"finding" Archived & Disabled Caches

[+Castlebrook]

I hope this is the right place to make suggestions for the website.

 

Apparently, nothing prevents anybody from "finding" a cache that is disabled or archived, even when the "find" date is after the date of archiving. Should this be?

 

As an example, check "Finding Fault" (GCGMMV): http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...55-a700778b1101

[+Lil Devil]

So, what's the problem?

[+Renegade Knight]

Given it's possible to find an archived cache, it should be possible.

[+DavidMac]

There are plenty of occasions where people log perfectly valid finds on archived caches. Last week, for example, someone accidentally archived one of their caches, and before the reviewer could re-enable it I went out and found the cache.

 

Also, what if a cache is archived before someone can get home to log it? This has been known to happen to people on long trips or who fall behind in logging their finds. I've also seen many people log "attended" notes on events that were archived too soon after an event.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Archiving a listing only prevents it from being included in searches and pocket queries. If the cache went missing but was later found, shouldn't you be able to get credit for it?

[+Castlebrook]

Good points--but I, perhaps naively, thought that a cache was supposed to be removed (physically) when it is archived. Late loggers can always date their finds or attendance on a date before the arichive date. I guess the data base isn't set up to handle these quirks, and the builders have more important thing to worry about.

[+robert]

Good points--but I, perhaps naively, thought that a cache was supposed to be removed (physically) when it is archived.

Ideally.

 

But sometimes the cache is archived after the owner has stopped playing the game, other times the owners are lazy.

[+ChileHead]

Good points--but I, perhaps naively, thought that a cache was supposed to be removed (physically) when it is archived.

Ha! You funny. :-)

 

Actually, I see caches archived for a few reasons:

 

- the cache is actually missing. In this case, a "find" after the archive date would seem to be bogus

 

- the owner doesn't geocache anymore, didn't want to get the mail anymore, but didn't bother to actually remove the container. I've found caches like these over a year after they were archived. Did I still find it and log a find? Yup.

 

- the owner has a problem with the gc site, and moves their caches to another site, archiving them here. Do I still find it and log a find here? Yup (after asking the owner if they don't mind).

[+Hynr]

... Or: the owner believes a number of very competent geocaches who log DNFs, and decides that this cache has outlived its usefulness. Since it's supposedly gone, s/he archives the cache rather than to rig up yet another duplicate of the ever-clever cache contraption. Then some clever geocachers come by and make a fool out of the owner and previous caches by finding the cache.

[+briansnat]

Good points--but I, perhaps naively, thought that a cache was supposed to be removed (physically) when it is archived.

 

They should be, but I know in my case I leave it out there for a month or two after its archived, so the people who have it in their GPS and don't know it was archived can still find it. After two months though I say tough cookies and remove it.

[+ChileHead]

I've got an archived cache that I'll probably leave out longer than 2 months. The last seeker got confronted by an angry hunter who was mad he scared the deer away. I didn't want anybody else getting into that situation, and I didn't want to chance running into angry hunter, so I'll pull it well after hunting season is over.

[+PeterNoG]

This cache DNTO2 - The hundred acre wood was archived and then found two years later. Since it was Manitoba's second oldest cache, it resurrected as Hundred Acre Wood Resurrected.

 

There is lots of rusting GeoLitter still hiding in the bush. To try to ensure that all GeoLitter is removed, some state organizations such as Michigan have a Archived Cache Rescue Mission.

[+Team Perks]

Often I've gone a week or two between when I found the cache and when I logged it. In several cases some of those caches had been archived. And then there are the folks who are many many months behind on their logging (which reminds me...hey Mopar, when are you gonna log those caches we visited together back in January? ).

 

The site administrators CAN "lock" a cache so that no more logs can be submitted (for example, try to log a find for Yellow Jeep Fever), but I've rarely seen that used.

[+GrizzFlyer]

Those cachers that are separating from a previous team and now have a new account need to log caches previously found. If they are archived, that can't be done.

 

Also, I found a cache 4 days ago that had been archived almost 2 years ago. Stumbled upon it while searching for another cache about 30 fet away. Don't know if I should log it or not, since it was a five-stage cache and I only found the final stage (and signed the log).

Edited November 23, 2005 by GrizzFlyer

[+GeoJunkie]

I'm still trying to figure out how this cache was found so long after it was archived. After I had a DNF on it, the owner and I went out together and he confirmed it was missing. Then, four months later, someone found it! Now that's an ubercacher!