How to search for long-gone archived cache pages?

[+Sparrowhawk]

I am trying to arrange a cache event in another city, and figured one of the best ways to look for a good place is to see what pubs or restaurants have been pretty popular in the past for that purpose.

 

Rats... there used to be a way to find archived cache pages in a certain area.

No such deal now.

 

Is there a trick or is that feature gone completely?

Edited September 16, 2007 by Sparrowhawk

[+Gator Man]

The only way I know of is to look at the FOUND list of someone you know who was there/found it. Go to their profile and look under that type of cache found. The list will be arranged by found date, in case you have some idea of a timeframe to search for.

[vagabond]

Your a premium member just use the PQs

[Keystone]

Ummm, Pocket Queries won't help the OP here. PQ's don't return archived caches.

 

Here are some helpful answers:

 

1. Using the existing Geocaching.com cache maps (not the Google cache maps), and before they go away with the pending codebase update, un-check everything except event caches and check the box to show archived and disabled caches.

 

2. Write to your friendly volunteer cache reviewer. Site volunteers can do searches on the website that include archived caches.

 

3. Post in the local geocaching forum or message board for the area where you want to hold the event.

[+KA7CJH]

Pick a cache in the area where you are interested in looking for archived caches. Open the cache page. Under "Mapping Options," click on the link for the Geocaching.com Map. Pan and Zoom the map to the area to investigate. Check the box at the lower left of the map that says "List Archived/Disabled Caches." Finally, click "Identify" in the radio buttons below the map, then click on the map. If there are any archived caches, they will be shown with numbers on the map, and the corresponding cache links will show up in the list of caches below the map.

[+Sparrowhawk]

Pick a cache in the area where you are interested in looking for archived caches. Open the cache page. Under "Mapping Options," click on the link for the Geocaching.com Map. Pan and Zoom the map to the area to investigate. Check the box at the lower left of the map that says "List Archived/Disabled Caches." Finally, click "Identify" in the radio buttons below the map, then click on the map. If there are any archived caches, they will be shown with numbers on the map, and the corresponding cache links will show up in the list of caches below the map.

 

Ah, THERE ya go. Thanks!

[+KA7CJH]

The thanks goes to Keystone. I asked this same question awhile ago and he answered it for me.

[Keystone]

The option for which you thanked KA7CJH is the same as the first numbered option in my post.

 

I am posting again to emphasize that you should use that option quickly, as it can go away as early as tomorrow.

[AZcachemeister]

Great. Another useful option goes away thanks to 'improvements'.

[+bigeddy]

Ummm, Pocket Queries won't help the OP here. PQ's don't return archived caches.

Is there a technical or policy reason that we can't query archived caches? (I suspect policy since you said volunteers can do searches for them.) I find that researching archived caches is both useful and fun. They are part of the game's history and should be preserved.

[+Quiggle]

Is there a technical or policy reason that we can't query archived caches?

The caches are gone.

 

You can still search for them in other ways, just can't get a pocket query of them. If you do a My Finds query, it will return archived caches in that file, however.

[+wesleykey]

The caches are gone.

 

 

Not necessarily. At times I see a cache with a few DNFs get archived as MIA and then the next day a find log is posted. The owner may give up without removing or even checking on the cache.

Edited September 18, 2007 by wesleykey

[+9Key]

The option for which you thanked KA7CJH is the same as the first numbered option in my post.

 

I am posting again to emphasize that you should use that option quickly, as it can go away as early as tomorrow.

Dang! I like those maps - specifically for viewing archived caches.

[+Sparrowhawk]

The option for which you thanked KA7CJH is the same as the first numbered option in my post.

 

I am posting again to emphasize that you should use that option quickly, as it can go away as early as tomorrow.

 

WHAT? That does not make any darn SENSE! Being able to see archived caches in a list is wonderful because it is like a capsule history of geocaching. WT(bleep) is the thinking behind this?

 

I have found that being able to search archived caches is a GREAT way to find new cache locations. You may discover a great location which was lost to geocaching this way.

 

I don't understand why this option is being taken away.

[Keystone]

The option for which you thanked KA7CJH is the same as the first numbered option in my post.

 

I am posting again to emphasize that you should use that option quickly, as it can go away as early as tomorrow.

 

WHAT? That does not make any darn SENSE! Being able to see archived caches in a list is wonderful because it is like a capsule history of geocaching. WT(bleep) is the thinking behind this?

