Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The Yule Log Hunt is more than just a hobby for the Farrell family it's an obsession.

"We're a little crazy a little obsessed with the Yule Log," said Shaunna Watterson, whose mother was a Farrell. "I call it a family tradition, but really it's a family obsession."

For the fifth time since the start of the 1990s, members of the Farrell family have solved the creative Yule Log Hunt clues that leave most area searchers stumped.

Watterson and her sister, Tammy Herfurtner, found the Yule Log Thursday near the entrance to the cemetery.

What's the secret to the Farrell success?

"When we start doing this, we just start brainstorming," Watterson said.

"Under cloak of dark" a phrase from this year's first clue, gave the sisters all the help they needed.

Using the Internet, Watterson learned that the phrase is a veiled reference to death.

Tread of Pioneers Museum director Marty Woodbury said the connection was just a coincidence.

"I think it was kind of an accident they way it was found," Woodbury said. "They are very thorough in the way they analyze the clues."

Four hours of searching spread out over a couple of days led the sister team to the log.

But dedication isn't the only factor aiding the family's Yule Log Hunt success.

The fact that clues to the log's location focus on local history and geography bode well for a family with Yampa Valley roots dating to the late 1800s.

"We like the history of Routt County, and I think that's why it appeals to us," Herfurtner said. "It's really been a family affair."

Herfurtner said the family plans to spend the $100 prize on a holiday dinner.