5th Rock from the Sun. (Central Plateau). Motuoapa, North Island, New Zealand
By Punga and Paua. on 30-Dec-09. Waypoint GC22E51

Well it is a surprise to find that the cache we found was placed by aliens from the 5th rock from the sun. They really are onto it now that they have caches.
Thanks to all concerned where ever.

Archived.

Cache Check: What a surprise, it's not the cache we put here, a different container, a flimsy jar, placed in a hole dug out of the ground under a rock. Our cache was not hidden like this. It was not in a hole under a rock. The rocks appear to have changed, and the 5th rock is much smaller than it used to be. We could not find any trace of the original container. It's obvious this cache was changed some time ago without our knowledge.
Time to archive it.

Found very quickly and the sun was shining brightly..... lucky we could count!!! TFTC

Easy find - drive by thanks to BLEEP The Blue Jeep!

tftc

Easy find, GPS and 4x4 showed the way, fortune favours the brave, or park the car and a short walk from suburbia is possible. Great view across the lake and to see the lake shore, a view hidden from HW1. TFTC.

Easy clue, TFTC. Great view!

Hey, woof... JC Cache Dawg here...

Im loading all my finds from my Alpha Males (aka GenCuster) logs, where he deigned to remember that I was with him... As if he could forget...3/02/13 9:00

3/02/13 9:00 This had been on my 'to do' list for years. Either been dark or I've been on a timetable (note to oneself - slow down & find the caches)... Finally... Made it a drive-by with JC Cache Dawg in my Camp'n Cach'n Wag'n. Damn that pine tree!!!
Thanks Punga and Paua. Cheers, GC.

Found on a wee break in the area with JimmyNZ. 4wd managed to get right to the top. TB Out, TFTC!

Nice spot to view the lake with Greenslime. TFTC

Eventually found it but made it a long walk by starting from the wrong point.

On a Sunday drive and decided I had to come and see what the fuss was all about. The slightly balding tyres on the old rear wheel drive car wouldn't take me to the top, so i had to back down to park, then walk. The views weren't quite what I expected, but it was an interesting spot none the less and a good, dry cache. Left a TB TFTC.

Lovely view. Easy find. Big rock!

I now see that this has been disabled. Good thing I had this downloaded into the GPS already. Good spot for a geocache, so my vote is for it to remain for others to find. The walk up the hill is worth it if its a nice day as there is a great view.

The glass container is pretty good I think. Its nice to find a geocache that is dry on the inside and has a good seal. I'm not up with the play with container rules, but this glass jar works better than most containers we found over the winter.

Thanks for the cache!

Thanks to cachers who supported this cache. Just to be on the safe side we'll mark it child-unfriendly. We've actually injured ourselves on Ammo box caches!!

82 people have found it, only 2 people have very recently complained about the container. There hasn't been a problem with it until now. Disabled while we think about it. Would you like us to archive it?

Found at 10:12 AM GAFF5 in the company of Phetlern. We drove right up to the top in our hire vehicles and then started looking in between looking at the lovely view across the lake to the islands. We looked and looked - noting the name of the cache - and looked and lifted and nothing. Then p-Phetlern decided to break with the counting regime and check the 4th rock and there it was! Looks like someone has removed a rock Before we left we replaced the missing rock so that all is now back in order.
Thanks Punga and Paua

12:12
Our visit to NZ began with the Mega, today was the last day of what has been an amazing and wonderful time travelling with the Pprass team. We realised how much we take 4WD's for granted when caching in Australia, our hire cars made it to the top and the search began. After literally going round in circles it was a case of "Where can we look again" We were a bit surprised to find a breakable container - particularly in that position.

NOTE TO CO: Is the container you have at this location legitimate for use as a Geocache container?

TNLN . . SL . . Thanks for the hunt Punga and Paua.
4679

Big brother had some odd jobs in Taihape, Ohakune and Taupo to complete. Decided to invite myself along so I could find a few caches.

Had trouble navigating into the cache as I took the path through the council land at the end. Backtracked.

Found right path and Brother drove it right to the cache. Container no longer matching the hint, but easy enough to find. TFTC.

Climbed up here with Mycro Man by himself and took a while to find the cache. Wasn't impressed that the cache is a glass container and the location of the container, so signed the log and headed on up the goat track to the great views at the top. Pity the cache wasn't by the views and probably deserves one up there. Thanks anyways...

