Kepler Challenge(Fiordland) Te Anau, South Island, New Zealand
By Trutta, maintained by Pipedream on 10-Jun-05. Waypoint GCP8FZ

What a mission! With the final in hand I made a right debacle of the search at GZ! Going way too close to the river and in rather hairy spots with care and trepidation. Returned to the track about 40 minutes later and decided to obey the hint but from the left side of the wee stream and presto I spotted the suspicious location and there east he STASH. My relief and joy could be felt by the trees I am sure! Fave point for an oldie in an idyllic hideaway!

Before starting this classic cache I read the logs and because of my knowledge of the area basically knew where it would be. I tried to do it the way the CO intended but because waypoint 3 is awol it was impossible. It was a quick find at gz and my guess coordinates were only 5m out. Cheers

WP1 **45° 24.279'S 167° 42.509'E** Gnarly poplar 40mt away to the NE.
WP1 and WP3 **(±10mt)** replaced. Discovered the big final **Stash** not that hidden at the GZ. Returned to hide so it's not too obvious from the track. Twenty cars parked at the carpark.
A challenge to find a 15yr old cache should add to their adventures in Fiordland.
*It's not called the Kepler Challenge (Fiordland) for nothing.* 19favs were well earned.

Found the first two waypoints The second was buried deep. No joy with the third

18/9/2023 Find #6549Day 10 of the Fangsoki/1MinnieMoo New Zealand South Island adventure. Today we head from Invercargill to Te Anau. The weather is cold, rainy, and windy. Fangsoki gave me the grand tour of this multi and once we had enjoyed a bite to eat, checked in at our accommodation and the weather had fined up a bit, we headed off in search of the final. And what a beautiful area this is! My favourite places are rainforests and waterfalls, and I was not disappointed taking this hike today. It may have been cold, but it was so pretty!The search to uncover the cache took longer than expected, and I dont know how I missed it the first - or second - time around. Luckily after some to-ing and fro-ing Fangsoki came up with the goods. Thanks for the cache Trutta, and for its maintenance, Pipedream.

Wow, this multi cache took some time.

The first cache at the posted coordinates i found without too much difficulty the first day i arrived in Te Anau back in late November.
Then the second waypoint took two attempts to find.. having no luck the first time around, i set to reading logs until i had more info and back i went where i discovered it reasonably quickly.
Then the next waypoint i found quickly after a good few weeks, great spot and view, somewhere i'd not been before.
Seeing where it took me next i heaved a groan and decided to tackle the final on another day.

So, now, over a month later, i decided to make it my target for the day, meandering down along the lake2lake trail by foot and then back home along the kepler detouring somewhat to hunt this down enroute.

I went too far at first, scrambling downhill and hunting ferociously with no luck. I looked over yonder, spotted something curious at the base of a tree, and had a few hints given in some log reading so clambered back up and over where i luckily found it where i spied from afar. Ohoh! An original cache and logbook too!! wowsers. 2005.
So happy to sign this one and write a little story of my adventures in the logbook here.

First to sign this year, and since April last year, so i'm happy to shower some love on the unloved.

Thank you trutta for one of my most drawn out multicaches i've had the pleasure of discovering.
This makes for multi cache number 154. And find number 3861.

I've walked the kepler track before, but not in one madcap go like the challenge goes.

I'll happily add favourite number twenty to this pile. Thankyou!!

A random kepler track photo for your pleasure. (Nowhere near gz.)

After a few days in Te Anau clearing out the caches I only had this old dnf left. Got to the track and then saw I had two final waypoints. Better safe than sorry off to the second to check and yes there are 2. Strange. So back to the track and along to one wp. Remembered looking here before. So the second, no joy. Checked logs (remembered to download them) and hint and reckoned second was best and finally spotted it. Hint is near spot on and northerly wp got me to 3m. Nice to get this one sorted as I head home.

