Rules of Distance?

[+Slap Me Silly]

I can't find any rules to the distances of placing caches.

 

There is a place (across from my house) that has a cache in it. I would like to hide a special micro that I made in this same area but is too close to the one already there.

Can I make it a ? mystery cache and start coords 1-2 miles away ending up at the location?

 

Any other suggestions?

 

This location is perfect for many reasons so I would really like to see it there and can't seem to find anywhere else as good.

All the good places have been taken!

[+Moose Mob]

Check the guidelines under "Saturation"

 

To help clarify, each placement needs to be 528 feet apart (with a minor amount of flexibility). This means that the final location of your cache needs to be 528 feet fromn the other cache, not just the start coordinates. This also holds true for waypoints that you place.

 

Placing an item to be found, ammo can, film canister with the next stage's coordinates, magnetic sheet with instructions on the back are items placed and need to be 528 feet from other items placed.

 

If there is nothing to find, the the seperation guideline does not apply. Many folks use parking coordinates or the middle of a local pond for the posted coordinates their puzzle caches.

 

Virtual stages, Permanant existing items, do not count either. Reading numbers off a plaque in which to guide you to the next stage or a benchmark from which to collect clues do not count when it comes to stauration guideline. There can be a micro hidden at the same coordinates and it's OK.

[+ventura_kids]

I suggest emailing the current owner of the cache you want removed, and tell him/her what you have planned. If it was my cache, I would archive it, and let you have the spot.

[+trainlove]

Check the guidelines under "Saturation"

 

Since he hasn't seen any mention of distance I'm assuming he does not know where the guidelines are.

Go to here for that: http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

Or click the link on Hide & Seek a cache.

[+wapahani]

Contact your local reviewer. You can then ask them nicely what their rules are on distance. I've done this and know what my local reviewer goes by. This helps me in locating my caches. My reviewer has a set number he uses and I now know what it is.

 

If there is one in a spot you want, its pretty much a tough stuff thing.

 

I have a cache that would be perfect for a location, but I can't get it published because its too close to another cache. What is that cache? A film cannister at the base of a tree. Yes, in sight too.

Oh well....

 

Its what I've started calling the "Tough Shiz rule"

[+Quiggle]

Contact your local reviewer. You can then ask them nicely what their rules are on distance. I've done this and know what my local reviewer goes by. This helps me in locating my caches. My reviewer has a set number he uses and I now know what it is.

This information is posted on the website, no need to e-mail anyone to find out what the public information is. When you submit a cache, you check a box that says you read the guidelines. They can be found at http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

[+J-Way]

I suggest emailing the current owner of the cache you want removed, and tell him/her what you have planned. If it was my cache, I would archive it, and let you have the spot.

Mostly people just steal the offending cache. If it's replaced, steal it again. And again. Eventually the original owner will give up and archive his so you can place your cache there

 

Note: I'm kidding, and you should never do this because the old owner will figure it out when you place your new hide 24 hours after he archives his and he'll start stealing yours and you'll start a big war and eventually both of you will start throwing things as local Events and egging each others houses and cars eventually degrading to deleting "Found It" logs.

[+Slap Me Silly]

Thanks for the info guys.

 

I did look through several pages for placing caches/getting started, etc..

but didn't see the saturation page. Thats exactly what I needed.

I have placed 5 so far and this is my first real obstacle of this type.

 

Sounds like I need to find a new location. I did previously contact the other cache owner since his was "temporarily disabled" but he declined to let me have the area. Oh well. I tried

 

I appreciate all your help, next time I know.

[+J-Way]

Contact your local reviewer. You can then ask them nicely what their rules are on distance. I've done this and know what my local reviewer goes by. This helps me in locating my caches. My reviewer has a set number he uses and I now know what it is.

This information is posted on the website, no need to e-mail anyone to find out what the public information is. When you submit a cache, you check a box that says you read the guidelines. They can be found at http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

Since the 528 rule is officially listed as a "Guideline", some reviewers have different numbers they use for different situations. Some might routinely allow 500-ft, some don't allow anything any closer than 528-ft, some are willing to compromise on distance for special circumstances. Also, some are more lax with the "impassable barrier" exemption.

