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Geocaching Deaths

Cal W.

By Cal W.
in General geocaching topics

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Vinny & Sue Team

+Vinny & Sue Team

Posted
Posted (edited)

Are there any known unnatural geocaching deaths?

Actually, you have asked a very interesting question, because geocaching is an outdoor sport. And, it is one that often involves hiking and good levels of physical activity, and somewhat less frequently involves tree climbing, rock climbing, mountain climbing, scuba diving, caving, skiing, kayaking or canoeing, swimming, or using a helicopter for hovering over rough terrain (no, I am not joking...).

 

Because of these factors, I would naturally expect geocaching to have a noticeable death rate due to deaths caused by mishaps incurred while pursuing those activities, that is, deaths due to causes other than natural causes (such as heart attack or stroke.) After all, each of the above-mentioned recreational activities -- including tree climbing, rock climbing, mountain climbing, scuba diving, caving, skiing, kayaking or canoeing, swimming, or using a helicopter for hovering over rough terrain -- exhibits a significant death rate. If you do not believe me, all you need to do is visit any website devoted to mountain climbing, rock climbing, skiing, scuba diving, kayaking or canoeing and you will regularly see reports on participants in the sport who died while pursing that activity. And, any good helicopter flight instructor can, if you ask, share with you plenty of grisly stories of fatal helicopter accidents, particularly those which occurred while hovering over rough terrrain.

 

Yet, strangely, geocaching seems to have a death rate, and also a rate of occurrence of severe injuries, that is pretty much zero. Yes, I said zero. In fact, the reports of such occurrences are extremely rare: I have heard of one severe injury in the US several years ago (due to a man -- who was not using safety gear for climbing -- falling off an abandoned bridge while seeking a geocache hidden in the bridge structure) and I am aware of one death (rock climbing accident while placing a geocache; the victim was apparently an experienced rock climber) in Europe which occurred about two years ago, but, when you look at the many millions of cache finds each year, the number of occurrences of death or severe injury is so insanely low as to be effectively zero.

 

In fact, it is unnaturally low! I belong to various forums and list groups devoted to caving, rock climbing, mountain climbing and kayaking/canoeing, and there are new death reports which come in almost every week in each of those venues!

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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boda

+boda

Posted
Posted

I haven't heard of any deaths related strictly to geocaching, but I got a bit of a scare once. I had placed several caches along a fire road. The caches are along a 4.5 mile route, all up, with a 2000 foot altitude gain. It is much easier going back down. There is an area where I take a shortcut along a ridgeline. It cuts about a half mile off the up portion of the hike. There are a couple of spots where the path you are walking on narrows down to a few feet and the dropoff on each side is impressive.

 

A few weeks after I placed those caches, a hiker fell to his death on one of the shortcuts. Although I felt bad for the man's family, I was a little relieved that he had not been seeking my caches.

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kwalsh554

kwalsh554

Posted
Posted

Well the vast majority of caches (at least it seems so in this area) are located on or nearby well maintained trails that are used somewhat frequently. I'd bet that only an extremely small minority of geocachers are doing the ones that require specialized safety equipment. I wouldn't expect there to be all that many deaths for that reason.

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NanCycle

+NanCycle

Posted
Posted
A few weeks after I placed those caches, a hiker fell to his death on one of the shortcuts. Although I felt bad for the man's family, I was a little relieved that he had not been seeking my caches.

 

After all, each of the above-mentioned recreational activities -- including tree climbing, rock climbing, mountain climbing, scuba diving, caving, skiing, kayaking or canoeing, swimming, or using a helicopter for hovering over rough terrain -- exhibits a significant death rate

 

Seems likely to me that an accident (fatal or not) to a geocacher while engaged in any of the above mentioned activities would be attributed to the tree climbing, rock climbing, mountain climbing, scuba diving, caving, skiing, kayaking or canoeing, swimming, or using a helicopter rather than geocaching per se.

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Team Black-Cat

+Team Black-Cat

Posted
Posted

I had to re-read Vinny's response looking for the hook...

 

Even disregarding the tree climbing caches and the rest of the list mentioned by Vinny, it seems like geocachers are, for the most part, a cautious bunch. Or possibly just lucky. With any group this large, the odds are that someone should have had a serious or fatal accident by now. If it had happened, it would have been well known in these forums.

 

Or it could be that the bodies have just never been found.

 

Only a little off topic, but I'm continually amazed by the fact that I have had zero injuries while caching. I can recall only tripping and falling one time. What are the odds?

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Too Tall John

+Too Tall John

Posted
Posted
...geocaching seems to have a death rate...that is pretty much zero. Yes, I said zero. In fact, the reports of such occurrences are extremely rare...
That's 'cuz the cacher doesn't log the cache at the end of the trip for us to read!
icon_smile.gifJanuary 5 by Iyam Dee-ceezed (926 found)

 

Hey, thanks for my last adventure, it was a great cache!

