Sol seaker

If four-wheelin is not joking, I'd probably contact them. He may be pulling our leg though. Anyway, if you contact them, it might save you the cost of a new container. They may take it for evidence and not give it back unless you claim it. I wouldn't assume they know about geocaching. They SHOULD, but they don't always. I recently had a crime happen near a couple of my caches. Not sure how close yet. I'm thinking of going up there and trying to find out. Not sure if I will. Here's a link to the local forum topic. There are many links to news articles in that thread. Man killed family and hid in bunker in the woods

I am very much against "throw-downs" yet I found what I felt was an exception. Kind of. We had a rash of cache thieves here in WA last summer. The thief would target entire trails, and trails that were the favorite of cachers here. This was around the time the Ape cache was taken. People used to travel from all over the world to find that cache. To take it meant somehow getting around the huge chain that chained it to the rock. They also took all the caches in the area of the ape cache. Another cache that was targeted was the oldest cache in WA state that that time. Once again, the entire trail was cleared of all caches. It maybe had around ten of them on it. Those two trails were really high profile. There were forum threads on them. A number of people got together and replaced those caches. Groups of cachers went out to each trail and replaced a whole lot of caches, rather than waiting for each cache owner to get up that trail and get their cache. It had already been confirmed by many finders they were gone, including, in most cases, people who were there a second time with their friends. They got permission of the cache owners, and replaced all the caches they had permission for. I feel this was rather a sort of anti-terrorism sort of thing, rather than throw-downs. Permission was gotten ahead of time, and it was a special circumstance. The whole community here supported the action of those people.I think it was good people weren't going to stay victims to the cache thief, but do something about it. Fast-forward to 9 months later. There was another trail cleared of it's caches that was not so high profile. There wasn't any special caches on it, but just another trail in the woods. Because it wasn't so special, and wasn't cached as often, so the DNF's trickled slowly in, but many knew the trail was cleared out. A lot of people were waiting for the caches to be replaced to do that trail again. I was one who was waiting. And waiting. And waiting. My friend wanted to do that trail, and I let her know the caches weren't there and only one of them had even been disabled. It had been 9 months since they were cleared out, but could be another year or two before the trail got up and running again. I said, "the heck with it" and started emailing cache owners. Of all the emails I sent, most replied. Only one said to leave one cache if we didn't find it, because it was a special container that matched the hide. He had two hides, and said to replace the second hide if it was gone. My friend and I got together backpacks full of containers and headed up the trail. At each cache we spent a long time looking. Together we exhausted every possible hiding spot within a huge circumference of GZ before calling it gone. We cache together often. She has around 6,000 hides, so between the two of us we've found some very difficult caches, and these were all very easy hides. We found a couple of them, one was a very difficult find off trail that we didn't think the cache maggot could find, and the other was VERY difficult to get to, where a lot of trees had been downed and it was a very long difficult hike off the trail. We figure he didn't bother with that one. All the rest were gone. We were not able to get all the way up the trail due to the snow level, but all the ones we reached we had permission ahead of time for. We ended up with two spare containers at the end, and placed two new caches ourselves, to complete the trail. Later I came back with a small container for the parking area, so parking could be easily found. That was the only cache in the area that was taken and had been archived. We did not do it to get the smilies. I will admit we claimed the smilies, but I felt we did earn them in a different sort of way. I really felt like we did it 1. To get the trail going for geocachers again 2. to get a good hike in that day I think one of the most important things geocaching does for people is to get them out of the house and get them in the great outdoors and get them exercise. I'd love to see more caches on every trail around here (and may be placing more soon). This is a beautiful trail that people will find now. There's a great string of caches there now and more people WILL hike that trail, what would not have before. That's what caching is about to me. I have benefited from many people placing caches and doing maintenance over the years. I haven't taken on many caches because I don't think I would be good with maintenance. I don't think people should take on caches who think they won't be good with maintenance. I've wanted to give back in some way. This, I felt, was a good way to do it. I would never, ever place a throw-down without extreme circumstances like this. I felt in this case it worked well. It got a good trail going that would have been down a long time before each owner got up that trail to check their cache. Most of the owners, after 9 months, still didn't know the trail had been cleared out. We didn't do it for the smilie. It seems to be well received here. I posted it to the local forums so people were aware the trail was up again and could ask questions. I'm really glad people could get out on that trail and enjoy the beauty of that place. (edit for typos)

Really great article! Thanks for that! Has anyone checked out Google earth on this? The computer I had google earth on was stolen. I love to read the comments: "I recognize the design from "Bunker and Garden" magazine. It is the Saucelito, a one-man loft with a mud room. Nice." And some reporter said, "I'm surprised he didn't have more protein." when finding only legumes. The guy is in a bunker built by someone who killed his family, went off to a bunker he spent 8 years building, full of guns, and the only quotable thing he commented was there wasn't much protein stored??!!!??? Anyway, with all those guns I'm sure he planned on hunting. It's not like he honored life so much he wouldn't shoot something.

