Caching in a cave

[+9Key]

I have placed a cache in a publicly accessible cave and am trying to figure out a way to get decent coordinates so my local reviewer will approve the cache. I've used a compass to set a bearing and counted steps to the cache inside the cave, then recounted my steps and followed my bearing up top on land. Seems like the best I can do since a GPS obviously won't work underground.

 

Thoughts, suggestions?

[+ladderman7]

I have placed a cache in a publicly accessible cave and am trying to figure out a way to get decent coordinates so my local reviewer will approve the cache. I've used a compass to set a bearing and counted steps to the cache inside the cave, then recounted my steps and followed my bearing up top on land. Seems like the best I can do since a GPS obviously won't work underground.

 

Thoughts, suggestions?

[/quote

 

A geocache has been placed in Carlsbad caverns and it only gives the coordinates to the visitors center. I would go as close to the entrance as possible then just give some good clues to the location.

[+secretagentbill]

I found a cache that was a quarter mile into an old railroad tunnel (line was converted to a rail-trail). The cache page listed the coordinates to the entrance of the tunnel and then the description mentioned that it was in the tunnel and gave a clue as to what to look for.

 

It was listed as a traditional, but I kinda felt at the time that maybe it should have been a multi or mystery since the cache was not at the listed coordinates. Something to consider, anyway.

[knowschad]

I have placed a cache in a publicly accessible cave and am trying to figure out a way to get decent coordinates so my local reviewer will approve the cache. I've used a compass to set a bearing and counted steps to the cache inside the cave, then recounted my steps and followed my bearing up top on land. Seems like the best I can do since a GPS obviously won't work underground.

 

Thoughts, suggestions?

Both of the steps you took are ones that I was going to suggest, before I read that you had already done them. Get a bearing and distance, and if possible, verify them as well as you can up on top. I've done a few caches that were pretty far up in culverts, and doing the reverse was pretty much how I've done the two that allowed that: find GZ up on top, pace off the distance to the mouth, then go in and pace my way back to GZ.

 

That, and good hints.

[+releasethedogs]

What about something with reflectors or UV?

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Almost every cache that I have heard of that is in a cave or tunnel is published as multi or puzzle with the published coordinates at the entrance with some sort of "offset" instructions to find the actual container. There may be some that are incorrectly published as traditionals but it may be a case that they were originally published as a traditional hide and the reviewer didn't catch the details. The other exception was one where the cache is about 200' into a tunnel containing a creek (usually dry) under a parking lot. That one is fun because it gets a lot of DNFs from people lifting lamp post skirts and assuming it's missing.

[+Don_J]

I found a cache that was a quarter mile into an old railroad tunnel (line was converted to a rail-trail). The cache page listed the coordinates to the entrance of the tunnel and then the description mentioned that it was in the tunnel and gave a clue as to what to look for.

 

It was listed as a traditional, but I kinda felt at the time that maybe it should have been a multi or mystery since the cache was not at the listed coordinates. Something to consider, anyway.

 

As explained to me by my reviewer, this would be a Multi (Offset) cache.

[+Don_J]

What about something with reflectors or UV?

 

I don't know about the OP's jurisdiction, but in California, defacing a cave is a felony punishable by state prison time.

[+niraD]

I have placed a cache in a publicly accessible cave and am trying to figure out a way to get decent coordinates so my local reviewer will approve the cache. I've used a compass to set a bearing and counted steps to the cache inside the cave, then recounted my steps and followed my bearing up top on land. Seems like the best I can do since a GPS obviously won't work underground.

 

Thoughts, suggestions?

What is your reviewer's objection? Ultimately, it doesn't matter what we say. Your reviewer's opinion is the one that matters.

 

How are you publishing the coordinates? An offset cache (listed as a multi-cache) could publish the location where you had signal, with a bearing and distance into the cave. A traditional cache needs to post the actual coordinates of the cache. There is no requirement that you have GPS signal at the cache site, and I've found several caches where there was no signal at the cache site. Still, there are ways to get accurate coordinates with a GPS receiver. Apparently, you need to convince your reviewer that the coordinates you have are accurate.

 

But with that said, I might use methods similar to what you have described to get the coordinates of the hide.

 

Another approach is to walk n feet from the cache site to a location where you have GPS signal, and take coordinates. Then walk another n feet in the same direction and take coordinates. From there, the math is simple. Take the difference between the first and second set of coordinates, but apply it in the opposite direction to get the coordinates of the cache site.

