OK to place cache 4000 miles away from home?

[+davidbaxley]

My question: "Is it OK to place a cache 4000 miles from home?"

 

I conduct RV tours and travel to Alaska each summer. I have been doing this for many years. It is a tough job, but somebody has to do it. I want to place some caches along the Alaska Highway as my research has shown that there are few caches in the remote areas. I could visit the cache to do maintenance once per year, in the summer.

 

Do you think this would be acceptable to the reviewers/approvers?

[+BrrrMo]

Run it up the Flag Pole and see who salutes it. It would be nice to have a standby if your caches need maintenance and you are in the Lower 48.

[+The Sneaky Snakes]

Do you think this would be acceptable to the reviewers/approvers?

 

I think they will approve, but I'm not sure. Personally, I think it should be approved. Being close enough to take care of maintenance for the cache is a good idea, but there are many geocachers who have hidden way too many caches to personally keep track of the maintenance on. Just my opinion.

[+DiamondDaveG]

I think it would be a great idea to place caches in remote areas with a WOW factor. I would love to hunt some like that.

 

But, I think you might have trouble getting approval when you can only provide maintenance once a year. Maybe one of the reviewers can direct you to the reviewer for that area and you can work out any problems directly with them.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Can you get a local -doesn't have to be a cacher- to keep an eye on it?

ie If someone post needs maintenance/ couldn't fint it, you can ask the local to check it for you.

[+Colonial Cats]

I believe that caches should be placed so that they can have maitenance performed within a day or two. If you place a cache far away, you should find a local cacher who will be able to perform maintenance for you.

[+StarBrand]

I believe that caches should be placed so that they can have maitenance performed within a day or two. If you place a cache far away, you should find a local cacher who will be able to perform maintenance for you.

The guidelines say:

You may temporarily disable your cache to let others know not to hunt for it until you have a chance to fix the problem. This feature is to allow you a reasonable time – normally a few weeks – in which to arrange a visit to your cache. In the event that a cache is not being properly maintained, or has been temporarily disabled for an extended period of time, we may archive the listing.

A few weeks seems much more reasonable to me. Life sometimes is more important than caching.

Edited June 3, 2009 by StarBrand

[NordicMan]

Can you get a local -doesn't have to be a cacher- to keep an eye on it?

ie If someone post needs maintenance/ couldn't fint it, you can ask the local to check it for you.

 

Yes I think that sort of available option would really grease the wheels of getting a thumbs up from the cache approver!

 

An annual maintenance window is not sufficient. What if the cache is flagged for maintenance and you can't get to it for 10 months??

[+Colonial Cats]

I believe that caches should be placed so that they can have maitenance performed within a day or two. If you place a cache far away, you should find a local cacher who will be able to perform maintenance for you.

The guidelines say:

You may temporarily disable your cache to let others know not to hunt for it until you have a chance to fix the problem. This feature is to allow you a reasonable time – normally a few weeks – in which to arrange a visit to your cache. In the event that a cache is not being properly maintained, or has been temporarily disabled for an extended period of time, we may archive the listing.

A few weeks seems much more reasonable to me. Life sometimes is more important than caching.

Just my own personal preference. My main point is that you shouldn't place a cache without a good maintenance plan.

[+TropicalParadise]

If you explain your situation they may allow it. I have caches in Nova Scotia and the Cayman Islands that each got approved because I go to university in Nova Scotia and grew up/come home every break to the Cayman Islands. I said that my family would be willing to check on any caches, and they hid them all with me, but so far they haven't had to do that once.

 

Are you going back and forth between Alaska all summer, or do you just go once? How likely is that situation to change?

[+solo63137]

Mixed feelings on this one....

 

(1st of, not sure my opinion counts much as I have hidden 0 caches and only found a few more, so I'm a noob)

 

On one had it would be great to have some remote caches like that... I bet they would be great fun...

 

On the other hand, if you can get to it in a few days or even a week I don't know if its a good idea...

 

We have a cabin down in Southern Missouri about a 2.5 hour drive from my house, I'd love to place a few caches down there, but I am hesitant as as much as I like getting away and going down there sometimes its two to three months, before I can get back down there...

 

I think if you were to get ahold of a few folks that you might know up there and see if they would be willing to do remote repairs and what not and they agree, it might be worth a shot... You might want to see who the reviewers are and see what that think too...

[Andronicus]

I placed a cache about 150km away from my home (as the bird flies, about 300km by car). I had to convincy my reviewer that I traviled to the area often enough to maintain it (every weekend during ski season (I coach the kids ski team) and a couple of times in the summer).

 

Onec a year may be a hard sell. If you know some local cachers (see if there is a local caching forum) ask someone if they would do mainanence if required. The local reviewer would likely go for that.

[+briansnat]

My question: "Is it OK to place a cache 4000 miles from home?"

 

I conduct RV tours and travel to Alaska each summer. I have been doing this for many years. It is a tough job, but somebody has to do it. I want to place some caches along the Alaska Highway as my research has shown that there are few caches in the remote areas. I could visit the cache to do maintenance once per year, in the summer.

 

Do you think this would be acceptable to the reviewers/approvers?

 

The reviewer will ask you how you plan to maintain a cache 4,000 miles away and whether you will be able to respond promptly to reported problems. If you can answer those questions to his satisfaction it just might get published.

