This cache is located on the Redbud Trail which connects Wichita with Andover. This is an unpaved section of the trail with easy parking nearby. The terrain for this one is going to be highly variable at different times of the year and the rating we picked is based on what we expect to be the most likely conditions. I don't think it should ever qualify as a T5, but we'll see how it goes because we don't know exactly what it looks like year round.
The terrain rating was a 2.5 when we visited GZ on a few different days to get coordinates in different atmospheric conditions and eventually to place the cache in the final location. However, that T2.5 comes with a huge caveat as we placed the cache during the historic Polar Vortex of February 2021. I say all of that because if you're searching for this cache in the middle of that kind of deep freeze, it's going to be much easier to access. It will probably also be easier to find during historic drought conditions. If you want to do a Spiderman impression it also might be possible to reach GZ and stay dry without special equipment, at least if you're a 13 year old wild animal like KLD when the cache was placed. Either way, we thought this was a great location for an urban, higher terrain cache, that also had a little room for swag or TBs. I bumped it to T4.5 after learning about the archived Cache GC29ZVP which was a similar hide a few miles away and also rated at T4.0. From the pictures in that cache listing this one is likely going to be slightly more challenging.
Cache is a bit smaller than your typical ammo can "regular", but it's still a fair bit larger than a typical "small". Exterior dimensions of 8 x 5 x 2.5 inches should help you narrow down the possible hiding places. The posted coords on Google Maps are pretty spot on, but technically when I gathered coords it was not exactly at GZ because the coords *really* bounce around when you're at GZ. The posted coordinates are more accurate in terms of latitude and longitude but the 1287 feet MSL and mean brightness of 7319 lux from my phone standing at that point are not as accurate. The true GZ has a lower elevation and is much darker at 78 lux or less, even in the middle of the day.
FTF gets a pair of air activated hand and foot warmers to prevent frost-bite while caching during a polar vortex event.
And we'll also leave a couple of TBs that we've been hauling around for a long time to pass along to a new friend.