Night-only Traditional Ideas Wanted

[+entogeek]

I've been racking what's left of my grey matter to come up with an idea for a truly night only Traditional. Given that the co-ords for a Traditional have to be exact this isn't as easy as it seems. Virtually every idea I have come up with winds up being a Multi or a Mystery.

 

One suggestion that has been proposed is to put a lock on the cache and the cacher has to hunt for another container with reflective tape on it to get the combination - I checked with one of our local reviewers and this would be considered to be a Mystery. Another is to put the cache into a cave but then that could be done during the day with a flash-light so once again, it's not a true night-only Traditional.

 

For those who want to know why I'm asking for ideas, I put out three night-only caches in the same area, a Wherigo, Multi and Letterbox and have a Mystery to put in this forest and would like to add a Traditional - that way cachers can get 5 different icon types if they want. Yes I know I could simply drop a regular Traditional in the area but I'm going for a nocturnal animal theme with these series of caches.

 

Suggestions anyone?

Edited January 2, 2011 by entogeek

[+LukeTrocity]

A cache that only opens in the dark. You would need to use some sort of photo sensor as the catalyst.

[+isjustus4]

A cache that only opens in the dark. You would need to use some sort of photo sensor as the catalyst.

 

Blocking the lightsource would be an easy way to bypass that.

 

How about a timer/clock or something to that effect?

[+squirtchy]

hmmm this is a really interesting one, so the coordinates i plum into the GPS have to be the exact spot of the cacche, but you want it so it can only be found at night, okay, how about you just hide it somewhere really well, and quite deep in a wood (somewhere where you would not expect any normal person to go at night, then just use one of them solar lights which run on light to indicate where the cache is, cheating a bit but i cant think of anything else :/

[+LukeTrocity]

A cache that only opens in the dark. You would need to use some sort of photo sensor as the catalyst.

 

Blocking the lightsource would be an easy way to bypass that.

 

How about a timer/clock or something to that effect?

 

You would have to have it unlock after 15 minutes of darkness.....

[CoyoteRed]

One cache we did once used ultraviolent light to highlight the cache. Sure, it could be found during the day, but the difficulty was different.

 

Reflective tape could be an alternative to the UV.

 

Another could be a lock based on a timer. The cache simply wouldn't open until after a certain time of day or between the hours of, say, 11pm and 1am. This type of cache is harder to create and maintain.

 

You could use reflective tape or some sort of signal like flashy LEDs placed at a distance to the listed coordinates. You hide the cache really well and provide bearings to the signals to have the cacher hone in on the exact location. Something as simple as "Put the red tape at 180° and the blue tape at 90° to hone in the cache's hiding spot."

 

The problem is the ease of finding the cache during the day. It would pretty much have to be a "Needle in the Hay Stack" sort of hide. I'm not fond of these types, but providing a fun way to narrow down the search might up the quality.

 

Hope this provides a springboard for better ideas.

[+entogeek]

A cache that only opens in the dark. You would need to use some sort of photo sensor as the catalyst.

 

Blocking the lightsource would be an easy way to bypass that.

 

How about a timer/clock or something to that effect?

 

You would have to have it unlock after 15 minutes of darkness.....

 

In our area, in November and December, darkness falls upon us as early as 5:30 pm, June-August, make it 10 pm. I'm hoping to avoid anything that requires a power source due to the elements (cold, rain, snow, etc.).

[CoyoteRed]

Here's another idea. The box looks like a bat box mounted high in a pine with no lower limbs--a favorite of deer hunters with climbing tree stands. The box holds a winching mechanism that when it senses darkness it lowers the cache from the box to near ground level. When it senses light it raises it back up.

 

A variant: only lowers the cache when it senses more light coming from the bottom of the box than there is at the top. Someone shining a flashlight up at the box at night would lower the cache. Someone with a really big flashlight on a cloudy day could do the same, though.

[+Mom-n-Andy]

This is not a good idea but it might trigger a better idea. You could hide a relatively large container at the coordinates and fill it with film cans or the like. One of the film cans would hold the log and would be painted with glow in the dark paint. It would be a pain to find during the day but would be easier at night.

[+briansnat]

Once you add any hocus pocus to opening the cache and getting at the log you are getting out of the realm of traditionals. It would be really difficult to come up with a traditional that is a night only cache.

[CoyoteRed]

In our area, in November and December, darkness falls upon us as early as 5:30 pm, June-August, make it 10 pm. I'm hoping to avoid anything that requires a power source due to the elements (cold, rain, snow, etc.).

Look into electrified fence power. Many remote units are solar powered and don't have issues with power. Alternatively, use a scheme that relies on solar power to deny the cache. When there is no sun, the cachers can access the cache.

 

A lock that relies on power to keep the cache closed and has a limited amount of power could be used. Even after taking away the light source the lock stays closed until the power is exhausted. Limit the power source until you get the desired amount of delay. A gelcell that provides an hour of power to the lock may be the ticket. You'd need only limited sun to recharge the cell. A larger solar cell will compensate for limited daylight.

 

Still, these types of caches requires a LOT on engineering and testing ... and maintenance.

[CoyoteRed]

Okay, another low tech way.

 

At the cache site the cache is locked with a 4 digit combination lock. You are instructed to shine your light to the north and count the number of reflections you see. Then shine to the east, south, and west. The number of reflections is the combination.

 

Make sure the way is completely clear and reflection sources are secure. Black reflective tape on a black surface is a good choice.