Could not find searched for 15 min

A trip out of town to visit Kiscardi at Te Anau.. also picking a few caches up there and on the way of course! I thought this would be more of a challenge but not too bad. Kiscardi accompanied me, she had found it 2 years ago and had forgotten most of it so all new for her again. We travelled around picking up the necessary info for the final and headed off to GZ. Met a few hikers on the way up, looking very tired and slightly damp, it had been raining for a few days prior, not fun for them. Happy the cache was found on level ground as there were a lot of sheer drops next to the track. Spotted the hide and grabbed the cache.. definitely bigger than a micro which was easier to spot. Cache all in good order tftc

Found with StreetWalkerNZ en route from Te Anau to Invercargill, using the scenic route, of course. A beautiful day after a cold start, perfect for caching.
We have been working on this multi for a few days, and so we were keen to find the final before leaving the area. It didn't take long to get to GZ, and once there, not too many options to search and SW quickly made the find. Good to do the caching version of the Kepler challenge as the other one is not my cup of tea .
Thanks for keeping this one alive, LvL. TFTC.

#18857. This was a fun multi, and a nice little challenge. Enjoyed this morning's walk along the Kepler track. I wondered how easy it would be to get the required distance off the track at GZ, but it turned out the terrain was flat and the bush was open. TFTC.

Tftc enjoyed the challenge thanks the first firm case took abit of hunting found the rest easy

In our first day here I looked for the first stage but did not find it! On the second day I looked for the second stage and found that. On the third day I walked to the third stage and found a great place that matched the hint but nothing there so looks like tomorrow will be yielding nothing and I give up on this cache.

Searched stage 1 for about 15 minutes with no luck.

Checked Final big box full of swag all ok mate.
___
*Found 01 May 17 We had no problems finding all the micros and after crossing the bridge, kept to the right-hand track until we joined the new DOC track uphill to the geo trail. The walk to the final was done in good time in the late afternoon. Cache was found in it's hide with a cacher's eye spotting something curious at the GZ. Nice big 3lt cache was soon in hand and after SL, checked over the best accompaniment of swag we have struck in a long time. TN but dropped in a CWG we picked up from across the countryside (it's a cheap one though, no code to discover) along with some baubles the little woman was holding onto from a cache too small for it. Rehid at the place and replaced the camo. Seen no one on the trails but the carparks were full. Thanks for leading us here on the Mini Luxmore Grunt Trutta. This cache has respect!*

No find since August... does it make sense to go for it? I am in Te Anau only a cupple hours..

Got wp2 coords and found that and wp3. Couldn't find the prize at the end though. Searched many hidey holes.

Nothing found at wp1

For my personal challenge of working towards getting my calendar on GC.COM to be at least the same shade of green or darker I need to sign off at least 12 caches today. I won't grumble if I find one or two more[^]. Today I decided to go a drive to the south down Manapouri way from Te Anau today.

I had gathered the required info a couple of days ago.

Cheers for the cache.

Since I planned to go the Kepler track, I wanted to visit this cache also. Thanks to Lions.v.Lambs that this is possible again, first of all for the maintenance, but also since I couldn't find the micro at stage 2 - the hint wasn't up to date any more. It's at knee height. What I wonder what stages 1 and 2 have to do with the Kepler track. Stage 3 fits to it nicely and the micro there was quickly found yesterday.
Today, hiking the second part of the track, I could easily find the container at one of the two coors found at stage 3.
TFTC
PS Why not publish a Kepler track multi in the Homer Jay style, see for example Rheinburgenweg #1 - Der Weg ist das Ziel! GC1PGNZ
In short, it would mean several waypoints and pictures taken there, so that the cacher needs to fit the pic to the WP

There is a micro at WP2 but at knee height

I was taking a break in Te Anau for a couple of days, in between hiking the Rakiura and Kepler Tracks. I spent today doing a few short walks and finding a few caches in the greater Te Anau area. I started on this one in Te Anau this morning and had no problems with any of the subsequent waypoints. Made my way to the final location later in the afternoon and soon found the cache at GZ. Cool multi this one, favourite point added! TFTC!

