Map Only

It is also not good to HIDE THE HYDRANT. Just my 2 cents. I didn't get a photo, but I saw a hydrant in my district that had a sandwich board WIRED to the hydrant.

I'm pretty happy with National Geographic Topo on my mac.

Unfortunatly that is not a valid option for some of us. I have no one (short of a long distance call 4,000 miles away) to tell I am going caching. I have co workers who would wonder why I was telling them this and would not know that I never came back unless I didn't show up at work. If I sent my daughter to the babysitters while I cached, which I have to do most of the time, then SHE would wonder where I was when I didn't show up but wouldn't even think to call the police I am sure. An email with your contact person or a note on your fridge (or locked in your glove box) can help searchers find your car and start looking for you. Even if your friend/contact/babysitter doesn't know the placenames involved, the searchers will -if- you leave a note or voicemail. I've done this several times when solo hiking. Countless times we've quickly found someone (or even just called them back on their cell phone and told them how to get home) after a dispatcher (who has no idea where in the world they are talking about) says "they say they are near somewhere called poo-poo-point"

Sweet looking cache. I'd go for it, if I were in the area. I do avoid paying for park entrance on principle, but I doubt that's kept people away. Some folks are leery of looking for someone's first cache, especially if they don't have many finds, because *sometimes* such people post coordinates that are way off. So congrats on your first finder, and I wish you many more. Thanks for hiding a cache! -Map only

Well, since if I ever get caught up in my logging I probably have 100 or more finds in WA state, including several dozen in the Seattle area, I guess this comment is not directed at me. Although, I'm pretty sure mtn-man has 100 finds or more in WA as well, so your comment probably wasn't directed at him either. Sweet! I didn't remember either of your signatures, but I'm glad you've been in the area. As you might have seen, I haven't that many finds.

I started placing geocaches to show folks places they probably wouldn't see otherwise. I had no idea I could amuse folks who might never see any of my geocaches. Please do check out some of the photos whilst you visit

Ya missed one, mtn-man! From one of his recent cache placements: Ah, but he hasn't -found- that one. Don't worry, the log book was carefully hidden under the goodies Happy hunting!

Weehooooow. Sweet, man.

I hate it when people write things like this in the online log, "The log filled up a couple of years ago, apparently, so I signed on a scrap of paper that another cacher left in there." and "The cache is wet and soggy, did not sign the log." And there's no response from the owner. Actually, what's the deal with your coordinates? Are you just estimating them from a map? Many, many people have commented on the cache being up to 100' from the coords. Jamie Yeah, quite a can of worms opened there. It is a shame to see that when the guidelines say: Sorry, but it isn't that funny to me. Maybe I should complain to the local reviewer regarding future submissions. I guess I didn't make it clear that the coordinates are on, but GPS reception is often crappy due to the location. I bumped the hint, added a warning about reception, and generally made a good-faith effort to ensure that people would get the hunt they deserve early in the life of this cache. Happy hunting!

I hate it when people write things like this in the online log, "The log filled up a couple of years ago, apparently, so I signed on a scrap of paper that another cacher left in there." and "The cache is wet and soggy, did not sign the log." And there's no response from the owner. Actually, what's the deal with your coordinates? Are you just estimating them from a map? Many, many people have commented on the cache being up to 100' from the coords. Jamie Yeah, quite a can of worms opened there. It is a shame to see that when the guidelines say: Sorry, but it isn't that funny to me. Maybe I should complain to the local reviewer regarding future submissions. Sorry, I've been away from the computer. Gosh, I did open a can o' worms. So - 1, The coordinates are pretty-darned-nice, 2, I did talk with the reviewer at the time I placed the cache about not using a GPS, and 3, I've gone back on a good day with a GPS myself, and 4, I'm guilty, guilty, guilty of not having a new log when I drove by and I'm sorry! I'll be by soon, I promise.

It's kind of funny, really, when people gripe about bad GPS coverage or bad coordinates, depending on their skill level. I mean, I mean, the cache is in a Gorge, it's a 1.5/1 and hidden by a guy whose screen name is MAP ONLY. And I apologize if any of you were hunting without the description

I really hate to wait 45 seconds or longer to leave a phone message. I know who I called, and I know how to leave a message. Would you kindly go beep already so I can move on with my life? I really do have one or two additional things that I'd like to do before I die. One day it occurs to me to check my own message: Ok "This is ____, please leave your name and number." Great - about 4 seconds - I respect the value of people's time, right? No. The automated massage comes on "If you'd like to blah blah for an additional 30 SECONDS! I've used the same company for 9 years, so I'm pretty peeved about all my friend's wasted time. I checked this thing like, eight years ago and it was fine. So I call up the phone company, pretty peeved, and they can't/won't change it. I changed them.

