Hollis' Track (Canterbury) Cashmere, South Island, New Zealand
By Rincewind3 on 21-Oct-08. Waypoint GC1H16B

I started this puzzle at least 2 years ago and I looked at it again recently and realised that I had a couple of wrong answers which was silly for someone who frequently does word puzzles. Took a few moments to find as my brain is saying no you don’t want to go there. Managed to find without too many problems but was pleased that I was wearing a $2 top from a charity shop. I don’t believe that the person who claimed to have find it in September actually find it as they haven’t signed the logbook. Now off to walk nearby streets for my street project

Found it!!

17:48

Oh gee, I think I started this crossword about 5 years ago. I was very stuck on 1 down&across and 4 down.

I'm not convinced by that one source that calls it a tree lily though. But it's probably true from some perspective if not completely true.

Recently, collaborated with OSC, also asked for a bit of a hint from CO, and finally, the puzzle was complete! Darn, I just walked here not too long ago!

Today went for a bit of a mission after work, so thought, yeah, not too far, will just bike to it. What I had already forgotten, because last time I drove up here in a car, was how steep that road is. Had to push my bike for the last third up.

Yeah, prickles are there but not as bad as I thought! Just some careful and targeted steps, and I was on top of them. Literally.
Cache in good condition, left a USB adapter.

Kia ora! Paldies!
TFTC, Rincewind3!
#9064

I see from the last log that the thorns are back (there weren't any when I placed it, promise!)
For now... I'll add a thorns attribute

This one was an effort! Had the puzzle 90% solved for some time but there was one last word I couldn’t figure out. After consulting with ivss_xx, I messaged the CO for a wee nudge. It was almost embarrassingly simple!

Set out for the cache today with kozjah. It took a bit of searching in those awful thorns! I was about to give up, as I found what I presumed to be its cave, when Kozjah took an extra few steps and noticed something a little off. I climbed in and soon had the cache in hand. Thanks for the puzzle and good hide in a place I’d likely never visit. Good to get this lonely cache back on the radar. Cache is in pristine condition.

We went with busy paws to find this one. After reading previous finds we went armed with tramping boots, thick socks, secateurs and gardening gloves. Did we use all or some? remains a secret to make it fun for you. Really happy when we heard Mr C say 'got it'. Log signed and all replaced as found. The hint is very accurate. Thanks for the fun puzzle, taking us to a new track not seen before and the cache Rincewind3.

Suggested to Coconuts3 that we give this a go, but what to be prepared for!??Well, back pack had EVERYTHING except the kitchen sink, and at the end of it all, a good crouch method , secateurs and gloves. The next person will have it easy, so don't delay!! Interesting hide and a good one. TFTC

I decided to make use of the long daylight hours and go for a walk after work. Had to wait out a muggle heading past with a dog, then dived in. Prickly!!! TFTC!

Puzzle solved with 1 dumb mistake which the CO kindly pointed out. Duh. Anyway he suggested I might need gloves and secateurs for the brambles. Decided to go for the loppers. Job well done if I do say so myself! Path is cleared for next finders. A bonus find here is in my attached photo. But when will they be ripe??! Thanks, Rincewind3. Good puzzle, nice exercise to make the find.
#4908

With a good help from the CO, I could solve this crossword. I learned about New Zealand plants and some english too, which is always good. Who would have thought you could improve your English by solving geocaching mystery puzzles? Once at GZ, I tried to reach and got a splinter. With our feet we then tried to push the blackberry away. We couldn't find anything. We'll try again, after winter, maybe there will be less aggressive thornes left. We are spending another day out at Port Hills, we really like this place, views are breathtaking, and the hike are relatively easy. Temperature today was perfect. We don't know how long we'll continue to have 20° throughout autumn, so we take all chances to go hiking!

Puzzle solved, then on to GZ with some protective gloves given the brambles mentioned by previous loggers. The secateurs were also required! Cache soon found. The log is a bit damp, but still ok. Thanks for showing us part of our hill we had never discovered in 18 years! TFTC

Thanks to some generous help from the CO we could solve the puzzle (crosswords are really not that easy if it is not your first language). Today after we work we grabbed this cache, which turned out to be a similar difficult mission. Quite a few thorns around GZ made the approach difficult, but we managed to grab the cache with half of the team busy holding the blackberry away. Great to have this done and nice views accross the city. TFTC

Wow this was a real joint family effort!
Amy was really keen to solve it as it is near her home....
All 5 of us had input into doing this cool crossword!
Finally some co ords that got us the green tick!
Managed to find a spare hour before dark to go hunt down the final with Anne and Amy on my second to last day here....my job to do the short scramble...!
Was rather tricky and prickly....but as least I didn't slip down ....
So pleased to find the container!
Many thanks for the fun Rincewind3...I don't usually do many Puzzle caches...
Favourite Point!

