Five Caches, Five Speeds

[crtrue]

I've placed about five caches of every variety (I get bored doing the same thing over again) in the past two months, and have noticed that some caches I thought would be hit up more, weren't, and those which I thought were ho-hum ended up with almost triple the hits of the next one down.

 

There are a few factors -- in-town versus out-of-town, puzzle versus regular -- but really, there doesn't seem to be a defining thread as to why one is more than the other.

 

In your opinion, what makes a cache popular? What do you look for when picking out caches for a trip (unless you do most of them en masse)? What factors play the biggest and smallest roles in your selection?

[+StarBrand]

If by popular you mean lots of visitors - then the local area cache density and "ease" of finding both play big roles.

 

If by popular you mean a cache that is well liked and gets long logs - then any cache that takes you to an interesting/educational/scenic location is more likely to be popular.

[CoyoteRed]

In your opinion, what makes a cache popular?

 

Convenience. Basically, how easy is it to grab from where I am standing right now. The more out of the way and harder to complete the fewer the visitors.

 

Popularity is not a measure of worth.

[+BlueDeuce]

I don't know. Which ones are the most accessible?

[crtrue]

In your opinion, what makes a cache popular?

 

Convenience. Basically, how easy is it to grab from where I am standing right now. The more out of the way and harder to complete the fewer the visitors.

 

Popularity is not a measure of worth.

 

And I never said it was. My favorite cache placed has had about three visitors in the past month. I'm just curious what factors in a cache bring attention to it.

[+ventura_kids]

My opinion....

 

A popular cache can be a few different things.

Since I like a bunch of different types...I guess I'll split them up.

 

Urban - A popular cache is near 99 other easy caches. If there are 100 caches in a pile, we will take a day and find them all. We don't worry if they are clever, or dumb... we just need enough of them to make it worth driving over there.

 

Another Urban type that is popular - Next to freeway Exits. We love to zoom off the exit, find a cache, and hop back on. It sure breaks up the boring drive.

 

4x4 - A popular cache is along a jeep trail that has other caches along it. The Bradshaw trail and the Mojave Road are good examples. We don't mind driving 100 miles in the dirt if there are 20 or 30 caches along the trail. Once again, we don't care if they are clever or dumb.

 

Hiking - Skip them.

 

We also love those clever caches. If we hear about one really neat cache nearby, we will make a special trip over to find it. . . before they get archived.

 

....just my opinion.

[+briansnat]

If a cache is easily accessible it will often be "popular". Popularity however is by no means related to the quality of the cache in the eyes of the community. It just means that it's easy to get to quickly.

 

An accessible cache will be hit by all kinds of cachers, numbers hounds, travellers passing through, lunch hour hunters and anal types who need to keep an X mile radius around their home coordinates "clean" among them.

 

A quailty cache however often takes more of a time investment, so will not be nearly as popular, hit-wise. Travellers passing through just won't have the time, numbers hounds may pass because they'd rather find 5 caches in 1 hour than 1 cache in 5 hours and lunch hour cachers may put it off for a free weekend.

 

As an example:

 

I have a non- descript micro in a non-descript highway rest area. Judging from the number of finds in the short time its been there, it is wildly popular, probably my most popular cache to date. But it it didn't get a single nomination for the NNJC cache awards, it's not on anybody's best of bookmark lists, nobody tallks about it at events and its never mentioned as a must do cache when potential visitors inquire about those in the regional forums. Why? It's lame.

 

On the other hand I have a cache that has a very good reputation, but it requires a somewhat strenuous 2 hour hike. It was voted an NNJC Hall of Fame cache, selected by NNJC members as best view in northern NJ and appears on several geocacher's bookmark lists as a favorite. Yet it gets fewer finds in a year than above rest stop micro gets in two weeks.

 

It doesn't mean that people prefer the mundane micro, only that more people are able to do it.

Edited March 20, 2007 by briansnat

[+Airmapper]

Near a campground I use a lot I placed 3 caches.

 

#1. is a 2 stage multi, which can be 4x4 or hiking depending on the road conditions or the type of vehicle you own.

 

#2. is a mildly challenging small cache at the head of a trail, about 60-70 feet from parking.

 

#3. is an ammo can on the same trail as the one above, but a little over 1/2 a mile back in (one way).

