What constitutes a dangerous cache?

[+kewfriend]

Hmmmm I backed out of a cache today which promised to deliver me 50 feet onto a railway line directly underneath if I were to slip. Cache notes did give a small inkling, but it's rated only 2 stars for difficulty. Call me a wimp - but if a cache is outa sight and requires a climb above a substantial drop even to view it, let alone retieve it, then it deserves a little more than a 2 star diff.

 

I have enormous respect for the setter who is a seriously active and brilliant geocacher - so my lips are sealed.

[+maxkim]

I have been in the same situation several times... risking life and limb only to find I was looking in the wrong place by some 20 feet or so. I always think where a cache is near a danger it should be stated in the text that you do not have to expose yourself to danger to retrieve it.

[SNAKEBITER]

I have been in the same situation several times... risking life and limb only to find I was looking in the wrong place by some 20 feet or so. I always think where a cache is near a danger it should be stated in the text that you do not have to expose yourself to danger to retrieve it.

 

I think you have a point. If you have an obvious, or not so obvious danger then I think it is fair to point it out in the description. At least it gives you the option of leaving the pushchair at home if you have to abseil down a 300ft ravine.

[+Renegade Knight]

The danger looked to be in plain sight where you could avoid it if you were so inclined. This only looks to be a cache rating issue.

 

A rule of thumb that I've used with a lot of success is this. "the hider doesn't like thorns, rabid dogs, or putting their life in danger any more than I do". Then I look in the spot 20' over that makes more sence and the cache is usually there.

[+pieces_of_8]

I did a cache in North Yorks. It entailed me hanging by my finger tips over a 150ft plus shear drop... i couldn't find it for love or money. It to was only a 2 Terrain i thought to myself "these northerners are bloomin hard up here if this is a 2!!!" It turned out i was at the correct co-ords BUT 150ft plus TO HIGH....it was at the base of the cliff not the top, so it was the same co-ords but over 150ft away VERTICALLY.... not the cache setters fault in anyway just mine for taking the difficult route....enjoyed it all the same.

 

Mart

Edited December 4, 2006 by pieces_of_8

[+Dorsetgal & GeoDog]

It's easy to die, survival on the other hand, takes a little more skill

[+Paul G0TLG]

I did a cache in North Yorks. It entailed...(snip)

 

Sounds familiar - I think I did that one recently. It caught me out in exactly the same way

[+Bud Lightbeer]

As far as I am concerned, there is only one person responsible for getting me into dangerous situations and that is me! The fact that I appear to be particularly good at it is a bit of a worry though I am not so naive as to think we will not head the same way as the USA in terms of litigation at every turn, we have already seen a case of it in these forums, but I do wish people would take more responsibility for themselves. Remember, grading of caches is carried out by individuals, who all have a different take on what is dangerous and what is not. For instance I attended 2 caches recently: the first had a terrain rating of 3, however it was easily wheelchair accessible even with 2 flat tyres and a wheelclamp. The second was terrain 1 and was down a flight of steps, along a narrow muddy path and close to a drop of 8ft. I am pleased to say that feedback to the owner of the first has resulted in a new terrain rating of 1 star and another cache that our wheelchair using friends can consider for a find. The second has not.

[SNAKEBITER]

As far as I am concerned, there is only one person responsible for getting me into dangerous situations and that is me! The fact that I appear to be particularly good at it is a bit of a worry though I am not so naive as to think we will not head the same way as the USA in terms of litigation at every turn, we have already seen a case of it in these forums, but I do wish people would take more responsibility for themselves. Remember, grading of caches is carried out by individuals, who all have a different take on what is dangerous and what is not. For instance I attended 2 caches recently: the first had a terrain rating of 3, however it was easily wheelchair accessible even with 2 flat tyres and a wheelclamp. The second was terrain 1 and was down a flight of steps, along a narrow muddy path and close to a drop of 8ft. I am pleased to say that feedback to the owner of the first has resulted in a new terrain rating of 1 star and another cache that our wheelchair using friends can consider for a find. The second has not.

 

Sounds like a case of common sense there!

The setter listened to another opinion and acted on the advice. Seems like that is the way to go about any problems.

[Deceangi]

The second was terrain 1 and was down a flight of steps, along a narrow muddy path and close to a drop of 8ft. I am pleased to say that feedback to the owner of the first has resulted in a new terrain rating of 1 star and another cache that our wheelchair using friends can consider for a find. The second has not.

 

Send me a email or PM with the GC No, and I will contact the owner and ask that he/she considers uprating the Terrain on it, as it is clearly not a 1 for Terrain

[+Alibags]

....it was at the base of the cliff not the top, so it was the same co-ords but over 150ft away VERTICALLY.... not the cache setters fault in anyway just mine for taking the difficult route....enjoyed it all the same.

 

Mart

 

Hmm, not the first time you have done something like that I seem to recall, even when the thoughtful cache owner has stated you dont need to scale cliffs on her their cache page.

[+currykev]

Hmmmm I backed out of a cache today which promised to deliver me 50 feet onto a railway line directly underneath if I were to slip. Cache notes did give a small inkling, but it's rated only 2 stars for difficulty. Call me a wimp - but if a cache is outa sight and requires a climb above a substantial drop even to view it, let alone retieve it, then it deserves a little more than a 2 star diff.

 

I have enormous respect for the setter who is a seriously active and brilliant geocacher - so my lips are sealed.

 

No problem for me...I let Bones1 take all the risks and do all the work for this one.

PS..I can safely say no danger of death was required for this cache!..I'ts just clever!

PPS..It ain't mine!