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4.5lb Walleye GCDFB


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Well,

 

My friend have been discussing for quite some time about our next canoe trip. It's been months in the planning and we are leaving on June 1st for a 400km trek from Limestone Rapids, just NW of Hearst to Fort Albany. Ah yes, the idea for the trip was none other than being the first to GZ at http://coord.info/GCDFB, 4.5lb Walleye. Oldest unfound cache.

 

While this was the original inspiration of doing such a trip, the research I have done on this route, the landscape, the history, and sights to see slowly began to be much more interesting than just the cache.

 

It may be there, and may not. The CO is apparently going to be at GZ later in the month, so I will not be replacing the cache if it cannot be found..... But I will be leaving a geocoin for him to place in the new cache container. I may place one or two caches along the way as well.... :)

 

We will be bringing a SPOT tracking device, and for those of you who might be interested... you can follow along on the progress here:

 

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0uomkKqW99n9fSp5yelznVYdc0M1AU2AO

 

Full trip report to follow....

Edited by Stormgren-X
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no throw down, be a man and log it as DNF if you didnt find it.

They already stated that they wouldn't throwdown:

 

The CO is apparently going to be at GZ later in the month, so I will not be replacing the cache if it cannot be found...

 

At the risk of sounding like I am generalizing, I would imagine that the type of cacher to whom this find would appeal is NOT the type of cacher who would throw down. Speaking for myself, some of my best caching trips ended in DNF.

 

Meanwhile, I wish the best of luck to Stormgren-X and crew, and hope that His Noodly Appendage intervenes to keep you safe.

 

Have fun!

 

fsmbanner1.jpg

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Thank you all for the encouragement. And... no we will not be replacing the cache. Already have 29 DNF to my credit, and don't take shame in that. We do have a detailed description of the cache container and location from the CO. I am hoping at best to find the crushed and scattered remains....

 

Looks like the first three days of the journey will be quite wet, but we are well prepared for this. Water levels are quite high, and hoping the swift current will aid us.

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no throw down, be a man and log it as DNF if you didnt find it.

They already stated that they wouldn't throwdown:

 

The CO is apparently going to be at GZ later in the month, so I will not be replacing the cache if it cannot be found...

 

At the risk of sounding like I am generalizing, I would imagine that the type of cacher to whom this find would appeal is NOT the type of cacher who would throw down. Speaking for myself, some of my best caching trips ended in DNF.

 

 

Of course not. No names, but within the last year and a half, someone has threatened to throw down at 4.5 lb. Walleye. :blink:

 

This is awesome, someone is finally going! You'd better believe I'll be following alone on that page.

 

P.S. last I heard, there was an unfound cache in Alaska placed on the same exact day in 2001, but for some reason, the other one gets almost no publicity.

Edited by Mr.Yuck
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Thank you all for the encouragement. And... no we will not be replacing the cache. Already have 29 DNF to my credit, and don't take shame in that. We do have a detailed description of the cache container and location from the CO. I am hoping at best to find the crushed and scattered remains....

 

Looks like the first three days of the journey will be quite wet, but we are well prepared for this. Water levels are quite high, and hoping the swift current will aid us.

 

There is actually a Limestone Rapids place name on Google Maps, is where it's labeled on Google Maps exactly where you're leaving from? Not that I can't just wait and see what shows up on the Spot page tomorrow.

 

Personally, I think a Black Bear got to it by 2002, but you never know. Best of luck!

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for Stormgren-X: Good luck. Hope you have a blast and find the cache. Should be a thrilling adventure!

 

In regards to throughdown: 4.5lb Walleye is a 4.5 star difficulty. Part of the challange is finding the cache. So I agree on not replacing the cache. My cahces that are in the back country are all 1 or 1.5 star difficulty. I do not want people to go all that way and not find the cache. Infact, I encourage them to replace the container if they don't find it. My back country caches are so easy, and the hints major spoilers (with a pre-warning) that if they don't find the cache, it is gone. A throughdown in this case is just some appriciated voluntary cache maintanence.

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The Limestone Rapids is NW of Hearst ON. I believe it is just beyond where the Canadian Shield gives way to the Sedimentary formations of the Lowlands.

 

Travel will be through three rivers, with no portages. Late summer calls for lining the canoe through low water / rapid areas, but doubt we will need to perform this stunt in the high water conditions.

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To the OP, if you place new caches on the way there and back, use good size caches and chain them to the tree and far away from the river in case the river chew up the ground.

 

One trick I use for hiding caches in the wood is to use boiling water to get all the food smell off the cache and bears wont bother them.