I had two caches in this area which I wanted to find this morning. So I parked up at the Sign of the Takahe and went for a walk. The first cache was quickly found and so I headed off to find this one.
Now on paper the distance from the car to the cache wasn't too far but in reality.......
I got to GZ and the cache was quickly spotted but the guardian put up a bit of a fight. As I plunged in head first I was actually thankful that I have to wear glasses! They certainly deflected some of the plant!!
Once the cache was replaced I trudged back to the car. On the plus side my fitbit said I had done 55 floors during the course of my walk so some good came of it. TFTC.

Took a bit to solve this puzzle quite a while ago, finally decided to head this way today.The cache was a quick find. Thanks for the cache. Watch out for the blackberry!

07/09/2016 11:31:00 AM
7449
I had some errands to run in town, and decided that while it was a nice day, and before it turned sour in the evening, I'd go and find some caches around doing the errands, and then head home in time to make dinner.

But that plan was cut short as I ended up getting a txt and needing to go meet the midwife as my appointment earlier in the week had been cancelled! Still managed to sort almost all the errands and get 7 caches though - not too bad!

This was number three.

I'd solved this one quite a while ago. I had the printout at work, and I managed to find it as I was clearing out my desk before going off on leave!! Ah! Perfect!! That bit of paper wasn't getting thrown out!

So made sure to take the paper with, and recorded the coords.

Today was then the perfect chance to grab it!!

Was prepared for it to take a while, but luckily, wasn't too bad. I spotted it, but then had to figure out how to retrieve it!!!

Turns out, from the car where I parked it to here & back was the equivelant of 19 flights of stairs!! Haha.

Can't believe though that this cache has been unfound so long!!! (Madcat was the last person - no idea where the latest online log comes from - should probably be deleted or this cache won't be as 'lonely' as it really was!!

Consec caching day # 1403

TFTC!!

Randomly found this when walking, cool little find

After attending the ANZAC Day dawn parade and going on an adventurous Huntsbury Hunt, I thought I'd grab this one on the way home since I had solved it a few days ago. Being forewarned about the brambles I came prepared (in true ANZAC fighting spirit!) to do battle with gloves, jeans and long sleeves. There was really only one bramble that caused me any trouble, a pair of secateurs would have come in handy but my soldiers boots did the trick! It did take me a good 5 mins or so to locate the exact position of the cache. I do hope there were no window muggles looking down at me because they must have been wondering what I was up to. A bit of slip sliding, wrong way, no try up there , no down there, in there, way waaay back there, no, brush off all the dust and leaf litter. Start again. Aha there it is! Signed the log quick smart and high tailed it out of there just a split second before a pair of muggles came power walking along the track and smiled good morning! Lol! The puzzle was fun too (except for that 1 across which had me, well, a bit like the answer to 1 across!). Thanks for the fun Rincewind3

Quick find on the second time.tftc

Finally after many years and quite a few visits we found it. Puzzle I remember took a little to work out and I even had to correct 1 answer before the latest attempt but got the tick in the end.....Has there always been a geocheck? My first visit was many years ago and at that time the area was at the start of the construction of a better track and stairs at both ends. Visited at least twice while this was going on and with no chance to grab cache with access restricted or workers all over the place. Visited again after this was finished but at that time the area was very bare and open and at the time of day I did not feel comfortable searching. Came back a few days ago and had another search but was a little out in the area I was searching and before we were able to extend had the owner of the house at the top of the track come down and rather rudely declare we were parked on his property. With that decided to retire. Found out later the small piece of waste looking land at the top of Hollis road is not within his property but there would be a few cachers around that have felt the wrath of locals at one time or another whether on their land or not so probably not worth ignoring that little lie. Glad to get this one eventually. Thanks for the puzzle and cache has been an epic cache to finally find.

The brambles are increasing the terrain factor.

