Cache Rating Guideline

[+jlfnjlf]

OK so I am fairly new to geocaching, but I see that the difficulty/terrain rating of caches is rather ambiguous. I placed my first cache last night, and I was totally baffled on how to rate it. So what I am trying to figure out is if anyone has developed a rating system guide for new geocachers. On my first placement the hunter would have to hike 1/4 mile or so, jump a stream, dodge mud-puddles, and avoid the bramble. Thus I rated it as a 3.5 for terrain. The first finder said it should have been a 2, but I have found lamppost micros rated as a 2. I rated mine as a 1.5 for difficulty, because once you make it to the location it is a rather quick find.

 

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

John of jlfnjlf.

[+pater47]

As a matter of fact, yes. they have:

 

http://www.clayjar.com/gcrs/

[+Adrenalynn]

OK so I am fairly new to geocaching, but I see that the difficulty/terrain rating of caches is rather ambiguous. I placed my first cache last night, and I was totally baffled on how to rate it. So what I am trying to figure out is if anyone has developed a rating system guide for new geocachers. On my first placement the hunter would have to hike 1/4 mile or so, jump a stream, dodge mud-puddles, and avoid the bramble. Thus I rated it as a 3.5 for terrain. The first finder said it should have been a 2, but I have found lamppost micros rated as a 2. I rated mine as a 1.5 for difficulty, because once you make it to the location it is a rather quick find.

 

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

John of jlfnjlf.

 

Hi John,

 

As the first finder of the aforementioned cache - I'd like to comment. For reference to those reading the post, the cache is: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...4e-d1e4478d1279

 

The route that I took to the cache, as I mentioned, in the dark and prehaps the same route you took, was definitely a 3.5. I think from that perspective, you hit it on the proverbial nose. (Thanks for the late-night hunt, btw! I had fun! The FTF is always an exciting challenge. And thank you for sharing your first cache with me!)

 

Looking at sat photos and cruising around the park, I see some easier ways in. That said, you'd have to hike 3/10ths from the logical parking to get to those easier methods as you wouldn't want to come off of sunrise from a vehicle (apologies for the region specific references) This is what really makes rating a cache hard.

 

I'm not the most experienced cacher in the world, obviously. But I'm going with two basic extremes: A 1.0 for terrain is wheelchair accessible. (which is also variable. In my extreme-sports experiences, gosh, you should SEE what some people do in wheelchairs!!!) A 5.0 requires special equipment/skills/gear/insanity.

 

So everything falls in between that. And it's a total judgement call based on Those That Have Come Before.

 

The hide was definitely a "1.5".

 

Frankly, I think you did an excellent job rating it, and I didn't want my log entry to suggest otherwise. I'd be happy to edit it.

 

My log entry was something of a hint that if a finder didn't want a 3.5 terrain, there are probably other ways to go about it that could drop it to a level walk with a few puddles. If we ever have a spring here, the only obstacle will be tall grass and ticks.

 

I suspect some lamppost micros may be rated a 2 due to stealth requirements. That's a skill every bit as much as fording a stream or climbing a mountain.

 

Anyway, keep going the way you're going, and *I'll* certainly keep ftf'ing your caches! Nice work! You put a lot of thought into your first hide - and I certainly appreciated it, as my long log entry suggests.

 

Incidentally, this was the furthest FTF from my home coordinates for me. Over-road distance was close to 10mi each way, 6.4mi as the satellites fly.

[+vree]

yep. in fact, the rating system to which pater referred has a link on the cache submission page. look where it says

Overall Difficulty Rating

(1 is easiest, 5 is hardest. Try this system to rate your cache.)

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Overall Terrain Rating

(1 is easiest, 5 is hardest. Try this system to rate your cache.)

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

 

but each rating system will still be subjective. just get it as close as you can and remember that standards even vary by region.

[+wuvablepebbles]

This is a newbie point of view. I have taken my 2 year old DD on 2 terrains. I hope that 2's are all easily doable by her. If it requires something she needs alot of help with (like jumping over a stream) i would hope it's marked a 3. She has done some remarkable stuff for 2 year old. (hiked 5 miles and still refused being picked up and learned to dodge bramble when I say "careful") But there was one marked a 2 I would rather had been higher because getting across a beaver dam holding a toddler was a tad tricky and there woulda been no way she woulda got across alone! (I think someone mentioned there might of been an easier way but we didn't spot it). I will take the 2 year old on 3's but at least I know she will need assistance with them. either vocal or a lift up for some if not all of it. 4's and 5's are not to be done with her in my book.

 

Here's how I've been reading the ratings and seems to work well so far

1. can use stroller

2. toddler can walk

3. toddler will need some, maybe alot of assistance ... 6 year old may need a little assistance

4. outta toddlers league..6 year probably no go (exceptions possible though as she is extremely fit from 5 hours a week gymnastics training)... most likely be able to do with 13 year old

5. none of us should bother.. outta all of our leagues

[+Adrenalynn]

I see where you're coming from, but that puts an awful lot of caches in the 4.5 range that I'd consider a 3... I really think your scale there is a little toddler-weighted.

[+wuvablepebbles]

Hehe it from a parental point of view.. Honestly 2 weeks ago I woulda agreed with you. But then again th 2 year old has floored me with her resourcefulness. If you ever have seen a toddler pull up a chair, climb up on it then on the counter and then on top of a microwave to try to snatch cookies from off the top of a fridge in less then 30 seconds you'll know what I mean! Most (not all) older toddlers (2.5 years and up) are pretty observient and can manipulate their enviornment. They will need assistance though at times.

