Max number of stages for Multi?

[+pittrfc]

What is the maximum amount of stages for a multi?

 

Would 10 be too much?

I have one long trail that I would place a couple stages on to get people to log some distance while caching.

[+StarBrand]

No - 10 is not too much. I know of several that have many more stages. A multicache along a popular path can be a lot of fun!

 

However, keep in mind that many folks will avoid multicaches so you may not get a lot of visitors.

[+ThirstyMick]

Some might say that 10 is too many. But to me, 10 stages don't matter as long as it's a good adventure. Good views, interesting history, tricky puzzles, or challenging terrain, I'm all for it. A single 30 stage multi along a scenic trail makes for a much more satisfying day than 30 park and grabs for 30 smilies. Some don't feel the same, to each his own. As long as you're okay with less traffic, then 10 is not too many.

 

My biggest concern with so many stages is muggle-ability and maintenance. DNFing stage 8 might be frustrating. There was a multi cache with a lot of stages near me.. many with multiple sets of coordinates some being dead ends. It was a really fun time, it took me 3 trips to get to the final coordinates. Of course the final went missing, and was never replaced. Eventually the cache was archived. That was a bit of a bummer after a good adventure, to never be able to log it.

[+briansnat]

You could have a thousand if you want. There is no limit.

 

Personally I find more than 4 or 5 stages to be tedious. Maybe a few more if the stages are there for a purpose other than just having another stage.

 

As the parched Irish person above mentioned, maintenance can be an issue with many stages. Maintaining a 20 stage multi is similar to maintaining 20 individual caches.

Edited January 25, 2010 by briansnat

[+adam]

Go the other route. Place 10 traditional caches. Each one would have one of the coord numbers (MM.MMM) inside for a 'final' puzzle cache. That way, you still get people to do the walk and they get 11 smileys.

If this is on a linear trail with only one entrance, the final could be placed back at the begining since they would have to go out that way.

[+Harry Dolphin]

If you make the multi worthwhile, then it is good! I've done some boring ones, and I've done great ones.

Let me take this opportunity to say how much I loved Bridges & Arches of Central Park. One of my favorites! Thirty-two virtual stages leading to the final. A superb walking tour of Central Park in New York City. It took us three days, over three weekends, and was well worth the effort. And there are lots of other caches to find along the route. A lot of fun!

[+Printess Caroline]

I think 10 is too many. In such a case, "multi" would stand for multitudinous cache, in my opinion. I would suggest breaking it up a bit. Maybe 2 multis and a traditional or two would be better. Surely, that would appeal to more people. I would also suggest that you also consider the variety of the hides. 10 micros in the woods can be just as tedious as 10 multi stages.

[+suchanana]

10 is WAY too many - mix it up - esp for those of us who may not have the time to do a long trail 10 stage multi...but may do a mix of them....

[+flask]

i have no objection to caches with a truckload of stages.

 

if you give me an interesting adventure, i'll stay with it.

 

a lot of people need to have a smilie for every cache they find, and the quicker the better. if you want to cater to that crowd, you won't be getting their support. of course, a lot of their logs aren't worth reading, so you should hide the kind of cache you will enjoy and leave it at that.

[+Printess Caroline]

If you make the multi worthwhile, then it is good! I've done some boring ones, and I've done great ones.

Let me take this opportunity to say how much I loved Bridges & Arches of Central Park. One of my favorites! Thirty-two virtual stages leading to the final. A superb walking tour of Central Park in New York City. It took us three days, over three weekends, and was well worth the effort. And there are lots of other caches to find along the route. A lot of fun!

 

This one is a cache that I would do, though. Each part would be interesting, and there is a very good reason that it has so many parts. It's going on my wanna-do list.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

A little off topic, but while we're on the subject of Multi Caches...How common is it to find interin stages that are Regular size, as opposed to Micro/Info?

[+narcissa]

 

However, keep in mind that many folks will avoid multicaches so you may not get a lot of visitors.

 

This, to me, is a benefit.

[+flask]

A little off topic, but while we're on the subject of Multi Caches...How common is it to find interin stages that are Regular size, as opposed to Micro/Info?

