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Feature Request: Type of Environment Cache is in.


sicariusdracus

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New GeoCacher here, so I was kind of suprised not to see that there wasn't an "environment" listing. I live in Wichita, Kansas, so our caches range from urban to forest to lava-filled volcano. I'd just really like some kind of indicator as to where the cache is hidden; so that I can plan accordingly.

 

For example, "GCTMYE" is listed as (1.5/1.5) and thusly I was unprepared to find out that it was a nightmare to find. (You can see my log.) If I had known it wasn't Urban or Light Park, I would have chosen a different Cache to introduce Caching to some friends with.

 

I don't really think that the website needs to retrofit each cache, but just put each current cache into a 'n/a' field, and have the Cache Owners update the field as they see fit. And being able to search for these types in your area would really help out; I'd love to plan my teaching around areas like this.

 

Some examples of Types could include:

 

Forest (light, dense)

Park (grassy, forest, deep forest, dense)

Urban (suburban, city, wear kevlar)

Field (Grass, high-field, rock-filled)

Trail (Concrete, Dirt, Animal)

Mountain (Hilly, Mountainy, CRAGGY)

Snow (light, deep, arctic)

Desert (oasis, reg, bonedry)

Jungle

Swamp (marsh, boggy, will-o-wisp)

Beach

Water (creek, stream, river, lake, ocean, High Seas)

 

Thanks,

SicariusDracus

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There is already a lot of information on each cache page which you should be able to use to easily determine the "environment." The Terrain rating especially, plus all the options that Google Maps gives you for seeing a topo view and aerial imagery - especially if you're caching in/near your hometown. Would you like a photo of each cache container too?

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There's also the attributes that users can assign to the caches -- they can give a good picture of what might be encountered during a hunt.

 

They have not been done on a lot of older caches that pre-dated the attributes, and not everyone placing a new cache uses them, but I do see them growing in usage (at least in my area), and they are very helpful (and sometimes funny -- "No Campfires Allowed" on a LPC).

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First of all, I am shocked (SHOCKED I SAY!) to hear that there are lava-filled volcanoes in Kansas! When did this happen?

 

I would say that a well-written cache page should tell you what you need to know as far as any special 'environmental' requirements. If that doesn't cover it, a glance at the Google Map 'satellite' image should be very helpful as well.

If it's a puzzle cache, then you are (understandably) on your own. Reading the previous logs can also be helpful...

Going for the FTF? Once again, you are on your own.

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I withdraw this feature request in lieu of a request for Geocache placers to put more info into their caches. :). I realize that this kind of feature could go completely ignored. I'd still like to see an urban/not urban attribute, so I could make cache choices based on that information.

Good luck with that. It seems that descriptions are getting shorter, and lots of people don't even use the attribute feature currently available.

 

As for urban/not urban, I look at the maps. If I see it's in the middle of nowhere, I'll switch to satellite view to see more info. Sometimes those caches that are way out in the middle of nowhere are actually at a big mall or something like that and the roads just don't show.

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