Capital City Showdown

Recommended Group Size: 30+ participants (split into teams of 5–7)
Difficulty: ★★★★☆
Terrain: ★★★☆☆
Geocache Link: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC0TTCW

Recommended Tools & Equipment:

• Smartphones with GPS and camera
• Map of downtown Ottawa (print or digital)
• Stopwatch or timer
• Group chat or radio app for coordination
• Pen and notepad for codes and tallies
• Comfortable shoes or bikes

Introduction

Welcome to the Capital City Showdown — a city-wide geocaching battle for control and glory! Your mission: outmaneuver rival teams to locate hidden caches, solve puzzles, and dominate Ottawa’s most iconic landmarks.

Each team races to earn points by completing challenges, controlling zones, and uncovering hidden bonuses. The team with the highest total at the end of the time limit is crowned Showdown Champion.

Base of operations: Major’s Hill Park (Start + Finish Line)

Game Duration: 3 hours (or adjustable)
Victory Condition: Highest point total at time limit

Group Strategy

Divide into 5+ teams of 5–7 players. Each team receives:
- A cache clue packet
- A point card
- Unique team ID badge

Players may travel by foot, bike, or transit. No vehicles allowed.

There are three types of challenges:

1. Landmark Zones (10–30 pts): Teams must photograph their team with a landmark and complete a task.
2. Hidden Caches (20–40 pts): Classic geocache-style containers with puzzles inside.
3. Live Bonus Events (variable pts): Timed tasks announced via group chat or host at Major’s Hill.

Top teams earn bonus medals at the finish line.

Landmark Zones

✔ Parliament Hill – Recreate a statue pose as a team (15 pts)  
✔ National Gallery Spider – Balance one teammate on each leg (10 pts)  
✔ Rideau Locks – Recite a lock opening sequence in order (20 pts)  
✔ Supreme Court – Deliver a 30-second mock argument (30 pts)  
✔ Museum of Nature – Match 3 fossil stamps to their names (25 pts)  
✔ Lansdowne Park – Find the secret code taped under a stadium seat (30 pts)  
✔ Chinatown Gate – Translate a phrase from the cache container using a cypher wheel (20 pts)  
✔ Royal Canadian Navy Monument – Find the message etched on the second pylon (10 pts)

Hidden Caches

🗝 Glebe Puzzle Box – Solve sliding tile puzzle inside to reveal next code (40 pts)  
🗝 Confederation Park – Magnetic key cache under bench (20 pts)  
🗝 Sparks Street – UV clue on alley wall, only visible with flashlight (30 pts)  
🗝 ByWard Secret – Cache hidden behind graffiti mural (25 pts)

Live Bonus Events

📣 “Drop Point” – First team to arrive at host-announced secret spot gets 50 pts  
📣 “Double Agent” – Find the decoy team and decode their badge word (30 pts)  
📣 “Speed Solve” – Puzzle posted via group chat; first to submit answer wins 40 pts

Scoring & Finish

Each team submits their completed point card and photographic evidence to the Game Marshal at Major’s Hill Park. All scores verified on-site.

Winning team receives:
- Custom certificate
- Ottawa Cache Cup badge
- First pick of bonus prize pool