Night Cache Hunting

[mcb]

I love poll post.

 

So how many of you have hunted cached at night? Please feel free to add good stories as a follow up post.

 

Thanks

mcb

[mortonfox]

quote:

---

Originally posted by mcb:

I love poll post.

 

So how many of you have hunted cached at night? Please feel free to add good stories as a follow up post.

 

---

 

Some local cachers may have been surprised by my log book entries noting times like 2am or 3am. Most of the time though, it was just after sunset, and I was still in the mood for just one more cache.

 

And oh yeah, once was near midnight in a park that had so well-lit that I didn't see how it could be any harder than caching in the day!

[Mike Chmi]

Hunting in the dark can make things A LOT more interesting. While travelling the country I did several at night. Driving down old dirt roads in the middle of nowhere with the full moon out and hiking through I place you are completely unfamiliar with does make things pretty interesting to say the least. Just have to be careful, on another night cache I got banged up pretty good from tripping over hidden branches and rocks.

[+cliffy]

quote:

---

Some local cachers may have been surprised by my log book entries noting times like 2am or 3am

---

 

Dang! I LOVE caching at night......at least up here during the winter months..... When there's snow on the ground and a low cloud ceiling the light from any metro area just bounces back to the snow and lights it up (no flashlight needed) plus in winter there's no leaf/foliage to get in your way...... Night caching rocks! I got in big "poo-poo" from my girlfriend for logging one on Christmas day at 2am.....I told her I was going out to find a cache...She thought I was kidding...hehehe

[+Showcase_Boyz]

quote:

---

Originally posted by mikechim:

I got banged up pretty good from tripping over hidden branches and rocks.

---

 

I slipped and fractured my ankle setting out my first cache at night. And to top it off, it got stolen about 4 days later!

 

Mike (The DirtMan) Pellerin

aka Badger

dirtman@iname.com

[+Navdog]

I agree, night caching is great. We are planning a full moon cache using hidden L.E.D lights.

 

Here is a pic from a recent hunt:

 

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be."

-Douglas Adams

[Night Crawlers]

Well, YES! We are the Night Crawlers of course! We have both set and hunted at night. This can be dangerous of course, as one time we got locked in a state park and had to wait for the cops to come get us!!! We had a good laugh about it, and now we pay more attention to where we park!

 

FGA - Florida Geocaching Assoc.

[+cache-potato]

Would love to do a 'moon-cache'. Think it would be a blast. Think it would add a scary twist to some. Like this one here ---> Unfortunately I have already been there a couple times in the light of day. There is one near me in a cemetary. Friday night I think I will go!!!

 

[+bunkerdave]

Man, where do I start?

 

I can remember some that even now I can't believe I went after. Spring Canyon Point comes to mind. Moab, Utah. 11:00 pm. June 1, 2001. I had logged 39 caches at that point. I was in town to play in a city rec basketball tournament, and was BEAT. (Physically) This cache had eluded me the last time I was in the area, and was the last current cache in the area unlogged for me. It had not been visited. I took off from Moab and drove completely blind, stopping periodically to check my route on my Map330. The roads were all unmarked, and the territory completely new to me. And there wasn't much of a moon. As I left Moab, I noticed I was almost on empty, and resolved that as soon as the fuel light came on, I would turn back, no matter how close I was. (Yeah, right) I drove along, with one eye on the GPS, one on the fuel gauge, and an occasional glance at what I could see of the road. I spend the hour I ws driving out there fully expecting the light to be on every time I looked at it. I came to the end of the roadm, and proceeded slowly over slickrock as far as I dared. Just .15 mile to go. I got out, grabbed the dollar store flashlight I got from the Hurrah Pass cache, and headed out. I had the cache info in my Palm 3c, and when I got to the zero point, I still saw no cache. I read the page again, and looked a little more. Then I decrypted the hint. Cache was right where it should have been, just as it was left, and indeed, I was the first to log it. I traded nothing, but took my picture with the brand new camera inside. I tried to take in the view, but a dollar store flashlight doesn't give much glow. I went back to the Subaru marvelling at all the stars, and wishing I'd thought to pack a sleeping bag. I walked back tot he car and headed out. The fuel light came on about half a mile back up the road. I got back to Moab without event, and oh, yeah, I got some gas at the first station I saw.

