Jump to content

Accidental finds


DukeOfURL01

Recommended Posts

75% of my benchmark finds have been accidental or observed without the intent of finding that specific station, I'm thinking what are the things that are most important to record/observe/photograph at the time? The things that I usually have with me are my iPhone and my Garmin GPS. I don't usually carry my Nikon camera or any datasheets.

 

Usually if I saw one in the wild I would definitely take a closeup picture of the mark, being sure to get a pic of the markings, but also a picture of the mark from a little distance.

 

I would take the coordinates and save a waypoint with my Garmin since I don't know ahead of time whether the mark is scaled or corrected, and then I would have the actual coordinates later.

 

What else would you recommend?

Link to comment

I wonder why they would go to the trouble of setting a benchmark if they weren't going to have it in the database. I can see not listing benchmarks from other agencies, even USGS or ACE, but their own?

 

The marks may have been surveyed to meet their own needs, but not 'good enough' to meet the strict requirements of the NGS.

 

Even if they WERE surveyed 'good enough', I have been told it takes about $800 PER MARK in man-hours of work to perform the 'bluebooking' needed to have the mark(s) included in the NGS database.

Link to comment

Last summer, just before I started geocaching, I was for holiday in Georgia. At the monestry of David Gareja, exactly on the border of Georgia and Azerbaijan we notocid a benchmark. Luckless I tried to find out wich GPS-codes this benchark had. Does somebody any Idea how to find this out?

Thanks!

Link to comment

Last summer, just before I started geocaching, I was for holiday in Georgia. At the monestry of David Gareja, exactly on the border of Georgia and Azerbaijan we notocid a benchmark. Luckless I tried to find out wich GPS-codes this benchark had. Does somebody any Idea how to find this out?

Thanks!

These coordinates will get you into the neighborhood: 41.4473, 45.3763. You may be able to tweak it a bit more if you can visualize where in the monastery complex the mark is located. I would be a little surprised if Georgia has their geodetic data online, given the legacy of Soviet secrecy, but you never know. Be sure to let us know if you find anything more.

 

~ArtMan~

Link to comment

Hi, all--

 

I'm a Muggle/amateur, etc, and accidentally found a cache while picking up litter near a stream in my neighborhood. It apparently washed into a culvert and was about to be washed into the main stream. How can I properly 'restore' this cache to the system and be rid of it? I don't have any GPS/locational equipment other than an iPhone.

 

Thanks!

 

PS the code on top of the box is GC19G20. It's a plastic storage box that was partly open, so contents were damp, and not sure all intended contents are present. But I've not taken anything out.

Edited by MizSmif
Link to comment

Hi, all--

 

I'm a Muggle/amateur, etc, and accidentally found a cache while picking up litter near a stream in my neighborhood. It apparently washed into a culvert and was about to be washed into the main stream. How can I properly 'restore' this cache to the system and be rid of it? I don't have any GPS/locational equipment other than an iPhone.

 

Thanks!

 

PS the code on top of the box is GC19G20. It's a plastic storage box that was partly open, so contents were damp, and not sure all intended contents are present. But I've not taken anything out.

I have sent an email to the cache owner suggesting that this forum posting be read.

 

-Brad

Link to comment

MizSmif, how thoughtful of you to take the trouble to create an account here so that you could try to get that geocache back to its rightful place! I think I can help you with that.

 

Here is the web page for that cache:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC19G20

 

As you can see, the owner of that cache is "eviltechie." You can use your Groundspeak account to click on the owner's name and, when you get to his/her profile page, click to send a message. If you don't mind, leave the box about sending your email address checked so that "eviltechie" can respond directly to you. I'm sure that he/she will be glad to hear that you've found the cache.

 

Thank you for helping to clean up your nearby stream. Any chance we could interest you in geocaching while you're here? :laughing: Geocachers actually have a project called Cache In, Trash Out, wherein we pick up litter when we're out geocaching. Sounds like you might enjoy doing that. There are even special CITO events where cachers get together especially to clean up specific areas.

 

This particular forum, by the way, is frequented by people who like to look for survey markers (benchmarks). Some of us are also geocachers; some aren't. It's just another fun thing we can do with our GPS receivers. (And do a bit of public service in the process.)

 

Patty in California

Edited by Wintertime
Link to comment

Accidental find today in Clark County, NV across the road from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Can't find the coordinates or a description in any data base, so I'm hoping that by posting here, someone might help me identify it.

A geocache (GC2BXXH)took me to the site -- the cache looked to be in a "typical" geo-rock pile, but upon arrival, I found the cache hidden within the rocks around the survey mark pipe.

 

The disk is on a pipe approximately 18 inches above ground and reads:

"U.S. General Land Office Survey - 1933. Penalty $250 for Removal. 1/4 S 19 S 30"

The coordinates (on my iPhone) were N 36.16.562 W 114 58.940

 

Would love to log this one, but have been unsuccessful in finding a data sheet or other information on line.(Trying to upload photos...)

