Congratulations to all of the 2016 NoVAGO Cache Award nominees! Not to break up the annual NoVAGO tradition, a bonus cache for finders of a percentage of the nominated caches will be published in the near future.  Cache Award Winners will be announced at the NoVAGO 2017 Spring Event: Bull Run Bonanza Returns on April 23rd.  Stay Tuned!

Best Theme/Series

Toponaut by Serrabou (12 caches)
X Marks the Spot by hooclass2002, rodndor, and reedkickball (53 caches)
Homes Run Trail by Ezio10 (20 caches)
My Extraordinary Drive Home by freddiecrs (11 caches)
Skylanders Series by -Robfam (4 caches)

Best Kids Cache

The Gryffindor Treasure by TheMalfoys
2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #3 – Tony Shark by Awesnap
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by TheMalfoys
Skylanders Series: Swap Force by -Robfam
The Royal Order of the Holy Mackerel* by CWillyPngn
2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #6: DiamondLog by 4everyoungs

Most Outstanding Location/Scenery

14 – X Marks the Spot by hooclass2002, rodndor, and reedkickball
Toponaut: Fountainhead North 4, Supreme Commander by Serrabou
2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #5 – Pepper Piranha by reedkickball
Treasure Island by reidthis
Dr. Funkhouser’s Resting Geology by sassyinmyheart
Occoquan Granite EarthCache by DePhogration

Most Creative Cache

2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #6: DiamondLog by 4everyoungs
2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #11 – The Finale by hooclass2002
The Royal Order of the Holy Mackerel* by CWillyPngn
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by TheMalfoys
2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #4 – The Crime Scene by Serrabou
Thanks for The Memories by #1Fishingal and Irish Kidz

Most Physically Challenging to Find

14 – X Marks the Spot by hooclass2002, rodndor, and reedkickball
Toponaut: Fountainhead East 4, Guru by Serrabou
2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #4 – The Crime Scene by Serrabou
Bamboo Grove Multi by DePhogration
Dr. Leadfoot & Puppy Love do DoC.A.R?T by Nothereeither

Best Historical/Educational Cache

Fort Ward History by Ezio10
We Know Who You Are! by CaveMinion
Brookfield Eco Tour by hooclass2002
Historic Barnes House at Montclair Library[/url] by hooclass2002
Settles’ Icehouse by NutmegBrownie
My Extraordinary Drive Home by freddiecrs

Best Camouflage

The Monkey’s Missing Treehouse by TheUnstealthy Monkey
Thanks for The Memories by #1Fishingal and Irish Kidz
No More Nuts — a.k.a. — Is it a Stick? by ildbig
Casually Monkeying Around by TheUnstealthy Monkey
“Got Creamed” and Sugar by k8ydd

Best Multi-Stage Cache

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by TheMalfoys
Brookfield Eco Tour by hooclass2002
DePho GR8 Multi by DePhogration
The Gryffindor Treasure by TheMalfoys
Take the Hill by Awesnap
The Cache II – Keep Your Chin Up by robbitandpaul

Best Mystery/Puzzle Cache

2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #6: DiamondLog by 4everyoungs
Phire & Ice by DePhogration
2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #11 – The Finale by hooclass2002
Toponaut: Hemlock 4, Master by Serrabou
2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #5 – Pepper Piranha by reedkickball
Lucky’s Hidato by Awesnap
“Close” Encounters – Falls Church Edition by Aliengirl

Best Traditional

Pumpkin King’s Cave Across Accokeek Creek by sassyinmyheart
Thanks for The Memories by #1Fishingal and Irish Kidz
Sequoia by pwesleynd93
8 – Who ate number Eight? by Paco49er
Y Not Do A Little Reading? by The Unstealthy Monkey
Holmes Run Trail #10 by Ezio10

Best Other (Letterbox Hybrid, Whereigo, Event)

2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #3 – Tony Shark by Awesnap
The Royal Order of the Holy Mackerel* by CWillyPngn
The Legend of Zelda: Quest for the Sun Key by Awesnap
14 – X Marks the Spot by hooclass2002, rodndor, and reedkickball
Lets Play Hot & Cold by robbitandpaul
Reginald Barclay Lost His Shuttlecraft by Awesnap

Best Earthcache

Dr. Funkhouser’s Resting Geology by sassyinmyheart
Occoquan Granite EarthCache by DePhogration
Tasty Thirst Quenching Geology by hooclass2002
SD 5.7 – Signal Knob Overlook by rainbowtree
Skyline Caverns Earthcache by lpyankeefan
SD 21 Hogback Overlook by rainbowtree

Best CITO

Mayfield Fort CITO by Awesnap
Potomac River Hydro CITO by DePhogration
3rd Annual Occoquan Bay Refuge CITO by DePhogration
Occoquan River Cleanup – Paddle CITO! by hooclass2002
Cache Mob’s Beaverdam West Side Story – plus CITO by vpdj
CITO at Pratt Park:Make It Sparkle with NOVAGO by sassyinmyheart

Best Log in 2016 on a Cache

Mantrum by Awesnap
I told you so by by Awesnap
It really does exist! by Cache Clown 76
y = (ZF)x + 3000 by ZippyFinn
Principal Archimedes by zgrav
Throw away the poofy-scrubby by ZippyFinn
Oozing anthropogenic fluids by Nothereeither

Rookie of the Year

MrPsyduck
VAPirate
CO68
hrothroc
lalamille
salmon4549

Best Volunteer

Dephogration
hooclass2002
Awesnap
sassyinmyheart
vpdj

Cacher of the Year

hooclass2002
Awesnap
Cache Clown 76
rodndor
The Unstealthy Monkey
robbitandpaul

Cache of the Year

2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #11 – The Finale by hooclass2002
2016 NoVAGO Murder Mystery #4 – The Crime Scene by Serrabou
The Royal Order of the Holy Mackerel* by CWillyPngn
Toponaut: Hemlock 4, Master by Serrabou
14 – X Marks the Spot by hooclass2002, rodndor, and reedkickball