 

It might be years before the next cacher will find it.

 

 

I hope you have a fun safe trip and will love to hear your story when you get back. Video and pictures please.

  • Upvote 1
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Could you imagine if after all these years, the oldest unfound cache in the world really had been found and someone signed that logbook but never said anything? I can almost see that since it has been speculated that if it is ever found it never will be again.

 

I'll admit that recently a few reviewers very briefly discussed going, but the $800 per person minimum we calculated was just too prohibitive.

 

Definitely, if found it would be a huge victory of epic proportions.

Edited by CacheDrone
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Very cool. I do hope you find it. :)

 

I'm surprised some rich person with a private helicopter hasn't found it yet!! :unsure:

I wonder about that in the last two years.

 

I really do hope he find it as well. If he doesnt I hope to hear a good DNF log.

 

I am willing to bet that GS will put his story on their blog, DNF or Found.

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Could you imagine if after all these years, the oldest unfound cache in the world really had been found and someone signed that logbook but never said anything? I can almost see that since it has been speculated that if it is ever found it never will be again.

 

I'll admit that recently a few reviewers very briefly discussed going, but the $800 per person minimum we calculated was just too prohibitive.

 

Definitely, if found it would be a huge victory of epic proportions.

 

800 bucks is a drop in the bucket for CacheDrone, it must have been the other reviewers who bailed out. :blink:

 

Being on my watchlist, some guy from Illinois posted an FTF log, but deleted it. I do have an excellent sense of humor, but that really wasn't funny, sorry to say.

 

Wow CacheDrone, that is very, very possible someone has found it, and didn't log online.

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Could you imagine if after all these years, the oldest unfound cache in the world really had been found and someone signed that logbook but never said anything? I can almost see that since it has been speculated that if it is ever found it never will be again.

 

I'll admit that recently a few reviewers very briefly discussed going, but the $800 per person minimum we calculated was just too prohibitive.

 

 

That's about half of what it would cost me to go to the GS blockparty in August.

 

I'm planning on following the OPs Spot tracker site but it looks like they're still in Sudbury.

 

 

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I'm surprised certain people haven't pitched in with the view that it would be okay if someone visited the location, looked around, failed to find it, and claimed a smiley anyway. I think the usual mantra goes something like: "If it doesn't hurt anyone, then who cares."

 

Personally, I wish Stormgren-X and their friend the best of luck and am glad they plan to DNF it if they don't find it. It should be a great trip either way.

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I've always been curious....if this location is so incredibly remote and inaccessible that no one has managed to get out there in 12 years....how did the OP get out there to place it? Not to mention "The CO is apparently going to be at GZ later in the month".....couldn't someone just hitch a ride with him? 😉 OK, I'm just kidding about that, what fun would that be? But I mean, he apparently has some reliable way of getting out there.

 

I too am surprised that someone hasn't hired a helicopter or a float plane or something yet.....

Edited by Chief301
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Being on my watchlist, some guy from Illinois posted an FTF log, but deleted it. I do have an excellent sense of humor, but that really wasn't funny, sorry to say.

Yeah, I saw that too. I guess there always has to be some knucklehead that feels they just have to waste the time of others. It's about as funny as that cacher that was going to bogus-log the ISS cache because they saw it pass overhead. <_<

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As a few folks know, I've had GCDFB on the drawing board a few times.

 

The logistics had been worked out, but there were two (or three) unknowns that simply outweighed the cost for a group of us to head out there.

 

When I called a few float-plane companies and told them the final destination... I either received an "Ooh. That place has been flooded" or an "Oh. That's an area likely damaged in the forest fire".

Great! Decimation at GZ and I'm looking for a square yellow Tupperware container... that's either floated away or melted into goo.

 

Flying out to the site and landing on the river is simple enough... but getting from the plane, to the shore (without swimming).... was another unknown.

There's that additional detail of paying for the plane to sit and wait while the cache hunt ensures, before it makes the return trip, also.

 

Over the past few years, I've been in contact with the CO.

He has been incredibly helpful; it's one of the reasons I don't consider this cache a "wild goose chase". The CO is responsive.

 

Nowadays, caches in these remote regions are very unlikely to be published -- COs can't really provide a maintenance plan.

GCDFB was placed long before the Listing Guidelines are what they are today.

 

Finding this cache may sound the death knoll for it.

If a DNF is logged, it's very unlikely anyone else will go.

If the logbook is signed, it's no longer the oldest unfound active cache.... it's very unlikely anyone else will go.

