"Premier member caches"

[+marsby]

I'm kind of new to the hobby and find it a lot of fun. I was considering getting a membership here for the mere sake of supporting the hobby and helping the people that keep track of all this for us. However, after seeing that caches will become premier cashes, only accessible after paying a fee, I have resolved to not become a member. It's plain wrong to keep these caches private, and to charge a fee to get the clues to caches that hobbyists worked to put there.

 

I see nothing wrong with paying for travel bugs that are tracked by the people that do this site, or buying other geocaching materials that are provided here. But there is something fundamentally wrong with charging for access to caches.

 

Please rethink this idea. I believe that you can make more money in the long run by serving the geocachers out here as best you can, not charging to get cache locations.

[+Mr. Snazz]

Caches only become 'members only' if the owner of the cache decides to make it a members-only cache.

 

Nobody forces them to make it members-only, its totally up to them. Very few people choose to make their caches members-only, and when they do, its usually for a good reason.

 

[+marsby]

Well, so i can get a more objective view of this, what would be "good reason"?

[+Mr. Snazz]

Probably the best reason is in the case where the cache owner lives in an area where cache looters are active (people who steal caches for fun). Looters are supposidly less likely to pay for a membership just to steal a box.

 

Sometimes people make caches members-only if the area they are placed in is sensitive, to keep casual cachers (who might not be as respectful of the environment) from tearing the place apart.

[+Markwell]

Another reason I've seen is that they initially want to reward the premium members with "first chance" at a cache. After a short period of time (month? two weeks?) they remove the Members Only status.

 

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

"Therapy is expensive but bubble wrap is free."

[+trippy1976]

Better stuff == more select group.

 

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trippy1976 - Team KKF2A

[+Slower Pace]

In an area where I frequently look for caches, someone is looting every cache in town, then leaving a bragging note. I plan to hide a Member Only cache there, as I doubt the looters are members. I think they are high-school kids out for fun and destruction.

 

I plan to stock it with nice goodies, and the puzzle is complicated. I think members are more interested in the puzzle than a 1/1 hide. After a few months, when the thefts die down and the members have had a chance to find it, I will open it up to the general public.

 

Therefore, I support Member Only caches.