4x4 Caching

[+rbsedgar]

Is there anyway to search for caches that require a 4x4 to get to? We just got a Nissan Xterra and I'm dying to get it dirty while searching for caches. I tried using search terms like offroad and 4x4 but that didn't work. It seems when searching for terms it only looks for those terms in the cache title. Is there any way to look for terms in the cache descriptions?

[+burt]

FWIW, I too enjoy offroading and cache finds. Try using a map of the area you are interested in visiting and using the coordinates of the same area as a search point. It will bring up the caches within the radius you input. After all of that you will need to read the cache descriptions to figure out if a 4X4 is required or not.

 

I don't know if some of the different software available to manage LOC and GPX files has the ability to search the descriptions or not.

 

Keep a cache with you, you never know when you will stumble onto a spectacular view that you want to share with others. Just don't expect a lot of hits. We have one hidden since April with no hits. It is off road but not difficult to get to.

Burt

[+Sputnik 57]

If the cache placer is using the Clayjar rating system, and 4WD is REQUIRED to find the cache, it's difficulty rating should be a 5.

 

Is specialized equipment required?

No

Yes

Specialized equipment includes: Boats, 4WD vehicles, rock climbing gear, SCUBA, etc.

 

If you answer this question "yes" the rating will be *****. Try searching for caches with a d=5.

[+Team Perks]

I would never rate a 4x4 cache as a 5 for terrain. A 4x4 is never "REQUIRED" -- if you can get a Jeep there, it's a fair bet you can also get there with an ATV, mountain bike, or using your own two feet.

 

While there isn't a good search function on the GC.com website, using Google might pull up a few in your state (I searched "geocaching.com 4-wheel california" and found several; by viewing the caches close by to them, I found quite a few more that would be fun in a 4x4). Some of your local cachers might have some good recommendations.

 

Or check out a good off-road trail book, and then eyeball the maps to identify nearby caches. Some of the books actually have GPS coordinates of the trail junctions, which can be used as good starting points. In fact, that's the method I use, and while it's a little more time-consuming, I'm always able to start off with a very good idea of what to expect.

[n0wae]

I agree with Team Perks that the cache terrain rating should not be five stars just because a 4WD is used. I live in Colorado and half the vehicles on the road are SUVs! Cachers that want to do a 4WD cache need to know how hard the road is just as much as hikers need to know how hard their terrain is. The Forest Service uses "Easy, Moderate, Difficult & Extreme" ratings and the organized 4-wheeling organizations use other ratings like this one.

 

In the future we should be able to search for caches based on attributes. All my 4WD caches use the "Off-road vehicles" attribute. Until then you can do as others suggested or seek out 4WD bookmark lists. In my profile for example I bookmark all the Colorado 4WD caches that I've done. Perhaps a KY cacher has done that as well and will respond to this thread.

[+Tzoid]

Try using google with search criteria something like

 

offroad site:geocaching.com inurl:cache_details

[+rbsedgar]

Ok, that's some great search fu but is there any way to include the state in the criteria?

 

BTW, you Colorado people are seriously lucky when it comes to offroading. Search Amazon and they have entire books devoted to your state's offroad trails. Kentucky has got nothing. I've looked.

 

A couple years ago my wife and I drove a rented Jeep Grand Cherokee through the Medano Pass near the Great Sand Dunes. That drive blew us away. We still talk about it. Come to Ky and look for a trail. They are just nearly impossible to find. Even clubs here are few and far between. Jeez, I sound like a crybaby.

 

Anyway, thanks for the help.

[+Tzoid]

You can of course just add a state or city to the google search string:

 

4x4 oregon site:geocaching.com inurl:cache_details

 

This search yields 41 results, the same search for kentucky returns 17 matches. These matches are only made if the state or city name is included in the cache description or log entries.

[+piper28]

A couple years ago my wife and I drove a rented Jeep Grand Cherokee through the Medano Pass near the Great Sand Dunes. That drive blew us away. We still talk about it. Come to Ky and look for a trail. They are just nearly impossible to find. Even clubs here are few and far between. Jeez, I sound like a crybaby.

 

You think Kentucky is bad, try Michigan. Ugh. We did Medano pass last year on our vacation out west, not too shabby a road. Course, we were somewhat bothered by how it seemed more difficult than the rating in the book we had, then discovered later that although our utah book and the colorado one we were using were published by the same people, they used different scales of difficulty . Turned out a 4 in colorado was a 6 in utah. Seemed much more reasonable then.

 

Personally I'm hoping to find a few caches down 4x4 roads in Nevada next week when I'm there on vacation. That serach technique listed in this thread seems to turn up a few posibilities, I'll have to dig through them.

[+rbsedgar]

Well that was pretty fruitless. When I add Kentucky to the string "offroad" yields no results and "4x4" results are all in reference to Jeep TBs.

 

So, does anyone know of offroad trail listings for Ky? I've Googled my brains out looking and found a few. A very few. Most are in the Daniel Boone but I'm looking for trails closer to Louisville. Ky has one offroad park but it is closed right now.

 

Thanks for all your help though.

[+rbsedgar]

That serach technique listed in this thread seems to turn up a few posibilities, I'll have to dig through them.

And dig you will. In my digging though, Nevada did pop up quite a few times. Not as much as AZ and CO but I think you'll have no problem finding fun.

 

You think Kentucky is bad, try Michigan. Ugh.

 

However, I have noticed that Michigan has quite a few listings for 4x4 clubs. At this point I think that is my next step is contacting the one club in Louisville. The only thing is that looking at their gallery pages reveals that these guys are running some pretty hardcore rigs. Serious rock crawling. I'm looking for something more recreational.