 

Took: last breath

Left: this mortal realm

 

TFTC

 

[view this log on a separate page]

Seriously, if someone was geocaching and died, who would report "He died while geocaching!"? They would report "He died while attempting to climb down a steep embankment, falling and hitting his head on a mysterious Army surplus ammunition can left in the woods."
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JamGuys

+JamGuys

Posted
Posted (edited)
...geocaching seems to have a death rate...that is pretty much zero. Yes, I said zero. In fact, the reports of such occurrences are extremely rare...
That's 'cuz the cacher doesn't log the cache at the end of the trip for us to read!
icon_smile.gifJanuary 5 by Iyam Dee-ceezed (926 found)

 

Hey, thanks for my last adventure, it was a great cache!

 

Took: last breath

Left: this mortal realm

 

TFTC

 

[view this log on a separate page]

Seriously, if someone was geocaching and died, who would report "He died while geocaching!"? They would report "He died while attempting to climb down a steep embankment, falling and hitting his head on a mysterious Army surplus ammunition can left in the woods."

Nah, it would be something like:

 

Man Dies While Playing Hi-tech Scavenger Hunt Game.

 

A local area man slipped and fell to his death on Dead Man's Cliff while playing the hi-tech internet scavenger hunt game known as geocaching. According to eyewitness reports, John Tooshort was reaching for an aluminum tube suspended from a tree at the edge of the cliff when he lost his footing and fell. It was also reported that Tooshort's last words as he disappeared from view were, "Found iiiiiiiiiiiittttttt!!!"

Edited by JamGuys
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flask

+flask

Posted
Posted

had i actually died it would have been reported as a geocaching death.

 

the rescue squad knew exactly what we were up there for. when you require an evac in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night nobody believes you were just out for a little fresh air.

 

"why here?" and "why now?" are questions the state police want answered.

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Parabola

+Parabola

Posted
Posted

had i actually died it would have been reported as a geocaching death.

 

the rescue squad knew exactly what we were up there for. when you require an evac in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night nobody believes you were just out for a little fresh air.

 

"why here?" and "why now?" are questions the state police want answered.

I've got to ask for some details? :rolleyes: Sound's like someone has a story to tell.

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TrailGators

+TrailGators

Posted
Posted
...geocaching seems to have a death rate...that is pretty much zero. Yes, I said zero. In fact, the reports of such occurrences are extremely rare...
That's 'cuz the cacher doesn't log the cache at the end of the trip for us to read!
icon_smile.gifJanuary 5 by Iyam Dee-ceezed (926 found)

 

Hey, thanks for my last adventure, it was a great cache!

 

Took: last breath

Left: this mortal realm

 

TFTC

 

[view this log on a separate page]

Seriously, if someone was geocaching and died, who would report "He died while geocaching!"? They would report "He died while attempting to climb down a steep embankment, falling and hitting his head on a mysterious Army surplus ammunition can left in the woods."

Nah, it would be something like:

 

Man Dies While Playing Hi-tech Scavenger Hunt Game.

 

A local area man slipped and fell to his death on Dead Man's Cliff while playing the hi-tech internet scavenger hunt game known as geocaching. According to eyewitness reports, John Tooshort was reaching for an aluminum tube suspended from a tree at the edge of the cliff when he lost his footing and fell. It was also reported that Tooshort's last words as he disappeared from view were, "Found iiiiiiiiiiiittttttt!!!"

I think you got the first letter of his last word correct.... :rolleyes:<_<
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Mr.Yuck

Mr.Yuck

Posted
Posted

Not sure whether this is considered to be a natural or an unnatural death but it does appear to have been geocaching-related. :rolleyes:

 

Mike's Memorial Cache

 

Interesting cache. I'm not prepared to Markwell (maybe later), but I definitely remember a thread about 2 or 3 years ago about a guy falling into a ravine and dying while caching in Texas. I'll bet there have been a few heart attack related geocaching deaths.

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Team Laxson

+Team Laxson

Posted
Posted

 

Interesting cache. I'm not prepared to Markwell (maybe later), but I definitely remember a thread about 2 or 3 years ago about a guy falling into a ravine and dying while caching in Texas. I'll bet there have been a few heart attack related geocaching deaths.

 

Yes there is at least one verified death by heart attack while caching in SE Pennsylvania.ChefHiker Remembered

 

billzjeep died of a heart attack on the trail with other cachers back in 2004. Every year since there is an annual CITO in his honor.

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Too Tall John

+Too Tall John

Posted
Posted
had i actually died...
I've got to ask for some details? <_< Sound's like someone has a story to tell.
Yes, flask, please do tell. If you don't want to talk about it in-forum, you know how to get ahold of me...
...It was also reported that Tooshort's last words as he disappeared from view were, "Found iiiiiiiiiiiittttttt!!!"
I think you got the first letter of his last word correct.... :rolleyes::blink:
Last word? The very last one? Actually, I was thinking he got the last 2 letters right, but missed the 1st two altogether. :blink:
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TrailGators

+TrailGators

Posted
Posted (edited)
had i actually died...
I've got to ask for some details? :D Sound's like someone has a story to tell.
Yes, flask, please do tell. If you don't want to talk about it in-forum, you know how to get ahold of me...
...It was also reported that Tooshort's last words as he disappeared from view were, "Found iiiiiiiiiiiittttttt!!!"
I think you got the first letter of his last word correct.... :D:D
Last word? The very last one? Actually, I was thinking he got the last 2 letters right, but missed the 1st two altogether. :D
That works too... :D

 

Anyhow, I haven't heard about any geocacher dying around here because of a mishap at a cache. However, we have had some very close calls. A couple of cachers were caching deep in a large storm drain when it started pouring rain and torrent of water quickly flushed them out into some boulders at the output. They were both very banged up but were also both very lucky.

