Solving equation in natural number

[anemone]

What is the natural $y$ from $144+{{144}^{49}}+{{144}^{{{49}^{2}}}}+{{144}^{{{49}^{3}}}}+...+{{144}^{{{49}^{2018}}}}=3({{y}^{4038}}-1)$?

 

[topsquark]

y must be an odd number. Yippee! I got somewhere with it! (Sun)

I rewrote it into (what I think is) a simpler form but it tells me nothing. I'm going to be up all night trying to grok this one.

-Dan