I was taking a walk up Latters Spur from Hollis Ave and thought I might try my luck on the cache, again. I first started the chase on this one a couple of years ago. It took me some time to solve the puzzle. Somehow the last couple of clues just wouldn't come. I'd keep putting it away and the get it out and try some more. Then a concerted effort and I had it - well the coords at least. A while later I took a bike ride up to try to track it down. What a ride. I obviously needed to get fitter! Feeling a little dizzy and quite tired I looked and looked, but to no avail. I left empty handed. A couple of returns visits also failed to make a find. At least once thwarted by muggles.
So, back to the walk. I had no pen but had a look anyway on the way up and soon spotted what was obviously the cache. A bit of blackberry guarding the hideyhole. So, I'd return another day with a pen. I continues the walk, and got to the top of my walk. I was near a cache which I quickly found - but no pencil in the container. I had more luck with a cache on the way back, so thought I should try my luck. Not too hard to avoid the prickles and - yay - just what I needed a pencil in the cache.The log was signed quickly and I was happy to finally have 'knocked this one off'.
Thanks for a great chase.

Solved this last night with the help of Twosharpe on a couple of clues. Today I thought I would go for an explore and see where the track went. Finally tracked down the right place to find the cache. Not too scratchy today. Thanks for the puzzle and the cache.

Had this puzzle 9/10ths solved for ages, then the Clever Mrs Sharpe finished it yesterday, so Mr Sharpe collected the final on his run home tonight. Some blood donated to the local guardian foliage as an extra.

Yay. Solved this ages ago. Second search. Clue helped. Great puzzle.

Yay - I was in a grumpy mood today due to too much time inside packing, sorting, etc. A small window of opportunity had me heading up to try and find this one again as recent logs looked promising. The foliage has definitely grown since last visit but despite this, this time I found it quickly, (thanks to updated hint too). It was quite near where I had looked the first time. A therapeutic find. TFTC!

Living down this street I've attempted to find this cache a few times (without completing the puzzle.. I got stuck on a couple of them!) but to no avail. But this time it only took me a couple of minutes to spot the bush lawyer and fight him to get the cache. I reached in and grabbed the cache with my cobwebbed covered hand. Great cache and a great excuse to go for a walk up my (steeper than it looks from the bottom) street! TFTC!

The Wanglers have placed a cache whereby you have to show caches that haven't been found for a while - some love. So, this cache has had some love! Another spot that I have never been near.

As there have been a couple of DNFs lately I thought I'd duck up and check on the cache. It is still there (had been put back further in than necessary). Clue will be updated tonight as there is a small change to the terrain.

Solved the puzzle ages ago. Had an unfruitful search. It was disappointing. I should have known it has been found for over 5 months so it has probably been muggled.

I had a good rummage around but couldn't find it. I even found a potential 'cave' on the left down side but I couldn't reach the bottom. However, I suspect I have made it too hard for myself judging from Rincewind3's comments!. I will return another day. Never been here before so that is the real bonus - quite a view and nice quiet area.

I solved this puzzle from 9,200 miles (~15,000km) away.
Coordinate checker confirmed![^][^][^]
(Now if only it would send me the plane tickets)

I've never heard of a few of these answers before, so this was a fun learning experience.
Thanks for creating this puzzle.

Since I'll likely never visit this GZ in NZ, the smiley will always elude me so I'll have to settle for this simple "Write note" instead.

Ducked up today to check on the cache. All is still well, plenty of room on the cache log. I was surprised it survived the Earthquakes of 2010/11, but no major dramas. As you will need to take one or both feet off the track to retrieve this one, please be careful as the terrain has changed slightly.

This entry was edited by Rincewind3 on Sunday, 02 June 2013 at 08:07:10 UTC.

A cache that I've had solved for a very long time... picked it up during a very pleasant evening stroll over the hills. It's amazing the effort that has gone into building this track.

Had some spare time so had a go at the X-word. A couple of words had me guessing, especially the giant lily! But solved and a check on google earth suggested a visit would be worthwhile. TFTC.

This cache was good for my calves and hammies! Wow. What a walk from the car park! I looked at this cache some months ago thinking I might be able to answer the questions. I hadn't a clue about most, in particular 1 across. Chocochunk did a fine job.

Great spot. The gandalf clue had me for awhile until I tried some. TFTC. SL. TNLN.

Neat puzzle. Good walk into cache site. A great set of steps on this walkway. TFTC

Nice hide - my first attempt at this one was during the second snow storm - was much clearer today. TFTC (395)

A short wander from the car today, the first time I've ever been up here. Sat at GZ and wondered about a man who was weed spraying near by but managed to use the natural rock cover to mask the finding. TNLN Thanks

Enjoyed the crossword. I didn't have the parking co-odinates, so finding a way in was a bit of a mission. Easily found once I got to GZ. TFTC.

This entry was edited by TikvaNZ on Friday, 26 August 2011 at 10:46:11 UTC.

May not have chosen the most ideal time to go out and look for the final... Had no luck finding it under all the snow... Had a hell of a lot of fun though

What a steep road. Glad I wasn't cyclocaching today! GZ looks over a lovely wee valley.
Tahnks for the puzzle and another walway around ChCh.

TFTC. The GSP was all over the place, however cache in hand soon enough.

Had a great time looking for this track and finding the cache. we had lovely weather when we went with henkelnz. TFTC.

A good geocache find. Great settingTFTC

Our 200th find and our 28th puzzle! Nice one
Mrs Gaters solved this quickly (crossword fiend she is), and I went out this evening to collect. Awesome
nightscape view whilst filling in the log. Thanks for the effort involved in preparing this cache!

Decent structure on the approach. Put in when the housing went into the area?

Couldn't figure out the crossword so we just used the hints to look anyway... and found it! Nice easy cache, TFTC

Found this time, were about 5m out last time, what a climb back up.

Bitsprayer

Solved the puzzle before we left Auckland. Stopped by today to make the find. The in-car GPS tried to take a short-cut to the parking co-ords, and as a result we approached from the opposite end of the track. Felt a bit exposed here today, but were determined to make the find. Found after checking out a couple of other possibilities first. Thanks.

# 1973

Worked this one out a while back - finally got around
to visiting the GZ today - all good TNLNSL TFTC.

Thanks for the puzzle. Easy find once that was completed. Tried to not look 4 down when retrieving the cache. Left geocoin

Took two tries, first time mis-counted one of the letters, so almost ended up in Victoria Park. Then a re-count had us back at the track, and cache was at hand. Thanks for bringing us here, never knew it existed. Lovely little walk. TFTC

Third visit while this track was being transformed. Today could get near the cache. Golly gosh, this is a truly upmarket track - complete with roll-on non-slip carpet on stairs! We'll have a lift soon? Thanks, was a perfect day to be here. #920

Hmmm no luck here, will have to revisit

Bitsprayer.

All up and running now - the track appears finished. There were no workers there on the Wednesday I turned up. The cache is still there, though a heap of soil had come in from above and half buried it. I dug it out and used more appropriate camouflage so it's ready to be found. I was, however, being watched so I haven't checked the contents. Let me know if there're any problems there.

Visiting this area so had a check on progress - lots of activity, zillions of plants, planting party very busy, zillions of steps almost ready but the builder said we could wander around this up market walkway. Knew where the cache would be, but with all the working muggles, left it for another day. So far so near. What a transformation from last visit, hardly walk a track - maybe stare at the stairs.

Still working on the track. An impressive set of steps is almost complete at the top end.

Access to final cache is closed from upper road entrance. Work for track improvements just begun & looks majorly extensive so hope cache owner is aware as may affect the final cache. Good puzzle so far.

Spent quite a bit of time trying to work out what 1 down was and never really succeeded ! Thanks for the Cache.

Although there is a sign saying work will start on the track in May, it hasn't started yet, so we were able to reach and find the cache. There must be a nice view on a good day, but today wasn't such a day. There was quite a lot of water coming down the stream. TFTC

Was getting late and had to convince Mr Guzzi that this one would be achievible before dusk. The steps got our hearts beating so we don't really think it is just a 2 for terrain. Mr Guzzi nearly fell to the valley below slipping on a loose rock. We did not get the co-ords right but as usual Mrs Guzzi's Geo-instincts and nose was onto it after reading the clue. Took nothing left nothing.

This track is up for major modification so it may pay to keep an eye out. It is supposed to be closed from May 09. Might be a good idea to retrieve cache and diable until the maintenance is over.

