside of the lid.

 

Thanks, that's a good idea! I live close to BYU Idaho and we have 100s of cachers from BYU-I find my caches, so that could be nice for a popular cache!

[+brekkcaching123]

Are there any more ideas? Looking for 5.0 mainly!

[+MNTA]

2 hours ago, brekkcaching123 said:

Are there any more ideas? Looking for 5.0 mainly!

Jasmer & Fizzy challenges are getting harder and harder. Remember you have to qualify before publishing. Anything requiring significant travel and lots of work Do a filter search world wide.

[+brekkcaching123]

1 hour ago, MNTA said:

Jasmer & Fizzy challenges are getting harder and harder. Remember you have to qualify before publishing. Anything requiring significant travel and lots of work Do a filter search world wide.

Thanks! 

[+ecanderson]

Will assume you mean D5.0 and not T5.0 caches.

 

I'm still scratching my head over the idea of a "...power trail of 5.0 caches".  Power trails are noted for producing large numbers of finds in a short period of time, which is sort of the antithesis of what legitimate 5.0 difficulty caches allow.  But lets assume what the objective is can be clarified by calling it a collection of D5.0 caches in a small area.

 

Apart from doing them for the sake of doing them, in which case a collection of frustrating needle-in-haystack type caches with less than stellar coordinates would suffice, I'm hoping that you're plan is to create some truly clever D5.0 caches that will leave the cacher with a smile after spending a couple of hours trying to make the find.  If so, speak up, and we could open the discussion to the 5.0 caches that all of us have found that were truly interesting and worthwhile.

[+arisoft]

On 4/18/2025 at 2:04 AM, brekkcaching123 said:

Thanks for the idea! That could be very useful. I'm into puzzle caches so maybe a tricky field puzzle to figure out the combination.

 

D5.0 does not require disclosing the lock code at all.

[+niraD]

9 hours ago, ecanderson said:

I'm still scratching my head over the idea of a "...power trail of 5.0 caches".

Well, for a numbers trail of T5 caches, all you have to do is hide dozens of caches in a location that requires "specialized equipment" to access. The location is still T5 even when there are dozens of caches there.

 

For the OP's numbers trail of D5 caches, it could be a series of puzzle caches that require "specialized knowledge, skills, tools, or significant effort" to solve the puzzles (from the comfort of your home), with the caches themselves being easy finds about 528ft/161m apart. Or the caches themselves could require "specialized tools" to access, but they all require the same tools, and are relatively quick and easy for someone with the necessary tools.

 

My experience with both difficulty and terrain is that 5-star caches are usually a lot easier than 4-star caches. A 4-star cache is difficult, and there is no equipment/tool that will make it significantly easier. Most 5-star caches require the appropriate equipment/tool, but if you have that, then they're relatively easy.

[+thebruce0]

Yep. Two 'powertrails' of high ratings stick out in my memory. One was of all 81 DTs, and the stretch of high Ts were slower going but the 'power' was about 'powering through' rather than 'most smiley in shortest time'.

Secondly was a high D trail, and not for puzzle pre-solving, but for field puzzles, legit slow-you-down-hard high difficulty. And again, a 'power' as in powering through as many as you can in a single trip, moreso than gathering as many smileys as you can as fast as possible.

 

I've seen so many powertrails that I don't consider them "high count" trails any more as a rule. Most are, sure, but to me, a powertrail is just a very long series of similarly-themed geocaches to find, and the goal is set in the theme. high D, high T, low everything, hiking (could be wider spaced but along a single trail to get'em all), paddling, challenges (may not qualify for them all, so post a mix of notes and finds), etc.

 

 

Edited May 28 by thebruce0

[+hamsterdude10]

That sounds like an awesome project—I love the idea of a full power trail of 5.0 difficulty hides! One idea that came to mind for something unique and challenging is this:

 

A camouflaged cache placed high up in a tall tree. Not just slightly out of reach, but something that requires climbing gear or a clever retrieval tool. You could disguise it as part of the tree—like a knot, a chunk of bark, or even a fake bird’s nest—to make spotting it just as tricky as reaching it.

 

It would definitely push the “5.0” boundary both physically and mentally. And if placed in a safe location (like a climbable tree away from busy paths), it could be an epic part of the trail that people talk about long after.

 

Other ideas could be:

 

A cache hidden inside a hollow log or stump with a super well-hidden latch

 

A gadget cache that needs tools or a sequence to open

 

A fake utility box or sprinkler head that blends perfectly into the surroundings

 

 

Can’t wait to see what you come up with—love that you’re aiming for variety instead of repeating one trick. Keep us posted on your hides!

