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I've recently hidden two caches and wound up having to be fairly strategic about location because the area is fairly saturated. This got me to wondering...does geocaching.com have any sort of program or policy that will auto-archive caches which have had little to no activity over a set period of time? For example: down the road from where I live, there's a cache which hadn't been listed as found in the last year & a half and before that, it was listed as needs maintenance. On the listing where it was last found, it was reported as muggled. Part of the problem w/ it is that its along a roadway where there's no parking but a significant terrain hike. So...in a case like that, the one cache sitting out there seemingly not getting much if any visits is preventing other more accessible hides from being placed. I'm only using this situation as an example and didn't necessarily want to place a cache there as well.

 

If the site doesn't have a program like what I described, I was thinking about whether they'd consider auto-archiving caches which haven't had a log within 18 mos ? And...then give the CO the chance to redeem the cache out of archival for one month before it becomes permanent. Just wondering...

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I've recently hidden two caches and wound up having to be fairly strategic about location because the area is fairly saturated. This got me to wondering...does geocaching.com have any sort of program or policy that will auto-archive caches which have had little to no activity over a set period of time? For example: down the road from where I live, there's a cache which hadn't been listed as found in the last year & a half and before that, it was listed as needs maintenance. On the listing where it was last found, it was reported as muggled. Part of the problem w/ it is that its along a roadway where there's no parking but a significant terrain hike. So...in a case like that, the one cache sitting out there seemingly not getting much if any visits is preventing other more accessible hides from being placed. I'm only using this situation as an example and didn't necessarily want to place a cache there as well.

 

If the site doesn't have a program like what I described, I was thinking about whether they'd consider auto-archiving caches which haven't had a log within 18 mos ? And...then give the CO the chance to redeem the cache out of archival for one month before it becomes permanent. Just wondering...

 

If you have found a cache to be in physical difficulty, then you should post a "Needs Maintenance" log.

 

If you have a very good reason, then there is the option of posting a "Needs Archived" log.

 

See the Help Center articles about these log types:

 

3.8. Caches That Need Maintenance

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=57

 

9.14. Needs Archived Note

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=134

 

Auto-archiving caches just because they haven't had "found it" logs posted in a certain time-frame is not a very good idea.

 

If there is a paper-trail history of DNF's, NM's, and NA's, then I could understand a reviewer stepping in and disabling or archiving a cache.

 

 

B.

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... I was thinking about whether they'd consider auto-archiving caches which haven't had a log within 18 mos ? And...then give the CO the chance to redeem the cache out of archival for one month before it becomes permanent. Just wondering...

I have a cache that's fairly difficult to get to for half the year, then not that much easier the rest of the year. It hasn't been attempted in over 3.5 years. It would get annoying to have to unarchive it every year or so just because nobody has searched for it for awhile.

 

Post a NA log and let the reviewer know about. Then if it needs to be archived it will be.

 

That's how it works.

+1 The "Needs Archived" log should be used sparingly, but that particular example sounds like one should be used. It will pop it up on the reviewer's radar, and he/she will take action to archive if the owner shows no signs of maintaining his/her cache.

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There are caches out there that have never been found (yet). That does not make them any less viable than the busiest P&G, the most "Favorited" cache nor even the "coolest" cache.

Just because it may be the most demanding and difficult cache to get to, is certainly no reason to have it auto-archived.

To do such would be a slap to those that take the trouble, time, effort and expense to create and place such hides just so ONE other person might actually enjoy the challenge.

 

The method provided within the "Needs Archived" log works well enough to negate any auto-archiving mechanism. At least it seemingly has worked pretty good for the prior 10 years worth of hides.

 

Auto-... a pretty disgusting prefix --- and not just in regards to auto-archiving, either.

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I'm one of only eight cachers so far to find this cache, and it hadn't been found in five and a half years when I logged it. It was in great condition, dry as a bone and ready to be found. Your 18 month rule would have killed this cache off four years before we had a chance to log it.

 

So, no, an auto archive system isn't the answer. But your going to the site in question, searching all around and ensuring that it's not there, and then logging a Did not find log, followed by a Needs archived log, might be.

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Part of the problem w/ it is that its along a roadway where there's no parking but a significant terrain hike. So...in a case like that, the one cache sitting out there seemingly not getting much if any visits is preventing other more accessible hides from being placed. I'm only using this situation as an example and didn't necessarily want to place a cache there as well.

 

If the site doesn't have a program like what I described, I was thinking about whether they'd consider auto-archiving caches which haven't had a log within 18 mos ? And...then give the CO the chance to redeem the cache out of archival for one month before it becomes permanent. Just wondering...

How can a cache that takes a significant hike be taking up space. Any distance over 161 meters means there's space for more caches between the road and the cache you mentioned. I don't see a cache that takes some effort as a problem, but it does figure into the fact that it will be found significantly less than a lamp skirt hide.

 

A need archive is intended to free up space when a cache owner isn't properly maintaining their cache, don't abuse it to free up space.

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I'd rather have the slightly higher terrain hike than "other more accessible hides" along the side of the road. What you are describing is like a "rural LPC" to me. I would put it on my ignore list or wait until winter so it's more of a challenge to find.

 

In fact, I'm hoping for one of these roadside "rural LPC's" to get archived, because I have a perfect hiding spot in a cave 200 ft away.

Edited by gustav129
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Some of my most memorable finds were the result of multiple searches over multiple years. The usual pattern for a cache is: its published, all the local cachers run out and find it, then it sits and gets logged occasionally as out of town cachers run through the neighborhood. The only reason to archive a cache is because it has not been found over several tries AND the CO has been notified several times AND the CO has not resolved the issues. Keep in mind also, the CO may be in contact with the local reviewer working out issues of permission, life experiences, etc. I'd hate to have to explain to a CO why his cache was no longer available after coming back from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, or after recovering from surgery.

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