Can a cache be buried in the ground?

[wannesc]

like the title says:

 

Can a cache be buried in the ground?

 

I talk about a cache that lies in the centre of a village, and it would be buried in a place where flowers grow.

[+Moore9KSUcats]

To put it succinctly, Nope.

 

Caches may be quickly archived if we see the following (which is not inclusive):

 

Caches on land managed by an agency that prohibits geocaches, such as the U.S. National Park Service or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (National Wildlife Refuges)

 

Caches that are buried. If a shovel, trowel or other “pointy” object is used to dig, whether in order to hide or to find the cache, then it is not appropriate.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

All of the cache guidelines are on the page at the above link.

 

Think of the damage cache seekers could do to a flowerbed while they were looking for the cache.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Moore9KSUcats

[+Knight2000]

like the title says:

 

Can a cache be buried in the ground?

 

I talk about a cache that lies in the centre of a village, and it would be buried in a place where flowers grow.

Technically, yes. (But it couldn't be a geocaching.com cache.)

 

So the real answer is no.

 

To be listed on the geocaching.com web site it should be within the guidelines which state:

Caches may be quickly archived if we see the following (which is not inclusive):

 

-Caches that are buried. If a shovel, trowel or other “pointy” object is used to dig, whether in order to hide or to find the cache, then it is not appropriate

 

Make sure you familiarize yourself with the guidelines before checking the box on the cache submission page.

Edited July 16, 2007 by knight2000

[+reb8600]

I find a lot of them in the green water control boxes. These have been dug and put in the ground for the cache, then the cache placed in the green box. By those rules this is not to be done then? It was done in a cache that was put in place by Utah Division of Natural Resources.

[+StarBrand]

I find a lot of them in the green water control boxes. These have been dug and put in the ground for the cache, then the cache placed in the green box. By those rules this is not to be done then? It was done in a cache that was put in place by Utah Division of Natural Resources.

Strictly speaking - that cache should not be allowed.

 

However, they are only guidelines and not rules - so one obvious exception is when/where you can prove that you own the property where the hole is dug.

[+tozainamboku]

A cache can be buried in the ground. The guideline for buried caches actually states that

If a shovel, trowel or other “pointy” object is used to dig, whether in order to hide or to find the cache, then it is not appropriate.

The idea is that you should not be digging holes to hide or find a cache. Caches can be buried under rocks, sticks, leaves, or loose soil that is piled on top of the cache so long as no holes are dug. Generally you can place a cache in a existing hole - though some may argue that you probably shouldn't be messing with irrigation control boxes, utility meters, and the like. However you may see caches hidden this way. As with most of the guidelines exceptions can be granted. In the case of digging a hole, the local reviewer will not grant the exception. Only Groundspeak can approve a cache the requires digging. You will need to provide a contact for the property owner/manager who gave permission to dig.

 

The reason this guideline is so strictly enforced is that some land management agencies have a perception that geocaching involves burying caches like pirates burying treasure. They imagine a bunch of people descending on their parks with picks and shovels to dig holes and their immediate response is that this in not a good idea so they ban all geocaches. Groundspeak has this rule to counter that misperception. Unfortunately it means that digging is never allowed without explicit permission.

Edited July 16, 2007 by tozainamboku

[+JohnnyVegas]

This is the thread in as many weeks covering this topic.

 

And No you cannot bury a cache

[+Renegade Knight]

I find a lot of them in the green water control boxes. These have been dug and put in the ground for the cache, then the cache placed in the green box. By those rules this is not to be done then? It was done in a cache that was put in place by Utah Division of Natural Resources.

 

They own the land, they can hide a cache that way. Pretty simple. The guidelines is for us folks who do not own the land so we have a sustainable impact and don't annoy the folks who do own the land.

[+Chuy!]

Verbatimly, no. The intent of the guideline is not to 'break' the earth. However, no one is going to say anything (well, almost everyone) if the cache is, say, on private property, or buried in a flower pot, etc... So, don't ask, don't tell.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Chuy!