 

i have a multicache for which the final is a decon box, but some of the stages are ammocans.

[+Printess Caroline]

A little off topic, but while we're on the subject of Multi Caches...How common is it to find interin stages that are Regular size, as opposed to Micro/Info?

 

In my experience looking for caches, it is quite uncommon. I am a bit surprised, though, to think of my 3 multis and to realize there is not a micro among them. It certainly wasn't a conscious decision. Heck, I'm just conscious of the lack of micros now. I like to spend a good bit of time creating and contemplating a cache and a micro in a tree hole just doesn't fit into that fun for me.

[+sea_dragon]

I find this conversation interesting, though it may be for selfish reasons. Allow me to ask a releated question if I may... I'm in the process of planning a huge multi, possibly up to 30 stages or more, however, it is a "choose your own adventure" type dective story. The stages that one visits all depend on the clues and leads that they choose to follow, so not every cacher will visit the same stages for information or various parts of the story. Any thoughts/opinions on this? Has anyone found anything like this before?

Thanks.

[+Robespierre]

Personally, I prefer 3, as a general rule, and have often avoided larger ones.

[+SSO JOAT]

Visitor count will be very low if my own 6-stage multi serves as an example.

 

GC1FRYG

 

This one has a regular sized container at the start and finish. There are no micros at all. The intermediate stages include 2 spots where you have to answer questions & count things on park signs to get the next stage. The other 2 stages have a "device" that will decode the coordinates of the next stage based on info gathered at previous stages. These devices are about the size of a small cache.

 

To get the final, the cacher must be able to project a waypoint based on bearing and distance. Not too hard and I give you plenty of warning about it, but I have a feeling that this part along with the puzzle nature has kept many folks away.

 

I even have a separate traditional set just over the tenth mile line from the start of this one and a separate puzzle final that is actually tucked between stages of the multi. I've had people go out and log the puzzle without doing the multi that they have to walk most of the route for. So that tells you how little traffic a multi will get. That said, build whatever multi or puzzle your heart desires and don't worry about what the "numbers race" cachers think about it.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I find this conversation interesting, though it may be for selfish reasons. Allow me to ask a releated question if I may... I'm in the process of planning a huge multi, possibly up to 30 stages or more, however, it is a "choose your own adventure" type dective story. The stages that one visits all depend on the clues and leads that they choose to follow, so not every cacher will visit the same stages for information or various parts of the story. Any thoughts/opinions on this? Has anyone found anything like this before?

Thanks.

 

Yes. I've done one of those: Cauldrons of Courage. Great, classic cache! Loved it. Think it was three or four stages. Not sure I'd want to try it with thirty stages, though.

[k_statealan]

There is one here in KC at a new outdoor mall. The mall's theme is all about famous people from Kansas. Scattered on the sidewalk are small plaques about people or other things as well as a number of sculptures and fountains. There are 20 stages where you learn different things at the different plaques or statues and piece the answers together for the finals. The stages aren't terribly far apart and you learn something. The whole thing takes a little over an hour. Easily the most stages I've ever done and it was a lot of fun.

[+GeePa]

I really enjoyed Origins. I was new to the town and this one took me to a number of historical spots throughout the downtown area.

 

I agree with others that more than 3 or 4 stages is too many if the stages are not meaningful like in the one I mentioned here.

[+WRASTRO]

I find this conversation interesting, though it may be for selfish reasons. Allow me to ask a releated question if I may... I'm in the process of planning a huge multi, possibly up to 30 stages or more, however, it is a "choose your own adventure" type dective story. The stages that one visits all depend on the clues and leads that they choose to follow, so not every cacher will visit the same stages for information or various parts of the story. Any thoughts/opinions on this? Has anyone found anything like this before?

Thanks.

I would try one like this, and if it was done well I would think it would be a blast. If it was not done well I would drop out after a few waypoints.

[+Walts Hunting]

Ten stages would probalby go straight to my Ignore List. Such a long stretch should have a set of traditional ones.

[+KeeperOfTheMist]

sounds likea cache i would do just to say i did it lol. as long as the point were interesting spots it sounds like a blast.

