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Do you advise searching alone?


Broompilot

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I usually cache together with my wife, Ms. Juniper, but I am occasionally know to go out on my own late at night trying to get a FTF. Sometimes we also cache together with other geocachers we know, but we prefer caching with just the two of us. For special occasions, such as events or a 5 star difficulty multicache, we usually assemble a team of around 6 to 10 caching buddies.

 

I'd say I'd be probably be easier to cache with 2 or more because more brains and eyes always help and because of the safety aspect, but when being careful, caching alone shouldn't be a problem except with caches close to schools and playground maybe.

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Yea the extra set of eyes is always helpful, plus the safety factor of having a buddy along if you're out away from civilization is nice. I do a lot of "urban" ones on my own like before or after work but if something were to happen it wouldn't be too long before someone came along. Sometimes in the high-muggle areas it's nice to be alone - one person can look much more inconspicuous than 3 or 4 gathered around somewhere.

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Well it all depends on how you feel about it.

looking at your profile i assume you are female, and as such you may want to take each cache on its own merit.

If the location is down a dark alley in a rough area you may wish to just move on..

or if it is half way up a mountain where you could injure yourself ..

the best thing is to try a few you feel comfortable with, and while you are there have a look at other peoples names in the logs. Have a look at their profiles, if they are local to you they may be able to help. so drop them a line ..

you never know it may lead on to new friendships or they may know of local caching groups that you could tag along with.. :D

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Ever heard of any problems while searching?

I have, often when I’m with friends. They all find the container immediately, using some mystical impossible Geosense, then they sit there and laugh for half an hour while I wander around. Then they get bored. Then they get impatient, frustrated, and even tortured by how painful it is to watch such a clueless person in action. Then they shout hints. Then they point out that I’ve been literally sitting on the container for 20 minutes, so we can all finally leave. :D

 

Anyway, yes, you should stay aware of your surroundings.

Edited by kunarion
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Probably half of my finds came while searching alone. I'd say a good portion of the local geocachers are out alone much of the time. I never encountered a problem. Just make sure people know where you are going, when you plan to return and if something makes you uncomfortagble, then leave.

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Well it all depends on how you feel about it.

looking at your profile i assume you are female, and as such you may want to take each cache on its own merit.

If the location is down a dark alley in a rough area you may wish to just move on..

or if it is half way up a mountain where you could injure yourself ..

the best thing is to try a few you feel comfortable with, and while you are there have a look at other peoples names in the logs. Have a look at their profiles, if they are local to you they may be able to help. so drop them a line ..

you never know it may lead on to new friendships or they may know of local caching groups that you could tag along with.. :D

 

What burt said. In my "world" it's called situational awarness. Observe your surroundings CAREFULLY. If it doesn't look or feel right, don't go there. It will be there another day under safer conditions perhaps.

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Like anything else, only do what you feel comfortable with.

Caution, Caution, Caution ... and ... if you are female repeat the initial admonishment. Keep your head on a swivel and be acutely aware of your surroundings. I know a great number of solo cachers male and female and all cache without incident.

 

I was working a cache in a mountainous area last fall and was close to ground zero ... the hair on my neck suddenly bristled, then I noticed a freshly taken deer. then from out of the corner of my eye I glimpsed something big and tan ... Yepper, a large kitty. can you say mountain lion.

 

Had I been bent over searching, inspecting contents, logging, re-hiding I would have been extremely vulnerable ... perhaps the cat would have had desert to go with the venison. Yes ... I immediately assumed a large profile and beat feet back to the cachemobile.

 

Caution, Caution, Caution. Be acutely aware of your surroundings

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I'd say take each cache one by one...but if I'm headed into the woods...wether alone or not I hang a note from my mirror in my truck (from geocacher-u.com) that shows the cache coords or number I'm going for. That way if something happens and I don't make it out at least then someone may have an idea where to look,

In addition to letting someone else know the general area you are headed (ALWAYS a good idea--geocaching or not), we like your idea as well. However, what if you are going for that difficult to solve puzzle cache?

