Placing caches

[+dad-and-ash]

Recently we placed our first cache. We thought it was pretty simple. Once published, we were flooded with IM's from other cachers (some on the verge of being threatening) complaining about everything from the ratings to the co-ords. It really took the fun out of both placing a cache and geocaching in general for us. Has this ever happened to anybody else and what did you do?

 

We have 2 other caches placed but not yet published. We'd like to find someone in the Milwaukee, WI area that would be willing to double check our co-ords of these 2, and give us thier advice about what D/T ratings should be used for them before they get published. We really would like to avoid getting all the nasty IM's from our fellow cachers about something as simple as a cache. Please IM us if you would be willing to help. Thanks.

[+Cardinal Red]

I am curious what device you used to mark your coords, although the only finder thinks they were good. You started your D/T rating low (as handicap accessible). Not sure if the new D/T is high or not, but it should stop that complaint. When you use your GPS device, will the coords lead YOU to the cache? I have confidence in my GPS and my ability to use it. You need that too. I would evaluate the messages you received. Make use of anything that is helpful. Ignore the rest.

[jholly]

Recently we placed our first cache. We thought it was pretty simple. Once published, we were flooded with IM's from other cachers (some on the verge of being threatening) complaining about everything from the ratings to the co-ords. It really took the fun out of both placing a cache and geocaching in general for us. Has this ever happened to anybody else and what did you do?

 

We have 2 other caches placed but not yet published. We'd like to find someone in the Milwaukee, WI area that would be willing to double check our co-ords of these 2, and give us thier advice about what D/T ratings should be used for them before they get published. We really would like to avoid getting all the nasty IM's from our fellow cachers about something as simple as a cache. Please IM us if you would be willing to help. Thanks.

For the D/T rantings you might check out Groundspeak's rating page. You can also check Markwell's FAQ. That should help. Generally a terrain of 1 is reserved for wheelchair access. Posting a parking and/or trailhead coordinate on the page is help, it helps folks find the easy path to the cache. Since the cache is under tree cover and coordinates are a bit squirrely adding a hint is useful and helpful. As for some of the notes and comments in the logs, I would not pay attention to them. As for the "danger" of the cliff alongside the path, that cacher needs to get a grip and turn around if they feel unsafe. I cache in areas where it is known that bears, coyotes and cougars roam. I know they are there because I see the scat. It hasn't stopped me yet and the folks that seek my caches don't complain about the "dangerous" area.

[+WRASTRO]

If you want your cache to be easily found I would suggest you go ahead and provide parking coordinates and a more detailed description of the hide. It looks like you started your cache out as a 1/1 but you have now changed it to a 3/3. In my area a 3/3 is considered to be a fairly difficult find both from a terrain perspective and from the challenge to find the cache.

 

 

I suggest you contact the initial finder and ask for comments from him/her. It seems like you have a good spot for your hide. Good luck!

[+dad-and-ash]

I am curious what device you used to mark your coords, although the only finder thinks they were good. You started your D/T rating low (as handicap accessible). Not sure if the new D/T is high or not, but it should stop that complaint. When you use your GPS device, will the coords lead YOU to the cache? I have confidence in my GPS and my ability to use it. You need that too. I would evaluate the messages you received. Make use of anything that is helpful. Ignore the rest.

I used our garmin etrex legend H and our garmin nuvi when determining the coords. They were almost identical, so I averaged the 2. Ive downloaded the coords to our gps and will have my wife search for it tomorrow without my help just to see if she can find it. Our etrex usually puts us within 10-15 feet of GZ, so we're confident in it.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Apparently, you made (some) changes to the cache page. D/T of 3/3 yet you call it a PNG in the body. In hiding, I always suggest one should look at the prospective hide from different angles -- not everyone uses the same approach. Maybe a starting waypoint, maybe not -- your choice there -- but it would put everybody else on "your page".

 

A hint? I don't know if you need one or not, but you should always at least consider one.

 

Sort of surprised that you would be flooded with IM's regarding this. Looks to me as though only four went after it. I just might tell somebody where their IM belongs if they can't even put up a DNF. Sounds like you have some "You-owe-it-to-me" cachers in your neck of the woods if what you say is true. Complaining about dangerous spots.... well, perhaps if they felt it was dangerous, they probably should've stopped and turned around at that point -- I would if it seemed dangerous. Fallen trees and dangerous embankments sound like the park's problem, not yours. After all, it's the parks' trail, is it not?

 

We have hunted up a number of caches that show up on the other side of a river. Always have considered our fault for not thinking it through before traipsing after it.

 

We own a pair of caches that many end up wading thru a stream because THEY didn't notice that there was a parking waypoint. They never complained to us, just mentioned how fun the wade across was in their log.

[+dad-and-ash]

If you want your cache to be easily found I would suggest you go ahead and provide parking coordinates and a more detailed description of the hide. It looks like you started your cache out as a 1/1 but you have now changed it to a 3/3. In my area a 3/3 is considered to be a fairly difficult find both from a terrain perspective and from the challenge to find the cache.

 

 

I suggest you contact the initial finder and ask for comments from him/her. It seems like you have a good spot for your hide. Good luck!

I did contact the initial finder to ask for his opinion. He's an experienced cacher. Hopefully he can help us with this. The IM's we get are really nasty. Wish us luck!

[+briansnat]

Sounds like your major mistake was rating the cache wrong. A 1/1 should be a slam dunk piece of cake on wheelchair friendly terrain. Judging from the DNFs a 3 difficulty is probably more realistic. Not having first hand knowledge of the terrain I won't judge that, but it seems that a 3/3 is much more realistic than a 1/1. You do call it a "grab and go" on the page and that can be misleading. Many cachers are annoyed by misleading info on the page whether the text or ratings.

 

Anyway, it looks like a great spot for a cache. It's refreshing seeing novice cache hiders like you finding nice spots like this rather than copying the mundane nonsense that is so prevalent everywhere.

 

I do find it unfortunate that you've been receiving so many really nasty messages. In 10+ years and with over 320 hides I can count the genuinely nasty messages I've received on one hand with a few fingers left over. The cachers up your way must be drinking too much of what made Milwaukee famous. Just ignore the nastygrams. They reflect poorly on the sender, not the recipient. Constructive criticism on the other hand will only make your future hides better and should be graciously accepted.

Edited June 25, 2012 by briansnat