Garmin. That's her name. No doubt about it. What an incredibly cute dog she is too!!! If it sounds a little on the male side, just remember these days it's common to name girls Taylor or other names that used to be "guy" names. Garmin

A few things could be going on. I've cached in different areas, and found the caches very different in another area. When I first moved to the city I live in, I couldn't find a single one here. I saw them all as really tough caches. I was fairly new to caching, so most caches were really difficult for me. Now I've found almost all of them in this city. They could be just another type of hide than you're used to. But then again, it could be the phone you're using. I don't know about "all of a sudden" but the smart phones do have problems with accuracy. That is well known. That is why so many phone users go out buy GPS's. You might try meeting up with some people at an event and ask to go caching with others to close in on what your problem really is. You could also get a hand-held GPS and try that. Some people do use their car GPS's but they are a problem. I can't think of another way besides trying your phone along side a regular GPS. It would be a good excuse to meet some local cachers and go caching with them.

Well that is interesting. They know enough that they want to keep their real identity a secret. Interesting. So what did you want from us here? A lot of people saying 528 feet is a problem so we should all get together and get Groundspeak to change it just for your cache? This subject has been discussed in these forums a hundred times or more already. There are good reasons for the distance between caches. Sometimes it comes up inconvenient for a cacher but that does not make it a bad rule. I'm sorry it is inconvenient for you. It is still a good rule and applies to everyone. Go out and make a good cache somewhere else. If you keep complaining people will respond to the nature of your post which is, "If I don't get my way I'm taking my toys and going home." Not a good way to start to get positive responses. Now go play the game, have fun, and quit complaining about the rules which ALL OF US play by.

+1 There aren't many rules of this game. Signing the log is one of them. No signature = no find.

Have fun!!! You can get an app for your smart phone to start playing the game. It's not as accurate as a GPS but it will get you started. If you end up thinking you're going to stick with it, you'll want to get a hand-held GPS later. Have fun!!!

Some different kinds of responses here (read: strange) but I guess that might be expected when you really didn't make clear what you wanted from these forums in response. Was there a question there? Sure some people are mad about FTF, but 1. they likely didn't know about the situation, and 2. if the roads onto the campus weren't blocked, it really wasn't much of a lock down. If it were that dangerous police should have been blocking the roads. The situation was likely over with or on another part of campus. We don't have any more information to go on here. This seems to be a thread of wild speculation at this time. We really don't have any information.

Guess it's time to do cache maintenance.

Oh yeah! That old thing! I had forgotten about that. That provided some forum entertainment for a while. I think the most important thing to learn from that thread is in post # 14. That is, eating too much cake CAN indeed, turn your hair pink.

Wow. That was fast. I wonder if both ends are open. They said they were going to clear out the bunker then destroy it. Then there's the fact that they have to get all the guns out of Snoqualmie Point Park. Not so good when the kiddies show up. I guess dynamite is quick.

And, with that, I snorted coffee over the laptop this morning. :laughing: :laughing: That was a great one!!! With that explanation, then surely we must get permission from the guys in the homeless camp before we place a cache there. You ask first. I'm actually really surprised. I expected to come back here and find I was jumped all over. I'm glad to see people understand the situation. I'm very compassionate about homelessness. It's a tough problem. We used to have institutions for mental patients to live. It was safe and gave them meals and a place to live. Since they closed all those down, they all moved into the streets. There isn't another option for them. What can they do? They can't work a job. It's a sad situation. I'm also compassionate about those who are homeless due to bad circumstances. I've met many of those. It's tough, but most get back on their feet and back into the workforce. I wish I were rich so I could help them out more. The US is very expensive to live in. You've got to be at the top of your game to get a good situation here. It's tough.

There are a million puzzles around here I can't solve. If the cache owner doesn't help, I recommend ignoring it.

LOl. No, I did not mean to say I thought the bunker was there. I just placed this cache and I certainly would have noticed a bunker placed on that lawn!! Sorry if I was unclear. I was just getting a handle on the area still, and confirming the general area. It's probably about a mile from that spot in the photo, by the sheriffs reports. I'm not claiming a FTF on the location yet.

If this image works... This is some of the stuff they found in the bunker. It is laid out on mowed grass. The only mowed grass around there is Snoqualmie Point Park. In the picture you can see the paved path that runs through the park and the tree from the wooded area next to the lawn. probably about 75 feet from this: One of my caches I'll check and see if any of the sheriffs log a find during this time.

News report It looks like that swat team was having way too much fun there. They followed the guy's footprints to the bunker, but they just had to lower the swat team by helicopter. Sometimes I swear they just want to make use of all that fun training they never had another chance to try. Can't say as I blame them, really. It was definitely near the west end of the ridge. I knew from the first reports, that there was no way someone got a way with a bunker around the lake. There is just too much ranger traffic around there. He would have been questioned. The video linked above shows a barricade and the announcer states that the bunker was a mile from there. I recognize that spot. That means it's not really that far in. I don't know what caches that would be closest to, but it's in the range of a lot of them. I wonder if we'll be able to tell where it used to be after they're all done. It would be an interesting spot for a cache as far as history is concerned. All kinds of teams are going in there now. They're really checking it out before destroying it. I would imagine they would be creating a trail now. FTF prize?