 

Canoes *do* seem like the way to go; if you've got the time, it gives you control.

I'm sure it will be a great adventure, regardless of whether there is a smiley at the end!

Caches are there to be found; I wish you the best of luck Stormgren-X!

  • Upvote 1
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I've always been curious....if this location is so incredibly remote and inaccessible that no one has managed to get out there in 12 years....how did the OP get out there to place it? Not to mention "The CO is apparently going to be at GZ later in the month".....couldn't someone just hitch a ride with him? OK, I'm just kidding about that, what fun would that be? But I mean, he apparently has some reliable way of getting out there.

 

I too am surprised that someone hasn't hired a helicopter or a float plane or something yet.....

 

The first nations village of Fort Albany (Pop. 1,000) is about 40 miles up the river. The CO is most likely a Government employee, healthcare worker, or works for one of the companies that delivers life's essentials to the settlement via barges in the warmer months. Especially judging by the fact he stated he was going back to the cache site a few years ago (doesn't sound like he actually did), and probably is again next month.

 

Yes, I've always been shocked too that no one has hired a pilot to take them there all these years. But of course RCA explained that. Which I didn't read until after I posted, duh. :blink:

Edited by Mr.Yuck
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Being on my watchlist, some guy from Illinois posted an FTF log, but deleted it. I do have an excellent sense of humor, but that really wasn't funny, sorry to say.

Yeah, I saw that too. I guess there always has to be some knucklehead that feels they just have to waste the time of others. It's about as funny as that cacher that was going to bogus-log the ISS cache because they saw it pass overhead. <_<

 

Knucklehead from Illinois here. I had read this thread yesterday and thought it would be funny to post an FTF on the eve of Storm's quest. I quickly deleted the log and replaced it with a :-) note to demonstrate I was trying to be funny. Hope at least one person smiled. Good luck to Storm!

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Knucklehead from Illinois here. I had read this thread yesterday and thought it would be funny to post an FTF on the eve of Storm's quest. I quickly deleted the log and replaced it with a :-) note to demonstrate I was trying to be funny. Hope at least one person smiled. Good luck to Storm!

Yeah, bogus logging a high-profile cache and triggering the sending of two emails (one for the find and one for the note) to hundreds of watchers. Real funny. <_<

Next time, try to fight the urge to "be funny" in a case like this.

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Knucklehead from Illinois here. I had read this thread yesterday and thought it would be funny to post an FTF on the eve of Storm's quest. I quickly deleted the log and replaced it with a :-) note to demonstrate I was trying to be funny. Hope at least one person smiled. Good luck to Storm!

Yeah, bogus logging a high-profile cache and triggering the sending of two emails (one for the find and one for the note) to hundreds of watchers. Real funny. <_<

Next time, try to fight the urge to "be funny" in a case like this.

 

I can just picture the real Mr. T referring to you as a "knucklehead", and lecturing you. :lol: I didn't think it was that bad, just not particularly funny. No real harm done. This is a great time in Geocaching history here! I say time, because I imagine it's going to take the team several days to get there.

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Knucklehead from Illinois here. I had read this thread yesterday and thought it would be funny to post an FTF on the eve of Storm's quest. I quickly deleted the log and replaced it with a :-) note to demonstrate I was trying to be funny. Hope at least one person smiled. Good luck to Storm!

Yeah, bogus logging a high-profile cache and triggering the sending of two emails (one for the find and one for the note) to hundreds of watchers. Real funny. <_<

Next time, try to fight the urge to "be funny" in a case like this.

 

The Geocaching equivalent of pulling a fire alarm for a prank.....😬

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Being on my watchlist, some guy from Illinois posted an FTF log, but deleted it. I do have an excellent sense of humor, but that really wasn't funny, sorry to say.

Yeah, I saw that too. I guess there always has to be some knucklehead that feels they just have to waste the time of others. It's about as funny as that cacher that was going to bogus-log the ISS cache because they saw it pass overhead. <_<

There was a cache just for those people.

 

http://coord.info/GCC349

 

Too bad its archived and locked.

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How much beer is this crew taking in these canoe's? Because believe me, if you're an outdoorsman type from Sudbury, Ontario, you're probably gonna want some beer. I believe I'd personally go through about 2 cases on this trip. That's all by myself. Yes, I'd CITO the cans. :P

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Its fun to watch the SPOT tracks. Hes on the river and will be there in a few days.

 

Looks like the SPOT device updates every 10 minutes while they're moving. And moving they are, I give them 3 days, maybe four, until they're at 2.41 Kg. err, I mean 4.5 Lb. Walleye.

