Poison Ivy

[+Pop's Posse]

I hid a cache recently that seems to be well liked. It's hidden in a location that is easy to get to and offers a pretty view of a river and a place for the cacher to fish. A few of the logs commented on the wildlife they saw while at the site. A recent log noted there was a lot of poison ivy growing around and near the container. I immediately revised the cache page to state a warning about the poison ivy and suggested long sleeves and gloves when hunting for the cache. I thought about moving the container to an area very close by, but the site is unique in that there is very limited places to hide even a small container.

 

What thoughts do you have about this? Is it OK to leave a cache in a known area with poison plants (many caches are located in the woods where people can come in contact with the plants), or should the site be abandoned? Is the warning appropriate?

 

Link to the cache:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...f5-e44cd672d8be

[+Mudfrog]

You have plenty of warning on the cache page so i would leave as is.

 

I would say that at least half the caches we've gone for in the last month have been in or around poison ivy. We were wading through it last Tuesday! It just adds to the difficulty rating down here....

[+salmondan]

We just planted one in a similar location, did bring some pruners and clear the area as best I could, and plan on doing what I can to keep it at bay when I visit.

[Elaur]

I haven't dont many, obviously, but I was surprised to realize a few were in woods that looked nicely covered with poison ivy. Stayed away since I was wearing shorts but it made me wonder how many cachers get poison ivy!

[+Team_LPD]

I haven't dont many, obviously, but I was surprised to realize a few were in woods that looked nicely covered with poison ivy. Stayed away since I was wearing shorts but it made me wonder how many cachers get poison ivy!

 

I'm still getting over a dose of poison ivy I got doing a cache here. Just post that there is poison ivy in the area and then those of us that have reactions can choose out own destiny.

[+jackrock]

Around here, if you want to find a cache in the woods you need to expect poison ivy. It's worse in some places than others but there's a lot of it. I would not place a cache directly in the poison ivy but I would not avoid an area just because of it. I'm highly allergic to PI and with precautions and being careful, I've been caching and hiking through PI without getting a rash. I try to not touch my face, I use Wet Ones regularly to clean of my hands. I'm careful to not touch my pants. I wash my clothes as soon as I get home.

[+briansnat]

If its in the middle of a poision ivy patch I would move it. If you can reach the cache without touching the stuff if you are careful, then I think a warning on the cache page might be warrated but I would leave it otherwise.

[+Pop's Posse]

Thank you all for the advise. I guess I'll leave it and hope that the cachers practice good caching sense and protect themselves when entering wooded areas. I always keep a light jacket and worm up pants along with gloves in the back of my truck.

[+TrailGators]

If its in the middle of a poision ivy patch I would move it. If you can reach the cache without touching the stuff if you are careful, then I think a warning on the cache page might be warrated but I would leave it otherwise.

I agree. If it's in the middle of a patch you should move it. Even if you wear long sleeves and pants the oils get on your clothes and can get transferred to anything they touch.

[+DammitNanet]

I totally agree to move it outside of the poison ivy patch. I went after a cache yesterday by a bridge on the AT; I sat on a rock to retrieve it and later when I was putting it back, I realized the whole area was covered with poison ivy. I am sooo lucky that I'm not allergic to it - I could roll in it and never get it. My caching partners, on the other hand, are both severely allergic to it. Luckily this one was in my hands!

[marnen]

I wouldn't put a cache in the middle of poison ivy (unless that's supposed to be the challenge!), but when I'm looking for a cache, I don't worry about it. I'm not sensitive to it, and neither is my fiancée, so it's not an issue.

[+Knight2000]

I'm not sensitive to it, and neither is my fiancée, so it's not an issue.

 

If its an awesome hide i may leave it. If it was typical- why not try to help a cacher out?

[+Fuchsiamagic]

Most of our woodland caches here in the UK have Ivy on or near the cache. It never even occurred to me that it might be a problem (unless our ivy is different to that found in the States).

 

I presume anyone who knows they're allegic to it will automatically take the necessary precautions. The biggest problem over here is stinging nettles!