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Are you used to walking and exploring by yourself anyway? If yes, then you don't need to change much. If no, then this probably isn't the time to start. Don't go out in the woods alone geocaching if you don't go out in the woods alone already.

As an aside, probably 90% of my finds have been solo, but I was hiking and camping by myself long before I started caching.

Also this: I work in NYC but live in the Pine Barrens of Long Island. I read of people getting shot, stabbed, run down etc. every day in The City, almost never out in the woods near where I live. Guess where I feel the most nervous caching alone?

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I understand what you are saying - I am female and usually cache alone or with my cache hound (she's not a watch dog) I only cache in areas that I feel safe and don't go to areas where I know I shouldn't be alone, such as deserted hiking areas. Although I have gotten braver, I am still cautious. There are many caches that can be found that are in areas that are high profile - many muggles. I am happy to report that I have never had a problem and have only felt unsafe in one location, which I promptly left. I always carry my cell and lots of times call family members so they know where I am.

 

Have fun, just be aware of what is going on around you.

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I cache alone all the time. There are only a few people I know that will cache with me sometimes, so if I had to take someone with me every time I went caching, I wouldn't go nearly as much as I do. I will take someone along for safety reasons if I see that the terrain is ruff or if I'm going in an area that isn't really a good one. I tend to night cache with others as well.

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Most of my finds have been solo. The times I really like having Elroy (my Son) along are when I am caching in certain parts of Seattle. Never a concern when I am in the woods, although I prefer having his company there as well. The only times I feel the need for company are when I am in areas where middle aged Caucasions may seem out of place. Sometimes it is a playground and sometimes it is a neighborhood.

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I cache alone mostly. ...with my dog mostly.

Like hukilaulau I did a lot of bushwalking / bushbashing / coasteering on my own anyway, long before I discovered geocaching.

Geocaching has just shown me more places to go.

In some cases, geocaching has kept me safer - instead of bushbashing straight up a gully by dead reckoning "to see where it goes," I am now bushbashing straight up a gully following a blip on my GPS to find a cache.

 

If you are worried, keep the safe-and-easy drive-ups and walk-ups for the solo trips, and find a friend to accompany you for the more risky ones.

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i often go on my own, but have had one scary moment when out on the ridgeway which is an old ancient road in the uk that motor vehicles are not allowed on when a motor vehicle came hurtling past me and my dog and were illegal hare coursers. they came back over and three huge guys got out and asked if i had seen their dogs, so i pointed across the field and said i thought i saw one over that way. As i said that a dog appeared and they went off in the direction i pointed. Being 5 miles from civilisation and it getting dark we jumped the nearest fence into a farmers field and ran down the tractor tracks between the crops, ducking down everytime we could hear a vehicle.

 

Certainly wont do evenings on my own in secluded places again, however daytime when more people are about i will.

 

Do often go out with the partner and little one or just one of them, so with only one incident im still confident enough to do most on my own, just make sure i have a phone and walkie talkie with me in case.

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I have a hard time finding someone to go geocaching with me, so I often go alone. But, I do find having someone else with me helps... extra set of eyes, etc. I've had only one instance when I became a bit scared. I was geocaching in Cairns, Queensland, Australia on a very hot day. I had walked a long way and was excited to find a certain cache I knew was big enough for one of the TBs I had brought along from California and needed to drop off. The cache was in a marshy area off the road and as I started to walk into the trees I noticed a lot of blue tarps and then some tents... all in the direction of where the cache was. I had found a homeless encampment! Well, needless to say, I turned around and never found the cache. I just didn't feel comfortable going in there alone. I wrote my story in the log for the cache and later the owner disabled the cache until a safer place for it could be found.

 

Unfortunately, I never did find a cache big enough for the traveler I had (it wanted to go to the Philipines) so I had to bring it back to California with me. Now I am searching for a cache around here that will help it get to its goal.