-----------

#2 in the list above gets the most visits, because it is near a road and easy to get to. I also get some "excuse" logs, telling me they didn't have time to go find #3

 

#3 is next, because it is not a multi, and has a nice hike. About half the people who get #2 opt to go for #3 while on the trail.

 

#1 is rarely visited, but gets great logs. It is generally avoided because it is a multi, and is on a dirt road, with a hike.

 

It's pretty much a trade off.

 

Easy Access = Lots of finds and short logs

Difficult / Challenging = Great logs, but few visits

[+Rockin Roddy]

What Briansnat said!!!

 

All have different views of what a favorite cache is...place many differing caches and you'll likely have a diverse crowd attraction

[+lals cache]

If by popular you mean lots of visitors - then the local area cache density and "ease" of finding both play big roles.

 

If by popular you mean a cache that is well liked and gets long logs - then any cache that takes you to an interesting/educational/scenic location is more likely to be popular.

 

I think this explains it the best. Depends on the person searching and what they are into.

[+Miragee]

<snip>

 

Easy Access = Lots of finds and short logs

Difficult / Challenging = Great logs, but few visits

Yup . . . I placed 11 caches along a hiking trail in the "back country." I don't expect the caches to get very many logs . . . most of my hiking caches don't, but I sure like receiving logs like the ones I received this morning.

[+ePeterso2]

An accessible cache will be hit by all kinds of cachers, numbers hounds, travellers passing through, lunch hour hunters and anal types who need to keep an X mile radius around their home coordinates "clean" among them.

I believe you meant "anal-retentive types", not "anal types".

 

-eP

 

PS: Current value of X = 4.6

[+niffir]

When out caching in a new area, here is what I look for in caches:

 

NOT a micro-- will only do those if there are no regular ones available

 

Area with more than one cache within a mile or two-- since I'm not familiar with the area, it is much easier for me to navigate if there are multiple caches in the same area of town

 

Caches with good logs -- if other people found the cache interesting, I'm more likely to put it near the top of my list

 

Traditional caches -- multistages can be a lot of fun, but when I'm in an area for a short amount of time, I'm hesitant to get involved in something that could take a long time to complete or that might even be missing some crucial steps along the way.

 

Travel bugs/coins -- all other things being equal, I'm more likely to hunt for a cache that might have a traveler in it

[+Stunod]

Near a campground I use a lot I placed 3 caches.

 

#1. is a 2 stage multi, which can be 4x4 or hiking depending on the road conditions or the type of vehicle you own.

 

#2. is a mildly challenging small cache at the head of a trail, about 60-70 feet from parking.

 

#3. is an ammo can on the same trail as the one above, but a little over 1/2 a mile back in (one way).

-----------

#2 in the list above gets the most visits, because it is near a road and easy to get to. I also get some "excuse" logs, telling me they didn't have time to go find #3

 

#3 is next, because it is not a multi, and has a nice hike. About half the people who get #2 opt to go for #3 while on the trail.

 

#1 is rarely visited, but gets great logs. It is generally avoided because it is a multi, and is on a dirt road, with a hike.

 

It's pretty much a trade off.

 

Easy Access = Lots of finds and short logs

Difficult / Challenging = Great logs, but few visits

 

I have a pretty good example of multis being "less popular" than traditionals.

 

I have a simple 2 stage multi that was placed a few years ago. First stage right by the parking and total walking distance out and back is less than 1/2 mile.

 

After it had been out for about a year, someone hid a traditional only a couple hundred feet from my final (this was before proximity tests for multis).

 

That traditional surpassed my year-old multi in finds in only a couple months.

Edited March 20, 2007 by Stunod

[+halffast]

Yep the easier it is to sign ,the more it will be signed

[+cave-rat]

My opinion....

 

A popular cache can be a few different things....I know different part of the country geocachers has different idea of caches worthwhile

 

In my area.....popular (it does not have to be that well-liked)

 

-very close to exit of freeways tends to get many hits...rarely less than 1 a week...with 2 a day norm

-reststops almost alway get a hit every day....people gotta go so they will stop there anyway

-logs...some people like to read other people logs...if it has a lot of great storys....people tends to come by just so they know what people like about it

-series tends to get hits a lot.... it give people a goal to reach..."complete the whole series"

-sometime just the geocacher's reputation....some cacher here rarely put out caches but when they do....very clever and fun

- also belive it or not...sudoku puzzle can be popular....it a fun game either as a muggle or a cacher

 

....just my opinion.