 

Honestly.. she's put me to shame a couple times I think we underestimate the strength and ability of our kiddies. Just watch what they can do at a playground... they put a heck of alot less effort into crossing them monkey bars then i do

[+jlfnjlf]

After some deep contemplation I am beginning to think it would be nice to see a field on the individual cache page for a finder based rating system. Something that would average each finders rating and print that output to the main description. This might give a cleared picture of the placement characteristics of an individual cache.

 

Just a sample of the random thoughts of a mad man...

 

Cache on

[+hukilaulau]

OK so I am fairly new to geocaching, but I see that the difficulty/terrain rating of caches is rather ambiguous.

John of jlfnjlf.

Not only is it ambiguous, it seems to vary regionally. Here in AZ I see a lot of 1.5/1.5 caches that start right out saying "You need an ATV to travel the 16 miles to the cache." Well, maybe that's exaggerating a LITTLE, but there are a lot of 1.5/2 caches that say you need at least a 4WD to get to them. Back east these would have been at least 3's, and probably more. Then there is the 1/1.5 cache that says on the cache page, "You need a boat to get to this cache." Cripes! Does everyone out here but me have a boat and an off road vehicle?

[+KoosKoos]

Not only is it ambiguous, it seems to vary regionally. Here in AZ I see a lot of 1.5/1.5 caches that start right out saying "You need an ATV to travel the 16 miles to the cache." Well, maybe that's exaggerating a LITTLE, but there are a lot of 1.5/2 caches that say you need at least a 4WD to get to them. Back east these would have been at least 3's, and probably more. Then there is the 1/1.5 cache that says on the cache page, "You need a boat to get to this cache." Cripes! Does everyone out here but me have a boat and an off road vehicle?

 

I agree there's some regional issues with it...I can see where a 4wd cache MIGHT be rated low..I mean, after all, you're still in your vehicle, so that's a bit easier.

 

As far as needing a boat, to me at least, that's an automatic 5 since it's special equipment (even if I have one, I might not bring it with me that day ). That being said...maybe a boat is "suggested" but not required?

[+BigWhiteTruck]

I hate that people consider a boat cache to be a terrain 5.

[+Renegade Knight]

...Here's how I've been reading the ratings and seems to work well so far

1. can use stroller

2. toddler can walk

3. toddler will need some, maybe alot of assistance ... 6 year old may need a little assistance

4. outta toddlers league..6 year probably no go (exceptions possible though as she is extremely fit from 5 hours a week gymnastics training)... most likely be able to do with 13 year old

5. none of us should bother.. outta all of our leagues

 

Since you use your own scale that has nothing whatsoever to do with the one this site and Navicache uses (not sure about Terracaching.com) you should post that on your cache page. Your scale has not been working well.

 

For the most part what you and other do is actually why I've learned to ignore scale and read the logs until I learn that that cache owner understands what the scale really means. Just because I don't email each and ever cache owner that their scale is wrong doesn't mean that it's working well.

[+KoosKoos]

I hate that people consider a boat cache to be a terrain 5.

 

Why's that? It seems pretty well accepted:

 

Is specialized equipment required?

No

Yes

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

 

Now granted, with a 5 point scale, there are some things that don't get the granular level of differences...I wouldn't consider needing a general boat on the same par as needing full climbing gear for a 30' ascent....but with the current system....

[+wuvablepebbles]

Since you use your own scale that has nothing whatsoever to do with the one this site and Navicache uses (not sure about Terracaching.com) you should post that on your cache page. Your scale has not been working well.

 

For the most part what you and other do is actually why I've learned to ignore scale and read the logs until I learn that that cache owner understands what the scale really means. Just because I don't email each and ever cache owner that their scale is wrong doesn't mean that it's working well.

 

Your probably right! I was giving my newbie impression of how I determine what caches I visit with different family members based off of this info below (it's from the cache rating site everyone keeps sharing. I also think my interpretation "assistance" with level 3 might vary from others. I am more then willing to carry my 2 year old through brush for a couple miles (though she seems to work though it just fine) or walk over a beaver dam while holding her and hubby behind my back keeping eye out. Others may not.

 

Maybe everyone doesn't follow this chart? not sure! That's why I made it so obvious that it was my own personal judgement so others could compare and discuss. Seems to be alot of variety out there on interpretation which is what the thread is about. Was just sharing mine.

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* Handicapped accessible. (Terrain is likely to be paved, is relatively flat, and less than a 1/2 mile hike is required.)

** Suitable for small children. (Terrain is generally along marked trails, there are no steep elevation changes or heavy overgrowth. Less than a 2 mile hike required.)

*** Not suitable for small children. (The average adult or older child should be OK depending on physical condition. Terrain is likely off-trail. May have one or more of the following: some overgrowth, some steep elevation changes, or more than a 2 mile hike.)

**** Experienced outdoor enthusiasts only. (Terrain is probably off-trail. Will have one or more of the following: very heavy overgrowth, very steep elevation (requiring use of hands), or more than a 10 mile hike. May require an overnight stay.)

***** Requires specialized equipment and knowledge or experience, (boat, 4WD, rock climbing, SCUBA, etc) or is otherwise extremely difficult.

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