Edited by myhrmaid
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I cache alone most of the time and after FTFs in the wee hours of the morning, here is a post of a not so lucky cacher that was looking for a cache at about 10pm at the Airport in Portland Oregon.

 

"The Incredable Flying Machines" GC10B3F read "mikewithe" post on September 27th

 

Probably isolated incident but BE AWARE !!!

 

Scubasonic

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I cache alone most of the time and after FTFs in the wee hours of the morning, here is a post of a not so lucky cacher that was looking for a cache at about 10pm at the Airport in Portland Oregon.

 

"The Incredable Flying Machines" GC10B3F read "mikewithe" post on September 27th

 

Probably isolated incident but BE AWARE !!!

 

Scubasonic

 

Yikes!

But like some of us have said - if you wouldn't go there alone for another reason, then don't go there alone for caching.

Geocaching does not automatically give you a protective shield against danger - you only have what you had already. (Sounds reminiscent of something Yoda said to Luke Skywalker.)

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I cache alone. I usually tell my wife where i'll be. always have a charged cell phone with you in case you get stuck or lost. I've been lost in small areas (2 sg miles) and have used back track a couple of times. DON'T go into places if the hair on your neck is standing up. Remember there are coyotes in the most urban of areas, not just in the woods.

She said "Back already "as I heard the back door slam shut. It must have been the dog.

Edited by tboyla
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I am lucky, in that there are no big predators (animalwise anyway) in my country. However, I would suggest following the same rules as if you were camping alone;

1. Always let people know where you are. If you will be in a remote area and you will be gone for for a few hours or more, or a good distance into areas with very low traffic, then contact the local authority and let them know.

2. If you need to leave the car, leave a note in the car and take the co-ordinates of the position of the car to find your way back.

3. Take a first aid kit, (for snake/spider bites and scratches etc), plenty of water, snacks and sunscreen etc. Take a map of the area if possible and spare batteries.

4. Take a phone, but also a whistle and mirror in case you need to signal but have no phone reception.

5. If you are really worried, try a defense class, or see if there are security devices (eg pepper spray) legal in the country. There are also special GPS's out there that (for a base cost of $600 and at bit extra each year) function as a 'personal emegency beacon'. Click the button and it sends out a distress signal to the rescue departments.

6. Try and avoid going in areas at times when suspicous characters are around, act confident like you are just waiting for someone. Try to keep valuables to a minimum or keep them less obvious in urban areas.

 

The advice already given about backing away when you don't feel safe is a good recommendation as well.

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I've done several solo dayhikes/ earchcaches in a nearby national forest. If I don't see any other cars at the trailhead, I call the ranger's station (the number is posted at all the trailheads), and tell them that I'm doing a solo hike on X trail, I expect to be gone Y long, and my red sedan is parked at the trailhead. This particular national forest has had more than its fair share of deaths (lots of cliffs, lots of backwoods camping, and easy driving distance from several colleges), so they're usually happy to have me call. It depends on the ranger on duty and the time of day - sometimes they want me to call back, sometimes they just make a note to sweep that lot on their sunset sweep to check for my car.

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i sometimes do it on my own, even at night, but if im in unfamilar surroundings i might go through the channels on my walkie talkie for a busy channel and leave it on there. if someone approaches and hears it and you commenting to yourself about something said they will think there is more of you about.

 

Always be aware of your surroundings and if you can let someone know where you going and what time you should be back and if not to send out a search party.

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if you are female repeat the initial admonishment.

 

give me a break.

 

if you are female, proceed with the same amount of caution as you would if you'd been born with a y chromosome.

 

i happen to be a nice little middle aged lady. i live alone, and i cache alone.

 

recently i went out caching and stayed out for twenty days, shopping, eating, camping, and caching ALONE. i slept in my car.

 

i did not tell anyone where i was going but sent clues to people for them to figure out my location for a contest.

 

i met hunters, librarians, sales clerks, and church members. i talked to strangers. i got in cars and went places with strangers.