Edited by TrailGators
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JamGuys

+JamGuys

Posted
Posted
had i actually died...
I've got to ask for some details? :D Sound's like someone has a story to tell.
Yes, flask, please do tell. If you don't want to talk about it in-forum, you know how to get ahold of me...
...It was also reported that Tooshort's last words as he disappeared from view were, "Found iiiiiiiiiiiittttttt!!!"
I think you got the first letter of his last word correct.... :D:D
Last word? The very last one? Actually, I was thinking he got the last 2 letters right, but missed the 1st two altogether. :D

:D:D:D

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JKMonkey

+JKMonkey

Posted
Posted

didnt a cacher fall off of a bridge in Germany in like 2009 while caching? I know I've seen the story somewhere...

December of 2011, actually. Forum discussion

 

well i was only two years off :anibad:

 

of course the cache he was going for was unsuitable, what i dont understand is why he didnt recognize this and stop. had a reviewer noticed that it was in a dangerous location it would have been taken down and the find wouldnt have been counted anyway, sad really

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Kjeball

+Kjeball

Posted
Posted

I suffered a geocaching related injury last year in terrain 1 :o

After finding an easy cache I was logging it on the phone while walking back to the car. I tripped and my instinctive reaction was to hold on to the phone with my left hand to save it from damage, so instead I broke my right arm catching the straight forward fall :lol:

 

I was working on a streak at the time so the weeks with the arm in a cast, every day I would pester friends and family to drive me around for caches. Logging nano's was barely managable :grin:

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gpsblake

+gpsblake

Posted
Posted

Are there any known unnatural geocaching deaths?

One person Germany died falling off a bridge while looking for a geocache and a few others that I can't remember off hand.

 

However, people die while hiking, biking, driving a car, and far more die falling out of bed then geocaching. And there are some dangerous caches (climbing on a rock face for example) but almost always, the terrain and notes reveal this, and geocachers going after those know the risk.

 

The biggest risk "dying" while geocaching is the drive to get to the cache.

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Snoogans

+Snoogans

Posted
Posted

A cacher died from an apparent heart attack doing a cache just a few miles from my house a few years ago. He was found dead in his truck at the cache site (might have been the next day IIRC).

Alan died the best way possible. Doing something he loved. Knowing him and without having seen the autopsy report, my best guess is it was just his time.

 

I've looked into every geocaching death that has come to my attention.

 

Most fall into one or more of the following catagories...

 

Not prepared either physically or having inadequate hydration. (Bit off more than they could chew.)

Rushing and putting theirselves in the line of fire.

Inattention to personal safety / eyes or mind not on task putting theirselves in the line of fire. (Complacency/comfort zone)

Fall from height. (Traction, grip, or complacency)

Natural causes.

 

With the exception of the last item all are personally accountable in the geocaching context. If I was the cache owner on any of the caches related to those deaths, I would be sad, but not feel personally accountable.

 

There has only been one geocaching related death that I know of where more than just the deceased cacher had a hand in contributing their death.

 

Word to the wise, give some thought to personal safety and preparedness before you head out caching. Chances are if you wind up dead, it's gonna be your fault. Either way you're dead and your family is going to have to deal with the loss.

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Rainbow Spirit

+Rainbow Spirit

Posted
Posted

Going by forum posts, there have been three cache deaths that I know of, one in Texas, one in the Pacific NW, and one in Germany. I am sure there may have been others. All activities pose some sort of risk, I remember trying a 5/5 with a cache buddy, and when the going got dangerous his words were, 'my life is not worth signing a piece of paper' so we turned back.

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Snoogans

+Snoogans

Posted
Posted (edited)

Going by forum posts, there have been three cache deaths that I know of, one in Texas, one in the Pacific NW, and one in Germany. I am sure there may have been others. All activities pose some sort of risk, I remember trying a 5/5 with a cache buddy, and when the going got dangerous his words were, 'my life is not worth signing a piece of paper' so we turned back.

 

There haven't been a huge number but I recall 10-12+ with the first one that I know of in May or June of 2003.

 

If you go by hours cached as a whole community the deaths that we know of prove geocaching is safer than most activities.

 

However, the impact of that one death in Germany was totally unacceptable no matter what the lagging indicators say about geocaching as an activity. I'll stop there or I'll get accused of standing on my soap box.

Edited by Snoogans
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