Maintainence

[TygerD]

I've got an idea for a cache, but it's approxmately 20 miles frome my home.

How often is it recomended to check up on your cache.

 

Thanks TygerD

[+briansnat]

It depends on the geocacher traffic it gets and the kind of container you used. You should get out there about 2 months after you placed it to assess the impact the cache is having on the area, but subsequent maintenance visits don't need to be at regular intervals. I have caches I haven't checked up on in 2 years because they get very few finds and they are in ammo boxes. The ammo box virtually eliminates worries about wet contents or animal damage. Some of my higher traffic caches I visit every month or two.

 

I don't want to discourage anyone who performs regular maintenance on their cache because its never a bad thing, but the real key is the ability and willingness to respond promptly to reported problems.

 

So as long as you can get out there quickly to check out reports of wet contents, full logbook, missing container, etc... you're doing your job as a cache owner.

Edited January 26, 2006 by briansnat

[Clan Riffster]

I've only got about 20 caches out there, so maintenance isn't a big chore for me. Something to add to Brian's suggestions; If your cache gets a lot of traffic, visit it every couple of months to swap out the McToys and bottle caps for new swag.

[Ferreter5]

I usually visit my caches:

• Whenever there's a problem.
  
• Every 6 to 12 months.
  

[+StarBrand]

I visit most of mine at least 1 time per year and whenever there is a reported problem.

[+Team Cotati]

It depends on the geocacher traffic it gets and the kind of container you used.  You should get out there about 2 months after you placed it to assess the impact the cache is having on the area, but subsequent maintenance visits don't need to be at regular intervals.  I have caches I haven't checked up on in 2 years because they get very few finds and they are in ammo boxes.  The ammo box virtually eliminates worries about wet contents or animal damage.  Some of my higher traffic caches I visit every month or two.

 

I don't want to discourage anyone who performs regular maintenance on their cache because its never a bad thing, but the real key is  the ability and willingness to respond promptly to reported problems.

 

So as long as you can get out there quickly to check out reports of wet contents, full logbook, missing container, etc... you're doing your job as a cache owner.

When you begin getting comments from your cache hunters that there is or might be an issue wrt your cache container, it's contents or it's location. Of course if you get reports that the cache has gone missing you might want to visit the location to verify this and to see if it might have moved to some other nearby location which you might be able to figure out and then be able to retrieve it.

Edited January 26, 2006 by Team Cotati

[+Renegade Knight]

When there is a problem.

When the log is getting full.

When it's time to pull the cache.

When you are unsure of the hide and want to see what's happening at the site.

 

That about sume it up for me.

 

Remote caches with 5 finds per year...I really don't worry about. Urban caches have a lot higher incident rate.

[+Team Cotati]

What RK said.

[+Beffums]

overall, I'd agree with all of the above. only other thing I'd add is to keep in mind that you might need to go back and check on it when conditions change - both weather and other. examples from caches I've had:

 

penn power waited 70 years to mow their right-of-way, then decided to plow it and the neighboring lands - oops (nice lawsuit from those landowners, thankfully my dad noticed and saved my cache) had to go back to replace. sigh.

 

we now live in Evansville. tornados will do a number on a cache. so will the Ohio river. it's flooding slightly tonight. I'll be out checking caches tomorrow, particularly the one down lowest and nearest the river. why wait for complaining logs?

[+4 Slate's]

It depends on the geocacher traffic it gets and the kind of container you used.  You should get out there about 2 months after you placed it to assess the impact the cache is having on the area, but subsequent maintenance visits don't need to be at regular intervals.  I have caches I haven't checked up on in 2 years because they get very few finds and they are in ammo boxes.  The ammo box virtually eliminates worries about wet contents or animal damage.  Some of my higher traffic caches I visit every month or two.

 

I don't want to discourage anyone who performs regular maintenance on their cache because its never a bad thing, but the real key is  the ability and willingness to respond promptly to reported problems.

 

So as long as you can get out there quickly to check out reports of wet contents, full logbook, missing container, etc... you're doing your job as a cache owner.

So if someone has obviously abandoned a cache is it OK to take it over and start maintanining it?

[+DaemonLee]

Should you lock Ammo Boxes down, somewhat?

[+briansnat]

Should you lock Ammo Boxes down, somewhat?

Not sure what you mean by that. No need to lock the lid other than using the latch it comes with.

[+Beffums]

It depends on the geocacher traffic it gets and the kind of container you used.  You should get out there about 2 months after you placed it to assess the impact the cache is having on the area, but subsequent maintenance visits don't need to be at regular intervals.  I have caches I haven't checked up on in 2 years because they get very few finds and they are in ammo boxes.  The ammo box virtually eliminates worries about wet contents or animal damage.  Some of my higher traffic caches I visit every month or two.

 

I don't want to discourage anyone who performs regular maintenance on their cache because its never a bad thing, but the real key is  the ability and willingness to respond promptly to reported problems.

 

So as long as you can get out there quickly to check out reports of wet contents, full logbook, missing container, etc... you're doing your job as a cache owner.

So if someone has obviously abandoned a cache is it OK to take it over and start maintanining it?

that is an EXTREMELY controversial topic in some areas. some will say yes, others will say no. the question is, have they abandonded their cache or not. to some, not being on gc.com everyday is abandonment. for others, not being on once a year, or once every couple of years is. most cachers do not mind if you help out if you see their cache needs something - a log is full and you have a spare log and leave it in the cache (space permitting) - we LOVE people who do that for us, makes us very happy - guilty, but happy. log is wet and you dry it, etc etc etc. but, there are cachers who will send offensive notes because you dared to dry out the inside of their gladware before you re-closed it. even though the last seven logs mentioned it was wet. or that you dropped in a new pen because the old one wouldn't write. just depends on the person.