I did a joint effort on the puzzle a long time ago with Mrs. S.t. Finaly got to come up here on my way to Latters Layby. This is a good cache to do at night, cos folk in the nearby houses cant see you from their lit rooms, and the light from the houses is enough to allow you to get almost to GZ with out the torch on.

Cheers and thanks,
S.t.

I also need longer legs for the steps. Found quickly my gps was spot on. TFTC Cheers Bevyb

(2099)
Great views from the recommended parking spot and trailhead. No dramas locating the cache. Great hide, Many thanks.
TNLNSL, TFTC

Another track I had no knowledge of. TFTC

That Hollis St is quite steep. My diesel truck had the low fuel level sign glowing steadily before I started the climb and up near the top the engine lost power for a couple of seconds when the fuel pump started pumping air. My fault for trying to ran the tank to near empty so I could extract the most from my 20cents per litre supermarket saving docket. [B)] (Actually I made it home to Kaiapoi before refuelling only to find that there were still 7 and bit litres in the tank - so I was good for another 60-70kms, maybe). I just wonder how many people regularly use that steep walking track? The council workers have been through there recently with their weed wackers and have done a good job clearing all the long grass from the track. + Ta-Ra! TB. Thanks for the cache RinceWind3. Cheers

Solved this before we left the coast. A nice quick crossword although 1 across had us stumped a bit until we had the others solved near it. A quick walk from the top of the road, i'm glad we came on a dru dayyafter a dry spell. Can't say i would want to come down those steps after some rain. Thanks for another puzzle cache. TNLN TFTC

Didn't find this cache first tie around as we had the old puzzle, the corrected one was bang on. The house owner further up is gardening their whole plot of land.

Solved the puzzle last night, and came out tonight after dinner to find it. Thanks for showing me a new track Cheers Gav [2752]

A quick evening find with Rediguana. TFTC.

Big steps alright! Bit of night caching tonight so had to be a bit careful waving the torch around with the houses close by.
Nice view of the city at night from the parking co-ords.
TFTC

Interesting walk but the steps were a killer! Great hiding place-walked past it a few times before we found it.

That was only a short walk from home - but a hot one in today's Norwester. Easy find. Thanks and cheers from Grandalf(1442)

Hmmmm!! This one is only 640m from my home coords - but I've been away in Dunedin at my daughters wedding - even caching had to take a break for that!! I guess I'd better go and get it - I know the steps very well, as I'm trying to get the Council to make them more user-friendly. Grandalf.

I spotted the spot as I came up - thinking 'that would be a good spot' - and then continued to the zero. After hunting a bit, I vaguely remembered the comment about the coords being off, and went back to find it. +Lizard TB. Thanks.

#450 (1/7 in SE Chch). Troodles solved the puzzle prior to the correction, and once the adjustment got posted it was easyto work out where the cache was.

I'd been in the area quite recently, but not since the track was put in. Interesting to see what the area looks like now. Cache was an easy find. Many thanks.

Never been up here before, so was an interesting journey. Don't think I'd like to live in the houses perched above us (even if we had the dosh!), I'd be worried about land slips every time there was constant rain.
The steps mentioned in the cache must be for giants, there were some pretty big risers for my short legs to negotiate.
Thanks for all the effort to make an enjoyable puzzle.

2309. Did the puzzle a couple of nights ago and luckily we checked the cache page before heading out tonight or we would have been in same situation as Kiwilegend. We made a few quick adjustments to the maths and everything turned out well. That is an interesting little track with some imposing houses overlooking it. The one to the left of the track as you start is almost encroaching right on top of you - that will be a very large building when it is all completed.

Thanks for taking us to an area that we had never ventured into previously, and it gave us some different and interesting views of the city.
We took the geocoin with us on our journey.
Thanks
Iris & Rodney

Yay a FTF. I managed to do the puzzle ok but I couldnt sort the right looking coordinates out, But I never have been good at my maths lol, So I just went for a walk up the track after work today and just thought like a geocacher and found the cache easy enough,So thank you Rincewind3 for all the hard work you have put into making the puzzle.. Cheers Bo

Blast. I guess I should have quadruple checked the maths - triple checking obviously didn't work.
I have made two changes to the maths, one of which makes a significant difference to where you'll look!
Have emailed those who have already commented on this with the corrections.[B)]

I got an answer - but the location doesn't look 'right'. I have emailed for confirmation.

Published

Just dropping in a coin I'm releasing.