Naturally Destroyed Caches

[+delphic]

Got a log on one of my night caches (now archived) a few days ago saying that there was forest fire damage in the area. Now, I knew a fire had come through a couple of years ago and the cache survived just fine so I assumed the log was referring to the old fire scars...not so much.

 

Today I archived the cache because I learned that the public land was recently sold to a private party. This evening I went out to collect my Firetacks and retrive the cache. This is what I found:

 

 

 

You can see that the log book survived in a somewhat recognizable form. Other then that, everything was charred to dust. You can also see 3 springs...the only survivable remains of the pens.

 

So...what sort of natural destruction has killed your caches?

[+dorqie]

Got a log on one of my night caches (now archived) a few days ago saying that there was forest fire damage in the area. Now, I knew a fire had come through a couple of years ago and the cache survived just fine so I assumed the log was referring to the old fire scars...not so much.

 

Today I archived the cache because I learned that the public land was recently sold to a private party. This evening I went out to collect my Firetacks and retrive the cache. This is what I found:

 

 

 

You can see that the log book survived in a somewhat recognizable form. Other then that, everything was charred to dust. You can also see 3 springs...the only survivable remains of the pens.

 

So...what sort of natural destruction has killed your caches?

 

During a lunar eclipse one of my caches was washed away due to record high tide.

 

Just curious, how did you find the container?

[+sword fern]

Considering a big forest fire is devastating Parts of arizona and New mexico, which the cache was in, it was my first guess the cache was in one of the two states. Sorry what happened to the ammo can.

 

Well, not a natural disaster, but a clearing. I had placed my cache in a trail place when a few days later the area was cleared. Some finders stated that but prevailed in finding it. It still is in very good shape.

[+delphic]

Got a log on one of my night caches (now archived) a few days ago saying that there was forest fire damage in the area. Now, I knew a fire had come through a couple of years ago and the cache survived just fine so I assumed the log was referring to the old fire scars...not so much.

 

Today I archived the cache because I learned that the public land was recently sold to a private party. This evening I went out to collect my Firetacks and retrive the cache. This is what I found:

 

You can see that the log book survived in a somewhat recognizable form. Other then that, everything was charred to dust. You can also see 3 springs...the only survivable remains of the pens.

 

So...what sort of natural destruction has killed your caches?

 

During a lunar eclipse one of my caches was washed away due to record high tide.

 

Just curious, how did you find the container?

 

About half of my fire tacks were where I left them, and the container was exactly where it should have been.

Edited July 13, 2011 by delphic

[+StarBrand]

I've lost caches to bulldozers twice. Unnatural.

 

Lost 1 to landslide.

 

Lost 1 to gopher hole. (found later)

 

Lost 1 to fallen boulder.

 

Lost 7 to various floods.

 

Lost 1 to wind.

 

Lost 1 to lightning fallen tree.

 

Suspect I lost 2 to unknown animals taking them.

 

Lost 2 to rabbits chewing them.

[+sword fern]

I've lost caches to bulldozers twice. Unnatural.

 

Lost 1 to landslide.

 

Lost 1 to gopher hole. (found later)

 

Lost 1 to fallen boulder.

 

Lost 7 to various floods.

 

Lost 1 to wind.

 

Lost 1 to lightning fallen tree.

 

Suspect I lost 2 to unknown animals taking them.

 

Lost 2 to rabbits chewing them.

So, did that gopher log a find or a DNF?

Edited July 13, 2011 by sword fern

[+Dgwphotos]

Not exactly destroyed, as I recovered the container intact, but a mess, and have cleaned it up with the intent of using it somewhere else, but I had a cache that was in a flood plain along a local river, and it was filled with mud and water and the contents were wet (although the log book was mostly dry), and the outside was caked in mud. It's disabled right now, but I have the replacement cache container ready to go, I just need the opportunity to deliver it. I'm switching to a smaller container, and plan to hang it in one of the trees in the area to avoid further flooding problems.

Edited July 13, 2011 by Dgwphotos

[+wiseye]

Starbrand......have you concidered changing your name to Mr Lucky, LOL

[+Stargazer22]

7 of the 9 caches I have hidden have been chewed up by bears. Started out with lock and locks and had to switch them to ammo cans.

[+edscott]

I have had two made inaccessible by moving rocks. One was on a man made hill that just settled a bit. Didn't really matter much as the area is now flat and paved. The other one was in a crevice under a large rock. After a series of DNFs, I went up to check on it and found the rock had settled down to ground level and the crevice was about 1/2 inch wide. It is still there for anyone that can lift a few tons, but the more accessible replacement is nearby.

[+StarBrand]

I've lost caches to bulldozers twice. Unnatural.

 

Lost 1 to landslide.

 

Lost 1 to gopher hole. (found later)

 

Lost 1 to fallen boulder.

 

Lost 7 to various floods.

 

Lost 1 to wind.

 

Lost 1 to lightning fallen tree.

 

Suspect I lost 2 to unknown animals taking them.

 

Lost 2 to rabbits chewing them.

So, did that gopher log a find or a DNF?