 

That cache was logged (I think) one more time, then the owner retrieved it and archived it "due to inactivity and remote location." I think that pretty well says it all.

 

bunkerdave

[+Hawk-eye]

Night hunt ... not by design ... lesson learned ... briars hurt in the dark with dead flashlight

 

[+Clan Ferguson]

To boot most caches around here are in forest perserves (can't spell) so being in them at night without permission is tresspassing and I learned that lesson back in high school. I wouldn't want to go through the hassle or indanger the cache of being removed.

 

Guess I'm getting old.

 

Cache ON!!

 

James

"Big Dog"

-Clan Ferguson

[mcb]

Cache-potato, I love that sig. picture.

 

I planning a double cache hunt for this weekend. I just learned that the Cleveland Metro Parks are open untill 11:00 pm. I had always assumed that like many of the parks here in Ohio they closed at dusk. I let you guys know how it goes.

 

mcb

[+cache-potato]

I really had a difficult time deciding what to use.

 

[+Jamie Z]

Went cache hunting the other day at night. I had to drive about an hour to a state park that I'd never been to. No idea if the place closes or anything.

 

I was happy to see the entrance ungated and the sign said "Park Closes at 10:00pm." It was about 8:00 when I got there.

 

I stumbled around in the woods for a little while and found the cache accidently after about 10 minutes of searching. Since I'd left the rest of my things on the trail so I didn't have to bushwack while carrying everything, I set my GPS down on the cache and returned to get my things. When I tried to get back, I couldn't find the cache or my GPS that was on top of it. I searched for about 10 minutes before I found it. In the meantime, I was getting nervous.

 

Signed the logbook, left a travelbug... and went home.

 

Jamie

[+rdw]

I tried to hide one in the dark once. The cache was about 2/3 of a mile from the parking. Forested area on the edge of a lake. No security lights at all! The first half is straight on a gated gravel/dirt road. I started a little after 3a, walked about a third of a mile by moonlight only when I saw a truck pull up behind my car. I decided to go back. It was a hunter with bow and arrow. I decided at that point that I probably shouldn't be roaming the area and left. Placed the cache the next day. Now that hunting season is over, I might try to find in the dark. There are some caches in the area hidden in areas that never close. It sounds too cool to not try it.

 

rdw

[+300mag]

I have not yet gone caching at night. I have been out at sundown but still had some daylight. I got to try this someday or night

[+cache-potato]

wanted to go tonight.... in the rain... wife didn't or WOULDN'T go. What's up with that. Where's the commitment and dedication these days. Had the traveler for 2 weeks now... gotta get in on the road to riches. On the other hand... my 4 year old was ready to go. He has more confidence in Daddy protecting him than wife has.

 

[+Hawk-eye]

quote:

---

Originally posted by cache-potato:

....He has more confidence in Daddy protecting him than wife has.

---

 

There must be a universal truth there somewhere ... I've been married almost 24 years to the same lovely little blonde ... but the story is the same

 

[+Skaymus]

and other things that go bump in the night. I found my first three caches after midnight (the same night). There is nothing like being in the desert at night - thats when most all the critters come out to play.

 

Here's two other night caching experiences I had, check them out if you want.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=839

&

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=10790

-Skaymus

[+georgeandmary]

Last night a local cache popped up by a local irrication canal. It was 9:30 at night, it was 12 miles away, I had a light, I went fot it. I ended up not finding it. It was a really small cache 2 inches by 2 inches. Gave up after about 30 minutes.

 

george

[+Team Kaye]

We did our first night cache about two weeks ago. Planned to do it in the daylight but thanks to delays it was dark by the time we got to the site. I learned some very important lessons:

1) ALWAYS take the big mag light. The little one in my purse doesn't do diddly in the *REAL* dark.

2) Stickers are impossible to see in the dark and they will attach themselves and tangle in your clothes in every possible place. 3) Those cute little leafless, twiggy baby trees will find every open place on your head.....eyes, nose(my absolute least favorite!!)ears. You cannot see those in the dark and it is always a suprise!! 4) Tree branches rubbing together sound just like car doors screeching open. Once I got my heart settled down from that one....we found the cache!!

[+DenaliNW]

Just did a night cache tonight, specifically set up to be done at night (would be next to impossible in the day).