[crawil]

I have a 7-stop virtual tour of the college campus where I work (GC1C1AF) and even though it doesn't get found very often, those that do find it really seem to enjoy it. I think I get better "warm fuzzies" from the logs on that cache than on any traditional I've hidden. Go for it! If it doesn't work out, convert them to 10 traditionals or make it a 5-stage multi alternating with a traditional cache in between. T M T M T M, etc.

[+The Weasel]

I have a 4 stage multi. It is a bit harder as it is 3 bisons in the woods that lead to a ammo can.

 

If I put out a multi stage, I think the least I can do is have a ammo can or regular cache at the final. I recently did a 6 stager that really didn't take you anywhere neat (lpc's) and the final was a 35mm under a lpc. I think around trip driving back and forth around town ended up being close to 40 miles.

[+Eagle and the nuts]

There is a 14 stage multi GCW387 in my area that is almost a legend. It is along an orienteering course set up in a wilderness park. The final stage is a puzzle requiring info from each stage. It can easily take over eight hours to complete, and many people take two or more days. The cache owner is very helpful if you are having problems finding any of the stages and is very quick to to replace any of the 14 ammo cans that may need it. You can tell from the logs that everyone that completes this, loves it. I spent the better part of two days on this multi with my family, and would happily accompany other geocaching friends on their quest.

[+thedeadpirate]

You could have a thousand if you want. There is no limit.

 

Personally I find more than 4 or 5 stages to be tedious. Maybe a few more if the stages are there for a purpose other than just having another stage.

 

As the parched Irish person above mentioned, maintenance can be an issue with many stages. Maintaining a 20 stage multi is similar to maintaining 20 individual caches.

 

The more stages there are, the more chance for one to go missing. You may find yourself out working harder to maintain a 20 stage multi than you would 20 individual caches.

[vagabond]

This one has 17 waypoints, it's archived now and if I remember correctly it took me about 3 hours to do.

Kind of funny it sat around for about 2 weeks with no one going after it until the day I did it and then there were 3 others on the trail after me and we met at the final cache.

Edited February 9, 2010 by vagabond

[+larzanth]

Would 10 be too much?

I have one long trail that I would place a couple stages on to get people to log some distance while caching.

 

As everyone who has responded so far has said, there is no limit.

 

But one thing that some beginning cache owners miscalculate is cache maintenance.

 

Always keep in mind this question, are you willing to come back to maintain these containers?

 

If the answer is yes, you don't mind some nasty DNFs and possibly some hate mail, and a low number of total finds being logged, then go for it.

 

I believe the fun in geocaching isn't the cache, but the path that leads you to it. Deviousness is sometimes the funnest part of this game.

[+popokiiti]

I love deviousness!

[+The Blorenges]

I'm not sure how many stages there are in this multi but it requires co-operation from other geocachers around the world:

 

The Magnificent Journey.

 

MrsB

[+birder428]

My preference would be smaller multis, or 10 separate caches.

 

We went out to find a 5 stage multi in the nearby state park. We couldn't find the first stage, and so went home. Turns out it was missing. If it had been done a 5 separate caches, we could have continued on and found the others, and come back for the missing one when it was replaced.

[+simpjkee]

No limit, but over 5 gets a little long. My longest found was 8 stages.

[+johnab7]

Go the other route. Place 10 traditional caches. Each one would have one of the coord numbers (MM.MMM) inside for a 'final' puzzle cache. That way, you still get people to do the walk and they get 11 smileys.

If this is on a linear trail with only one entrance, the final could be placed back at the begining since they would have to go out that way.

 

Not a bad idea, can only see one problem. The final cache although back at the start point, will have to be placed at least 0.1 of a mile from the first cache to get published, which in itself really is not such a problem. Might try it!

[Mushtang]

Edit - I didn't read the whole thing. Oops.

 

I have a better thing to add anyway.

 

Personally I don't think 10 would be too many, provided you let me know in the description how many I'll be finding and a general idea of which direction I'm going. I realized neither of these is required, but if given the choice of a multi with unknown number of stages that could take me anywhere, and one that is 10 stages and I know stays in the park I'm in, I'll chose the 10 stager.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Mushtang

[knowschad]

What is the maximum amount of stages for a multi?