Did with CrystalFairy

Reading previous logs definitely an advantage here. Wouldn't fancy driving back DOWN the gravel track in a rear-wheel drive station wagon! Anyway, walking it allowed time to enjoy the views and explain myself to a nosey neighbouring muggle. Perhaps the camera and GPS in hand made me look suspicious because I was only loitering near the bottom of the gravel track, miles from the cache, on an empty section simply taking in the views. I didn't realise just how much this inland settlement behind Motuopa has grown and you get a bird's-eye view of it all up here.
Thanks P&P for bringing us up here.

We made this a drive by, although the road was interesting to say the least. A quick easy find and a nice view. TFTC

Could be a drive by for some but not us. The climb was rewarded with great views. Thanks

Passing by with 4 TBs

Nice easy find today after trying to come in from the other side of the Reserve last week!
There was a woRkmans van parked right next to the titular rock, great cover to dash and cache
TFTC

Tried to find the entrance to this cache before. Nice we walk up the hill. Found anotger way down but? to far where i parked

This entry was edited by psychrn on Thursday, 26 January 2012 at 04:05:49 UTC.

Tnln, tftc.... Good walk good views... Sam and josh beat me here!

A nice view from here this morning, found on an early morning cache run before breakfast. SL TFTC

This cache took us to a view of the lake we had not seen before. Found it with bkj97 and little blue hen on our roadtrip north. TFTC

Found with little blue hen and Richargr. Nice walk and great views. Soon located the appropriate planet.TFTCSL

Good stroll before dinner. Jupiter soon uncovered. T4TCSL

Nice hill - not! Couldn't count to five and tried to look under the sixth rock (from the sun). After a bit of heave ho, two of us managed to roll it over; only to find it was the wrong rock.

Thanks for the cache!

Bit of a hike up this hill for Mrs Taonga. Mr Taonga had a bung hip and got to stay with the car TFTC.

Was on my way north to Auckland for work so decided to do a few caches on my way north, was glad I did a bit of pre planning on this cache as I managed to work out where the cache was and was able to find the driveway that lead the way to GZ. Arriving at the driveway I thought better off it and decided that I wouldn't try and drive all the way to GZ. After walking to GZ I was glad that I didn't as some of the ruts that were on the 4X4 track were quite deep and also the gravel was quite loose. Managed to walk up to GZ without any issues and the clue made great sense once I got there, found the cache quickly without any issues and then decided to take in the views on my way back down to the car, what a nice spot to place a cache with great views of the lake from up here, thanks for bringing me to this lovely location, TFTC TNLNSL (3523)

Glad I did not do this as a drive by! Which you could! Walked up from the SH, took the long way to the look out, up a bit further and then dropped back down to the cache, and the road out.

Great views all round and an enjoyable 300th cache. Thanks for taking me there. Driven past so many times without realising it was there. Will be back with friends.

Yes the rock will always be......5th from the sun! Loved the humour.

Quick early morning find with great views over the lake TFTC

found with bouncy79, clever use of name. TFTC.

*SPOILER ALERT*
Argg I hate walking UP-hill. Lol, although I know it's good for me
Very clever use of the name for this caches location
TFTC

some way points would be really handy here went on the lookout walk uphill wrong way found after a lot of effort all in a days caching

Nice view to the north when at the top. Quick find.

Went for a quick hike up the hill from the road below while passing this way this morning. Cache was found rapidly. Great views! Signed log, TFTC!

hardest part was figuring out how to get up there! Left a pet rock - a lion TFTC

Good size rock, too

A lot easier to finf this time with the Map GPS.
An easy drive by (Yeh Right)
TFTC

Always driven past but never thought to journey up this hill before, I'm glad your cache took us there as it was a beautiful view of the lake and surrounding land. Best of the day. TFTC

Called by on way home .... great afternoon views. Thanks

11.35am - What a climb, I think I went from the wrong side. TFTC

Walked up and found this one without any problems, now we understand the title. Thanks P&P.

Found very easily .. once I figured out what street to go up to get to the track. Managed to make it up the track in a sedan, bit bumpy probably due to heavy rain last weekend. Cache in good condition in place exactly where clue states. TFTC!

Found this cache a little while ago but catching up on missed logs due to holidays. TFTC

Cache is still there, right where it should be.

Had the CoOrdinates spot on, absolutly sure we were at the correct GZ however no sign of it, used the clue, looked around but still no avail. Dont know what we done wrong on this one, difficulty level low so should have been able to find it. Courious to see if its been muggled

Lovely view and the drive up was the best part. Luckily left Mrs pepsicool at home while I borrowed her van.

