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National Park physical caches


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http://blog.geocaching.com/2010/12/one-wom...-national-park/

 

hydnsek, who oversaw the great Going APE event at Geowoodstock this year, opened a dialogue with receptive park managers at North Cascades National Park about earthcaches and physical geocaches. The result: approval for physical caches at the park.

 

Congrats, hydnsek! Educating and working with public land managers can yield rewards!

 

Perhaps the park will become known as North Cache-cades in the future. :-)

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Wow, I gotta peruse this forum more often. :)

 

Thanks to my Oregon neighbor for the shout-out, and to all of you for the kind words. :huh:

 

I'm happy to spread the word that getting physical caches in national parks is possible (I know there are a few in the eastern US as well). If it gives other cachers some ideas for working with their parks, all the better. Plus, this project led to creation of WSGA's Park Liaison Program, our framework for working with parks at all levels (city, county, state, federal). Geocaching has exploded in popularity, so maintaining good relationships with the parks is more important than ever. Cache on!

 

Footnote: Since bramasoleiowa mentioned my Going APE event (part of GW8)...we're going to rinse and repeat next summer! The Tunnel of Light should reopen in early summer (if repairs stay on schedule and weather cooperates) - woo hoo! I'm thinking of hosting two events:

- Riding the Iron Horse, a tunnel-warming bike ride in June, mainly for locals, which will let folks ride through the tunnel to the APE cache and then down the Iron Horse trail for 20+ miles, picking up caches along the way.

- Going APE...All Over Again on Aug. 21, coinciding with the Groundspeak Block Party mega-event (Aug 20), for our regional/national visitors. No buses or registration fees this time, just a big party at Hyak (venue for the first Going APE event), and folks can walk/bike through the tunnel to the APE.

Of course, both of these require permissions from WA State Parks, but fortunately we have a good relationship with them, too. <_<

Edited by hydnsek
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Great work! It is nice to see that earthcaching in national parks need not exclude traditionals. That it can lead to the kind of relationships that expand geocaching. In my area earthcaching has allowed me to raise the subject of traditional caching with park managers, but the locals are a long way from approving containers. Maybe the managers will talk to one another and realize that caching can be allowed on federal land without causing undue problems. In any event it will be nice to have another example for our manager to consider the next time we have occasion to talk.

Edited by mulvaney
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Just stumbled across this thread and KUDOS to you for getting the impossible done!

 

As a BOD member of IowaGeocachers.org, and trying to work with the Iowa DNR on their cache placement rules on state land (2 per state owned area, whether it be 2 acres or 500 acres), your accomplishment is a HUGE win for geocaching!

 

Thank you for your efforts, and if the National Parks are re-thinking the geocaching policy, I am hoping Iowa DNR will take a second look at their geo-policies!

 

~Jenni

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Major kudos to you. I read this blog entry a while ago, but I know it is no small accomplishment and commend you for it.

State parks can also be very receptive to geocaches, it is just about building those relationships (we recently placed on in a local state park and the ranger was very accommodating).

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Nice job but now that we have opencaching with its no rules policy and no review process the need for permission has been eliminated.

I HOPE that was irony. Placing caches where they are not allowed - or are restricted - without permission will lead to more places banning caches.

 

That is right and why the aforementioned website in the long run will harm the hobby.

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Might as well bust your bubble now, but as a local LEO that does not approve of PMO caches, and nothing to be done about them by Groundspeak to allow PMO virtuals or caches of any type in National Parks, I will lobby to prevent them unless they be open to basic members of any geocache listing services.

 

Well, it's nice to know that you're using your position as a law enforcement officer to implement personal agendas that have nothing to do with your appointed duties or the laws you're sworn to uphold.

 

Perhaps I can think of some ways to abuse my official position as well. So much to think about.

Edited by hzoi
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Might as well bust your bubble now, but as a local LEO that does not approve of PMO caches, and nothing to be done about them by Groundspeak to allow PMO virtuals or caches of any type in National Parks, I will lobby to prevent them unless they be open to basic members of any geocache listing services.

 

Well, it's nice to know that you're using your position as a law enforcement officer to implement personal agendas that have nothing to do with your appointed duties or the laws you're sworn to uphold.

 

Perhaps I can think of some ways to abuse my official position as well. So much to think about.

 

Ignore him... I'm guessing he's upset because PMO caches are less likely to be cross-listed on another hosting site that I will not name.

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