Resorts offering "Geocaching Challenge"

[+CentralCArn]

Received an advertisement flyer for a resort that offers a Geocaching Challenge for $269 per couple which includes 1 night lodging, half-day GPS rental, half-day bike rental for two, two power bars, sports drinks and souvenir cache treasures.

 

I was obviously interested in checking this out more closely. Found one cacher that was introduced to geocaching this way in 9/2007 according to his log. That cacher now has 137 finds. In his log the cacher mentions that he found 2 caches that weren't published, and of course, the one listed on GC.com where I found his log.

 

Is anyone else aware of this or something similar? At first, I was wondering how this fit with the non-commercial nature of geocaching. Not that it bothers me; just found it interesting.

 

Would like to hear thoughts and comments regarding this.

[AZcachemeister]

Not the first I have heard of this type of promotion or 'resort activity'.

 

Private caches might be as commercial as the owner likes, but they will not be listed at Geocaching.com.

[+luluonthego]

I'm in the travel business. One of my favourite destinations is 'Treetops' in Rotorua, New Zealand. The GM there has recently added geocaching to the lodge activities. The focus is purely educational and not at all commercial. Check it out: http://www.treetops.co.nz/activities/treetops/geocaching.htm What a wonderful place for an introduction to our geeky pastime

[+TrailGators]

I'm in the travel business. One of my favourite destinations is 'Treetops' in Rotorua, New Zealand. The GM there has recently added geocaching to the lodge activities. The focus is purely educational and not at all commercial. Check it out: http://www.treetops.co.nz/activities/treetops/geocaching.htm What a wonderful place for an introduction to our geeky pastime

Looks like a great place to explore!

[+Snoogans]

Is anyone else aware of this or something similar?

 

Yes.

 

I found out about geocaching on the Vermilion Valley Resort website in 2003.

 

Recently Mammoth Mountain Ski Area (MMSA) and the Town of Mammoth Lakes, California began promoting geocaching. MMSA even rents GPS units and I believe that they have their own personal off-GC listings.

 

No time for links but you can easily google MMSA, Geocaching Mammoth Lakes, and VVR.

[+Isonzo Karst]

Yes, there are a number of county chamber of commerce caching promos going in Florida at any given time. Charlotte County has been doing it for years. Theirs are privately listed caches, you get the info if you stay at one of the participating resorts. Nice prizes (meals in local restaurants, discounts on assorted attractions).

Martin County did a push of the county as an attraction recently; they contacted Groundspeak and got some of their hides listed here, the bulk are not.

[Luckless]

Hi

In a sense geocaching seems to have always been used for tourism- just can't promote any commercial aspect to the hide. You plant a cache in an area with something of interest, beautiful view, fun and interesting activities nearby (playgrounds, beaches, museums).

[Dinoprophet]

There is no "non-commercial nature of geocaching". Lots of people make money from geocaching. This is a commercial site that sells geocaching-related stuff. They also sell ad space to people who want to sell their own geocaching-related stuff. The "non-commercial" aspect comes from their not wanting people to use their site for free advertising. There's nothing wrong with that or with a resort selling caching tours.

[+Renegade Knight]

....I was wondering how this fit with the non-commercial nature of geocaching....

 

The cache itself should be non commercial to be listed on this site. I can howerver place 300 non commercial caches that anybody can find. Then open up a restort and rent you a room, rig, hiking boots, GPS and a guide called cache wisperer to help you find them without at all changing the non commercial nature of the caches.

[Dinoprophet]

I wonder if the caches are placed by the resort and private. Or are they just providing a base camp and gear to go find area caches? That might be a bit more gray. But then, I guess I don't see how it would be different than a hotel advertising that it's close to Broadway and renting you a tux.

[WashoeZephyr]

We came across this last year when we had an event up at Northstar ski resort (outside of Truckee,CA), which becomes a mountain bikers paradise in the summer. Oh and if your just hiking, the tram and ski lifts are free (at least they were last summer) Anyhoo, we noticed in the office that you could rent GPSr's for geocaching. I don't know if they had thier own caches set up but there was only one cache that was actually on GC.com anywhere in a two mile radius of where this was. We found it very odd. You would think if they were promoting it, they would have them set up all over the mountain.