[+hamsterdude10]

On 4/17/2025 at 11:47 PM, brekkcaching123 said:

Also if anyone has any ideas for a gadget cache that isn't too complicated let me know as well!

For a gadget cache that isn’t too complicated, here are a few ideas that can still be really fun to find:

 

Magnet-based lock: Hide a latch or release inside the container that only opens when a magnet (provided nearby or brought by the cacher) is used in the right spot.

 

Ball bearing maze: Put a small container inside a sealed tube with internal obstacles. The finder has to tilt and rotate the tube to guide it out.

 

Push-button puzzle: Have a panel with multiple buttons or pegs, but only pressing them in a certain order or sequence will unlock a compartment.

 

Tool-on-site challenge: Mount a container that looks sealed, but there's a tool hidden nearby (like a key, hook, or magnet on a string) needed to open it—nice “aha!” moment without being too complex.

 

Slide-and-release: A wooden or PVC panel with sliding pieces that have to be moved just right to reveal the logbook underneath.

 

 

All of these are relatively easy to build with basic materials but still give that gadget cache feel. Hop

e that helps!

[+brekkcaching123]

5 hours ago, niraD said:

Well, for a numbers trail of T5 caches, all you have to do is hide dozens of caches in a location that requires "specialized equipment" to access. The location is still T5 even when there are dozens of caches there.

 

For the OP's numbers trail of D5 caches, it could be a series of puzzle caches that require "specialized knowledge, skills, tools, or significant effort" to solve the puzzles (from the comfort of your home), with the caches themselves being easy finds about 528ft/161m apart. Or the caches themselves could require "specialized tools" to access, but they all require the same tools, and are relatively quick and easy for someone with the necessary tools.

 

My experience with both difficulty and terrain is that 5-star caches are usually a lot easier than 4-star caches. A 4-star cache is difficult, and there is no equipment/tool that will make it significantly easier. Most 5-star caches require the appropriate equipment/tool, but if you have that, then they're relatively easy.

This is what I'm now thinking about doing.

[+brekkcaching123]

34 minutes ago, hamsterdude10 said:

For a gadget cache that isn’t too complicated, here are a few ideas that can still be really fun to find:

 

Magnet-based lock: Hide a latch or release inside the container that only opens when a magnet (provided nearby or brought by the cacher) is used in the right spot.

 

Ball bearing maze: Put a small container inside a sealed tube with internal obstacles. The finder has to tilt and rotate the tube to guide it out.

 

Push-button puzzle: Have a panel with multiple buttons or pegs, but only pressing them in a certain order or sequence will unlock a compartment.

 

Tool-on-site challenge: Mount a container that looks sealed, but there's a tool hidden nearby (like a key, hook, or magnet on a string) needed to open it—nice “aha!” moment without being too complex.

 

Slide-and-release: A wooden or PVC panel with sliding pieces that have to be moved just right to reveal the logbook underneath.

 

 

All of these are relatively easy to build with basic materials but still give that gadget cache feel. Hop

e that helps!

I really like these!
One cache I'm thinking about is a multi-cache where you have to use a bearing, avg amount of paces and direction using a compass to find the next cache.

[+niraD]

25 minutes ago, brekkcaching123 said:

One cache I'm thinking about is a multi-cache where you have to use a bearing, avg amount of paces and direction using a compass to find the next cache.

FWIW, that doesn't sound like a D5 cache to me.

[+brekkcaching123]

5 minutes ago, niraD said:

FWIW, that doesn't sound like a D5 cache to me.

It would consist of multiple containers, some tricky and some not. One could be a nail in a power pole and one could just be a pill bottle under some rocks. That's more what I'm leaning towards.

[+Crow-T-Robot]

One of my favorite finds was a D5 traditional. The CO had taken a softball (or slightly larger) sized rock and split it in half. Then he drilled out a hole for a matchstick container so that just the cap was visible. Then he placed the cache, upside down in about six inches of water amongst other similar looking rocks. The rock he used was juuust a smidge different than the rest but when you peered down into the water, they all looked the same. That one was diabolical. 

 

Another favorite was a D5 cache that by the title and description of the cache page, you thought it was a really well disguised guardrail cache. The coordinates led you to a guardrail and you could've taken it apart piece by piece and never found the cache. Because the cache was located in a hidden drainage pipe/tunnel that ran under the guardrail. The entrance to the tunnel was about 300' from the guardrail and you'd never see it unless you went down by the lake shore. Which I did when I was out of ideas on where to look on the guardrail and wanted a mental break. I loved that lightbulb moment when I saw the opening and realized how the cache was hidden. You had to crawl into the tunnel on your hands and knees and try to keep track of how far in you are since you had to crawl back to where the guardrail was above you and there was no GPS signal after about 15' into the pipe. 

[+barefootjeff]

21 minutes ago, Crow-T-Robot said:

One of my favorite finds was a D5 traditional. The CO had taken a softball (or slightly larger) sized rock and split it in half. Then he drilled out a hole for a matchstick container so that just the cap was visible. Then he placed the cache, upside down in about six inches of water amongst other similar looking rocks. The rock he used was juuust a smidge different than the rest but when you peered down into the water, they all looked the same. That one was diabolical. 

 

Diabolical indeed! I really don't get along well with high difficulty caches, as a quick glance at my D/T grid will show. Anything much above D3.5 and my eyes will glaze over while looking at the cache page. I much prefer caches that are reasonably challenging to get to (higher T rating) but easy to find once there, or puzzles that have a logical flow to them.

[+brekkcaching123]

1 hour ago, Crow-T-Robot said:

One of my favorite finds was a D5 traditional. The CO had taken a softball (or slightly larger) sized rock and split it in half. Then he drilled out a hole for a matchstick container so that just the cap was visible. Then he placed the cache, upside down in about six inches of water amongst other similar looking rocks. The rock he used was juuust a smidge different than the rest but when you peered down into the water, they all looked the same. That one was diabolical

Diabolical for sure! That sounds like a super fun cache, but based on the cachers in my area, they would probably hate me😂

 

1 hour ago, Crow-T-Robot said:

Another favorite was a D5 cache that by the title and description of the cache page, you thought it was a really well disguised guardrail cache. The coordinates led you to a guardrail and you could've taken it apart piece by piece and never found the cache. Because the cache was located in a hidden drainage pipe/tunnel that ran under the guardrail. The entrance to the tunnel was about 300' from the guardrail and you'd never see it unless you went down by the lake shore. Which I did when I was out of ideas on where to look on the guardrail and wanted a mental break. I loved that lightbulb moment when I saw the opening and realized how the cache was hidden. You had to crawl into the tunnel on your hands and knees and try to keep track of how far in you are since you had to crawl back to where the guardrail was above you and there was no GPS signal after about 15' into the pipe. 

I really like this idea. Thanks! I should be able to find a spot to do that.

 

49 minutes ago, barefootjeff said:

Diabolical indeed! I really don't get along well with high difficulty caches, as a quick glance at my D/T grid will show. Anything much above D3.5 and my eyes will glaze over while looking at the cache page. I much prefer caches that are reasonably challenging to get to (higher T rating) but easy to find once there, or puzzles that have a logical flow to them.

Barefoot Jeff, you should try some puzzles by Caccbag in Idaho Falls! You might love them, and you might lose your mind😂 Some are easy, some not so easy! 

[+ecanderson]

16 hours ago, Crow-T-Robot said:

Another favorite was a D5 cache that by the title and description of the cache page, you thought it was a really well disguised guardrail cache. The coordinates led you to a guardrail and you could've taken it apart piece by piece and never found the cache. Because the cache was located in a hidden drainage pipe/tunnel that ran under the guardrail. The entrance to the tunnel was about 300' from the guardrail and you'd never see it unless you went down by the lake shore.

One would have thought that the T rating would have made it obvious that it wasn't on the guard rail?  What WAS the T rating?

[+Crow-T-Robot]

7 hours ago, ecanderson said:

One would have thought that the T rating would have made it obvious that it wasn't on the guard rail?  What WAS the T rating?

 It was a 2.5T. Sorry, I gave the wrong impression by saying a guardrail cache. There was a guardrail (about 20' long) next to a sidewalk but it was bracketed by two fairly ornate light fixtures and next to each fixture was a park bench. 

 

So, the terrain rating wouldn't really clue you in since you could conceivably need to stand on the park benches to search the upper reaches of the lights.  I would say there was a bit of a cheat by the CO to not rate it as a T3, as crawling into a pipe/culvert should be at least a 3* rating and nothing by the guardrail had the potential to make it a T3. But, the reveal of seeing where the cache was hidden was worth being tricked (to me, anyway). 