 

I have found that being able to search archived caches is a GREAT way to find new cache locations. You may discover a great location which was lost to geocaching this way.

 

I don't understand why this option is being taken away.

The new maps are pretty cool, and I look forward to seeing them implemented. That being said, I didn't personally redesign the website's mapping features. I am just a forum moderator who was trying to be helpful by giving accurate answers to your question. There is no need to shout and cuss at me. I won't trouble you further on this subject.

[+9Key]

I don't think Sparrowhawk was addressing you specifically, Keystone. I took it as general angst.

[+Rattlebars]

I don't think Sparrowhawk was addressing you specifically, Keystone. I took it as general angst.

 

Ditto. I didn't see at as aimed at Keystone......

 

Would be a shame to lose those caches tho.... you might want to do a quick list of the ones you might be interested in and save the page to a folder on your hard drive. It's easy to do, just make a folder and spend a night or day going over the archived and save them. You can view them at any time later on.

 

for IE it's just FILE/SAVE AS then FILE/OPEN to look later.

 

RATTLEBARS

[+Sparrowhawk]

I don't think Sparrowhawk was addressing you specifically, Keystone. I took it as general angst.

 

9Key has it right. The mods have no control towards those above them... I am dismayed at the Groundspeak higher-ups for taking away an incredibly good feature.

 

Towards whoever made the decision to take that feature away, I direct that rant.

 

To the mods, I respectfully express hope you can get a logical reply out of the decision-maker(s) in question.

Thank you.

[+nikcap]

... 1. Using the existing Geocaching.com cache maps (not the Google cache maps), and before they go away with the pending codebase update, un-check everything except event caches and check the box to show archived and disabled caches.

...

 

Nice tip, but too bad this will go away.

Does anyone know if the ability to search/browse for archived caches in an area will go away completely?

When placing a cache, it's always nice to see if other caches where once placed in the general area and what problems led to their archival. I had a situation once where I found a cache that still out there but was archived do to lack of user maintanence or a loss of interest from the CO.

It's always nice to be able to clean those up and recover them.

[+Quiggle]

9Key has it right. The mods have no control towards those above them... I am dismayed at the Groundspeak higher-ups for taking away an incredibly good feature.

 

Towards whoever made the decision to take that feature away, I direct that rant.

 

To the mods, I respectfully express hope you can get a logical reply out of the decision-maker(s) in question.

Thank you.

This thread is about how to search for archived caches, and answers have been provided. If you want to rant or ask questions about future implementation of search features, I suggest using one of the topics in the website forum -- there is at least one thread there that discusses the new maps.

 

This thread won't likely get seen by those in charge of the website, so your best bet for some visibility is to post something in that section of the forums.

 

Thanks.

[+Sparrowhawk]

9Key has it right. The mods have no control towards those above them... I am dismayed at the Groundspeak higher-ups for taking away an incredibly good feature.

 

Towards whoever made the decision to take that feature away, I direct that rant.

 

To the mods, I respectfully express hope you can get a logical reply out of the decision-maker(s) in question.

Thank you.

This thread is about how to search for archived caches, and answers have been provided. If you want to rant or ask questions about future implementation of search features, I suggest using one of the topics in the website forum -- there is at least one thread there that discusses the new maps.

 

This thread won't likely get seen by those in charge of the website, so your best bet for some visibility is to post something in that section of the forums.

 

Thanks.

 

OK, I'll see about posting a non-rant version somewhere more appropriate.

Thanks.

[+Quiggle]

If you want your voice heard, that's your best chance to do so.

 

[+Too Tall John]

...At times I see a cache with a few DNFs get archived as MIA and then the next day a find log is posted. The owner may give up without removing or even checking on the cache.

A local cacher dropped off the face of the earth here in NH, but not before archiving almost all his caches. This happened in the middle of winter, so I was pretty sure he hadn't collected them.

 

So far, I've gone out & reset 3 of his caches, using the container that was abandoned at the site each time. People are really appreciating the "new" caches, and it's turning geolitter into a new cache.

 

Yet another cache that I found using the "old" maps had been archived, but when I went out to the location (the cache was at ee cumming's tree house, which I wanted to see) I stumbled over the box! The owner unarchived it.

 

So, that's 4 collections of geolitter saved by those maps... (Yes, 4. After I had the archiver's name I didn't need the map, but I needed the map to find the 1st cache & his name!)