Parking Garage

[+Bob's Team]

Hello - this is my first post as we are relatively new to geocaching. We are considering placing a new cache in a parking garage. Have any of you done a cache in a garage? We'll place it on one of the midlevels - above ground. Our GPS does not work due to the concrete where we want to place the cache. We'll use the GPS coordinates from the top level exact location of where we want to put it (floors are identical). We'll create a hint that reflects the exact floor that it's on. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks!!

[+Harry Dolphin]

Done a few. They're not terribly exciting...

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Done a few. They're not terribly exciting...

+1

 

Doable, but why?

 

Quality geocaches are, to quote Realtors, all about location, location, location!

 

I never want to discourage new cachers, thank you for wanting to hide a cache, but please consider "Would I want someone to bring me here?" in your location selection.

[+humboldt flier]

If the electronic Tupperware Finder Gizmo can not get a good peek at the birds you need to have an excellent hint.

[+Wadcutter]

Placing a cache where people will be snooping around a bunch of parked cars where the owners aren't present. Parking garages are always a hot spot for car break ins. That sounds like a good way to get a visit from the police and ruining a good day caching.

That's provided you could get the parking garage owner to give you permission to place the cache in the first place.

[+fegan]

I've done a couple of parking garage type caches. The only one that was remotely 'interesting' was the roof-top parking at a Best Buy...never would have thought to go up there looking for a cache.

 

I agree...snooping around a bunch of parked cars is a good way to draw unwanted attention.

 

If the view from the top is nice, I would suggest a top-level hide so folks can enjoy the view; otherwise, look for a better location.

[+Chrysalides]

I did one like that. Most of the logs talk about having to evade mall security. Not knowing anything more about your cache, I'd just echo humboldt flier's comment about having a good hint.

[knowschad]

I've done too many of them. They are the vertical version of a needle-in-a-haystack hide. If you're going to do it, at least put it on the top floor so folks have a nice view. Besides, experience has taught me to always check the top floor first.

[+Team Cotati]

Thought: Don't do it.

Suggestion: Don't do it.

 

People snooping inside of a parking garage? This ought to be an obvious bad idea. Really bad.

 

Even if you were to obtain written permission from the garage owner, a really bad idea.

[DannyCaffeine]

I found one on a multi level garage. It was near the edge so there was a goodspace of open sky and the coords and hint were very good. Me and my best bud had so much fun wandering around looking. If you do one you gotta make sure its near the edge of garage.

[+Dragery]

Got a guy around here who did a hide in a hospital parking garage, 3 story coords pointed at the entrance, which was 50 feet away from the stair well it was actually in, Within the stairwell at the base there was a bunch of fire sprinkler system piping, and it ran all the way to the top of the stair wells 3rd floor. The hint was 45's... nothing in the description about the floor, or even that it was IN the parking garage itself. Turns out the cache was inside a pipe that was mounted onto the wall used to brace the vertical running fire sprinkler pipes, and it was at a 45 degree angle, hence the hint 45's (yeah it sounds easy once it's pointed out).

 

I was proud as hell once I finally got it (after 4 DNF's), but I felt so wrong being there, especially since every floor of the stair well had a security camera pointed right at you.

 

Loaded .45's

[+roziecakes]

I have found a few, and they have all been archived because the security folks were really unhappy with cachers poking around the garage. Garages are highly guarded. People trust the guards to keep their cars safe while they are parked there. I suppose that you could place one if you got EXPRESS permission, and if ALL the security guards knew it was there. Otherwise, it might end up like this one:

 

GC7F65

[+tomfuller & Quill]

I looked briefly for one in a multilevel parking garage that was across the street from the Sacramento Police Headquarters. The video cameras made me nervous.

The virtual at the Federal Courthouse was one of my favorites in Sacramento.

[+GrateBear]

I have found a few, and they have all been archived because the security folks were really unhappy with cachers poking around the garage. Garages are highly guarded. People trust the guards to keep their cars safe while they are parked there. I suppose that you could place one if you got EXPRESS permission, and if ALL the security guards knew it was there. Otherwise, it might end up like this one:

 

GC7F65

Seem that those cachers who expressed indignation that the manager of the garage did not want the cache there should re-think taking part in this activity.

Edited July 16, 2010 by GrateBear

[+Ike 13]

Well I'm in the minority here. I've found 1 and thought it was pretty clever. Now that being said I could see how if there's 20 in an area how it becomes boring. If you get permission, and there's not another one in the general area (20-50 miles) I say go for it. The one I found was very similar. The coords were taken up top. I started up top and worked my way down until I made the find.

[+Mother Wolf]

Its also a pain f it is a pay to park garage. Find a nice place for a cache & make it worth the trip for everyone.