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Its fun to watch the SPOT tracks. Hes on the river and will be there in a few days.

 

Looks like the SPOT device updates every 10 minutes while they're moving. And moving they are, I give them 3 days, maybe four, until they're at 2.41 Kg. err, I mean 4.5 Lb. Walleye.

 

It looks like the river they're on is much smaller than the river they'll be on soon. That one is much less twisty and should have more current. Have they figured out how they're going to get back home once they found the cache?

 

 

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Its fun to watch the SPOT tracks. Hes on the river and will be there in a few days.

 

Looks like the SPOT device updates every 10 minutes while they're moving. And moving they are, I give them 3 days, maybe four, until they're at 2.41 Kg. err, I mean 4.5 Lb. Walleye.

Hater. :laughing:

 

Its going to take a while. Thats the very reason why nobody found it, yet.

 

Once it been found, it wont be found again. Ever. Thats my theory.

 

The next cache on the list is the one in Alaska. http://coord.info/GC1259 (the last person that was there put a throw down but didnt log it as a found)

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Its fun to watch the SPOT tracks. Hes on the river and will be there in a few days.

 

Looks like the SPOT device updates every 10 minutes while they're moving. And moving they are, I give them 3 days, maybe four, until they're at 2.41 Kg. err, I mean 4.5 Lb. Walleye.

 

It looks like the river they're on is much smaller than the river they'll be on soon. That one is much less twisty and should have more current. Have they figured out how they're going to get back home once they found the cache?

My best guess to go on to Fort Albany and pack up all the gears on a bigger boat to Moosonee and take the train out from there. Or just sell all the big gears and fly out. Some of the bush pilots will haul the bigger gears on the belly of the plane. (I got a feeling its cheaper to just give the big gears away once you get to Fort Albany)

 

My dad used to live in Red Lake Canada for two years and most the bush pilots was hauling the boats under the plane. Oh, the fishing stories that he tells!! Some of the lakes was so full of fishes that almost every line you cast out will get you a fish.

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Great to watch the progress.

 

Anyone know what that terrain is between the river they're on and the one next to it? Couldn't tell very well in looking at the maps...

 

Zooming in on the satellite map, it looks like there are some primitive roads in between but that the vegetation might be pretty dense near the rivers. I don't know why they started on the smaller and twistier river at the beginning. It looks like they turned off the Spot tracking last night around 6:30PM and just turned it back on about 20 minutes ago. I heard that the weather got kind of nasty last night but it looks like they're on the move again.

 

 

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Look at points 38, 39 and 40. they definitely were on land. I wonder if he was placing a cache. He did threaten to drop a couple on the way. :laughing:

 

Looks like they hit the Albany River (the River 4.5 Walleye is along) right around noon Eastern Time on Sunday. And of course they themselves are in the Eastern Time Zone.

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Look at points 38, 39 and 40. they definitely were on land. I wonder if he was placing a cache. He did threaten to drop a couple on the way. :laughing:

 

Looks like they hit the Albany River (the River 4.5 Walleye is along) right around noon Eastern Time on Sunday. And of course they themselves are in the Eastern Time Zone.

I see that and hes moving around a bit. Very likely for lunch or to place a "vacation" cache.

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They are on the Kenogami River now,and stopped near an old Hudsons Bay outpost. That would seem an obvious spot for a cache.....

 

I don't know if you remember me TG, but we hiked a few miles together on one of the Bruce Trail Group Hikes. I can't believe you never went after this one. :) Are you saying I got it wrong, and they're not on the Albany River yet? Very possible.

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They are on the Kenogami River now,and stopped near an old Hudsons Bay outpost. That would seem an obvious spot for a cache.....

 

I don't know if you remember me TG, but we hiked a few miles together on one of the Bruce Trail Group Hikes. I can't believe you never went after this one. :) Are you saying I got it wrong, and they're not on the Albany River yet? Very possible.

 

They are definitely on the Kenogami right now. Where the Kenogami runs into the Albany further north is another HBC outpost. The spot they are at now is Mammaamattawa, an old native meeting point where the four rivers meet: Kenogami, Nagagami, Kabinakagami, and Ridge. From what I've read online, the Kenogami up to the Albany and the rest of the way to Fort Albany has been travelled by boat and motor and even large rafts. They should make good time from this point on if the weather cooperates.

 

I was all set to give this trip a go, but finding others who could take 2 weeks off and were willing was not successful. It's just as costly this way, maybe more than flying in, but the most adventurous way for sure. I still hope to do this trip one day, whether the cache is found or not....

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