 

the worst thing that happened to me was that i got a little indigestion from brunch that day when someone i'd just met took me out for a fabulous eggs benedict. everywhere i went there were interesting people who sent me on my way with blessings and with gifts.

 

i watched my step, assessed my risks, and went where and how i felt comfortable and safe. i was not any less safe for having been female.

 

matter of fact, the one time years ago that i felt i was in the most danger, the assailant had mistaken me for an effeminate young man looking for rough trade.

 

men can get caught in caves, or fall and be injured. men get robbed and assaulted. men get frostbite, or drown. here's a hint for ya, pal: welcome to the 20th century, if a little late.

 

women are not fragile little blossoms in need of special assistance based on our inferior constitution. we are not specially vulnerable. the same cautions apply to everybody.

 

know your risks, and be prepared for the risks you take.

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i do most of my caching alone.

 

not only do i like my solitude, but i like the freedom of being able to quit caching for a while and take pictures of a pretty flower or rock or stop to read or pray or write down a few bars of a tune i might compose or...whatever... without having to worry about the preferred timetable of a companion.

 

of course sometimes when i'm afraid of a noise i heard in the dark or i have to climb up on some scary thing or go into some scary cave, i wish i had crashco with me, and sometimes when i see a very fine location i think of how much my friends would enjoy it.

 

but it is very liberating to travel alone, and i do recommend it.

 

i am aware that there are risks attached to it, and i try not to be stupid about those risks.

 

i am also making a philosophical choice: for some people the world is a harsh and threatening place. i am choosing to live in the world as if it is a wealth of surprise and delight. it's not to say that dangers don't exist and i realize i can't wish them away, but i am pleased to place my trust in God to bring me home safely.

 

...or not.

 

it matters little to me.

 

in the meantime i am having an astounding, rich life, densely packed and full of wonder.

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i do most of my caching alone.

 

 

I've read alot of your posts I can understand why you cache alone. :anicute:

 

SS

 

well, i've never liked you, either. (insert appropriate emoticon to suggest masked hostility)

 

the reason i do most of my caching alone, princess, is that very few of my many friends are available for caching trips that last twenty days at a time.

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I have just discovered geocaching and I live alone. Do you advise going on a search alone? I may have a friend that would like to join me, but I am thinking about when I can't find anyone to go with me. Ever heard of any problems while searching?

 

Thanks. :anicute:

 

Caching tends to take you to remote locations. Be prepared for whatever might happen. For example, if you're in an area that the walk back is through an open desert or frozen tundra make sure you have the proper equipment and training. You might be two miles from the nearest house but a broken ankle with night falling in hilly terrain might be quite an adventure.

 

As for personal safety, the fact is you could run into a situation in a Walmart parking lot, you don't even have to be caching. Look for professional training on how to protect yourself. Seriously. It might not help you in every situation but it's better than the 'Eh, ain't nothing gonna happen' defense method.

Edited by BlueDeuce
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if you are female repeat the initial admonishment.

 

give me a break.

 

if you are female, proceed with the same amount of caution as you would if you'd been born with a y chromosome.

 

i happen to be a nice little middle aged lady. i live alone, and i cache alone.

 

flask, I am happy for your independence and self-assertion. Many are not so self-confident. My sister, for example, will not go off on long geocaching hikes by herself. She should have your self-confidence.

Myself, as a past middle-aged male, do about 10% of my geoaching by myself. I've also section-hiked half the AT, mostly by myself. It astounds people that I go wandering off into the middle of nowhere with bears and mythical mountain lions about, without as much as a cell phone. Nope. Doesn't bother me. I guess that's just the way you and I are. But, obviously, it does not work for everyone. If one is uncomfortable by one's self, then one should not go off by one's self. If it doesn't bother you or me, I'll be off in the middle of the NWCDC on Friday hiding more Grumpy Dolphin caches! If I trip on a rattlesnake, and break my neck, no one may find me for years! Oh, well.

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