Misty Fjords Earth Cache

[lynnallyn]

Hi All!

 

I want to log some earthcache points during my stint in Southeast Alaksa. The only one listed is in Misty Fjords which is perfect but when I sign onto it from the Geological Society of America's EarthCache site..it takes me to the Geocahce site where the message reads first, "Cache is archived" then when I sign in, it tells me that cache is "Unpublished"

I am confused...what does "Unpublished" mean and how can I get some coordinates so I can find this Earth Cache?

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

[+Touchstone]

It's likely that the cache predates the current Review process. Back in the day... Earthcache Listings were submitted through the GSA website. Geoaware would Review the content, and if approved, copy the material to a new Listing page on geocaching.com and Adopt it over to the original cache owner. If someone didn't respond to the Adoption request, I would assume that the Listing would get Archived.

 

Just a guess, but I think that may be what's going on with the Listing you were looking for.

 

Have a great trip!

[cezanne]

It's likely that the cache predates the current Review process. Back in the day... Earthcache Listings were submitted through the GSA website. Geoaware would Review the content, and if approved, copy the material to a new Listing page on geocaching.com and Adopt it over to the original cache owner. If someone didn't respond to the Adoption request, I would assume that the Listing would get Archived.

 

But if a listing gets archived, it is displayed as archived, while unpublished is shown if a reviewer or site admin retracts the cache. Moreover, how could the OP possibly have done the EC without ever seeing the description? It must have been available to him at some time not too long ago, I guess.

 

Moreover, it needs to be noted that the list of Earthcaches at earthcache.org is not a good source to search for active Earthcaches as there no difference is made between active and archived ECs.

[+CanadianRockies]

It's likely that the cache predates the current Review process. Back in the day... Earthcache Listings were submitted through the GSA website. Geoaware would Review the content, and if approved, copy the material to a new Listing page on geocaching.com and Adopt it over to the original cache owner. If someone didn't respond to the Adoption request, I would assume that the Listing would get Archived.

But if a listing gets archived, it is displayed as archived, while unpublished is shown if a reviewer or site admin retracts the cache. Moreover, how could the OP possibly have done the EC without ever seeing the description? It must have been available to him at some time not too long ago, I guess.

"Unpublishing" vs. "archiving" was a recent topic of discussion in the EarthCaches forums. The reviewers weren't specific about the reasons. But, as noted, archived listings still can be viewed if you know what you're doing (and usually logged), while unpublished listings cannot be seen. Suppose parks close areas where EarthCaches were located because they have since designated those areas to be environmentally sensitive. If the land managers want very strong assurances that nobody would search for those EarthCaches, then reviewers might feel unpublishing is wiser than archiving.

 

That's just one possible scenario. Clicking the wrong button is another possibility. I don't know what the situation is for the Misty Fjords EarthCache.

[cezanne]

That's just one possible scenario. Clicking the wrong button is another possibility. I don't know what the situation is for the Misty Fjords EarthCache.

 

In the present case it can't happened due to clicking the wrong button. I checked earthcache.org myself and then went to the profile of the creator of the EC and it does indeed not exist in his profile. That's why it seemed more likely to me that the EC got retracted. (This is exactly the type of action that occurs instead of archiving if the cache should not be viewable any longer for whatever reason which also could be publishing a cache by mistake.)

 

Cezanne

[+palmetto]

The listing does show on Earthcache.org, under a search for Alaska Earthcaches.

 

Presumably the Excel export offered on that search page will yield the GC Code, which would be how the original poster got to the page with its "archived" and "unpublished" messages on Geocaching.com

 

It was archived from its unpublished state.

 

It was never published, and never retracted.

 

I can see a couple of reasons why this listing might have been archived, but that's not public info, or relevant.

 

Clearly Earthcache.org could stand to do some housekeeping.

Edited July 14, 2012 by palmetto

[+CanadianRockies]

That's just one possible scenario. Clicking the wrong button is another possibility. I don't know what the situation is for the Misty Fjords EarthCache.

In the present case it can't happened due to clicking the wrong button. I checked earthcache.org myself and then went to the profile of the creator of the EC and it does indeed not exist in his profile.

I was referring to the reviewer clicking the wrong button. In that EarthCache forums thread, moderator/reviewer BlueRajah said he has clicked a wrong button and ended up unpublishing a cache instead of archiving it. Reviewers are humans and thus fallible.

[Keystone]

I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the Earthcaching forum, in the hope that our GSA partners might see the discussion.

[cezanne]

I was referring to the reviewer clicking the wrong button. In that EarthCache forums thread, moderator/reviewer BlueRajah said he has clicked a wrong button and ended up unpublishing a cache instead of archiving it. Reviewers are humans and thus fallible.

 

Thanks. I indeed misunderstood what you meant even though I also have read BlueRajah's posting in another thread.

Certainly mistakes can happen, but what I find strange is that an EC that never got published is listed on earthcache.org.

Apart from that I also find it very inconvenient that the list on earthcache.org also displays archived ECs without marking them as archived. They are listed in the same way as active ECs.

 

Cezanne

[+GeoawareGSA1]

We agree that the listings at earthcache.org are in need of housekeeping. We are (slowly but surely) working on some website/database updates, and that is one of the items on the list to improve. The feedback is appreciated.

 

--geoawarehq

[lynnallyn]

Wow!

 

A huge Thank You! to all who responded. This is very helpful. I am glad this discussion might be seen by the GSA, which is where I have been searching the EarthCache sites through. Technically, the EarthCache shouldn't be leaving anything behind, only information about the geology of the site. But I could see why it would go unpublished for a variety of reasons mentioned.

 

Thank you again for all the information and happy EarthCaching!