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Placing the impossible...


Seedless928

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Hello, I have been a "lurker" here for some time and just recently felt the urge to post. Im in a pickle... I have found some incredibly hard caches and I also have placed some tricky ones.

 

My question is..

How do I place a cache that is so rediculously hard to find that it is "impossible" and ends up on more than a few ignore lists ;) I love this game and in placing caches, I have experimented with new ideas and this is something that keeps coming back in my mind. I want a cache that is findable but

VERY hard.

Any ideas would be great! If you have found a cache that racked youre brain and dont mind spoiling it so it can be modified/recreated for others to enjoy feel free to PM me! Thanks!

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You will want it as hard and possible? Make it a 5/5, unknown cache. A puzzle to give the co-ords to stage one. Stage one(That you need a boat to get to) is a cache that has some kind of trick to open it. Once it gets opened the cache is then presented with another encryption. Solve that to be taken to stage two which could be say in a tree, or under water. Stage 2 will have 2 sets of co-ords, where stage 3 and 4 will be located. The cacher then must visit both stage 3 and 4 in order to get the location for stage 5. (Stage 3 and 4 will have partial co-ords) Stage 5 will be some type of special equipment required, be it a boat or whatever. At stage 5 there will be a final puzzle, which when solved will give the co-ords to the final which is located hanging off of a cliff, where rock climbing equipment will be required.

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So, you want to put out a cache that you don't really want anyone to find?

 

Why don't you just hang something from a tree in your backyard and not tell anyone?

 

Then, post here on the forum so lots of geocachers see it, "I've hidden something, but I'm not going to tell you where it is."

 

I'm sure we'll be happy to ignore you if that's what you're looking for.

 

-----------

 

Of course, I'm being a little sarcastic. The OP just wants the hardest possible, but FINDABLE cache.

Good luck, and post the cache name&code back here when you put it out!

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You will want it as hard and possible? Make it a 5/5, unknown cache. A puzzle to give the co-ords to stage one. Stage one(That you need a boat to get to) is a cache that has some kind of trick to open it. Once it gets opened the cache is then presented with another encryption. Solve that to be taken to stage two which could be say in a tree, or under water. Stage 2 will have 2 sets of co-ords, where stage 3 and 4 will be located. The cacher then must visit both stage 3 and 4 in order to get the location for stage 5. (Stage 3 and 4 will have partial co-ords) Stage 5 will be some type of special equipment required, be it a boat or whatever. At stage 5 there will be a final puzzle, which when solved will give the co-ords to the final which is located hanging off of a cliff, where rock climbing equipment will be required.

 

Oh please. Been there, done that.

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Perhaps you are not on the right track...

 

I find the best ones are the ones that are so ridiculously easy to find given the right mindset, that they get completely missed by the seeker(s). They usually provide the best hunts and result in much self deprecation as well... You know the 'how in the world could I miss that!

 

I can't tell you how to do it deliberately, but I do know they exist. Read around the forums and just about everyone has at least one tale (admitted or not) about the 1/1 or similar that evaded them, and a lot more for slightly harder ones. Personally, I like the challenge some times.

 

An awful lot is dependant on the seeker's personality type. Creating something that is simple, but induces a feeling of "OMG! How am I going to find that" usually succeeds in avoiding detection easily. And it is often the cause of bruised egos and sometimes extreme angst. I know of at least two locally that fit that bill. There is at least one active 'nemesis' cache on my to do list right now, I've been there several times already. It's a micro in the wilderness, possibly a nano (blinky is good bet), and from other caches by the CO, likely has somewhat soft coordinates. OK fine, I'm a big boy and I will play along with it as much as possible. I'm aware of the trickiness which is intended, and it's a roadside hide. But... that valley road is hard on coordinates for the placer and potential finders, mountains, trees everywhere and not exactly flat land either.

Again, I know all of this, and I will continue to hunt it, I did manage most of the other problems I've done in that series, and it is a good one. I'm working (trying to anyway) on helping the CO get better readings for at least two of their caches, one nearly caused injury when a bank collapsed on me trying to follow the apparent GZ as on the page, but... the cache turned out to be further away, other side of the road and at the obvious choice of locale. But we don't know whether it was my (or the next finder's) GPS or the CO's tech causing the problem.

