Proximity of non-alike caches?

[+Wolfeyez77]

Here's my question, which I haven't found an answer by browsing through geocaching.com yet...

 

I want to place an earth-cache, but nearby (well within the 0.10 mi limit) is a regular geocache. Actualy 2. However since the earth-cache is non-physical, should this make it exempt from the distance limit?

 

Thanks for any feedback!

 

-Dave

[Keystone]

I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the Earthcaching forum.

[+entogeek]

Here's my question, which I haven't found an answer by browsing through geocaching.com yet...

 

I want to place an earth-cache, but nearby (well within the 0.10 mi limit) is a regular geocache. Actualy 2. However since the earth-cache is non-physical, should this make it exempt from the distance limit?

 

Thanks for any feedback!

 

-Dave

 

Shouldn't be a problem. I have an Earthcache where there is a virtual a few metres away as well as another one with the stage of multi within steps of it.

[Neos2]

I want to place an earth-cache, but nearby (well within the 0.10 mi limit) is a regular geocache. Actualy 2. However since the earth-cache is non-physical, should this make it exempt from the distance limit?

 

I found this answer from Sandy from last November. It says the EarthCache can be placed "near" existing traditional caches and the exact distance was decided on a case by case basis.

 

The 'old' recommendation (before GC was reviewing the caches) was 100 feet separation, if I recall. I have one EarthCache I placed a bit more than 100 feet from a traditional. I'm sure for some areas, 100 feet completely takes you away from a location you want to feature, so the new policy is generous.

 

On the other hand, if the traditional cache does a good job of pointing out the geological features of the area, I would hesitate to place an EarthCache right on top of the existing cache, just out of courtesy to the cacher who placed the traditional. It doesn't sound like that is the case for you, though.

[+Lostby7]

I want to place an earth-cache, but nearby (well within the 0.10 mi limit) is a regular geocache. Actualy 2. However since the earth-cache is non-physical, should this make it exempt from the distance limit?

 

I found this answer from Sandy from last November. It says the EarthCache can be placed "near" existing traditional caches and the exact distance was decided on a case by case basis.

 

The 'old' recommendation (before GC was reviewing the caches) was 100 feet separation, if I recall. I have one EarthCache I placed a bit more than 100 feet from a traditional. I'm sure for some areas, 100 feet completely takes you away from a location you want to feature, so the new policy is generous.

 

On the other hand, if the traditional cache does a good job of pointing out the geological features of the area, I would hesitate to place an EarthCache right on top of the existing cache, just out of courtesy to the cacher who placed the traditional. It doesn't sound like that is the case for you, though.

Virt on top of virt is not generally a huge deal so long as the topics of the ECs are different enough. However, an EC on top of a traditional would not be allowed as then youd have a physical container at the EarthCaches location which is a no-no. Seems to me 50-100 feet was far enough but yes you'd need to discuss this with your reviewer.

[+GeoawareGSA1]

The comments by Neos2 and Lostby look accurate to me, and the link posted by Neos2 is very instructive, definitely check it out!

 

Furthermore, if you intend to develop an EarthCache that is less than 0.10 miles from another cache, it would be courteous to contact the owner of the other cache(s) to discuss your intentions. This is not required by the guidelines, but it's a nice thing to do! (In my reviewing duties, I have yet to see a situation where a traditional cache owner had a problem with a nearby EarthCache.)

 

According to EarthCache guideline #4: "No items, box, or physical cache can be left at the site." This would include items that belong to a different cache as well. Therefore, we could not publish an EarthCache at the exact same coordinates as another cache that has a container. (How far should an EarthCache be from a container-based cache? See Neos2's link for a discussion on that -- basically, it's looked at on a case-by-case basis with the reviewer.)

 

This is a great discussion, and helps highlight the important role of the reviewers and the review process!

[+LewisClan77]

(How far should an EarthCache be from a container-based cache? See Neos2's link for a discussion on that -- basically, it's looked at on a case-by-case basis with the reviewer.)

 

I have an EC that is less than 30 feet from a traditional cache. I just moved my coords a bit to move the icon away on the map.

 

Mortar and Pestle

[+geoaware]

The only EarthCache guideline that comes into force is that you MAY NOT place an an EarthCache at the exact location of a cache with a container....as that violates the 'non-container' guideline.

 

However, the other rule that comes into force is the moral rule of being courteous to your fellow cache owners