I've known folks to print their own on overhead transparent film. The trick is that your longitude scale will change with latitude.

I'm curious...as an EMT, where would you look for someone's medical info - around the neck, the wrist, wallet or pockets? If you are found unconsious in the woods, responders will -likely- look for 1)friends, 2)bracelet, 3)wallet/pack, then 4)necklace in pursuit of medical info. In my experience, by far the most common places to find medical info are 1) Family, friends and nursing staff, 2) Medications in the kitchen/bedroom/bathroom, 3)Notes and advanced directives on the refrigerator, 4) Bracelet, 5) one of 300 little scraps of paper in the purse. I know it isn't strictly on topic, but the fridge is a great place for medical history, med lists and advanced directives if you or a family member are in declining health. It makes life much easier for everyone if, for example, I don't have to ask for your medications while you are short of breath

They close these areas until they can make sure they are safe for whatever reason. It makes it so they can manage the area and so they don't have to deal with any type of accident that may occur. Having participated in several FS rescues (both for live and dead people), I can tell you that an injury is a huge disruption. Everyone has to drop what they are doing and respond immediately. Carrying someone out, either alive or dead, is no fun chore. The longest I have helped haul someone is 2.5 miles. I've done that one for people that were alive and that were dead. The shortest was about 1/2 + mile, but it was up a 60 percent grade. That one was no fun at all. Live people are more stressful since you are trying to get them to a hospital. Once I had to run 2.5 miles out, grab a med pack kit for the EMT and walk it back in with them. Then we had to transport the person out. You don't really have to rush when they are deceased at least. You do have to wait for the coroner to show up though, and most of them are not hikers. I've walked out in the dark as we traded off carrying the body out in a misty light rain (the 1/2 + mile 60 percent grade rescue). Until you have had to carry someone out by hand over rough terrain, you might not fully appreciate why closure of some of these areas takes place. I feel that one should be free to choose one's own comfort level in the back country. Unlike the freeway, you only risk the safety of your own party and those who would rescue you. On to rescuers - When it isn't safe or possible to recover a dead or injured person, they shouldn't be recovered. The subject of the rescue made the choice to take that specific risk. I as a rescuer am also free to choose the level of risk I will face in recovering you from the backcounty. If people in Western Washington stop getting hurt and dying in the backcountry, I will have to come up with a new hobby. To sum up, If you get hurt in my area, I or my compadres will come scrape you up, and enjoy the experience.

So I guess my list would go: Map, eye protection, tape, extra clothes, headlamp, food, water, phone, a friend/neighbor/coworker/family member who knows where you are, and maybe swag to trade. That's my usual minimum on solo hikes.

So I guess my list would go: Map, eye protection, tape, extra clothes, headlamp, food, water, phone, a friend/neighbor/coworker/family member who knows where you are, and maybe swag to trade. That's my usual minimum on solo hikes. -oops I meant this for the safety thread-

Hmmm... three of the first four were placed 3 months before SA was turn-off? Thanks for the list! People were trading swag in summit registers long before I started climbing in the 90's. I once reached the summit of Mt. Baker with a bottle of bubble solution only to find two more in the register...

And no

EMT-D Hope not to do any first aid while geocaching, and I've never seen CPR in the woods Yes, but wouldn't it be good to know? I must be a magnet for people who crash because I've had to do CPR twice outside of the hospital setting. 1) While visiting a patient whose wife keeled over; 2) young guy in sudden cardiac arrest at a Spanish flamenco bar in Long Beach, CA (no joke). First aid is a good skill to have. I hope you don't have to do CPR again. Do you carry a mask now? I hope not to do CPR in the woods because CPR is nearly hopeless far from a hospital, and nearly every person I've performed CPR on to date remained dead.... Fortunately every person I've found with just a broken leg made it!

I like NFA's advice. The key is to know something of the area you're in. Here in the Pacific NorthWET search and rescue occasionally follows folks downstream or in other random directions for 1-2 days when they could have parked and been found quicker. This area has lots of SAR teams and small roadless areas. Different rules apply to different situations, methinks.

EMT-D Hope not to do any first aid while geocaching, and I've never seen CPR in the woods

Be sure to let someone know where you are going, so that if you are injured or lost you will be found quickly rather than die of exposure........ On a happier note have fun out there! Nerves I hope you recover quickly

If you give up on the idea that publicly owned land should be managed for long-term preservation of the enviroment and for the public's enjoyment, the actions of land managers and enforcement personell is a lot easier to understand. Best of luck to you. -Map only

I see a DNF as feedback to the hider, and when I post one I try to list what happened and where I'm coming from, usually. Example: "Great spot, I ran out of time after 5 minutes, Thanks for the hide!" I've changed my cache pages and even a cache or two as a result of found or dnf logs, and appreciate the input.