[knowschad]

I think that, if I were to add a "bottom line" to this thread, it would be for you to ask yourself, "Why do I want to bring people here?"

[+dakboy]

I've done a couple, at least one of which was set up the way you describe.

 

I do like: Taking a nice, long walk in the woods, picking up a cache or two along the way.

 

I do NOT like: Taking a long walk in circles around every level of a parking garage looking for a 35mm film canister.

 

Unless there is something unique/special/important about a parking garage, I just avoid them altogether now.

[+roziecakes]

I have found a few, and they have all been archived because the security folks were really unhappy with cachers poking around the garage. Garages are highly guarded. People trust the guards to keep their cars safe while they are parked there. I suppose that you could place one if you got EXPRESS permission, and if ALL the security guards knew it was there. Otherwise, it might end up like this one:

 

GC7F65

Seem that those cachers who expressed indignation that the manager of the garage did not want the cache there should re-think taking part in this activity.

 

I totally agree with you! That cache was a bad idea all around, and I don't think its end was managed well by the cachers. If it were me, I would have had much more respect for the folks who owned the parking garage. Of course we didn't realize that when we first started (it was the second cache we ever found in 06).

[colaboy1234]

I've done too many of them. They are the vertical version of a needle-in-a-haystack hide. If you're going to do it, at least put it on the top floor so folks have a nice view. Besides, experience has taught me to always check the top floor first.

 

I do enjoy the views, I always like being up high, (no pun intended), but the few in garages I have found, I have wondered how they got approved, especially with the reviewers around these parts. How do you go about getting permisison to place a cache in a parking garage anyway?

[+AuntieWeasel]

I did a multi with a stage on the top level of a parking garage. My luck, it was closed for repairs and covered in snow and my hiking companion was on crutches and we got shoo'd out by mall security.

 

Not much fun.

[+Wadcutter]

How do you go about getting permisison to place a cache in a parking garage anyway?

Who said they got permission? Like probably most caches the placer just put it out without getting owner permission.

[+humboldt flier]

My parking structure find was in the lower level in Jackson, Calif. The facility is adjacent to the Police Department. I had the feeling that the officer in the cruiser nearby might have had a hand in it. But as I said, an excellent very direct hint was the key which allowed for a quick hunt and find.

[+Bob's Team]

Thanks all. I love the many replies, and it shows great activity which encourages me to post again. We will consider the good points that were made here. I esp. appreciated the link to other garage caches. What surprised me was the comments about people walking around cars doesn't seem like it would bode well. Most urban caches are either lurking around businesses or cars. I've often felt like we might get in trouble for our caching. The point was made regarding security and security officers which I appreciate, but I don't agree with the deterence around parked cars. We have searched many parking lots for caches.

[+roziecakes]

Thanks all. I love the many replies, and it shows great activity which encourages me to post again. We will consider the good points that were made here. I esp. appreciated the link to other garage caches. What surprised me was the comments about people walking around cars doesn't seem like it would bode well. Most urban caches are either lurking around businesses or cars. I've often felt like we might get in trouble for our caching. The point was made regarding security and security officers which I appreciate, but I don't agree with the deterence around parked cars. We have searched many parking lots for caches.

 

Yes, it seems like there's a fine line with urban caching. We have to be careful when placing or finding. I like to get permission for my urban hides, but I admit that in the past, for example when we were new and hiding caches in Denver, we didn't ask for permission; and a lot of people don't, so it can get tricky.

 

Nowadays most of my hides are out in the sticks, but we have a few in the town of Junction City proper since its actually a really interesting town, and there were only three caches in town when we moved here.

 

Have fun placing caches, and best of luck

[+Night Stalker]

The one I remember doing told the searcher the elevation as well as the coordinates.

[+hukilaulau]

I've hunted a few. The ones that were at the top level had nice views and I enjoyed the workout. (I always walk up the steps even if I could drive up for free.) The others seemed kind of pointless.

You've received an overwhelming vote of "don't do it" and yet you seem unconvinced. The security problem is not the ONLY reason people have said it's a bad idea. All but one (I think) of the responses has said a micro in the mid levels of a parking garage just doesn't sound like much fun.

[+niraD]

FWIW, I've found caches in the mid levels of parking garages that have been interesting. I've also found caches in the mid levels of parking garages that have seemed pointless. If you want to hide and maintain a cache there, and if it complies with the guidelines, then go ahead: hide it and list it. Some will ignore it and some will think it's pointless, regardless of where and how you hide it.

 

The vertical aspect of the cache isn't especially new though. Many caches have been hidden on cliff faces, up trees, in caves, and in/on structures of various kinds.