***Replaced** the missing WP2 and corrected the co'ods in WP3 for the final which may have been out with original co'ods slip in place for reference with the new bagged one in filmcan. Watch out for broken **glass** at WP2, jandals are not recommended. 1st WP black filmcan is on the roadside of the big hint. Final is in a good hide at the hint/vector. Followed my nose up the **New** track that has been finished for a looonnggg time. Container in good condition and added a PVC baggy to grab all the booty! **Don't follow the old track to the stairs as it leads to a treacherous drop off.** You will rejoin the trail eventually well before the final. Good hunting. Enjoyed my walkdown again and took three family's photos for them. Grrr swing bridges with passion³.*
___
Found 22 Sep 16 Gleamed the readies on previous visits along with the caches plotted for the day. Cito'd bunch of bottles from WP1, found the correct tree at WP2, hugged the right hint at WP3 and walked down the final after **detouring the geological mishap** of half the track being goneburger. Muggles were readying the other track for the new season. Container in good condition and added a PVC baggy to grab all the booty! TFTC

2 thorough searches with 2 good sets of eyes were unable to locate the canister at WP 2.
There is nothing there.
We are starting the Kepppler next week are are really disappointed that we can not proceed with this cache.

It would be appreciated if the owner could please check WP 2 as we spent over an hour looking without success.

Found the final today after initially finding the first and second steps many moons ago but thought it was time to finally put a smile to this cache - the final coords had me 500 metres off course but Granville sorted the final hide so signed log - sorry didn’t check what was wrong but will keep an eye on this.

Found 1

Found all 3. Great variety

Down for my own Kepler challenge fighting the elements on an amazing 4 day hike .
No problem finding the first three way points had to double check the numbers for the final as expected it to be further away .
When I finally reached gz the area matched the hint so of I went I actually went around gz with out seeing the cache ,instead I followed the GPS and went in the wrong direction ..the hint is what you need to trust after reading previous logs I finally spotted it .
Was easy to find on my second visit as I left my beanie next to the cache so had to come back for it luckily I hadn't gone far ..
Not sure where the landslide is nothing to see on the proper track .

Found the first ones, but we could not get to the actual cach, because landslides blocked the way with trees & the track was not save :/

Apologies for late log. Checking what caches i don't have in the area, i noticed a couple i found over 2 months ago. Enjoyed this walk, found with Searchwisely and Granville.

A beautiful afternoons work.
Crunched numbers and then pulled on the lyvra running gear to get this one. Tftc

Worked out what was need crunch the numbers and off for a walk to find the box sing the log and replace.
Great cache
Tftc

Eventually found it. Thanks for the afternoon adventure. There were quite a few people wandering by today.

Off for my four day adventure into the wilderness, great to start with a few along the way! I am glad I managed to collect all the clues the day before, and now I was on straight to the final. Well, as straight as the path would have me! I was slightly overthinking it, but I was not going to leave until I find it! My kind of Kepler Challenge TFTC!!

Found

Dr

First two waypoints are good. Will have to come back to finish this one

I found the first waypoint about a year ago and pick up the second as I arrived in town yesterday. Today was the time to finish off the multi. The final walk is a bit longer than when I last walked the Kepler due to the slip. Cache was quickly found and is in good condition.

Revisiting. We went to GZ on the new track, then out of curiosity followed the old (now closed) track on the way back. The "geological instability" is not only the large slip by the river as we expected (although that is eating back and the track will be eroded sooner or later). There's been a beautiful rotational landslide [https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4H0H7_deaths-corner](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4H0H7_deaths-corner) which has neatly dropped the old track two metres and left a nice sheer wall you have to jump down. You wouldn't want to be there in wet weather - it's likely to move some more sometime! Then straight back along the old track to the bridge. Mind you, there is a set of pest control steps which will take you up from the old track at river level up to the top of the terrace, so that would be a shortcut.