[+entogeek]

Once you add any hocus pocus to opening the cache and getting at the log you are getting out of the realm of traditionals. It would be really difficult to come up with a traditional that is a night only cache.

 

"Hocus pocus" - how can you not love that term!

 

Guess I know what my New Year's resolution is going to be - seeing as how I never managed to keep any of the previous ones this should keep my trend intact.

[+entogeek]

Okay, another low tech way.

 

At the cache site the cache is locked with a 4 digit combination lock. You are instructed to shine your light to the north and count the number of reflections you see. Then shine to the east, south, and west. The number of reflections is the combination.

 

Make sure the way is completely clear and reflection sources are secure. Black reflective tape on a black surface is a good choice.

 

Seems pretty close to one of the ideas I ran past a reviewer. No doubt he would say it's the same as having 4 reflective containers hanging around, each with a number in or on it. But it would certainly make for a good night only Mystery cache.

[+DarkZen]

Okay, another low tech way.

 

At the cache site the cache is locked with a 4 digit combination lock. You are instructed to shine your light to the north and count the number of reflections you see. Then shine to the east, south, and west. The number of reflections is the combination.

 

Make sure the way is completely clear and reflection sources are secure. Black reflective tape on a black surface is a good choice.

I really like this idea. I think I'll use it if you don't mind.

[+The Blue Quasar]

The idea of a box that is locked by a solar powered relay could work. When darkness falls and unit discharges it could shut off the magnetic lock. You'd probably need to have it use hydro-electricity but the control circuit could be a solar switch. Kinda like using a transistor.

 

BQ

[+hukilaulau]

Okay, another low tech way.

 

At the cache site the cache is locked with a 4 digit combination lock. You are instructed to shine your light to the north and count the number of reflections you see. Then shine to the east, south, and west. The number of reflections is the combination.

 

Make sure the way is completely clear and reflection sources are secure. Black reflective tape on a black surface is a good choice.

I really like this idea. I think I'll use it if you don't mind.

me too! I'll run it by my reviewer to see what he thinks it should be, but I like it whatever type it turns out to be. Thanks!

[+dfx]

only way i could think of is an extremely well hidden cache that's virtually impossible to find without additional clues. the additional clues would be located in plain sight, but visible only in darkness (i.e. reflectors etc).

[CoyoteRed]

Okay, another low tech way.

 

At the cache site the cache is locked with a 4 digit combination lock. You are instructed to shine your light to the north and count the number of reflections you see. Then shine to the east, south, and west. The number of reflections is the combination.

 

Make sure the way is completely clear and reflection sources are secure. Black reflective tape on a black surface is a good choice.

 

Seems pretty close to one of the ideas I ran past a reviewer. No doubt he would say it's the same as having 4 reflective containers hanging around, each with a number in or on it. But it would certainly make for a good night only Mystery cache.

 

I really like this idea. I think I'll use it if you don't mind.

 

me too! I'll run it by my reviewer to see what he thinks it should be, but I like it whatever type it turns out to be. Thanks!

 

I don't put out ideas to keep them to myself! By all means, go right ahead!

 

The way I envision the hunt: the cache is at the posted coordinates, you don't have to go anywhere else, you only have to look around and count the reflectors/clues/whatever, and open the box. This should fit the definition of "traditional" nicely. No second location, all information is either on the cache page or gathered from the posted coordinates.

[+niraD]

As the guidelines say, "there is no precedent for placing caches". However, I am familiar with traditional caches in locked containers. No key was available. They were listed as 5-star difficulty because they required "specialized knowledge, skills, or equipment" (i.e., lockpicks and the skill to use them) to access.

 

It might be possible to have a similar locked cache that is 5-star difficulty during the day, but at night, it could be opened more easily. I can't think of a way to do this without a combination lock though, and your reviewer may not consider opening the combination lock without the combination to be legitimate for a traditional cache.

 

If you do go with a locked cache, then it may help to put the cache itself inside a locked container, rather than making the locked container be the cache. It just preempts the "I found the cache but couldn't open it" argument, because unless they open the outer container, they didn't find the cache.

 

A simple solution would be a location that is unavailable during the day, but available at night. But finding such a location won't be so simple.

 

Ultimately, I think it comes down to mechanically preventing access to the cache during the day, or to providing information at night that makes accessing the cache much easier. Trail markers and other reflectors require a flashlight. Fluorescent paint/ink requires a UV light. Phosphorescent paint requires exposure to the sun during the day, so it's going to be hard to hide from muggles at night.

 

I like the idea of a lock that is powered by a solar panel, with enough battery reserve to keep it locked until 30-60 minutes after sundown. If you want to thwart daytime finds (by covering the solar panel and allowing the battery to run down), then you could have multiple solar panels: one obvious one, and one or more others that are less obvious, but still capable of keeping the lock activated.

 

I wish I lived closer to you...

[+niraD]

It might be possible to have a similar locked cache that is 5-star difficulty during the day, but at night, it could be opened more easily. I can't think of a way to do this without a combination lock though, and your reviewer may not consider opening the combination lock without the combination to be legitimate for a traditional cache.

I just had another thought on this. I've seen gates padlocked with a chain of padlocks. The idea is that opening any one padlock is sufficient to open the gate, so multiple people/organizations can have separate keys. If a key is lost, then that organization needs to replace its lock and distribute new keys, but the others are unaffected.

 

Anyway, that might work here. Have a padlock that can be picked during the day (5-star difficulty), and a combination lock that can be opened with information available only at night.