 

it's such a grey area, that I've become very hesistant to tread there. others have different opinions, I'm sure. when in doubt, check with your local reviewer. they might know better how to contact that person, or if an "official" adoption is in the works, or ... at a minimum, they can guide you on proper etiquette and procedures.

 

that said, if you ever come across a cache that has become litter - where the cache is so far gone that it is now simply trash littering the environment, then anyone can legitimately clean up the mess. geo-trash is still just trash.

[+4 Slate's]

It depends on the geocacher traffic it gets and the kind of container you used.  You should get out there about 2 months after you placed it to assess the impact the cache is having on the area, but subsequent maintenance visits don't need to be at regular intervals.  I have caches I haven't checked up on in 2 years because they get very few finds and they are in ammo boxes.  The ammo box virtually eliminates worries about wet contents or animal damage.  Some of my higher traffic caches I visit every month or two.

 

I don't want to discourage anyone who performs regular maintenance on their cache because its never a bad thing, but the real key is  the ability and willingness to respond promptly to reported problems.

 

So as long as you can get out there quickly to check out reports of wet contents, full logbook, missing container, etc... you're doing your job as a cache owner.

So if someone has obviously abandoned a cache is it OK to take it over and start maintanining it?

that is an EXTREMELY controversial topic in some areas. some will say yes, others will say no. the question is, have they abandonded their cache or not. to some, not being on gc.com everyday is abandonment. for others, not being on once a year, or once every couple of years is. most cachers do not mind if you help out if you see their cache needs something - a log is full and you have a spare log and leave it in the cache (space permitting) - we LOVE people who do that for us, makes us very happy - guilty, but happy. log is wet and you dry it, etc etc etc. but, there are cachers who will send offensive notes because you dared to dry out the inside of their gladware before you re-closed it. even though the last seven logs mentioned it was wet. or that you dropped in a new pen because the old one wouldn't write. just depends on the person.

 

it's such a grey area, that I've become very hesistant to tread there. others have different opinions, I'm sure. when in doubt, check with your local reviewer. they might know better how to contact that person, or if an "official" adoption is in the works, or ... at a minimum, they can guide you on proper etiquette and procedures.

 

that said, if you ever come across a cache that has become litter - where the cache is so far gone that it is now simply trash littering the environment, then anyone can legitimately clean up the mess. geo-trash is still just trash.

Thanks for your input. We are going to fix one up a little and take our chances......

[+briansnat]

It depends on the geocacher traffic it gets and the kind of container you used.  You should get out there about 2 months after you placed it to assess the impact the cache is having on the area, but subsequent maintenance visits don't need to be at regular intervals.  I have caches I haven't checked up on in 2 years because they get very few finds and they are in ammo boxes.  The ammo box virtually eliminates worries about wet contents or animal damage.  Some of my higher traffic caches I visit every month or two.

 

I don't want to discourage anyone who performs regular maintenance on their cache because its never a bad thing, but the real key is  the ability and willingness to respond promptly to reported problems.

 

So as long as you can get out there quickly to check out reports of wet contents, full logbook, missing container, etc... you're doing your job as a cache owner.

So if someone has obviously abandoned a cache is it OK to take it over and start maintanining it?

that is an EXTREMELY controversial topic in some areas. some will say yes, others will say no. the question is, have they abandonded their cache or not. to some, not being on gc.com everyday is abandonment. for others, not being on once a year, or once every couple of years is. most cachers do not mind if you help out if you see their cache needs something - a log is full and you have a spare log and leave it in the cache (space permitting) - we LOVE people who do that for us, makes us very happy - guilty, but happy. log is wet and you dry it, etc etc etc. but, there are cachers who will send offensive notes because you dared to dry out the inside of their gladware before you re-closed it. even though the last seven logs mentioned it was wet. or that you dropped in a new pen because the old one wouldn't write. just depends on the person.

 

it's such a grey area, that I've become very hesistant to tread there. others have different opinions, I'm sure. when in doubt, check with your local reviewer. they might know better how to contact that person, or if an "official" adoption is in the works, or ... at a minimum, they can guide you on proper etiquette and procedures.

 

that said, if you ever come across a cache that has become litter - where the cache is so far gone that it is now simply trash littering the environment, then anyone can legitimately clean up the mess. geo-trash is still just trash.

Thanks for your input. We are going to fix one up a little and take our chances......

You should send an e-mail to the owner first. Many times he will be happy that you saved him a maint trip. If the cache is truly abandoned the cache and you don't hear back from the owner, then feel free to fix it up, or issue an SBA (needs archived). Sometimes a cache just needs to be put out of its misery. Unless its a particularly nice cache, or an "historic" one it might be best if it's removed and the area opened up for others.

[+4 Slate's]

Thanks a lot!

[+Thrak]

What you probably don't realize (and nobody will tell you!) is that there is an "official" group of cache testers. In my area that means ME.

 

You should maintain your cache DAILY - making sure there is a lot of really expensive swag in it. Alternately you could just maintain a large cash balance in the cache. Once the tester (in this area ME) has checked your cache and removed the large cash bonus - errr... test swag - from it then you may feel free to let it degenerate like all other caches.

 

Hope this help.

 

P.S. Please leave many (many!) well stocked cash caches in my area. I'll be watching for them.

 

Thanks.

[+Backwards Charlie from Austin]

What I do when I come across a cache that needs maintenance and I have the proper supplies, is I do the maintenance and then e-mail the cache owner. Most of the time the cache owner will reply with his thanks. If I get a nasty from the owner instead, then I remember the owner's name and the next time I run across one of his caches that needs maintenance I wil leave it alone and log an SBA.