Couldn't even get onto the track because the council has apparently neglected to mow the grass at the entranbce (shoulder high!!!)

Searched with Dr Rob. Couldn't access path due to overgrown vegetation.

nice view over lake Taupo

Almost as beautiful as paradise. TFTC

Last for the day TFTC, now back home lol

Quick find thanks

We managed to drive up without any problem, even without 4WD. Lovely views from up here today.

Great view. TFTC

Monkey see ... so they say - but our decidedly not 4 wheel drive struggled. We have climbed the track to the look off BGC so thought let's keep going but it didn't seem to go where memory did. So found cache but not lookout although the views were great from the cache site. NINO TFTC

Had the pleasure to cache abroad...no better place than New Zealand! TFTC

Quick find, great view, we drove up. TFTC

scared mrs sigoli a little by driving up to get this one! beauty view

Turned this one into a drive by! Got the views though and hey, never knew about all these houses, normally hidden from the road. TFTC

Great view from up there smart name it really connects to the place you hid it TFTC

great view from the top!!! nice hard walk to get there aswell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great view from up there. TFTC

More cross country driving.. uphill this time. Probably a nice view if the rain stopped. TFTC

Awesum view eh? Tftc

Approached from the South, up the walking track, turned into a 35 minute jogging loop out via the road. TFTC & Views

last find for the day after being in the TNP, suggest doing this one as the sun is setting, excellent spot
TFTC

Drove straight to it on a hunch, lovely expansive views, found at 3-30 pm thanks ,
MADtoo.

Found this one on my trip through the north island. Visited some great places and saw heaps of cool stuff. Thanks for showing me around and thanks for the cache.

Nirusu.

It shows how important to log comments to help fellow cachers. For this one the comments helped us think outside the square. Beeaautiiiiful Views ! TFTC

Our poor legs were struggling up and down the steps (unnecessary after all)
Nice views from GZ.
TFTC

After a few attempts from the wrong access points we managed a close encounter with the 5th rock from the sun T4TC.

Should have trusted the GPS. It told us to keep going but we spotted a reserve sign and figured we should attempt it from here. We went that way and then the other way and soon realised we were at the wrong altitude. Went back to the car and followed the GPS to within 2m from GZ. As they say always trust your GPSr. TFTC

1887 We were able to drive to within less than a metre of this cache (trusty old van - squeaks and all!) What aweseome views and a great way to start the day! TFTC

the hardest part was to find a way to the cache on the first attempt I ended up at the Motuoapa lookout - was interesting, but held no cache...
better luck at the end of the day
TFTC
Dowmans

Took the long way round for this one - up to the lookout, then further up to the forestry road, then down to the cache. Oh well, we needed some exercise today as the other finds were drivebys. NINO TFTC

Awesome views from up here this morning. TFTC

Nice spot for lunch

A brilliant day in Taupo today and what a glorious view from GZ, a great cache to start the day.
TFTC

4010 Great spot to have our lunch before heading north, found with randomkidz, enjoyed the views. TFTC

Great views from up here. Mrs bjtrekker found the cache. Thanks Punga and Paua for the cache.

Steep climb lovely view

Found it on a fabulous summers day with a great view out over the lake. TFTC.

A must-do cache for us today. The Motuopa Lodge Motel was the regular holiday spot from Mark's childhood. He climbed Echo Cliffs many times as a boy, and more than a few times with our own family. Today we drove to within a metre of the cache! It was a lovely sunny day, and the views from up there are as spectacular as we remember. Thanks for bringing us back up here today.

# 1266

Had planned this one as a "maybe" walk on our way home today. Looked at the older maps, and considered the fast change in contours.
Then had another thought! Bingo - far less energy expended, and onto Taupo quicker than planned, thanks!

The Freezer Mice strike again!!!
Quick stop and quick find while spending the weekend around the Taupo area.
Another spot we would never have been to without geocaching.
TNLN, TFTC.

What a stunning view. Easy find TFTC

Quick and easy find, what an AAA++++ View, TFTC

Must have been the day for it - looks like this cache had a lot of traffic on the 4th! Came with Holmes family on a holiday caching outing. TFTC.

I think I was the 3rd finder on this day - very busy up here. SL TFTC

Holmes family and Ngarara1 found this one. TNLN, TFTC. Loved the view!

Took the long way round to this one. Stopped off for a view from the lookout. Eventually got there!! TFTC