Removing Caches?

[+Green Bay Paddlers]

Are we, as geocachers, doing a good enough job of removing spent geocaches from the wilderness?

 

How many times do administrators archive caches without ever confirming that the soaked tupperware container has physically been removed from the woods?

 

I'm not blaming, I'm just wondering. Are we doing all that we can do? I'm worried that we're ignoring a problem for the sake of continuing the game.

[The Magical Misfits]

This very thought keeps me awake all night long.

 

Sincerely,

No It Doesn't

 

If a cache is archived, I don't give it a second thought on whether or not the cache is still there. It's the owners responsibility to remove it, not mine or an admin's.

[+BlueDeuce]

It's the owners responsibility to remove it, not mine or an admin's.

It's the lack of responsibility that forces the archive.

 

If it's within reach I'll go do a clean-up. Can't do much about the others.

Edited June 6, 2005 by BlueDeuce

[+wvcoalcat]

The lack of responsibility on cache maintence is a small part of the problem around here.

 

Not attaining State Park approval and vacation issues seem to be the predominate cause of a cache removal. A cacher's lack of maintaining their cache is not often encountered. (It happens, but like I said, not often.)

Edited June 6, 2005 by wvcoalcat

[+TeamK-9]

When Keystone archives caches, he will generally post a note to the extent of "This cache needs archived, but I need a geocacher to go and pick up any geotrash. Once you get it, or confirm that it's not there, please post a Should Be Archived, and I will arvhie it"

 

The system works relatively well, I've helped out on one occasion and I know many people who have helped out for others...

[+Renegade Knight]

I'd like to see a system where if a cache is archived and the owner does not indicate they are going to pick it up or that it's being listed somewhere else a CRM cache is created. CRM being Cache Rescue Mission or some other handy term. That then become a one time bonus cache since when you find it you pull it, or you confirm it's gone.

[+wvcoalcat]

If you find the remains and remove it I think it should count as a find.

 

You make an attempt for it and it's gone at least you've confirmed there is no litter where it once was. I'd take that over a smiley anyday, certainly more so, in light of recent events.

[The Magical Misfits]

When Keystone archives caches, he will generally post a note to the extent of "This cache needs archived, but I need a geocacher to go and pick up any geotrash. Once you get it, or confirm that it's not there, please post a Should Be Archived, and I will arvhie it"

 

The system works relatively well, I've helped out on one occasion and I know many people who have helped out for others...

i like that idea

[+russell_53040]

I have not ran into any problems with caches being not taken care of. I do like idea of a note being add that it need to be cleaned if someone could go take care of it. I try and go take a look when I see a DNF on my caches and that reminds me I have to go check on one tomorrow.

Edited June 6, 2005 by russell_53040

[+wvcoalcat]

When Keystone archives caches, he will generally post a note to the extent of "This cache needs archived, but I need a geocacher to go and pick up any geotrash.  Once you get it, or confirm that it's not there, please post a Should Be Archived, and I will arvhie it"

 

The system works relatively well, I've helped out on one occasion and I know many people who have helped out for others...

i like that idea

I like that idea to!!!!!

Trust me, It works very well in this area.

[+TeamK-9]

When Keystone archives caches, he will generally post a note to the extent of "This cache needs archived, but I need a geocacher to go and pick up any geotrash.  Once you get it, or confirm that it's not there, please post a Should Be Archived, and I will arvhie it"

 

The system works relatively well, I've helped out on one occasion and I know many people who have helped out for others...

i like that idea

Went to one of the caches he archived a while ago.

 

First he used his normal form letter, just saying that the owner needs to take some action.

 

Then after about a two weeks wait, he posted this.

 

"Having received no response from the owner to my prior note, I now consider this cache to be abandoned. The cache remains in place, however. If another geocacher is interested in maintaining the cache and adopting it, please contact me. Alternatively, I ask that the next visitor please remove this soggy container and then log a "should be archived" note after their "found it" log, so that I will know that it is safe to archive the listing without leaving any geo-litter in place. And, of course, the owner may come forth at any time before that to fix up the cache and maintain this listing.

 

Thanks,

Keystone Approver

Geocaching.com Volunteer Cache Reviewer"

 

Apparently this worked fine, because a local finder got to it, took out the trash, and it was archievd shortly thereafter..

[M&Ms]

We have long felt that some sort of regional watchdog might be useful who understands the area and knows the regular cachers on the patch. One of their responsibilities would be to alert locals that old caches need clearing out or to alert locals when a cache needs clearing that can no longer be maintained by the owner. Other duties would be to monitor gradings, those blatantly not playing by the rules and to assist newbies. Our current approver is awesome but before him we had afew that could be quite tiresome by the comments they made on some caches which we put down to a lack of appreciation of the geography and environment of our particular turf. There is an awful lot of local good will out there from cachers who are prepared to undertake tasks to maintain the reputation of the activity all they need is a little direction.

 

M of M&Ms

[+Logscaler and Red]

I have no problem retrieving cache's for others or Admin. type people.

 

We have cleaned up a couple messes and misplaced caches.

 

Having an approver post a note to a cache is fine. Unless no one is "watching" that cache and reads the note.

 

I think that if your willing to help out, send a note to your local area approver and let them know which area your willing to work in.

 

If you have a local cacheing group with a working forum area, start chatting and set out boundries that your willing to babysit.

 

The more we can keep the problems inhouse, the less the "government" will hear about from POed people.

 

Logscaler.