[+davidbaxley]

My question: "Is it OK to place a cache 4000 miles from home?"

 

I conduct RV tours and travel to Alaska each summer. I have been doing this for many years. It is a tough job, but somebody has to do it. I want to place some caches along the Alaska Highway as my research has shown that there are few caches in the remote areas. I could visit the cache to do maintenance once per year, in the summer.

 

Do you think this would be acceptable to the reviewers/approvers?

 

The reviewer will ask you how you plan to maintain a cache 4,000 miles away and whether you will be able to respond promptly to reported problems. If you can answer those questions to his satisfaction it just might get published.

 

Thanks to all that have responded. I will re-think how to do this. Maybe I can talk some of the campground owners to allow me to hide the cache on their property and also agree to maintain the cache when needed. They are most likely not geo-cachers themselves. Do you think that this might get approved?

Edited June 3, 2009 by davidbaxley

[+StarBrand]

My question: "Is it OK to place a cache 4000 miles from home?"

 

I conduct RV tours and travel to Alaska each summer. I have been doing this for many years. It is a tough job, but somebody has to do it. I want to place some caches along the Alaska Highway as my research has shown that there are few caches in the remote areas. I could visit the cache to do maintenance once per year, in the summer.

 

Do you think this would be acceptable to the reviewers/approvers?

 

The reviewer will ask you how you plan to maintain a cache 4,000 miles away and whether you will be able to respond promptly to reported problems. If you can answer those questions to his satisfaction it just might get published.

If the folks you get for maintenance can really respond when as issue arises and you can demonstrate that to a reviewer - it should be ok - but I would ask the reviewer before doing it.

Thanks to all that have responded. I will re-think how to do this. Maybe I can talk some of the campground owners to allow me to hide the cache on their property and also agree to maintain the cache when needed. They are most likely not geo-cachers themselves. Do you think that this might get approved?

Edited June 3, 2009 by StarBrand

[+briansnat]

My question: "Is it OK to place a cache 4000 miles from home?"

 

I conduct RV tours and travel to Alaska each summer. I have been doing this for many years. It is a tough job, but somebody has to do it. I want to place some caches along the Alaska Highway as my research has shown that there are few caches in the remote areas. I could visit the cache to do maintenance once per year, in the summer.

 

Do you think this would be acceptable to the reviewers/approvers?

 

The reviewer will ask you how you plan to maintain a cache 4,000 miles away and whether you will be able to respond promptly to reported problems. If you can answer those questions to his satisfaction it just might get published.

 

Thanks to all that have responded. I will re-think how to do this. Maybe I can talk some of the campground owners to allow me to hide the cache on their property and also agree to maintain the cache when needed. They are most likely not geo-cachers themselves. Do you think that this might get approved?

 

I suggest you read the guidelines thoroughly before even considering placing a cache. Yes, if you can find someone local to maintain a cache for you it will usually be considered publishable. But hiding one in a campground would likely bump up against the commercial guideline.

 

The best avenue if you have the itch to hide a cache is to do it near your home and let the locals take care of hiding caches on the other end of the country.

[+DatCrazyMongoose]

I know a lot of military folks who place caches in less than hospitable areas. After their deployment, they would have no way of maintaining the cache, save putting it up for adoption to someone on the next rotation. I'm actually looking forward to my next deployment so I can grab the few caches on the base. I'd be more than willing to step up and adopt them, if not just maintain them while I'm deployed.

Edited June 5, 2009 by DatCrazyMongoose

[+WRASTRO]

My question: "Is it OK to place a cache 4000 miles from home?"

 

I conduct RV tours and travel to Alaska each summer. I have been doing this for many years. It is a tough job, but somebody has to do it. I want to place some caches along the Alaska Highway as my research has shown that there are few caches in the remote areas. I could visit the cache to do maintenance once per year, in the summer.

 

Do you think this would be acceptable to the reviewers/approvers?

 

The reviewer will ask you how you plan to maintain a cache 4,000 miles away and whether you will be able to respond promptly to reported problems. If you can answer those questions to his satisfaction it just might get published.

 

Thanks to all that have responded. I will re-think how to do this. Maybe I can talk some of the campground owners to allow me to hide the cache on their property and also agree to maintain the cache when needed. They are most likely not geo-cachers themselves. Do you think that this might get approved?

 

I suggest you read the guidelines thoroughly before even considering placing a cache. Yes, if you can find someone local to maintain a cache for you it will usually be considered publishable. But hiding one in a campground would likely bump up against the commercial guideline.

 

The best avenue if you have the itch to hide a cache is to do it near your home and let the locals take care of hiding caches on the other end of the country.

If you really feel the urge do the footwork and give it a go. Just consider what hunters will be faced with if there is a problem with your hide and you or your helpers are not able to respond in a timely manner.

[+AKStafford]

Where at in Alaska? I'm here in Wasilla, and there's a very well developed cachin' community here in Alaska. Maybe one of us locals could help with it.

 

Just as a courtesy, if it gets approved, and there is no one local to help with the maintenance, you might want to mention that in the cache notes. That way if a cacher is going after it, they are armed with the knowledge that it may have been awhile since the cache was checked.

[+HayfeverTX]

Id have enjoyed doing caching while I was working between Tok and Anchorage, though I did almost get eaten once.