 

Really funny story, the cache was located under a largish rock with a natural concave shape that the cache fit nicely in. It got reported as missing. I went to check and sure enough I could not find it anywhere nearby - so i put out a replacement. About 2 years later, that cache got reported as missing. I found the rock knocked oabout 5 feet from where it was and large amounts of fallen leaves under the tree. I decided to 'rake' the leaves around with my hands a bit to try and find the cache. As I was doing that, my foot collapsed into a gopher tunnel about 1 foot below ground and I fell hard and twisted my foot a bit. As a slowly pulled myself up and pulled my foot out, I kicked against something hard. A moment of digging later, I found the original container and a handful of other 'trinkets' along with dried grass that the gopher had pulled down into its burrow. Two years underground. Its back out and has stayed for several more years.

[+sword fern]

I've lost caches to bulldozers twice. Unnatural.

 

Lost 1 to landslide.

 

Lost 1 to gopher hole. (found later)

 

Lost 1 to fallen boulder.

 

Lost 7 to various floods.

 

Lost 1 to wind.

 

Lost 1 to lightning fallen tree.

 

Suspect I lost 2 to unknown animals taking them.

 

Lost 2 to rabbits chewing them.

So, did that gopher log a find or a DNF?

 

Really funny story, the cache was located under a largish rock with a natural concave shape that the cache fit nicely in. It got reported as missing. I went to check and sure enough I could not find it anywhere nearby - so i put out a replacement. About 2 years later, that cache got reported as missing. I found the rock knocked oabout 5 feet from where it was and large amounts of fallen leaves under the tree. I decided to 'rake' the leaves around with my hands a bit to try and find the cache. As I was doing that, my foot collapsed into a gopher tunnel about 1 foot below ground and I fell hard and twisted my foot a bit. As a slowly pulled myself up and pulled my foot out, I kicked against something hard. A moment of digging later, I found the original container and a handful of other 'trinkets' along with dried grass that the gopher had pulled down into its burrow. Two years underground. Its back out and has stayed for several more years.

Thats not something you hear everyday...

[+Harry Dolphin]

7 of the 9 caches I have hidden have been chewed up by bears. Started out with lock and locks and had to switch them to ammo cans.

 

Yes. I have had major problems with bear chew toys! Two on my disabled list now.

[+rtyrie]

Last winter one of my caches was crushed by ice slabs that emerged from a creek during an ice jam. It has since been replaced.

 

Edited July 14, 2011 by rtyrie

[Clan Riffster]

I've lost some to controlled burns, I had a big tree fall and crush one, I've lost some to oxidation and I had one bent in half by a piece of heavy equipment.

[+briansnat]

I've lost a few in floods. Had a tree come down on another.

[+power69]

Lost one to a bulldozer[Little Flatfoot] - Archived

Lost one to rogue lizards[scar®y 9 9 9] - Replaced

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I have a cache that wasn't destroyed but it was located under a metal railing that was repainted, along with the cache container. There's a nano cache hidden on an old steam train nearby that was placed a couple of years ago. About a week after it was placed the train was completely repainted (black) before the cache got it's FTF.

[+Isonzo Karst]

Fire, floods, critter damage on plastic containers, fire, fire , bulldozed, just disappeared (maybe human, maybe hogs? no telling), fire.

 

Did I mention that I've had a lot ammo cans burn? ;-)

[+hzoi]

The final to one of our sudoku caches was a micro in a perfect tree hole, which was apparently some critter's home -- it kept gnawing it and knocking it onto the ground. I ended up archiving it after a couple months.

 

Lost one to rogue lizards[scar®y 9 9 9] - Replaced

 

OK, there's GOT to be a story behind this.

[+Caped Crusader]

I had one that got burnt by a controlled burn turned wildfire. Most everything remained mostly intact. A Jeep travelbug ended up with a flat tire, though.

[+kunarion]

It wasn't my container, but I found an archived cache that had been crushed two years prior. Someone had recently noticed the container and left it just outside its forest area.

 

Log's here

 

Edited July 15, 2011 by kunarion

[+Viridios]

I have a cache that wasn't destroyed but it was located under a metal railing that was repainted, along with the cache container. There's a nano cache hidden on an old steam train nearby that was placed a couple of years ago. About a week after it was placed the train was completely repainted (black) before the cache got it's FTF.

 

Bet those were the best camo jobs on a cache you have ever had, eh?

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I have a cache that wasn't destroyed but it was located under a metal railing that was repainted, along with the cache container. There's a nano cache hidden on an old steam train nearby that was placed a couple of years ago. About a week after it was placed the train was completely repainted (black) before the cache got it's FTF.

 

Bet those were the best camo jobs on a cache you have ever had, eh?

 

The one on the train isn't mine, and it took me four attempts and over three hours of searching to find it. Actually, it wouldn't have mattered if it was painted. It was in a spot such that you had to find it by feel. The other one is actually missing (currently disabled). I've got a replacement container and found some paint that matches the color of the railing. It's got a pretty good hint that narrows down the search area to about 6 feet. It's not intended to be a difficult find. It's in a unique location and there is a great view from the cache.