May the Fourth be with you! It’s time to celebrate everyone’s favorite space-opera epic and, with so many world-class geocaches paying homage to the franchise, we can’t think of a better way than to showcase one. Grab your lightsaber and hop in your X-Wing; we’re headed to GC87G3K, Forest Moon of Endor!
As neat as it would be to geocache among Ewoks and explore the lush topography of Endor, we sadly can’t promise that experience. On the other hand, the old-growth forests in Washington State offer what’s likely the next best thing. GC87G3K brings us to Cougar Mountain, about 500 miles (805 km) north of where they actually filmed the scenes for Endor. Somewhere deep in the evergreen forests of Cougar Mountain, your droid companion R2-D2 is captured by the Ewok Confederacy and needs to be freed!
This cache can be approached from either the base or summit of Cougar Mountain. With multiple trailheads to choose from, plan your rescue according to the whereabouts of sneaky Ewoks (muggles) hiding among the trees. In daring missions like these, it’s always important to check the terrain ratings and battle strategies of your opponent ahead of time.
Once you’re on the trail, you can’t help but notice the extreme density of the forest. Vibrant moss and leaves dance in the wind, and the calls of various animals reverberate through the otherworldly environment you just entered. In the enchanting aura of Cougar Mountain, it’s easy to get distracted, but focus is vital to rescuing our robot sidekick. Remember the words of Jedi Master Yoda: “Do or do not. There is no try.”
As you trek on and close in on ground zero, a glimmer of blue and white reflects behind a group of ferns; this is the droid you’re looking for!
Your long and trying journey is met with an equally great reward; the effort and care put into this cache by CO SMuddT is remarkable, and every little detail is there. From the clean paint-job to the camera lens protruding from its robotic face, this creation could even be a stand-in for the movies! After signing the log inside R2’s spacious storage compartment, snap a picture with the icon and thank the CO in your log—a cache like this doesn’t come along too often, and it doesn’t take a Star Wars fan to appreciate its ingenuity.
On your way back to the Millennium Falcon, inevitably you find yourself grinning ear-to-ear. GC87G3K underscores the powerful creative force that drives geocaching, not much unlike the creativity in Star Wars. May the Fourth is a wacky reminder that, although we live in an expansive universe, the best things are all right here, on Earth. Thanks for celebrating with us, geocachers, and may the Force be with you, always!
Continue to explore some of the most amazing geocaches around the world. Check out all of the Geocaches of the Week on the Geocaching blog. If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, fill out this form.
Source: Geocaching