Edited by Abbez
Link to comment

Accidental find today in Clark County, NV across the road from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Can't find the coordinates or a description in any data base, so I'm hoping that by posting here, someone might help me identify it.

A geocache (GC2BXXH)took me to the site -- the cache looked to be in a "typical" geo-rock pile, but upon arrival, I found the cache hidden within the rocks around the survey mark pipe.

 

The disk is on a pipe approximately 18 inches above ground and reads:

"U.S. General Land Office Survey - 1933. Penalty $250 for Removal. 1/4 S 19 S 30"

The coordinates (on my iPhone) were N 36.16.562 W 114 58.940

 

Would love to log this one, but have been unsuccessful in finding a data sheet or other information on line.(Trying to upload photos...)

I don't see evidence of any other cache that has ever been less than 0.23 mile from the location you described. There could be a cache there that is listed on another listing service, or someone may have placed a cache there and decided to leave the physical cache and use the cache page for a hide somewhere else - just a wild guess.

Link to comment

Accidental find today in Clark County, NV across the road from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Can't find the coordinates or a description in any data base, so I'm hoping that by posting here, someone might help me identify it.

A geocache (GC2BXXH)took me to the site -- the cache looked to be in a "typical" geo-rock pile, but upon arrival, I found the cache hidden within the rocks around the survey mark pipe.

 

The disk is on a pipe approximately 18 inches above ground and reads:

"U.S. General Land Office Survey - 1933. Penalty $250 for Removal. 1/4 S 19 S 30"

The coordinates (on my iPhone) were N 36.16.562 W 114 58.940

 

Would love to log this one, but have been unsuccessful in finding a data sheet or other information on line.(Trying to upload photos...)

Hi Abbez,

 

Geocaching only allows logging of marks that are in a decade-old copy of the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) database.

 

There are many, many, many disks that are not in the NGS database. It appears that you found one of those. Therefore it is not loggable on geocaching.com.

 

However, there is a nearby, and similar, disk that you could try to find and log - this one: GR0684.

 

You could go find that one and log it, or, you could log the disk that you already found on geocaching.com’s sister site – Waymarking.com (under the “US Benchmarks” category).

 

Good luck to you. And if you are ever able to post photos we would sure like to see them.

 

--The TillaMurphs

Edited by TillaMurphs
Link to comment

my friend yazzman and I were on a small caching/Earthcache/BM run a few days ago and as we passed through a town heading home, he commented about how we had found all these benchmarks near county courthouses as we passed by the courthouse in that town. He turned his head to look across the street and he saw a benchmark on a wall that we didn't know was there.

 

one last one for the day!

Link to comment

Accidental find today in Clark County, NV across the road from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Can't find the coordinates or a description in any data base, so I'm hoping that by posting here, someone might help me identify it.

A geocache (GC2BXXH)took me to the site -- the cache looked to be in a "typical" geo-rock pile, but upon arrival, I found the cache hidden within the rocks around the survey mark pipe.

 

The disk is on a pipe approximately 18 inches above ground and reads:

"U.S. General Land Office Survey - 1933. Penalty $250 for Removal. 1/4 S 19 S 30"

The coordinates (on my iPhone) were N 36.16.562 W 114 58.940

 

Would love to log this one, but have been unsuccessful in finding a data sheet or other information on line.(Trying to upload photos...)

 

Abbez,

 

You found a quarter section corner between sections 19 and 30 in T19s,R62e. It is not really a bench mark but a land survey corner.

Edited by square nail
Link to comment

the thing i have a terrible problem with on benchmarking is that i too find them accidentally then take pictures and write down the disk information but i cant find them on the benchmarking site...recently i had 2 i tried to start a new find with and they were rejected...im at a loss on what to do and would appreciate any help that you can give me on how to proceed at catcan@epix.net which can be found if you log on to the GC site and look for user 22CaT...thanx

Link to comment

Well, mostly accidental; or was it just dumb luck?

 

Visited the Sauna Cave

 

3567d84f-0822-484f-8bdf-08dbe2019ef4.jpg

 

just below Hoover Dam last week and decided to not try another scramble climb

0cb41cb8-65af-4709-b804-c1c4084e615f.jpg

 

(quit 100 ft low in Feb 10) up to

 

44f4bf0a-35c6-470a-b19f-511e471ad968.jpg

V 285 1950, partly because the dam security zone has been moved downstream and thought that I might hit it on top of the cliff (didn't).

 

After six days kayak camping at Arizona Hot Springs,

96830a02-0b97-4bfa-9ccc-cfcca09a317f.jpg

I spent a night at the Hacienda Hotel & Casino then headed back across the new bridge for Kingman AZ and points south. Saw

a Kingman Wash trail head sign at AZ Exit 2 and a few vehicles parked there so I pulled in, thinking that I should be within

two miles of the mark. Of course nothings was loaded in the GPSr, had not scouted GE (very nice 21 JUN 2011 photo here) but

I did have a DeLorme map high graded for older than Okie'sKid marks so I got the L/L for the PID from GSAK which, when punched

into my Garmin Etrex Vista, showed a distance of just one mile and I thought that I could see a reasonable route most of the way.

