Before the Competition
- Form a team of 2 or more people. Past teams have been comprised of family, friends, co-workers, church groups, school groups, and Scouting troupes. In general, we recommend groups of 10 or less, but it’s open for you to decide. Read more about forming a team.
- Choose a fun team name.
- Elect a team captain and co-captain. These people will be the main contacts for your group.
- Choose the difficulty level of your hikes. Level I hikes are easy to moderate intensity. Level II hikes are moderate to intermediate in intensity. None of the hikes require special equipment or skills. Read the level descriptions in detail for more information.
- Register your team and pay. Go to the registration page to set up your team, input all team member information, and designate T-shirt colors and sizes. Registration and payment can be completed online, or by phone at 360-854-0247.
- Check the calendar to plan your hike days.
- Review the recommendations, rules, and guidelines prior to your first hike.
The Summer Hikes
- There are 6 hikes spaced every two weeks throughout the summer. Hikes are announced on Friday mornings. Different hikes will be created for the two intensity levels.
- The day a hike is launched, all team captains/co-captains will receive an email with the hike details. This includes the hike’s start location, a map of the route showing the location of the box, length of the hike, elevation gain, and difficulty rating.
- Each team has 2 weeks in which to complete the hike. This isn’t a race… go at your own pace and at your convenience. For larger groups, we recommend pre-planning your hikes. See this year’s calendar for dates.
- On the day of your hike, check the weather and prepare accordingly. See the list of items to bring with you.
- Print the map and take it with you on the hike! Don’t rely on accessing the map from your cell phone during the hike… reception can be unreliable in some areas.
- When your team reaches the hidden box, sign the book and take a group photo at that location to prove you all made it! Email this group photo to trekfortreasure@unitedgeneral.org. This is how we know you’ve completed the hike.
- Take a photo of, or write down, the riddle code hidden in the box. You will use this to access the riddle on this website when you’re done with the hike.
- After you’ve obtained the riddle code, and before the 2-week hike window has closed, go to the website and access the riddle associated with the hike. The code from inside the box will grant you access to the riddle your team can work together to solve.
The Final Challenge
- The Final Challenge is the only event where speed really counts.
- The instructions for the final excursion will be sent to all qualifying teams via email on the morning of the Final Challenge. Only teams that have successfully completed all 6 hikes will be eligible to compete.
- This last challenge is not physically taxing, but relies on the teams’ abilities to figure out the clues and determine where to find the treasure. Both team levels will participate in the Final Challenge together.
- The first team to find the treasure wins! Other teams receive placement certificates, good for bragging rights.
- Prizes will be awarded to the top finishing teams.