MnGCA

Sky King 36 · Geocacher Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 36

I can think of literally hundreds of caches where I thought to myself, "did the hider consider how much damage was going to be done by the finders?"

I don't mean to pick on anyone or single anyone out, but here's some good examples of perfectly good hides that have been abused by finders. I once went to look for "Roseville PNG" and found that every sprinkler head on the little traffic island had been disassembled. I put the parts back together, fully aware that the spray may very well be facing the wrong direction. A few days later, I came back, and all of the sprinkler heads were disassembled agin, and the journal box on the light pole had fallen off. Voles? Aliens? Doubtful. In the pictures for "Towering Cache", you can see that a cacher drove those deer-hunting spikes into a living tree to make the climb. These are just two examples. Look at the bark and the small limbs on any cache that requires a tree climb. Look at the paint on any LPC post that has been around for a while.

These are real problems, and sadly--geocaching as a sport deserves much of the bad reputation we've gotten from ecologists. We are denying it and not being honest with ourselves about the impact that our hobby is having--ecological impact on nature, and physical impact on property. And, the popularity of caching means that our caches are now attractings millions of non-wildlife-enthusiasts out into the wild. Your cache in the woods will no longer just be hunted by "leave no trace" outdoor enthusiasts.

Here's some thoughts:

When placing a cache, you as the hider have a responsibility to consider the wear and tear of the finders that will come. You can't just place the cache and say "hey, whatever people do to find my cache is not my responsibility, that's on them." The tree, the bench, the wall you hid your hide in didn't have ANY say in the matter, it was depending on you alone to be its advocate.
The more difficult a cache is, the more the difficulty will encourage the searcher to take extraordinary measures to find the cache. In other words, a harder, smaller cache will often invite more wear and tear than a larger one.
Don't forget that in a more difficult cache, there will be many times more people actually looking than will log a DNF, so you cannot assess wear and tear online. As a hider of a difficult cache, you need to visit it regularly and see if the wear is becoming burdensome.
As a finder, be cognizant of how much damage you are doing... To you, the GZ may look close the same as when you left as when you came. But multiply your 1% wear and tear by 100 finders, and you realize your goal has to be .001%, not 1%.

bflentje · Geocacher Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 3673

Stirring the pot again?

dornole · Geocacher Joined: 03 Apr 2006 Posts: 359

I'm pretty sure it's just expressing a well-thought-out opinion which would seem to be the obvious purpose of a forum.

bflentje · Geocacher Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 3673

sigilwig44 · Geocacher Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 332

MN.Fruitcake · Minnesota Reviewer Joined: 18 Oct 2010 Posts: 34

sigilwig44 · Geocacher Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 332

bflentje · Geocacher Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 3673

dornole · Geocacher Joined: 03 Apr 2006 Posts: 359

I've never considered a cache that is set into the ground, like in a can or tube or something with something other than soil covering it as "buried." If you don't need a shovel that seems ok.

Though perhaps I am missing other inside jokes. : )

sigilwig44 · Geocacher Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 332

bflentje · Geocacher Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 3673

EPMinnesota · Past MnGCA Board Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 1908

Perhaps asking groundspeak directly will clarify the issue. When I had a question about whether food could be shown on a cache/event page they replied that food was certainly okay to be pictured on a cache page as along as it was not "branded". You can't show a Subway sub, a McDonald's Big Mac, etc. but a general hamburger meal, burrito meal, pizza, breakfast, etc. on a plate is perfectly fine.
My understanding of "buried" from groundspeak is you can't use a shovel and you can't cover it with dirt. Leaves, sticks, or other foliage is okay. BUT I'm not the reviewer so what he says is what you have to go by.

sigilwig44 · Geocacher Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 332

RudeRat · Past MnGCA Board Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 719

I have a cache that I actually brought dirt with me and backfilled. I get complaints of it being an illegal cache, but they still log the smiley. I do not believe this is against the rules because I did not cover the cache and I did not dig or break ground. I simply added dirt to keep it in place.

Also, have they updated the guidelines to include the phrase “or break ground”? I don’t recall that being there a few years ago.
_________________
Ahhhhhhhh, the power of cheese!

minnesotabrad · Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 8:29 pm Post subject: