Ernmark

Shirley - I haven't been in there for a while - sorry to hear about John. I always looked forward to reading your logs...was like being part of the adventure! I hope the BM forum threads will continue to exist as a Waymarking topic. I'm going to have to quickly save logs & pics from some of my favorite Benchmark Hunts - would be nice to have BMs ported over to the Waymarking BM category. As the current leader of the US Benchmarks Category, I'll try to revamp & put in some more info on using resources that we collectively have all discovered & come to rely on in our benchmarking journeys...

I know Google's been upending everything - certainly looks like a good workaround if necessary. I've also been seeing topo layers disappearing on other sites - have you had any issues there? PS - thanks for keeping the viewer up - I always check things out before visiting new areas!

I ran into a few things set over marks in the Eastern US - most memorable was this one -https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=JV4669 (MONTALTO) :

Interesting! ...and all the more reason to worry about Solar Flares & EM pulses!

..from what I remember of your old stomping grounds - this one will be in the running: 'A' from 1877..

You might enjoy this site (referring to Center of Population monuments) - visit link - California set a marker there - visit link .

You can log it on Waymarking.com Visit Link in the US Benchmarks category - they also have a separate category just for 'Public Land' survey marks which would include section corners...

I think I can get my Mom to be an Officer - she loves these things!

Thought I'd bump this for those newer benchmarkers who might not have seen this...

..at least they didn't pave over ND0178 - here's a view of the housing - only one like this I've ever seen: While looking for a previously unfound RM, I got to talk with the Lighthouse Keeper about these marks. I reeeally thought about asking if I could try to pry that cover off to get a clear photo, but I was afraid I'd crack it. Did find the RM, though!

..if you're using IE - clicking on 'Print Preview' provides visual on what you're about to print - opting not to print the last few pages solves the problem for me. (having a 2-sided printer is even better

Here's a great resource if you want to see marks on an online map - Benchmark Viewer - you can toggle map view between standard map/Satellite/topo..

There was an interesting thread on here about NYC a while back - visit link - would love to get a chance to look for some of these bolts!

Unfortunately, GEO*Trailblazer 1 - the person who organized the overall project & had the GEOCAC benchmarks made - passed away a few years ago...

Nice! I can see why you moved out there!

Based on Google Sat images, the described crossroad is still there. Current NGS datasheet doesn't show any recoveries newer than the 1961 recovery listed on Geocaching's year 2000 pull from the database

Watch out - looking for those things can get a bit addicting

A lot of UGSS disks were not incorporated into the database of the NGS - a separate agency. USGS still uses paper datasheets & can be requested by emailing the addresses below: For Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and all states west of these, use the WESTERN USA email account: infoservices@usgs.gov For all remaining states, use the EASTERN USA email account: mcmcesic@usgs.gov (info pulled from this thread - USGS Recovery Thread) You would want to provide the USGS quad the mark is located in - I believe the 7.5' (1:24,000) quad is 'Island Mesa'. Although this BM can't be logged on the Geocaching site, you could update the paper datasheet of the USGS & email it back to them and/or create a waymark in the US Benchmarks category over at Waymarking.com - another BM from not too far away is listed there - Cold Shivers Point

I'm a US Benchmarks officer, but I wouldn't mind helping out (probably the closest I'll get to finding a Trigpoint there myself - I joined the group...

I got nuthin'!

The big reason to not push Groundspeak to update their BM database is that a number of the marks have been destroyed since their 2000 grab of the NGS database. If their (Groundpeak's) database were to become dynamic, what would become of the marks that we've found & uploaded pictures of? If they would add new data from the NGS that would be great (while keeping the current ones), but to use a geocaching term, the NGS 'archives' old (destroyed) marks, in addition to adding new ones....I'd hate to see Groundspeak non-publish/archive benchmarks in their database. New NGS finds can always be uploaded to Groundspeak's Waymarking site if so inclined. NGS's site is a professional dynamic database - Groundspeak's is really a 'hobbyist' site ...two different functions.

Received the following reply from Monkeykat: "Thanks for the notice, I realized there was a problem late Tuesday, then forgot to fix it Wednesday, but it is taken care of now. Glad to hear people are still using the viewer, I took a database dump from NGS last month, so the marks should be pretty up to date." Monkeykat's done a great job with the BM viewer site over the years - he's provided a tool that makes this hobby more rewarding for all of us

I sent a message to Monkeykat a while ago - Viewer's one of my home page tabs!

I've found quite a few in Southern NJ - some made it into the NGS database in Wildwood (with 'new' PIDs) - 5796 (AI9393), but they didn't in Cape May - 8703