Logging geocache finds years later

[+slowdownracer]

Today my son and I went geocaching on our fourth annual summer geocaching extravaganza with friends Ron and his son Sam. However, they have only recently become actual members on geocaching.com. Would it be considered OK for them to log all the finds they did with us in the previous 3 years? What if the cache is now inactive? Can it still be logged? Thanks for your help, anybody who answers.

[+Night Stalker]

There are multiple opinions on that. One side of the argument is sure no problem. Another is that is they signed the log when they originally caches then go for it. I know that some cache owners will check their caches to see if there is an entry by the on line logger. This seems to be harsh, but unfortunately there have been more than a few instances of cachers padding their numbers by logging caches that they never found.

[+TrailGators]

Today my son and I went geocaching on our fourth annual summer geocaching extravaganza with friends Ron and his son Sam. However, they have only recently become actual members on geocaching.com. Would it be considered OK for them to log all the finds they did with us in the previous 3 years? What if the cache is now inactive? Can it still be logged? Thanks for your help, anybody who answers.

If it were my cache I would allow it. Why not? They found it.

[+Confucius' Cat]

Write something in the log that tells the reason why you are logging it. It should be good to go for most people.

 

if anyone objects and deletes your log, oh well. Just let it go, it's only a smiley.

 

So far, to the best of my knowledge, if GC hasn't changed it very recently, you can still log archived and disabled caches, provided you can find them. A good trick to finding archived caches online is to search the profile cache find listing of someone who you know found the cache in question, or the cache owner's profile.

[+greywynd]

I know of a couple instances around here where children have got their own accounts, and gone back and logged the finds they did with the family. I believe that the parent(s) had list the kids with them in teh logs quite often too though, so it could be confirmed they were there. I know when my wife or son caches with me I generally add ti to the logbook, the log, and my notes when I can.

 

Greywynd

[+slowdownracer]

There are multiple opinions on that. One side of the argument is sure no problem. Another is that is they signed the log when they originally caches then go for it. I know that some cache owners will check their caches to see if there is an entry by the on line logger. This seems to be harsh, but unfortunately there have been more than a few instances of cachers padding their numbers by logging caches that they never found.

 

Good point! Unfortunately, they never signed the logs in the caches. I did, however, mentioned they were with us when I originally logged my find on-line. Maybe that will count.

[crtrue]

Logging geocache finds years later, what is considered proper etiquette?

 

Write faster?

[+slowdownracer]

Write something in the log that tells the reason why you are logging it. It should be good to go for most people.

 

if anyone objects and deletes your log, oh well. Just let it go, it's only a smiley.

 

So far, to the best of my knowledge, if GC hasn't changed it very recently, you can still log archived and disabled caches, provided you can find them. A good trick to finding archived caches online is to search the profile cache find listing of someone who you know found the cache in question, or the cache owner's profile.

I can find all the cache pages because we were with them, I logged them, and are therefore shown in my list of "caches found". From there I can get the waypoints and give them to my friends to log their finds.

Edited May 20, 2007 by slowdownracer

[+slowdownracer]

There are multiple opinions on that. One side of the argument is sure no problem. Another is that is they signed the log when they originally caches then go for it. I know that some cache owners will check their caches to see if there is an entry by the on line logger. This seems to be harsh, but unfortunately there have been more than a few instances of cachers padding their numbers by logging caches that they never found.

Well they're not interested in padding their numbers. If anything, they just want to see an on-line list of the caches they've found and can go back and look at the caches pages.

[crtrue]

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I personally think that if you want an officially-recognized log from Geocaching.com for something you did four years ago and never reported, you should just seek the cache out again and log it.

 

Harsh since you would obviously lose some logs, but my point is verification. Active caches fill up logs and sometimes logs get destroyed. I don't think the burden should fall on the owner to prove someone --didn't-- find a cache if the original log has been lost, but rather that they should have to refind it to prove their case.

[+CSpenceFLY]

Maybe it's just me but is it really that important? Hell, just start from scratch. There is no winner and there is no prize.When I start the Delorme Challenge I'm starting from zero.

[+Googling Hrpty Hrrs]

Just enter the actual date it was found and mention "found with ..."

 

97.8% of cache owners will not care at all.

 

The other 2.2 %?

 

Their mother was a hamster and their father smelled of elderberries.

[Clan Riffster]

Exactly.

The best version I've seen is from someone who took the time to scroll through their parent's logs to get the actual dates, then typed something to the effect of, "Found this one with my mom/dad/spouse/etc on 01/02/03. Got my own account now, and I'm logging this as a find to keep my stats accurate. Sorry for the delay, and thanx for the cache! For those anal enough to scrutinize every log entry, they can scroll down their cache page and find mom's/dad's/spouse's/etc log with the matching date.

[Neos2]

There are a very few caches that have been "locked" for various reasons, and they won't be able to log them. Most cache owners will be delighted to know that young cachers have enjoyed the activity with their parents or mentors and are now creating their own accounts. I wouldn't worry about the few who will feel differently--it'll just be one less nice log to their cache.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Today my son and I went geocaching on our fourth annual summer geocaching extravaganza with friends Ron and his son Sam. However, they have only recently become actual members on geocaching.com. Would it be considered OK for them to log all the finds they did with us in the previous 3 years? What if the cache is now inactive? Can it still be logged? Thanks for your help, anybody who answers.

I personally never mind that practice at all, but I would expect the logger to file the find/note/DNF using the appropriate date (or at least a reasonably close date) and to include a note of explanation in their online log entry that this is a late log, and that they found this cache with YYYYY cacher on October 16, 2003. If I or other local cachers were to notice a suspicious pattern of legacy log entries that might be fictitious, then I might be moved to check the physical logs on one or more of my caches where the person had claimed such a legacy find, just to be sure, but such cases of double-checking would, for me, be very rare.

[+Mocadeki]

I don't mind this at all. I think it's great when someone becomes interested enough they want to sign up.. with this. He should just back date it to the correct date and say who he was there with.

[+bilbad]

My first caching experience was with my cousin. We found 6 that day. A week later I bought a GPSr and wanted to involve Jill (my GF) I did not log those found with my cousin until Jill and I found them together but that was only because I wanted her to be involved and to enjoy the same caches we found that day as they were great caches. I know some think it is only about numbers ect... but there is another reason for the logs... It becomes YOUR personal history book of your caching "carreer" I feel if you found them then it is your history and you have a valid reason to log the find no matter if it is late.

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

I think as long as they have a written log in the actual cache to "prove it" and explain they just forgot to log it online all these years then it would be OK