Life Span of a Cache

[hoosier guy]

I have noticed that some local caches, including a couple of my own, have been found by the majority of active cachers in the area. Activity at some of these is very sparse. As a CO do you retire caches after some period of time to allow new caches to be placed or let caches stay in place till the cows come home?

[jholly]

I leave mind in place until the bears eat them. There is always some from outside of the local area finding them.

[+GroveBird]

Just depends on the Cache.

[+Bear and Ragged]

If the only reason the cache is there, is 'To put a cache there" once the locals have found it, Archive it.

 

If the cache is there, because it's a nice place to visit/there's something there to see, cachers will visit long after the locals have found it.

Maybe not in big numbers, but they will still visit.

[+briansnat]

If the cache still serves its original purpose I see no reason not to leave it out there. My first cache will see its 10th birthday in 2 months. I have about another half dozen or so that be 10 years old by this time next year.

 

I try to put my caches at interesting locations and even if most of the locals have found it, newbies are always coming into the sport and travelers are always coming through the area so I leave them out for those people. Granted some of my caches are found no more than 2-3 times a year these days, but those 2-3 people really seem to enjoy them.

 

I'll archive a cache if there are one or more of these factors:

 

1. I'm tired of maintaining it.

2. It's no longer unique, meaning that it might have been the first cache to draw people to an area, but now the area is full of caches.

3. I was never that thrilled with the location in the first place.

4. There is a chronic theft or floating away in floods problem.

5. It's original purpose is gone. Perhaps the nice view has become a housing development, or the interesting feature nearby has been removed.

 

Other than that I leave them out there for the long haul.

Edited July 27, 2011 by briansnat

[+FraenCache]

If the only reason the cache is there, is 'To put a cache there" once the locals have found it, Archive it.

 

 

That´s a good point. Maybe you can come up with a great idea for a new hideout or a special container. That would bring some "fresh air" into the game, if the old cache isn´t THAT special ...

[+Harry Dolphin]

I leave mind in place until the bears eat them. There is always some from outside of the local area finding them.

 

I usually replace them after they've become bear chew toys. Got one to replace on Saturay. Hope to finda more bear resistant spot for it. Still a very pretty spot.

 

My oldest cache is seven-years old. I leave them out until I get tired of them. (If it weren't really that good a cache to start with, for instance. I've archived three of those.)

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I have noticed that some local caches, including a couple of my own, have been found by the majority of active cachers in the area. Activity at some of these is very sparse. As a CO do you retire caches after some period of time to allow new caches to be placed or let caches stay in place till the cows come home?

 

I don't, because I don't believe that caches should placed solely for the benefit of active local cachers. Yes, once most of the locals have found it the find rate will drop, but the cache is still viable for anyone that is *not* from the local area.

 

That said, a few minutes ago I archived a cache that was placed in 2005 which I adopted in 2007. I got an email message from someone this morning that is going to be placing a new Dinosaur Train cache and the cache I own was causing proximity issues for the location where they wanted to place it. I was more than happy to archive my cache to make room for their new one.

[+DanOCan]

I have adopted six caches from the 2001-2002 era. The first cache I hid will reach six years old this Fall. I believe as long as the area can support a cache and I am able to maintain it the cache should remain active. I see no reason to Archive a perfectly good cache, even if the majority of locals have found it already.

[+mikemtn]

I have a couple that are in Tennessee State Parks. The latest I've heard about Tennessee State Park Caches is that they let the old caches stay but they don't allow any new ones. I see no reason to deprive the parks of caches plus they are self maintaining and require no effort from me. Well, I just asked Google about the Tennessee State Park rules and Wiki says you can hide them with a permit. I don't think permission was in the Geocaching vocabulary when these were hidden. I can just imagine me trying to get a permit from them. Anyway, the rangers (at least the ones from a few years ago) know about them so I reckon they'll archive them if they want them gone.

Edited July 27, 2011 by mikemtn

[GOF and Bacall]

I judge each case on its own merit. I have archived caches so that others can have a whack at an area or because I wanted to change things up myself or simply because I have felt the caches had been there long enough. Some caches I will not willingly give up. All in all though I think caches do have a self life. A new cache, with a slight change in the experience, will still show those from out of town the area while giving the locals something for their return trips.