I actually have spent a whole lot of time around homeless people so I have an idea of what is going on out there. Even if I hadn't, the fact is that the statistics put a whole lot of them, a great percentage, as having mental problems. Go out and volunteer with them for a while, and tell me if you see different. A great deal of them are homeless because of it. I'm speaking of the homeless who are living in the bushes. There are homeless people who run into bad circumstances that they can't overcome and become homeless. Those people do not put up a tent under an overpass and call it home. They don't. They deal with agencies and friends and live in their car, etc. The statistics on the permanently homeless show a great percentage with mental problems. In the time I've spent around them, I don't dispute this. So what does this have to do with caching? I agree, I think it was the goat, who said that he doesn't think homeless areas are good places for caches. I don't think so either. People who are mentally unstable and could be territorial about their space (many are) do not make great places for young women to be running across alone. Don't make the mistake of labeling these people who are living in a tent under an underpass as perfectly normal in place of compassion. You can still see reality and be compassionate. Some of them are normal. More are not.

My caches are famous. Just no one knows it.

I've seen a lot of caches near homeless camps. I usually email the owners to let them know, and they can decide if they want to do anything about it. You could request that they put something on the cache page so cachers know what they are getting into, and a young woman cacher doesn't happen in there alone, but they may or may not decide to do that. Usually caches near homeless camps are soon taken so the problem generally solves itself. I cache alone a lot so I appreciate cache pages that tell of the dangers, but all of them don't and all of the caches owners don't know of the dangers. There are a lot of really dangerous caches out there that are loads of fun though, so I'm really glad they allow dangerous caches on this website. I love the "extreme" caches, even though I may not be able to ever get any of them. I love just reading the logs and caching them vicariously. We all have to watch our surroundings and be careful. This isn't disneyland, it's real life. Real life is inherently dangerous.

Yes the official geocaching app has live maps. Thank God I'm not the only one who had one heck of a time finding them. To find the maps, Hit "find nearby caches" Then hit your "menu" button (I'm on an Android) Hit "view on map" Then you will see a small group of caches right around your area. You have to hit "menu" again to get more options. The menu button will come up with options like, "more results" Or "search here" if you move the map and want to search somewhere else. You can also go into "map mode" from there. This will give you satellite maps. The app has a lot more functionality than I or many others have given it credit for. It's just so hard to find that functionality.

I'm sorry, I hate to see your question go unanswered, but I haven't dealt with this problem either. All I can say, is when my GPS screws up, and nothing else seems to help, I pull out the batteries and pull out the SD card, and that resets it sometimes. I suspect that's not going to help. At this point, if I were you I'd contact Garmin. First you might want to try Garmin's website. They have a lot of links about updating maps, and "unlocking" maps. Give that a try first, and then try calling them. Garmin support They have really fantastic customer service. They have spent a lot of time trying to solve my problems over the phone. It's one of the reasons I will always buy a Garmin. They have really been fantastic!!! Give them a call if you don't find what you need on the website. Monday–Thursday: 8 AM–6 PM, Friday 8 AM–5 PM Central Time (closed holidays) U.S.: 913-397-8200 U.S. toll-free: 1-800-800-1020 Canada: 1-866-429-9296 They have other links for International calls if you're not in the US or Canada.

Oh. I just re-read the question. I just said how to not make it worse. How to solve it? premium member only caches work in some areas. Chaining the ammo box to the tree works in some areas (I know of one that got muggled though, but I think it was on private property, so I'll bet the owners removed it)Oh wait, I know of two that got muggled. Well it's worked for other ones. If there have been a lot of thefts in one area, I love the camera idea. Definitely give that a shot. The guy who was prosecuted got caught because cachers staked out the area, I believe. I could be wrong, but I think that was it. He was a repeater. For casual muggling, the harder the hide, usually the less it's muggled. Perhaps that works for cachers who steal too. If they can't find it they can't take it. :laughing: That worked for some caches in the Rattlesnake Ridge area. One was just downright really hard to get to. For casual muggling, hides that are not in well-populated ares stick around the longest. For the rest, pray that they can heal their pain, for their own sake, as well as everyone around them.

There has been someone who stole a cache and was successfully prosecuted. It was in the forums. Try a search. There were whole areas wiped out here in WA. He targeted our most popular caches: the ape cache (tunnel of light) and the oldest cache in WA (GCD) and all the caches leading to GCD. There was another hiking trail nearby (Rattlesnake Ridge) that was cleared out too. Well the ones he could find anyway. The harder ones were left. :laughing: All that was brought up on the forums at the time. One big lesson we learned in the "off topic" forums here, is that people will do a lot for attention. When they don't get the kind of attention they want, they go away. The more we go on about how upsetting this is, the more it's going to happen. they feed off that attention. The more we just go on with our lives, the better off we will be. It's a sucky world, and these things will happen. Those people are hurting inside so badly the only entertainment they can get in life is to try to hurt others. It's very sad, but best to not let it get to us. There are a lot of them out there. It's just tupperware (most the time). The game will go on. No one has died.