SCC Rules

[shroomAzoom]

Spring Cache Challenge 2010 GC243BM

Location & Boundaries
All caches must be hidden within 25km of N48° 23.978 W89° 14.731 (where May St Crosses the McIntyre River.)

Cache Hiding

Number of Hides
Participants may hide up to seven caches (as long as they follow the Cache Categories and Cache Zones rules) for the SCC. Caches must be approved by GC.com and submitted to shroomAzoom by Sunday May 9, 2010 at 11:59pm.

Cache Categories
Each cache hidden for the SCC must meet the criteria for one of the following Cache Categories. To encourage a variety of unique caches, participants may only hide one cache in each category.

• Regular: Traditional cache (Regular or small size)
• Micro: Traditional cache (Micro size)
• Large: Traditional cache (Large size)
• Multi: Multi/Offset cache (Not micro sized for any stage with a physical cache)
• Puzzle: Puzzle/Mystery cache (Not micro sized for any stage with a physical cache)
• Earthcache: According to the gc.com guidelines
• Letterbox: Letterbox Hybrid cache (Regular size)
• Nightcache: Requires searching at night (Not Micro Size)
• GoodHike: 750m+ from nearest parking (Not Micro Size)
• HandCrafted: Not just a “Lock'n'Lock” think GC1N3RB, GC1NX4R, GC1YM7B or GC1YQHK (Not Micro Size)

Cache Sizes
Large size = 5L or larger
Regular size = Shoebox-sized or larger, approximately 1–5L
Small size = Sandwich-sized or smaller, less than approximately 1L
Micro size = 35mm film canister, magnetic key holder or smaller, less than approximately 0.1L

Cache Zones
The SCC area has been divided up into six Cache Zones (see map.) To encourage a variety of cache locations, participant may only hide one cache in each zone, plus an additional hide in the zone of your choice once you have hidden four other caches. In the case of a Multi or Puzzle cache where there may be several stages, the cache will be considered hidden in the zone where the final is located. Download the CacheZones KMZ file for Google Earth.

This map is designed to give you an idea of the cache zones. All zones are within 25km of the above coordinates. The outer ring (with Zones 3a, 3b and 3c) is between 15km and 25km out. These three zones are separated by Dog Lake Road and the Kaministiqua River. The inner ring (with Zones 2a and 2b) is inside the 15km radius and outside Zone 1. These two zones are separated by Oliver Road. Zone 1 is the Urban Thunder Bay area. This zone has boundaries roughly corresponding to Hodder Avenue, the Expressway, Balsam St, a Hydro Cut, the Expressway again, the Parkdale sub-division, Highway 61 and the Kaministiqua River.
Scoring

Points for Hides
Points will be awarded for caches hidden as follows:

• First Hide: 5pts
• Second Hide: 4pts
• Third Hide: 3pts
• Fourth Hide: 2pts
• Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Hides: 1pt
• Cache hidden, but not found: No points for the hide, plus a 2pt penalty^*

^*This penalty could be incurred if no one is able to find your cache, if your cache gets muggled, if you make a mistake which makes it impossible to find your cache, you make a cache that seems too hard for the SCC and no one attempts to find it, etc. The point is, make your caches fun, but not impossible, and make sure you take care of your caches so they're available for the SCC.

Points for Finds

• Finding a cache: 3pts
• FTF/STF Bonus: +1pt

Bonus Points
To encourage originality and effort in hiding and searching for caches during the SCC, bonus points will be awarded for the following activities and qualifications.

• In the Zone: +5pts for finding a cache in each of the six Cache Zones
• Sherlock Holmes: +5pts for finding all the Puzzle caches in the SCC
• Lone Wolf: +3pts for caching all by yourself
• Cacher's Choice Cache: +5pts for hiding the top voted favourite cache of the SCC
• Additional bonus point descriptions may follow…

Other Information
The Spring Cache Challenge will start at 6pm on Friday, May 14th. You are on your honour to not search for any of the SCC caches before that time. However, you may attempt any puzzles from the comfort of your home, if enough information is provided. Caches requiring you to visit specific areas to deduce coordinates must wait until 6pm Friday.

Twenty-four hours later, at 6pm Saturday, May 15th, we all meet at the cache event coordinates to tally up the scores, share our adventures, enjoy some food and have a good time together. You must be at the event at 6pm to qualify for the Spring Cache Challenge Cup.

Please RSVP by April 14th, on the Spring Cache Challenge event listing and include the number of people attending, so that reservations can be made. Last year we had a great turn-out, but ran out of seating at the event location.

When submitting caches for the Spring Cache Challenge, ask the volunteer approver to hold your cache release until Wednesday May 12th. It's always exciting to see a couple dozen caches appear online just a couple days before the event. Please also include a note in your cache description explaining your cache is hidden for the SCC.

Make sure people know your cache is hidden for the Spring Cache challenge. Include “SCC” at the beginning of your cache name (ex. “SCC Shroom's Awesome Cache”) After the Spring Cache Challenge, feel free to rename your cache. You can use the following HTML code in your cache description to include the SCC Logo and description.

This cache was hidden for the Spring Cache Challenge. Do not look for it before 6pm, Friday, May 14, 2010!

Code: [Select]

<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nwogeocachers.com/index.php/board,23.0.html"><img src="http://nwogeocachers.com/assets/images/NWOGSCC2010.jpg" border="0" title="NorWest Ontario Geocachers" /></a><br/>This cache was hidden for the Spring Cache Challenge. Do not look for it before 6pm, Friday, May 14, 2010!</p>