 

Then I noticed all the other little red flags along the way, so also entered BRAVO, FOXTROT & GOLF(TYPOED!!)134 and wrote down

the L/L's for the others and a few cryptic notes in my field book and headed down the wash with FOXTROT showing nearest

(should have been GOLF - the only one found yesterday with <250 ft error - average of six was 707 ft with a high of 1479 ft

and a low of 50 ft - all HH2's submitted via DSWorld). Found where the abandoned road pulled out of the wash to the left

and over a saddle into another. There was a dark colored rock along the road when the GPSr showed FOXTROT to be about 450 ft

south but no evidence of the mark.

 

Continued down the road (paved) until it entered the bottom of the wash. ECHO was now showing nearest so I started looking

for the top of a ledge on river left and there it was - except it it was on top of a slate colored boulder

 

3383dae8-4553-4389-971f-49311d981124.jpg

F 134

 

and a slightly battered F can be read. This matches the call: ....ABOUT 34 YARDS WEST OF A POINT WHERE THE ROAD DESCENDS

A STEEP GRADE AND ENTERS A WASH, 14 FEET SOUTH OF THE CENTER LINE OF THE ROAD, ABOUT 3 FEET HIGHER THAN THE ROAD....

 

At this time I gave up on the L/L's and since V 285 was my primary target I continued down the wash with just a bit of time

and effort spent on trying to make the various calls fit. Arriving at a point overlooking the river (about where BRAVO is shown on GE)

I could see concrete well below and scouted back along the top of a spoil pile until I could slide down to an old road terrace

which took me right to the mark - seen in the upper right corner of the pad in this view of the new bridge.

230f910e-5eb0-4946-b3ec-b14f586cb648.jpg

 

Not sure what this unstamped RO was/is for.

 

8eb4560b-41e1-41c6-86f1-1ddc751d2e1f.jpg

 

Hiking back out along the abandoned road I chanced to see

 

fb8d8711-297e-4267-b85e-b3b172b45bcf.jpg

D 134

 

e3718988-4a34-4236-99ed-4dbe9d8d20ff.jpg

and G 134 but no luck on BRAVO, CHARLIE

or ECHO. I think that the calls for ECHO would put it close to where the DS L/L is for D 134.

 

Might be worth another modest effort hike next spring. kayakbird

Link to comment

foxtrot xray & all,

 

There are two ways to access the Black Canyon of the Colorado River below Hoover Dam. I paddle up from Willow Beach marina (eight miles of near Mohave Reservoir elevation water, with minimal current & good eddies to get to the Arizona Hot Springs primitive camping beach -vault toilets, no fire rings - 1/4 mi hike up to the soak pools), then another three miles up to the Sauna Cave and security line. Or you can pay an outfitter (your boat or a rental) to pick you up at the Hacienda to get through security and launch just downstream of the bridge. There are other hot water features in the area.

 

Caution - there can be several feet of tidal action several times a day all the way down to Willow Beach. I have twice had to move out of my favorite campsite during the middle of the night!

 

1f3f21a7-641e-4697-948b-bc70f24be069.jpg

 

The outfitter method would give you a chance to see this: GR0606'DRILL HOLE. NOTE-- A WHITE PAINTED B M CAN BE SEEN ON THE CANYON WALL

GR0606'SO IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE MARK IS STILL HERE.

 

There is a trailhead parking lot four miles into Arizona on US 93 with at least three trails that wil get you to AZ hot Springs - 3 to 5 hour round trip.

 

I'll get my founds from the other day recovered to NGS in a few days. Contact me off forum if you would like HH2's prior to them being posted. Doesent' seem like all my DSWorld submissions are going through. One up in Glen Canyon has a one minute clerical error but seems to be locked. Maybe because it is listed as an HH1?

 

kayakbird

Link to comment

I actually "accidentally" find most of my benchmarks because witness posts are seemingly everywhere in my area.

 

I have a Droid smartphone. When I find a mark, I take a closeup photo of the mark for identification, a second area photo including the witness post if I expect to Waymark it, and use my GPS Status app's "Send Location" feature to send the coords to my Gmail account so I have no risk of losing them to a phone technical difficulty.

Link to comment

Probably be a while until it's in their catalog.

 

Keep in mind that Geocaching.com has never updated its benchmark database since the benchmark feature was added around 2002 (?), so it's a pretty fair bet that this one will never show up on Geocaching. On the other hand, NGS, keeper of the real benchmark database, does continually update theirs, but as you say there is often an interval of months, sometimes years, between when a mark is set and when it appears as an NGS datasheet. (And most marks are never included the NGS file, either for technical reasons or because the entity that set the mark doesn't want to go through the time, effort, and expense involved.)

 

-ArtMan-

Disclaimer: not a specialist, just a benchmarker.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...