 

After Dark

 

The coordinates take you to a park, and then you are required to find the cache by following a trail of reflective tape. Most of the "light crumbs" were very small, and blended well with the foliage. Took about 2 hours to complete.

[+laurie]

Well I did get stuck out once - was hot on the trail of the final leg in a multi-cache, you know the problem - check the time, making sure that you can get back out - then "just 10 min more" until it is dark.

 

It also became the defining moment when I determined that my Garmin GPS (yellow) and I should part company. I am MUCH happier with my Magellan 330 - I "connect" better with it

 

I now check for sunset before I get out, and have a definate "get out of the woods" time set that I keep to.

 

Not that I am afraid of the dark but - why ask for trouble? (I also tend to cache alone so that may be part of it)

 

Laurie

[+Mopar]

quote:

---

Originally posted by DenaliNW:

Just did a night cache tonight, specifically set up to be done at night (would be next to impossible in the day).

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=9649

 

The coordinates take you to a park, and then you are required to find the cache by following a trail of reflective tape. Most of the "light crumbs" were very small, and blended well with the foliage. Took about 2 hours to complete.

---

 

Did one just like that a few months ago, Night Vision. Doing a night time cache in the woods alone is a totally different experience from even doing one at night with a partner. The only sounds are the ones of mother nature.... and your own heartbeat. Really does add to the thrill factor of the hunt. The cache above has only had 3 visits in as many months, which is a shame, because it really is a great cache.

 

Illegitimus non carborundum!

[renraf]

A buddy and I went on a Geocaching adventure around the state of NC. We just downloaded all the waypoints into our GPS's and went for them, no printouts or anything. We went searching for one cache near the coast in the middle of the night. We pulled over on the side of the road and a stray cat followed us all through the woods where ever we went. It felt kinda strange especially since we were right next to a cemetary as well. We never did find the catch though. We ran into a swamp and we really didn't feel like trugging through it like we did some where else earlier in the week(that's another story).

[+urbo]

hello, i'm urbo and i'm a night cacher..

(chorus) hello urbo!

 

----------------------------------

 

night caching is the way to go! it adds a new angle to things and also decreases the chances of non-geocachers snooping to see what your doing.

 

all of my hunting is at night but my placing varies. i rather place during the day to make sure its not too obvious. caching at night in the woods is downright freaky for most of us city slickers so i usually cache with a buddy when heading to the sticks.

 

as a rule of thumb.. fill up the tank and make sure the batteries are good on the flashlight. i prefer led flashlights for this reason. you get PLENTY of use before the batteries go completely flat.

 

URBO

[+VE6SRV]

When the sun goes down at 5:00pm, and you have to work until 5:30, you sometimes have to play in the dark.

 

Had no problems finding that one at all, but losing light, and the antenna from your GPS II+ is no fun.

 

I headed into the bush for a quickie on the way home from a 6 km round trip into the Blackfoot cache. 1/2 a kilometer... I could do that one in 15 minutes tops. That is, until I snagged some bushes, and looked at my GPS to see the antenna was missing. Suddenly the GPS starts squawking about POOR COVERAGE! I stood perfectly still for the next 10 minutes looking at every little hole and dark spot in the 6 inches of snow... The antenna has to be here somewhere!

 

I decided to abandon the hunt, and painstakingly backed out in my own footsteps when I could no longer see my shoes!

 

I armed myself with a metal detector, and the next day went back to recover my antenna and the cache.

 

Stepping into my last footprints, I noticed a funny little hole in the snow... BINGO, my lost antenna was found. 3 minutes more, and a cache was opened as well...

 

Reflective tape only helps if there isn't 6 inches of snow on top of the tape!

 

VE6SRV

[+KD7MXI]

sounds fun"AVOIDING GETTING SPOTTET BY ALL"

 

use the land or lose it to developers forever

----------------------------------------------

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CacheAcrossAmerica

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest_cache.asp?u=KD7MXI

http://www.cachunuts.com

[+craggy (nightcrawler)]

We geocache at night about 75% of the time. It's the only way to do the hunt.

[+Logscaler and Red]

Red and I took up a challange thrown out by another local cacher,

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=16368,

 

and we had to one up him. The only way to do that was to do the cache at night. Lava flows, cliffs, downed trees, deep sand, large holes, two out of three lights dieing, etc, etc. It was a kick in the pants.