Sorry for the late log. Found with stairman1. We are on our holiday enjoying beautiful NZ. This was a very busy place. So many hikers. All good with this cache. Names added we headed off. TFTC.

Found with goldielover. What a great multi cache. Had a lot of fun with this one. Loved the walk up to the final GZ. We did wander down way too far before turning around and spotting the hide back on top. The track is very busy here today.
TFTC

Found with stairman1. Our last day in NZ. This was a great multi. The kind we like. Can’t muck it up. Something new at each waypoint. Final was easy to get to. Met a few muggles on the track. Log nice and dry. Cheers from Australia

Found all 4. The last one was tricky enough with inaccurate GPS signal. For the final cache take the new track which leads in the opposite direction and it loops back around to where you need to go. Cache hidden in the base of a large tree, approx 10m off the track towards the river.

CZECH
až po 3. stage v pohodě, ale pak přišlo nepříjemné překvapení, které jsem tušil... finálka je tam, kde jsme už ráno procházeli, ale teď jsme se už nevrátili

The final has been blocked off by the DOC. Everything else is fine. Needs reassessment at least, disabling maybe.

Started on this one while I was in town today.
WP 1 (posted coords) - noone around, beautiful day and so peaceful. A little bit warmer and I would have taken off my shoes and sat by the lake seeing if there were any pebbles to try to skim. Didn't realise how much I missed that feeling while living in Chch. I'm going to have to get fit enough to do some of the more remote caches.
WP 2 - another peaceful place. Took the walk in from a designated carpark rather than the shorter walk if I had parked nearer. Glad I did as a Kereru flew close by before landing on a nearby tree for a feed of spring growth.
WP 3 - will wait for another time

We completed the way points and headed off to the final.. Sadly due to geo upheaval in the area the final was not accessible (DOC has closed the track).

TFTC. Sorry, I will write more later, I am still travelling.

Thanks for this really nice Geocache!

We are really happy to finished the track with this second Kepler challenge so we add two little friends

TFTC

Walking the Kepler Track I wanted to find this one. I found the first micro yet not at the hint's place. But the second micro could not be found.

We began this multi on the 2 January and gradually found all of the caches except the final which we left till when we started our Kepler Challenge and tramp a few days later. A lot of walking involved tp complete this challenge.

Found after a big day with the kids. Great cache. Thanks for setting up!

Started yesterday and finished off today must come back soon to do the whole track

Can't find first on sure I have correct tree

Had a really good look around lots of trees. Couldn't find anything. Bit unsure what you mean by micro, could be anything from a fingernail size to film canister.

Found with muggle friends (Ian and Linda). We found the first waypoint on Saturday night while taking the dog Basil for a walk along the shoreline. Off to the rest of the waypoints on Sunday morning. We enjoyed finding all the waypoints and got to the final just before the weather started to close in. A really enjoyable cache, Thanks. Worth a fav point

Found stage 1

Unfortunatly we had no more time to do the final stage since it was on the other side of the track than all the DoC caches.

Damn.. we already came so far

Never the less, nice caches!

During geotrip found it. Thank you

On our journey to New Zealand, xhead and I travelled to the South and the North Island and to Stewart Island. We had a lot of fun hiking in these great landscapes, viewing a lot of interesting animals and nice peoples. Sometimes a little treasure likes this Cache was crossing our way. Thank you very much for hiding this Cache in this amazing place.
Greetings from Germany, Akirey

Akirey and I visited in April and May New Zealand. First we decided to look around on the South Island including Steward Island then we went to the North Island.
All the time we enjoyed our trip. We saw a lot of sweet animals, amazing landscapes and met many nice people.

Also we searched for some caches. This one was one of them.