[BRTango]

Most of our woodland caches here in the UK have Ivy on or near the cache. It never even occurred to me that it might be a problem (unless our ivy is different to that found in the States).

 

I presume anyone who knows they're allegic to it will automatically take the necessary precautions. The biggest problem over here is stinging nettles!

 

I think a different type of ivy. We have Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac... they are fairly distinctive and don't look like the typical English Ivy.

 

That being said... i'm just getting over my first case of poison Ivy ever. Didn't recognize it for what it was because I've never been affected before. I do have to say though... it feels so good to scratch it... but it hurts so much afterward

 

Poison Ivy = bad

 

English Ivy = good

Edited June 5, 2007 by BRTango

[marnen]

Most of our woodland caches here in the UK have Ivy on or near the cache. It never even occurred to me that it might be a problem (unless our ivy is different to that found in the States).

What BRTango said. Poison ivy isn't true ivy (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_ivy ), and contains an irritant (urushiol) that many people are sensitive to. I didn't realize it wasn't found in the UK.

 

(True) English ivy, on the other hand, is no problem at all, and we've got lots of that here too.

[mikej2]

The old adage of "leaves of three, leave it be" usually sometimes works, as long as I remember to look and think before I grab the brush (usually after the fact).

[+tokencollector]

Unless the cache is in the thick of a PI patch, I wouldn't worry about it (and I might not move it then if it is in the most approriate spot with warnings on the cache page). Every so often I come across a cache I won't try to retrieve because of PI. I typically out it in the back of my head to consider coming back when the leaves are off the trees.

 

If there is a lot of PI in the area of a cache and it isn't mentioned in the cache description, I'll often mention it in my log so someone who might follow isn't surprised. Getting past the PI to get into the woods is usually more of a problem than PI at the cache site - though I have seen a few caches nestled under PI vines.

 

PI is a part of caching (though certainly not my favorite part). Since I'm usually in shorts and/or sandles when caching I'v gotten quite good at watching the ground around me in areas where PI tends to grow and have managed to avoid it so far (yes, I am alergic).

 

OT - For the handful of caches I've done in TX, I was fortunate not to run across PI, but I was amazed that most plants near San Antonio seemed to have needles or thorns.

[+Pop's Posse]

I went back to the cache site with a thought of possibly moving the cache and found that the area was not as bad as I thought. Fishermen have been around the site and a lot of the growth seems to be knocked down. I cleaned up a few suspisious plants and decided to let the cache stay where it is. I have searched for caches in areas a lot worse than this one. I think geocachers should be sauve enough to dress properly for the situations they my face or take appropriate precautions. If all things were risk free, life would be a bore.

[+ganurse6]

There is also a plant found in the woods that can be used to neurtalize the PI. I can't think of the name just now, but you can use it either as is.... just pick it, crush the stems and leaves and rub it on the effected area, or process it into lotion or soap. My wife made some as soap several years ago, and it does work.

[marnen]

I believe you're thinking of burdock.

[+casey97]

I would tell everyone I have had two steroid shots for poison ivy this summer, but fear my cache finds would be disallowed for doping. As this is the case I can neither confirm nor deny my cache prowess is enhanced by artificial hormones.

 

If there were no poison ivy, how would cachers visually ID each other? I mean if you did not have calamine-covered lesions on your arms, you would look just like every other man in hiking boots on the Tupperware isle, with a GPSr hanging from a lanyard around your neck.

 

How else could we tell who among us is a cacher with out the distinctive poison ivy markings?

[+Sevateem]

Jewel weed is what is used to neutralize poison ivy. Crush it and rub. As a kid we called jewel weed "touch me not". The seed pods will pop open when ripe at the slightest movement. I'm working on not itching my 2nd. bout of poison ivy this year. Both time did know I had been in it till too late. Takes me 3-4 days to break out. Did better than most years.

[+wayfarer222]

Being in the midst of the worst PI I've ever had that I received while geocaching, a warning is sufficient in your description. I know what the stuff looks like. If I plunge in (which I did), it's my hard cheese. And I have to say it was worth it.

 

Chris