What is a Challenge Cache?

A Challenge Cache is a little bit different than a regular geocache.  The basic premise behind a challenge cache is to go somewhere and do something.  From the Geocaching Website, I give you this official definition:  You might be challenged to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, sing a song in the middle of Times Square, or take a picture of yourself walking through the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Challenge caches can be created by any Premium Member of Geocaching.com.   I recently created my fist Challenge Cache when we visited the Mineola Hotel in Fox Lake, Illinois.  I thought the location was nice, the history of the building was really cool - I mean come on, AL Capone used it as his hideout, and they have a nice Register of Historic Places plaque on the doorway.  

So I created a challenge that would bring people to the famous hotel.  When you decide to do a challenge, you have to first accept the challenge on the challenge webpage.  Then you go to the challenge location, do what the cache page tells you to do and take a photo of yourself  doing it.  Then you go home, upload your photo to the challenge page and complete the challenge.  It's really quite simple.  For my challenge, I require that people go to the Mineola Hotel location, they have to find the historic plaque and take a photo of themselves standing in front of it.  

Here's the link to the Al Capone Mineloa Hotel Challenge page so you can go check it out.

When we were in Paris, Tennessee over the summer I checked to see if any challenges were placed in the area we were visiting.  It turned out that there was a challenge called "Eiffel Tower-Tennessee Style," so we accepted the challenge, stopped and took our photo in front of the Eiffel Tower.

That's all there is to it!  Pretty simple and just another fun way to get out and explore.