Thanks for hiding and greetings from Frankonia
xhead

Tftc

Took two days to find due to time restraints but it could be done in one. Getting to the final cache was a bit of a scramble as we went the wrong way -zigged when we should have zagged lol. Awesome fun looking for this TFTC

That's when I found the first micro cache with the coordinates that I realized that my phone doesn't handle a compas. So I just can't do anything with those coordinates... Shit!

This was a real challenge. The first two,stages we didmon Silvester day, just before starting the Kepler track. These were no easy founds, but the hints were helpful. The third stage was just before starting our Kepler walk on New Years day. The difficulty was how to approach the right location. The cache itself we found on the last daynof our Kepler track. This was no problem. Nice multi, a favorite worth.
Tftc

Found the coordinates over 2 days then went for a walk to find the final. We really enjoyed this multi, thanks!

Beautiful area we were so lucky to find a hedgehog walking by in daylight which we had also been dying to see (from Oz)

Bit of a poplar scramble but eventually found it - TFTC

Did the Challenge. Day before I went on the Kepler Track I looked for the first 3 stages. No problem finding the micros. Final I took on my way back from Iris Burn Hut just before jumping on the 3 o clock Transfer to Te Anau. Loved this one.

Did a very quick search for the first stage and then moved on to the next cache.

Great day out on the bike. TFTC

unable to start as couldnt find wp1 not here for much longer so maybe another time

Completed the last stage of the multi today with AlpineNina on our tramp to Iron Burn campsite. Without disclosing to much, but if you're going the Kepler clockwise you should have all but the final completed before starting. TFTC.

Found this cache with sulibats, on our 1st day of the Kepler track. As we are walking the track clockwise, we were glad to have done the first two waypoints on the previous day in Te Anau. The 3rd one was done quickly also, stopping closeby with the car on our way to the track. Great challenge, tftc.

Found with Vydra20. TFTC

We completed the whole Kepler track. It was real challenge but pretty nice! We enjoyed it very much. At the end we picked the final cache. TFTC!

Started this one already in Dec 2014 walking the Kepler Track. I collected the third stage and ohhh bugger noooo I am not walking back after I walked the whole Kepler Track and had my bed booked and waiting for me in Te Anau. I decided to leave the final for another time
The time for it came sooner than expected and I was able to collect this one on our south island tour with the campervan. Made my way quickly to GZ and made the find. Great Geocache and yeahh I walked the Kepler Track Challenge accepted! TFTC

We really would have liked to go for this one, but our time was too short.
Goes to our wishlist, please keep that stations up ... might be a long time until we are able to return ;-(
Team ERw2 - Eva and Robert F. - We 2 (2512)

No luck in finding the 1st cache. Searched all the likely places at gz (there were a few) but just got hot and scratched.
Another time maybe.

We could only find the first two stations. our gps died before we made it to the next, and we had to leave te anau the same day So far it was a nice walk

The last week we spend our days on the Kepler Track and in the area of Milford Sound. When we arrived in Te Anau and left the city to start with the track, of course we collect the first values for this caches. Quite stupid of us, we forgot to stop on one of the next station . So we had to finish this "Challenge" after the track. During our hike we read all the logs and tried to find the cache box on some specific points, but without any sucess. It seems we interprete some facts wrong. After visiting the Milford Sound we came back to finishing the cache. Furtunately we had our car, so it was easy to go to the next station. Thanks a lot for this nice and old cache.

After finishing the Kepler Track, we wanted to find the Kepler Challenge.. And we did it [^]. Thanks for this Multi!

Found this Cache together with SL_Wayne on our great holidays here in New Zealand.
Very nice Multicache! I really liked it!
Quick find!
Thank you so much for the Cache!!

Found together with Josephinchen. Thanks for the cache!