 

Then I'd verify my coordinates by approaching the mouth of the cave, following the arrow on my GPSr. When I lost signal, I'd continue pacing off the remaining distance.

[knowschad]

What about something with reflectors or UV?

 

I don't know about the OP's jurisdiction, but in California, defacing a cave is a felony punishable by state prison time.

 

9Key is in Texas. Please define "defacing"

[+Don_J]

What about something with reflectors or UV?

 

I don't know about the OP's jurisdiction, but in California, defacing a cave is a felony punishable by state prison time.

 

9Key is in Texas. Please define "defacing"

 

Defacing can mean just about anything. Attaching reflectors would probably apply. I was simply pointing out that altering a cave in any way is probably not a good idea and could possibly get you in a lot of trouble.

 

I would set the caches waypoint at the mouth of the cave, call it a multi and then bring you to the cache letterbox style.

[+releasethedogs]

What about something with reflectors or UV?

 

I don't know about the OP's jurisdiction, but in California, defacing a cave is a felony punishable by state prison time.

 

9Key is in Texas. Please define "defacing"

 

Defacing can mean just about anything. Attaching reflectors would probably apply. I was simply pointing out that altering a cave in any way is probably not a good idea and could possibly get you in a lot of trouble.

 

I would set the caches waypoint at the mouth of the cave, call it a multi and then bring you to the cache letterbox style.

So can littering. Leaving tupperware in the woods could probably apply.

I was simply pointing out that leaving non-biodegradable plastic in the woods could probably get you in a lot of trouble.

 

Just sayin'

[+DragonsWest]

I'd go with GZ being cave entrance, then doing like a letterbox for the remaining distance. As for your local reviewer, try asking what else you can do?

[aniyn]

I did my cave cache as an offset. If you can't use your gps to hide it how is anyone else going to use their gps to find it?

[+Don_J]

What about something with reflectors or UV?

 

I don't know about the OP's jurisdiction, but in California, defacing a cave is a felony punishable by state prison time.

 

9Key is in Texas. Please define "defacing"

 

Defacing can mean just about anything. Attaching reflectors would probably apply. I was simply pointing out that altering a cave in any way is probably not a good idea and could possibly get you in a lot of trouble.

 

I would set the caches waypoint at the mouth of the cave, call it a multi and then bring you to the cache letterbox style.

So can littering. Leaving tupperware in the woods could probably apply.

I was simply pointing out that leaving non-biodegradable plastic in the woods could probably get you in a lot of trouble.

 

Just sayin'

 

No, No, NO, I wasn't talking about leaving Tupperware. I was talking about defacing the cave, itself, to leave a clue.

 

I have seen coords scratched into sandstone cliffs in southern Utah, and it simply made me sick. I abandoned that cache.

 

I have a cache locally that has you cross along the top of a cave. The locals hoodlums (stoners)

have been very creative.

GC1CCB9

[+niraD]

If you can't use your gps to hide it how is anyone else going to use their gps to find it?

Just because there is no GPS reception at the cache site doesn't mean you can't use your GPS receiver to get accurate coordinates for the cache site. Just because there is no GPS reception at the cache site doesn't mean you can't use your GPS receiver to find the cache site given accurate coordinates.

[+bflentje]

I own three cave caches and had NO PROBLEM getting dead-on accurate coordinates.

[+Sol seaker]

Shallow caves?

 

But could anyone else get coordinates?

 

What about those without WAAS enabled GPSr's?

 

(can you tell I just got off of the thread that was answering a question with a question?)

 

the one cache I found was actually in a mine shaft.

 

It listed the coords to the mouth of the cave and gave instructions on how to find the coords that were painted on a rock at the back of the mineshaft.

 

The coords lead you to the cache near the mouth of the mine.

 

Obviously, it was a multi cache

Edited October 16, 2010 by Sol seaker

[Andronicus]

I have placed a cache in a publicly accessible cave and am trying to figure out a way to get decent coordinates so my local reviewer will approve the cache. I've used a compass to set a bearing and counted steps to the cache inside the cave, then recounted my steps and followed my bearing up top on land. Seems like the best I can do since a GPS obviously won't work underground.

 

Thoughts, suggestions?

I would either give the coordinates of the entrance, and then the bearing/distance info in the description, or just do the calculation and give the coordinates you get (from the calculation). You may want to be a little more accuriate than counting steps. Bring a giant measuring tape.