Would 10 be too much?

I have one long trail that I would place a couple stages on to get people to log some distance while caching.

Why are you wanting to make it a multi-cache in the first place? I have seen very few multis in my time where it seemed to me that there was really had a good reason to be a multi-cache instead of several separate caches. There have been a few, where the camo was very clever but could not be considered a "container" by Groundspeak guidelines, and so it made a lot of sense to be a multi. Or caches where no physical container could be hidden at a particularily interesting spot. Things like that. But to simply spread a bunch of waypoints around where individual caches could be placed just as well doesn't make sense to me.

 

Some of the reasons I say that:

1. Better chances of the cache being "broken" because of a missing stage
   
2. Tougher for other cachers wanting to hide in the area. Even if they have found all stages previously, odds are they did not save the coordinates for each stage.
   
3. One smiley vs. multiple smileys for the same amount of effort
   

[+Odie442]

I currently have a multi that is placed titled "A Festival of Lights". This little multi (GC229RH) features 10 stages, and is actually Very fast to complete. I have it disabled for the time being since a few of the stages are under giant mounds of snow.

 

Odie

[pevsbored]

Since we're siting caches, try this 40 leg MONSTER that I haven't had the courage (or time) to even start. Personally, I think it depends more on the location and distances between the legs than the number of them. I might be inclined to do a 5 or so parter in the same neighborhood, for example, than take on one that's going to force me to drive all around town. I dunno... But whatever you do, make sure you have fun with it. I think the moment you lose interest in it, so will your seekers.

[+niraD]

And here's a 45-stage multi-cache...

[+DragonsWest]

And here's a 45-stage multi-cache...

 

Oofa! That's like the potential of maintaining 45 separate caches!

[knowschad]

And here's a 45-stage multi-cache...

With 107 finds? I dunno... even for California, that seems like too many. Are you sure the coords to the final aren't floating around?

[+niraD]

And here's a 45-stage multi-cache...

With 107 finds? I dunno... even for California, that seems like too many. Are you sure the coords to the final aren't floating around?

Of course I can't be sure that people aren't passing around the coordinates to the final, but I've never heard of anyone around here passing around the coordinates to puzzle/multi-cache finals. Anyway, less than 2 finds per month doesn't seem excessive to me. Especially given the reputation of the owner's Assume Nothing series, the number of people who save it for a milestone cache, and the number of people who do it as a group.

[AZcachemeister]

I don't care how many stages there are, as long as I know how many.

Some may say the adventure is in not knowing, and I have a hard time disagreeing.

OTOH, I wouldn't want the joy of finding the final to be overwhelmed by the relief that it's finally finished.

[+joespaz]

I don't care how many stages there are, as long as I know how many.

Some may say the adventure is in not knowing, and I have a hard time disagreeing.

OTOH, I wouldn't want the joy of finding the final to be overwhelmed by the relief that it's finally finished.

 

In my area we have many series caches. I think they are some of the best caches out there. However, each cache is a piece to a puzzle instead of one part of a multi.

[+JONHALB]

I find this conversation interesting, though it may be for selfish reasons. Allow me to ask a releated question if I may... I'm in the process of planning a huge multi, possibly up to 30 stages or more, however, it is a "choose your own adventure" type dective story. The stages that one visits all depend on the clues and leads that they choose to follow, so not every cacher will visit the same stages for information or various parts of the story. Any thoughts/opinions on this? Has anyone found anything like this before?

Thanks.

 

Sounds like it could make a good Wherigo.

[+Vater_Araignee]

A little off topic, but while we're on the subject of Multi Caches...How common is it to find interin stages that are Regular size, as opposed to Micro/Info?

I have been planning and plotting a multi that will be part of a bigger puzzle.

The stages will be rotting limbs and bones, synthetic of course and they will lead you to a torso.

What keeps stalling me is my wife insists that I use a male torso, but this is an instance where I wanna stick with a stereotype, so I have to find free female manikin or it's no go.