[+Harry Dolphin]

A new cache, with a slight change in the experience, will still show those from out of town the area while giving the locals something for their return trips.

 

On the other fin, I've been to that park seven times. I've seen everything I want to see there! Nothing new has been added with the new cache. Why drag me back?

[+BaylorGrad]

I've archived 4 of my 10 caches... Two of them because I simply wanted to open up areas with nice potential for other cachers in the area. (Another because it was muggled, and I realized too late that it was bad placement. And another because cachers were causing property damage in their efforts to make the grab.)

[GOF and Bacall]

A new cache, with a slight change in the experience, will still show those from out of town the area while giving the locals something for their return trips.

 

On the other fin, I've been to that park seven times. I've seen everything I want to see there! Nothing new has been added with the new cache. Why drag me back?

 

There is no rule that says you have to find every cache. If you don't want to return to a location don't. But if you choose to go back wouldn't it be nice if there was a new cache to enhance the experience?

[+Dgwphotos]

I leave them out as long I belive they can successfully survive. That being said, I've archived caches that were lower quality caches. (My earliest hides)

[+edscott]

If the cache still serves its original purpose I see no reason not to leave it out there. My first cache will see its 10th birthday in 2 months. I have about another half dozen or so that be 10 years old by this time next year.

 

I try to put my caches at interesting locations and even if most of the locals have found it, newbies are always coming into the sport and travelers are always coming through the area so I leave them out for those people. Granted some of my caches are found no more than 2-3 times a year these days, but those 2-3 people really seem to enjoy them.

 

I'll archive a cache if there are one or more of these factors:

 

1. I'm tired of maintaining it.

2. It's no longer unique, meaning that it might have been the first cache to draw people to an area, but now the area is full of caches.

3. I was never that thrilled with the location in the first place.

4. There is a chronic theft or floating away in floods problem.

5. It's original purpose is gone. Perhaps the nice view has become a housing development, or the interesting feature nearby has been removed.

 

Other than that I leave them out there for the long haul.

 

Just checked mine. I've archived 7 so far and covered three of your criterion.

 

2 were flood prone (#4)

1 spot became a gas station (#5)

3 were micros that were of no value other than a number (#3)

 

The 7th was a puzzle final that I archived, moved, and reissued because someone else put a cache within a few feet of it. (I don't think the coords of final locations were recorded by GC.Com back then)

[+slukster]

A local cacher who I am friendly with but doesn't have many hides had suggested archiving some older caches and then place a new cache, with the same name (+" redux", "return of", etc.), description and maybe change the hiding spot 50 ft or so. This was because the old cache doesn't get visited much anymore and it would allow the locals to revisit the cache area and have a new cache to be found. It would also allow me as a cache owner to enjoy new logs. At first it didn't seem like a bad idea but if I did archive the cache in order to place a new one, I would want to make it a completely new cache and location although proximity issues might limit how far from the original location it could be hidden.

[AZcachemeister]

Until I die.

Then maybe ten more years at best.

[ChrisEMT1]

I am a "novice" cache placer, meaning I have only 2 that I placed... I placed my first one (a traditional) near where I volunteer (with the chiefs permission), and disabled it back around Christmas last year, after it being in place due to the heavy snow here in New England, and after my chief asked me to find a new location for the cache because we had a solar panel put in real close to where the cache was, and we didn't want anyone accidentally damaging it or getting hurt. I had archived it once the snow got to a point that I could retrieve it and place a new cache (a micro) in close proximity to the original cache site, so it would still give the same effect..... I hope to have this one in place for a long time to come.

 

I guess my point is that keep a cache in place for as long as it can be maintained and as long as it remains appropriate and intact..... Once it can't be maintained, regularly muggled, stops being appropriate, or finding someone to adopt it from you, then revisit the idea of archiving it or disabling it for a while until it can be re-introduced to the game.....

[+DragonsWest]

My first cache is 8 years old. Not enough of y'all have found it.

 

Get a move on, people!

