Join us for the 4th Annual CHILLICOTHE CHALLENGE

Young Life Ross County is working with the Visitors Bureau of Chillicothe and Downtown Merchants to one again hold a great event for families and friends in Ross County and surrounding areas.  The Chillicothe Challenge is a mix of scavenger hunt, riddle/puzzle solving, and amazing race task completion type activities throughout downtown, the west side, and Story Place. It is a family fun event for all ages.  The hope will be not only to raise funds for high school kids to attend Young Life camp but also to increase local awareness of our downtown, it’s businesses, and it's history.  

Here what some of last year's partipants had to say:

"So FUN!!!  Thank you for such a great event, my entire family had a blast!

"Great time!  Hope this can be an annual event and get even more"

Event details and schedule

What is the Chillicothe Challenge?

Chillicothe Challenge is a unique downtown adventure that takes a lot of brain, a bit of skill, and a ton of fun! More than a scavenger hunt, but less physical than a 5K, this unique hybrid combines riddles and puzzles with a team­oriented, family friendly adventure. Add in the occasional checkpoint challenge and you've got the Chillicothe Challenge! The object of the game is complete as many of the tasks on the list as you can within the allotted timeframe 9 am-12pm. The team to complete all items on the list in the fastest time or has the most points at end of time wins!

Chillicothe Challenge is organized by Young Life of Ross County and the Chillicothe Visitor’s Bureau.

 Is it awesome?

Yes. Way awesome but don’t take our word for it, try it out for yourself.  

 Do I need to be in shape for this?  Who can participate?

The Challenge is designed to be a blast for all ages and ability levels--you can choose your speed, whether that's a mad dash from clue to clue or a more leisurely walking pace, enjoying the urban exploration at a slower clip.

The most important element for success is a winning strategy, so a team with much more brains than brawn is usually quite competitive. In total, an ideal Challenge route you strategize will take your team from 3 to 4 miles throughout the town. All ages are welcome, but anyone under 18 needs a responsible party 18 or older on their team.

How many people can be on a team?

 Teams of 2-6 individuals.    

Is this family friendly?

 Yes, the Challenge is a great family activity and is appropriate for all ages. Family participation is one of the reasons this event was formed.  No age limits or age restrictions-all ages welcome (anyone under the age 18 must be supervised by their parents or other adults in the group at all times)

 Can our team split up to cover more tasks in a shorter amount of time?

Sorry but no.  One of the goals is to hang out, laugh, and have fun with your best buds and family members during the morning.  The Team That Stays Together “- Your team must stay together at all times. You may not split up to “divide” tasks.

How do I add to an existing team?

To add to an existing team, simply log on to your team under the active.com registration page and make your changes.

When is the registration deadline?

We will be taking registrations online all the way until the race begins. We strongly encourage you to sign up as soon as your team is ready as shirts will not be guaranteed to those that register after May 15th. The race fee will also increase after May 15th. In-person registrations on race day are limited, so we urge you to sign up online.

When is check-in?

Check in begins at 7:30 AM  in front of the Majestic Theatre.  Mega tip: show up early to check-in to beat the rush!

How long does the race last?

That’s up to you and your team, but you will have 3 hours to attempt to complete all the tasks/challenges given to you.  All participating teams will synchronize their watches per judge’s clock. Team captains will be given the list simultaneously at 8:50 AM – no early distributing.

What is the race course?

You make the course! There is no set course from clue to clue--everybody's route is different.

What kinds of things will I have to do?

That for the most part is super secret.  However, tasks fall into the categories of Photo Stop, Scavenger Item, Find some type of information, Business Challenge or our favorite, the Challenge Station.  Items can be foraged or bought, as long as the cost doesn't exceed 3 dollars.

How is this thing scored?

There are specific point values for each item on the list. Tasks can be completed in any order.  Plan strategically. Your team, in its entirety, must return to the Majestic Theatre Courtyard no later than the specified time of 12:00 PM.

Appeals-There is no appeals process in this scavenger hunt. There is also no crying. There’s no crying in scavenger hunts! All decisions by the judges are final. No exceptions.

In order to participate on the day of the event your team will need at least one smartphone because we will be using a free app called "GooseChase" that you will use to take pics and answers as proof of completion. This year the app will also automatically score you and other teams in real time for all to see. 

Don't have GooseChase yet? Download for free Get it at the itunes App Store (App Store)or Google Play (Google Play).

Once you have the app have ONE member of your team create your team.  We will then send you an invite for the Chillicothe Challenge but PLEASE download the FREE app and create your team on at least one phone before Race Day!

 This app will be used so that you can be scored in real time.  For example:  You complete the task of taking a picture of your team on a slide.  You use the app to take the picture and upload to your team and we see it instantly.  

 What should I wear?

Remember that you'll be getting a t-shirt at registration, so plan ahead to wear that if you'd like--it's a lightweight, soft tee. Otherwise, you should wear comfortable gear appropriate for the weather forecast--we'll go forward rain or shine, as long as it's not hazardous. Running shoes are probably best.

This year we will have crowd-judged costume contest at the end of the day, so dress up if you want!

What happens if it rains?

The race goes forward, rain or shine. Racer safety is our primary interest, so the only exception will be due to extremely hazardous weather, in which case we'll send an email to all the attendees, post a notice on our website, Facebook and Twitter with further details about a new race date.

Are refunds available?

All registration sales are final and non-refundable for any reason, but are easily transferrable to someone else at any time

What do I need to bring with me?

Very little, really. Smart phones are a must.  Some teams designate one person with a backpack to carry the load for everyone else. You can pretty much bring any resource (all electronics, GPS, travel books, sunscreen, water bottles etc) that you want to carry along!

After I sign up, what happens?

You'll receive an email immediately from Active.com, our registration service, confirming your transaction. You can print it for your records if you'd like, but you don't need to bring it on race day. We'll send a couple of updates out to our racers, about a week out and then again about a few days out. We are, of course, always available for any questions at [email protected]

What size tshirts are available?

The shirts are soft style cotton mix and preshrunk. They're unisex sized and in our experience, they run a little small.  We offer  Adult sizes S, M, L, XL, and 2 XL and Youth sizes  S, M, L, and XL.Shirts and sizes are only guaranteed if you register by May 14th.

Can I use a car? A bike? A skateboard?

Only your own two feet.  Strollers are okay.  No bikes, no rollerblades, no skateboards, no taxis, no cars, no hanggliders. Obey all traffic laws when traversing streets etc.  Stay on sidewalk if applicable.

What Things should I Not Do?

 -If You Fight the Law - (and the Law Wins). You’re here to have fun, but to do so legally. So here it is. If you break any laws at any time during any portion of the scavenger hunt, your team will be disqualified. This includes, but is not limited to, moving violations, trespassing, burglary, larceny, embezzlement, grand theft, petty theft, shoplifting, assault, plagiarism, blackmail, indecent exposure, decent exposure, recent exposure, having a concealed firearm, unlawfully discharging a firearm, unlawful sale of a firearm, brandishing a weapon, bribery, forgery, perjury, fraud, computer fraud, mail fraud, telemarketing fraud, tax evasion, tax fraud, insurance fraud, securities fraud, and bad hair. Seriously, if you get so much as a speeding ticket, you lose.

-No sabotaging, lying, cheating, stealing, or copying other people’s work.

-Once an answer sheet is submitted, the team can not add or change answers.

 Any questions we forgot?

Ask us anything at [email protected]