[+brekkcaching123]

27 minutes ago, Crow-T-Robot said:

 It was a 2.5T. Sorry, I gave the wrong impression by saying a guardrail cache. There was a guardrail (about 20' long) next to a sidewalk but it was bracketed by two fairly ornate light fixtures and next to each fixture was a park bench. 

 

So, the terrain rating wouldn't really clue you in since you could conceivably need to stand on the park benches to search the upper reaches of the lights.  I would say there was a bit of a cheat by the CO to not rate it as a T3, as crawling into a pipe/culvert should be at least a 3* rating and nothing by the guardrail had the potential to make it a T3. But, the reveal of seeing where the cache was hidden was worth being tricked (to me, anyway). 

Good trick, but it should defiinitely be rated a T3. If it were a 2.5 it would honestly throw me off😂

[+Weber_and_Sons]

I love that idea I love D5s an don't like power trails that are all boring micros. I found a D5 recently (archived now) it was a nano hiding in a carabiner that you have to screw to open, also my hide a gadget cache or a mystery cache! experiment with different cache types; maybe make the last one a challenge cache where you have to find all the 5s to get the last one! keep me posted!

this is a link to the five I talked about; check its gallery

GC49R55 In The "Mooood" For A Lickin' (Traditional Cache) in Alberta, Canada created by Gee-Oh-Jinx

P.S some of the hardest caches i have found were hard because there were some many places to look it took awhile and got hard cause we didn't know what to look for.

Edited June 2 by Weber_and_Sons
forgot a good tip

[+SW00P]

I doubt you could make the last a challenge cache. Need 10 qualifiers and it would probably need to be a percentage of the 5. Good luck either way.

[Keystone]

2 hours ago, SW00P said:

I doubt you could make the last a challenge cache. Need 10 qualifiers and it would probably need to be a percentage of the 5. Good luck either way.

 

I think that @Weber_and_Sons meant to say "Bonus Cache" rather than "Challenge Cache."  A Challenge Cache cannot be based on finding a specific list of caches.  A Bonus Cache can rely on clues found in the series of D5 cache containers.

[+brekkcaching123]

On 6/2/2025 at 11:17 AM, Keystone said:

 

I think that @Weber_and_Sons meant to say "Bonus Cache" rather than "Challenge Cache."  A Challenge Cache cannot be based on finding a specific list of caches.  A Bonus Cache can rely on clues found in the series of D5 cache containers.

Along with @Weber_and_Sons idea, @Keystone I have a question, for example, I have one digit in the lid of each container which gives you the coordinates for the bonus cache. Could I do 3 bonus caches? For example, it could be the 1st 10 caches would be to the first bonus. 2nd 10 caches (11-20) could be for the 2nd bonus cache, etc. Would that be acceptable?

[+The_Jumping_Pig]

29 minutes ago, brekkcaching123 said:

Along with @Weber_and_Sons idea, @Keystone I have a question, for example, I have one digit in the lid of each container which gives you the coordinates for the bonus cache. Could I do 3 bonus caches? For example, it could be the 1st 10 caches would be to the first bonus. 2nd 10 caches (11-20) could be for the 2nd bonus cache, etc. Would that be acceptable?

Yeah. Because that's just like having 3 seperate mini-series. As long as one bonus cache doesnt lead to another you're good.

[+brekkcaching123]

3 hours ago, The_Jumping_Pig said:

Yeah. Because that's just like having 3 seperate mini-series. As long as one bonus cache doesnt lead to another you're good.

Sweet thanks!

[+Doctorvapor]

On 4/17/2025 at 7:01 PM, kunarion said:

 

The "gadget" I've used in my gadget caches is a combination lock (on a birdhouse hinged door), with various types of puzzles to obtain the combination.  A surprising number of Geocachers are very challenged by a combination lock.

I've only run into one of that type of cache.  I liked it so much that I'm trying to adopt it.  The owner has moved half way across the US and the cache is in need of some maintenance.   I may go back there and do the maintenance on the cache anyway.  He hasn't answered my email to him so he may not be geocaching anymore.

[+Weber_and_Sons]

On 6/2/2025 at 11:17 AM, Keystone said:

I think that @Weber_and_Sons meant to say "Bonus Cache" rather than "Challenge Cache."  A Challenge Cache cannot be based on finding a specific list of caches.  A Bonus Cache can rely on clues found in the series of D5 cache containers.

You are right I did mean bonus cache, I sometimes get those mixed up because they are a similar concept in the way that you have you do certain things to be able or allowed to log it.