[+wapahani]

Contact your local reviewer. You can then ask them nicely what their rules are on distance. I've done this and know what my local reviewer goes by. This helps me in locating my caches. My reviewer has a set number he uses and I now know what it is.

This information is posted on the website, no need to e-mail anyone to find out what the public information is. When you submit a cache, you check a box that says you read the guidelines. They can be found at http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

Like just was posted, drop the reviewer an email. The location can lend itself to under 528'. Some reviewers will allow a less then others won't. Thus I learned it saves you a lot of headache to simply drop your reviewer a note and ASK...

 

It beats submitting the cache and getting a denial.

[+SixDogTeam]

I can't find any rules...

 

The Rules can be found in the F.A.Q. pages. There are only three:

 

1. Take something from the cache

2. Leave something in the cache

3. Write about it in the logbook

 

Everything else is what you might call "guidelines", not actual rules...

[+Quiggle]

Since the 528 rule is officially listed as a "Guideline", some reviewers have different numbers they use for different situations. Some might routinely allow 500-ft, some don't allow anything any closer than 528-ft, some are willing to compromise on distance for special circumstances. Also, some are more lax with the "impassable barrier" exemption.

I know that, however if you shoot for a minimum of 528 feet, you should be okay. The issue was the "I can't find any rules to the distances of placing caches" when they've placed several. It's not hidden.

 

I get emails all the time asking "Is this location okay?" or "I know there's a cache nearby that's probably too close, but can I place one here? [gives coordinates]" Had one of those yesterday, as a matter of fact. I don't have a hard and fast rule of distance, every situation is different. If they provide coordinates, I'll give a yes or no. If they say "Within a couple hundred feet" I let them know I need more info, mostly exact coords are good.

[+wapahani]

Since the 528 rule is officially listed as a "Guideline", some reviewers have different numbers they use for different situations. Some might routinely allow 500-ft, some don't allow anything any closer than 528-ft, some are willing to compromise on distance for special circumstances. Also, some are more lax with the "impassable barrier" exemption.

I know that, however if you shoot for a minimum of 528 feet, you should be okay. The issue was the "I can't find any rules to the distances of placing caches" when they've placed several. It's not hidden.

 

I get emails all the time asking "Is this location okay?" or "I know there's a cache nearby that's probably too close, but can I place one here? [gives coordinates]" Had one of those yesterday, as a matter of fact. I don't have a hard and fast rule of distance, every situation is different. If they provide coordinates, I'll give a yes or no. If they say "Within a couple hundred feet" I let them know I need more info, mostly exact coords are good.

 

Quiggle,

This is why I said to them "email your reviewer". It only takes a email to have them flat out say "I will allow a 425' gap" or "I allow 500'" whatever the case may be.

Now I know what my reviewer will allow me to place and I can do a quick google map query and know I'm ok if I am in that distance range they told me.

SAVES ME and the REVIEWER a bunch of mess/headache. That is unless I place my cache on a puzzle cache spot... Did I say I hate PUZZLES.....

[+bigeddy]

Since the 528 rule is officially listed as a "Guideline", some reviewers have different numbers they use for different situations. Some might routinely allow 500-ft, some don't allow anything any closer than 528-ft, some are willing to compromise on distance for special circumstances. Also, some are more lax with the "impassable barrier" exemption.

There are several reviewers in my area which can cause some hair pulling. For example, there was a new cache placed under 528 ft from of one of my caches but the reviewer said that was Ok because it was on the other side of a river. My cache was later muggled, so I archived it and put a replacement a few feet away--farther from the other cache than my original but still less than 528 ft separation. A different reviewer rejected it for being too close to an existing cache! I got a good laugh out of that situation.

 

For fun I created a puzzle cache, Area 51 Geo-Node, based on the 528-ft guideline. That one got published quickly.

[+Slap Me Silly]

ok, new Q. Really I just want an opinion... same kinda issue new cache

 

I placed a cache in an area that did not show on the map ANY caches within a big distance.