[+parkrrrr]

It doesn't compare with some of the stories in this thread, but see our log for April 1 on this cache:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6812

[movieguy]

After getting home from finding 3 caches after school and seeing that I somehow missed one that was 200ft from one I was just at 10mins ago I had to go back. Armed with my mini-mag and a walking pole (to fight off thugs =) ) I headed out and parked in the usual spot. I got less than 100ft to where the cache was when I started to hear voices coming from all around. I shined my mag but it got worse since everything now had a shadow. I decided not to cross the creek right before the cache and turn back.

 

I was alone so it seemed kinda freaky.

 

nothing

[+EliJoMikMiNi]

Out of 52 cache "Found It's" , 10 of them were done in the dark, either on purpose or because I just won't give up unless I have totally exhausted my options, i.e. no flashlight,too dangerous or just plain spooked. And I thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. Take a 1/1 and do it at night if you want more of a challenge. I got hurt on one of my night hunts, http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=12091 ,dislocated my shoulder, but what really upset me was... I didn't get to find the cache and it was RIGHT THERE!!!

 

The harder you work,the harder it is to give up.

Vince Lombarde

[+VentureForth]

On 1/1 caches that I tried looking for in the dark. Frustrating! Amazing how you focus on your teenie beam from your flashlight, and how important your peripheral vision is.

 

I like it!

 

---------------

Go! And don't be afraid to get a little wet!

[+Salvelinus]

I had my first night experience last week.

 

It was the day after DST and I mis-judged when it was going to get dark. The GPS said the cache was only 10 miles away...No problem! Yea right.

 

When I finally found the last road the cache was on, I stopped at basically a cliff area. I reached for the flashlight I was sure I had with me and discovered I didn't have one.

 

I have experience getting around at night so I was still convinced I could find it considering I was only 0.1 mile away.

 

As soon as I took two steps from the car, a massive fog bank swept across the ridge and I couldn't see two feet in front of me. With or without a flashlight. I took a few more steps and remembered that this was a cliff area. I was thinking that it's probably not a good idea to wander around in a foggy cliff area. I debated a bit more and then decided to give it up...right then it started pouring down rain. Needless to say, the whole thing was aborted. And it was a two hour drive back home!

 

I plan on returning to this cache for an actual hunt, and I just feel obligated to do it at night again!

 

I'll log the whole story when I can actually hunt for it.

 

smoochnme

 

"Give a man a fish and he eats for a day...

Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime"

[Jose]

I think night caches are best when they're designed to be done at night. I've placed a few night-only caches, and I've seen others around that have been designed for the nighttime. Hunting a regular cache at night adds to the difficulty, but I think those designed for the nighttime add to the "fun" factor.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=4681

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=5541

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=20188

[JAX]

ONLY A FEW OF MY FINDS HAVE BEEN AFTER DARK.TWO ON

PURPOSE AND TWO BECAUSE 'OOPS IT GOT DARK'.

 

I DID COME UP WITH AN ILLUMINATED HIKING STICK.

IT LIGHTS UP AN AREA ABOUT 6 FEET IN FRONT OF YOU.

RUNS ON A CAMCORDER BATTERY WHICH LASTS ABOUT 10

HOURS.THE STRIP OF LIGHT CAN BE SEEN FROM A 1000 FEET OR MORE.

 

WHILE HIKING AFTER DARK IN SUMMIT COUNTY(OHIO),

IT TOOK THE RANGERS 45 MINUTES TO FINALLY CATCH

UP TO ME.THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE LOCALS CALLED

TO SAY THAT ALIENS ARE IN THE PARK

 

HOPEFULLY I CAN SOON MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO FELLOW CACHERS.

 

OUR LOCAL NATIONAL PARK (CVNP) IS 24 HOUR,TO BAD

THEY DON'T ALLOW CACHING.

 

GUESS I'LL TRY A FEW MORE AFTER DARK.

[+majicman]

I like the idea of tying sirens and lights on you in this thread:

 

http://opentopic.Groundspeak.com/0/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=1750973553&f=3000917383&m=8080920494&r=2640913594#2640913594

 

hehehe

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)