#1258

Just back in the UK from our trip to NZ, so now able to log our finds. Found the necessary info to calculate GZ whilst staying in Te Anau then got to the final on the day we left. We admire the people who take on the challenge of the Kepler Track and indeed saw a few finishing as we went for the cache. TFTC

Before dinner we had visited the first stage. Afterwards we got #2 after we found a little bridge. The container was lying on the ground - now it's hidden according to the hint. #3 was a heavy bush bashing since we came from the wrong direction. Would have been so easy from the other side. It was getting dark already when we arrived at the car park for a short hike to the final. There we found the big container quickly at a beautiful spot - even at night!

Thanks for the challenge,
Anke&Didi

TFTC

Did return to find thanks

Oops only had time for the first two stages. Would like to return to finish

This entry was edited by TONY HALL on Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 02:19:02 UTC.

found WP 1 in poplar tree
didn't find WP 2 although if it was attached to tree with red tape it has gone
Found WP 3 by accident ( always look in likely spots now)
Found cache by Kepler Track - impressive swing bridge and track through bush.

Shinichi87 and I found this little one on our road trip around the south island. Our beloved Campervan Gimli took us in every little part of the South Island, so we could collect a lot of Caches
TFTC

I want to start this Multi a couple of days ago, but KullerKeks90 and I had no time for it. Today on this rainy day we decided tondo it. So we drove to Station 1 and could find the first Mircro very quickly. After a visit in the DOC Office we walked to station 2. First we looked on the wrong side but after some minutes we could find it on the right one. I wanted to drive to the third station but I missed the exit and so I drove to another spot we want to visit today. We thought, that here should be the final and during our little walk we looked at some spots, but nothing. So later on the day we drove back to the third station, found the mirco in the rain and of course the final was on the spot we were before, only 30 meters further the way down... So we drove back and could find the big box. TFTC
TB out

During our wonderful travel from Christchurch to Steward Island we stopped here for a break. Lovely spot for a cache. Many thanks for showing us around. We have been here one year ago and it's always great to come back, such a beautiful place!

Cold wet summers day time for a challenge. WP 1 easy find, WP 2 easy find, WP 3 took us longer than it should have (dumb us), WP4 easy find, DONE. Just a great multi. TFTC

Looked for WP 1 without success - Coords took us to road behind a group of hint objects, but after long searching found only a dead fledgling bird. The WP hasn't been found since March 2013- perhaps it could be checked?

Looking through logs in preparation for going on holiday there was an omgisthatforreal moment. So when we couldn't find WP1 we went to plan B, enjoyed a nice stroll in the bush and found the final without difficulty. Cache is in perfect condition. Swapped for a tea infuser and XC skiing coin. We will do the Kepler one day- but not in peak season.

no. wp1 i couldnt find

My history with this cache started back nearly 2 years ago in 2011.

I was with a muggle mate in Te Anau. We were sharing a camper van. I couldn't very well drag Old Mate around in the van - so I hotfooted it everywhere for the clues. I was a little crestfallen when I saw where the final GZ was back then - we would never have time

Spin onto 2013 - I kept those final co-ords and was very glad of it The parents, fiance, and I had been visiting Milford Sound, and I managed to convince them to let me look for this beast once and for all.

We parked up and made our way into the beautiful area. The bridge was fantastic - the water was moving doubley fast today. The walk into GZ was fantastic as well. We arrived at GZ and I followed where my GPSr was pointing. This doesn't look right - not right at all

After looking in various areas that matched the hint and the stated size, I came up empty-handed I looked back at some logs and they mentioned they had issues with the co-ords. I widened my search greatly and soon came up with the prize.

That is one VERY BIG micro. Future hunters, please note the final cache is a REGULAR size. I found the cache at the following offset to my finals S -.007 E -.002. (Note - those clues that made my finals were collected in 2011 - I am not sure if anything has changed with the waypoints since then). The cache itself is in excellent condition.

We signed the log and re-hid it. What a fantastic multi. I got to see a lot of Te Anau - in 2011... and in 2013 A very memorable cache for me - and very worthy of a favourite point. TFTC Trutta

Not able to find this first one - wondering if it has gone missing??