I was denied because there was a cache too close. This cache is a leg of a multi cache that has been found 42 times (4 dnf's) in 5 years! Not a busy one obviously, and like I said, it doesn't show up on the map because it is a leg (more clues w/ log). The distance is about 200 ft.

 

Should I try to persuade this one? It just seems like a waste of a great beach/park area to only have the one that no one hardly looks for.....

[+Stunod]

ok, new Q. Really I just want an opinion... same kinda issue new cache

 

I placed a cache in an area that did not show on the map ANY caches within a big distance.

I was denied because there was a cache too close. This cache is a leg of a multi cache that has been found 42 times (4 dnf's) in 5 years! Not a busy one obviously, and like I said, it doesn't show up on the map because it is a leg (more clues w/ log). The distance is about 200 ft.

 

Should I try to persuade this one? It just seems like a waste of a great beach/park area to only have the one that no one hardly looks for.....

 

How about moving it a little more than 300' away from the other cache and have them BOTH in the park?

[+Ambrosia]

Since the 528 rule is officially listed as a "Guideline", some reviewers have different numbers they use for different situations. Some might routinely allow 500-ft, some don't allow anything any closer than 528-ft, some are willing to compromise on distance for special circumstances. Also, some are more lax with the "impassable barrier" exemption.

I know that, however if you shoot for a minimum of 528 feet, you should be okay. The issue was the "I can't find any rules to the distances of placing caches" when they've placed several. It's not hidden.

 

I get emails all the time asking "Is this location okay?" or "I know there's a cache nearby that's probably too close, but can I place one here? [gives coordinates]" Had one of those yesterday, as a matter of fact. I don't have a hard and fast rule of distance, every situation is different. If they provide coordinates, I'll give a yes or no. If they say "Within a couple hundred feet" I let them know I need more info, mostly exact coords are good.

 

Quiggle,

This is why I said to them "email your reviewer". It only takes a email to have them flat out say "I will allow a 425' gap" or "I allow 500'" whatever the case may be.

Now I know what my reviewer will allow me to place and I can do a quick google map query and know I'm ok if I am in that distance range they told me.

SAVES ME and the REVIEWER a bunch of mess/headache. That is unless I place my cache on a puzzle cache spot... Did I say I hate PUZZLES.....

I think that Quiggle is saying that it's unlikely that you can email a reviewer and get a solid answer to that question. Each cache is different, so the proximity might be able to be tweaked differently in each situation. It can depend on barriers, how many other caches are in the area, etc. I don't see how you can know exactly how many feet your reviewer will allow on every single cache submission.

[kidloco]

Regarding this topic is it possible to place a cache 258 ft apart from the start of a multicache when its first WP is a virtual cache with a question to answer?

[+Snake & Rooster]

Regarding this topic is it possible to place a cache 258 ft apart from the start of a multicache when its first WP is a virtual cache with a question to answer?

 

The long answer, "The cache saturation guideline applies to all physical stages of multicaches and mystery/puzzle caches, as well as any other stages entered as "stages of a multicache." The guideline does NOT apply to event caches, earthcaches, grandfathered virtual and webcam caches, stages of multicaches or puzzle caches entered as "question to answer" or "reference point," or to any "bogus" posted coordinates for a puzzle cache. Within a single multicache or mystery/puzzle cache, there is no minimum required distance between waypoints."

 

The short answer, "yes".

[+Mother Wolf]

I have found the best solution is to give the reviewer as much info as you can.

I had a cche that took about a dozen emails because as the crow flies it was a bit close to another cache. I detailed the land layout making the point that there were not just woods but fences that were between the caches direct route. That there was only 1 way in/out of the area & that was well away from the other cache. It took a bit but in the end it was ok'd.

When in doubt ask the reviewer. There is also the problem that even if you do the research before by checking area for caches if you arent a premium member you wont see if there is a cache in the area because you cant access the page info for the coords so AGAIN when in doubt ask the reviewer. If you work with them most of them will bend some on the 'INTERPRETATION' of the guidelines. Good luck