[+t4e]

I have noticed that some local caches, including a couple of my own, have been found by the majority of active cachers in the area. Activity at some of these is very sparse. As a CO do you retire caches after some period of time to allow new caches to be placed or let caches stay in place till the cows come home?

 

why would i retire them?...what exactly is the point of putting a cache in the same spot unless its a significant location?

 

geocaching is supposed to show you new and interesting places, i don't personally find it entertaining visiting the same location just to get an additional smilie

[+GrateBear]

My oldest cache just turned 4, and still is found with some regularity. Have 12 others, of which 3 are rarely found, but no reason to archive them. There are 6 that have been archived--2 because they kept getting wet, 1 because the container disappeared (and it was not convenient to get to for maintenance), 1 because the billboard it was on was cut down, and 1 because a giant pricker bush overgrew the post it was in. The last one was because the first person who tried to find it walked through someone's yard to get to it and the yard owner claimed the cache was on his property--it wasn't but better to retrieve and archive it than have someone upset. That, so far, is my only cache with 0 finds

[hoosier guy]

I have noticed that some local caches, including a couple of my own, have been found by the majority of active cachers in the area. Activity at some of these is very sparse. As a CO do you retire caches after some period of time to allow new caches to be placed or let caches stay in place till the cows come home?

 

why would i retire them?...what exactly is the point of putting a cache in the same spot unless its a significant location?

 

geocaching is supposed to show you new and interesting places, i don't personally find it entertaining visiting the same location just to get an additional smilie

 

Would not have to be in the same place. Retiring a cache opens up a area for new locations as well. Everyne has seen a good location be off limits because someone stuck a film can in a bush a tenth of a mile away. Appreciate the imput everyone.

[+captnemo]

I have noticed that some local caches, including a couple of my own, have been found by the majority of active cachers in the area. Activity at some of these is very sparse. As a CO do you retire caches after some period of time to allow new caches to be placed or let caches stay in place till the cows come home?

My oldest is 9 1/2 years old and gets about 3 visits a year due to it's remote location. I have no plans to retire it as everyone who has found it has left good remarks. I've had to replace it once as it got snowed away.

 

My newest is about 2 months old and has only been found once, so I may pull it after 6 months as it doesn't seem to be interresting to cachers and really isn't that remote.

[+L0ne.R]

I judge each case on its own merit. I have archived caches so that others can have a whack at an area or because I wanted to change things up myself or simply because I have felt the caches had been there long enough. Some caches I will not willingly give up. All in all though I think caches do have a self life. A new cache, with a slight change in the experience, will still show those from out of town the area while giving the locals something for their return trips.

 

+1

[+WarNinjas]

I would not say to archive them because the locals have found them. It makes a great vacation for me and my daughter to go somewhere and find all the caches in that area. I agree and have found some really cool places far out and I love them but I also sometimes cache different then some here. The easy ones in silly places. Not that I am saying to hide them there but when they are hidden right in the middle of a shopping center or where ever I like to go find them while at work. I work for a big termite company and travel all over in about a 200 mile radius from my house to jobs. When I am out at a job far away I like to stop off and find a quick cache or two. It makes my day of crawling under creepy houses a little more fun! I used to not really enjoy when I seen my job would be 3 hours away in the middle of no where but now I am thinking cool! I have never seen the caches in that area! I usually don't have the time to go searching threw the woods to find one so the quick easy ones in town/or easy close to the road ones are nice for me.

I'm sure there are many different kinds of cachers out there. I'm even 2 different ones myself. The one with my daughter where I like to find cool ones out in remote places, Then the one who is at work and looking to break up my day. I'm sure many would think the cache at the gas station or car wash are a waste of time but I like them when working.

So even if your cache is only visited 2-3 times a year I vote to leave it out for when someone like me ends up in the area, if it is not a problem to maintain. I enjoy them.

-WarNinjas

[hoosier guy]

"I have no plans to retire it as everyone who has found it has left good remarks"

 

"I'm sure many would think the cache at the gas station or car wash are a waste of time but I like them when working.

So even if your cache is only visited 2-3 times a year I vote to leave it out for when someone like me ends up in the area, if it is not a problem to maintain. I enjoy them"

 

Two excellent points. Thanks for the thoughts.