[+Green Bay Paddlers]

This very thought keeps me awake all night long.

 

Sincerely,

No It Doesn't

 

If a cache is archived, I don't give it a second thought on whether or not the cache is still there. It's the owners responsibility to remove it, not mine or an admin's.

Wow.... so much for us all being in this hobby together...

 

It's this kind of attitude that I've noticed too many times. My wife and I have over 100 finds. However, we haven't placed a cache yet. I would like to do a virtual, but I've heard those are frowned upon.

 

I haven't found a logical area to do a physical cache where I know environmental damage won't be done.

 

This person's attitude is exactly what ruins the hobby in the eyes of the rest of the public - especially those environmental watchdog groups. Remindes me of my students (I'm a teacher) who see garbage on the hallway floor and claim it's not their job to clean it up.

[+Jamie Z]

I've gone out to retrieve a few caches I assumed were still there long after being archived. To my surprise, most are no longer there (or at least I couldn't find them).

 

In at least one (publicized) case, I found all four parts to an archived cache and the owner suddenly posted to the cache page that anyone removing his cache will be guilty of theft. I'm sure the ammo boxes are still out there.

 

One thing that concerns me is caches being archived too quickly. Around here, I've seen caches archived by a reviewer after one or two DNFs. The reviewer posts a note to the cache page asking for the status of the cache, then a few weeks later the cache is archived.

 

Those are the ones I'll usually go back to see if they're still there. So far, I've snagged three caches that were archived because one or two people couldn't find them.

 

Jamie

[Tahosa and Sons]

Are we, as geocachers, doing a good enough job of removing spent geocaches from the wilderness?

 

How many times do administrators archive caches without ever confirming that the soaked tupperware container has physically been removed from the woods? 

 

Your topic seems a little unclear to me. Are you talking about caches in wilderness areas or caches in the woods

 

Here in CO we work with COADMIN to keep caches out of Wilderness Areas, while we allow caches in the woods. Any cache that has been placed in a designated Wilderness Areas are usually not even approved. If they slip through I have notified the Admin that this area is off limits and its archived. And have gone back in and pulled them.

[+Team Cotati]

Are we, as geocachers, doing a good enough job of removing spent geocaches from the wilderness?

 

How many times do administrators archive caches without ever confirming that the soaked tupperware container has physically been removed from the woods? 

 

Your topic seems a little unclear to me. Are you talking about caches in wilderness areas or caches in the woods

 

Here in CO we work with COADMIN to keep caches out of Wilderness Areas, while we allow caches in the woods. Any cache that has been placed in a designated Wilderness Areas are usually not even approved. If they slip through I have notified the Admin that this area is off limits and its archived. And have gone back in and pulled them.

Rather than archiving these offending cache placements, why aren't they just deleted and the owner notified?

[+Renegade Knight]

...Rather than archiving these offending cache placements, why aren't they just deleted and the owner notified?

It must be how the site is set up. Caches that are not approved are archived. Approval allows them to be seen and it's separate from archving which can be seen or not seen if it was never approved.

[+Melrose Plant]

So far, I have removed two archived caches. There is another not really close to me which I am sure is still there, even though it was archived some time ago. These caches were hidden by. . . no, I won't name names, but he's hidden a LOT of caches. Way beyond what a person could resonably maintain.

[+tabulator32]

I'm kind of surprised there aren't small lists of caches, classified by region, that have been listed as abondoned by an approver. They would probably get adopted a lot quicker of there were.

 

Or are there and I'm just missing them?!

 

I think it would be fun to adopt an abandoned cache rather than let it remain deserted.

 

If there is not such a list, who would I contact for the North Texas region?

 

[+soreyes]

I'm kind of surprised there aren't small lists of caches, classified by region, that have been listed as abondoned by an approver. They would probably get adopted a lot quicker of there were.

 

Or are there and I'm just missing them?!

 

I think it would be fun to adopt an abandoned cache rather than let it remain deserted.

 

If there is not such a list, who would I contact for the North Texas region?

 

The Northwest Forum has a Cache Rescue and Adoption pinned topic. It seems to work out pretty well.

 

I adopted one that gets a good deal of traffic. It has been a fun experience.

[+Yamahammer]

I'm kind of surprised there aren't small lists of caches, classified by region, that have been listed as abondoned by an approver. They would probably get adopted a lot quicker of there were.

 

Or are there and I'm just missing them?!

 

I think it would be fun to adopt an abandoned cache rather than let it remain deserted.

 

If there is not such a list, who would I contact for the North Texas region?

 

Tab, I know what you mean. There is a cache listed near where I live. The logs all said it was wet and needs maintenance. When we went to find it, we took along a container, a log book and some bounty. We changed out the container, added some to the cache and took out what was destroyed. We left the old log and added a new one. I logged what we had done. I asked if we could adopt it and them thought I'd just add it to my watch list. If it becomes a nuissance again, we'll go back and fix it again. ... I'm with you on this. Maybe if there was a list or if a reviewer could contact someone local to the cache inquestion, someone could take a look and advise or fix it. Just a suggestion. I hate to see something die off like that.

 

[+Miragee]

Recently I found a cache in bad shape. The owner hasn't visited the site for eight months. I made a note in my "Found It" log that the cache needed maintenance because it was very moldy.

 

The next people to find the cache just noted that they found it . . .

 

I think a friend, who lives much closer to it, is going to do some maintenance on it however, because the cache is in a neat location -- it just needs to be taken care of.