We just don't want someone getting into the wrong place again. Point is: If you place a difficult cache,'hard' or 'easy', you owe it to yourself and others to make sure you spend some time vetting the coordinate set. More than you would for a more normal 'easy find'. That means you can consistently follow the GPS to the right spot, and check it against some other GPS as well, then get it tested by other people as well. That makes the hunt frustrating, but enjoyable, rather than a waste of time. Also think well about the location, since such hunts often cause a lot of wear and tear on the local site, something you want to avoid. Limit locations to more or less 'bomb' proof sites, with a bit of seclusion if you can... but it can be in a muggle magnet as well.

Check out 'Razzle Dazzle' camouflage as well... Sometimes that can be used to good effect. I know one chap that didn't believe me, but tried a bright rainbow coloured container... I got it, as did the FTF before me, but it's darn near impossible to see. Depends on your site and target audience.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

Doug 7rxc

Edited by 7rxc
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The hardest (difficulty + terrain) cache I'm familiar with is an extremely difficult puzzle (4 or 4.5 star difficulty) for an underwater cache (5 star terrain). I've seen a few 5 star difficulty puzzles, so in theory you should be able to combine a puzzle like that with terrain that earns 5 stars.

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Get a nano/blinkie container. drill a hole in a small limb & insert blinkie. Walk 5 or 6 miles into a mountainous, wooded area of the same type of tree as your limb camo. Take a coord reading then throw the cache into the underbrush. Be sure to mention in the cache write-up that the cache is a nano and mention the long hike over the rough terrain.

Many folks will ignore one like that; and those that try to get there will have a VERY difficult time finding the cache.

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Wow didn't expect that many replies that fast. Thanks for the positive comments. As for terain i would like to keep that low, 1-1.5 tops. I recently read about a cache titled "A real challenge" and that sounds so out of the box.. maybe what im lookinv for.. I have found a toothpick with coords written on it in a wooded area -_- grrr..

 

Keep the ideas coming? No need to be harsh or mean. Just convsrsating and getting ideas! Thanks again

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Well, if you're just looking for difficulty and not for terrain, then the D5 caches I've found have been extremely challenging puzzles (most owned by Venona), or multi-stage puzzle caches that required special equipment, or traditional caches that required special equipment (although this last one was a bit of a stretch).

 

Venona's puzzles are generally designed to be solved by multiple people working together, discussing their ongoing progress in an online forum. Most geocachers around here (even most of the puzzlers around here) would ignore them otherwise.

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Hello, I have been a "lurker" here for some time and just recently felt the urge to post. Im in a pickle... I have found some incredibly hard caches and I also have placed some tricky ones.

 

My question is..

How do I place a cache that is so rediculously hard to find that it is "impossible" and ends up on more than a few ignore lists ;) I love this game and in placing caches, I have experimented with new ideas and this is something that keeps coming back in my mind. I want a cache that is findable but

VERY hard.

Any ideas would be great! If you have found a cache that racked youre brain and dont mind spoiling it so it can be modified/recreated for others to enjoy feel free to PM me! Thanks!

Here an article from geocaching. hope it helps

Conquering Your Biggest Geocaching Fear…

 

If you’ve geocached for any length of time, say 60 seconds, this question has run through your mind, “Is it even here?” You’ve checked the fence. You’ve checked under the bench. It’s not hanging from a branch on the tree. It’s not even close to your knee. It’s not there… And then you hear a whisper, “Or is it?” That haunting question is often a geocacher’s biggest fear. Here are a few tips to help increase your chances of knowing the answer.

 

   • Start by re-reading the title. It’s often another hint to the location.

 

• Check recent logs on the geocache page. Find out if the geocache has been found in the last few days or weeks. What do the logs say? There might be a hint that helps direct you to the geocache location.

• Check the terrain and difficulty ratings. If it’s a terrain 1 and you’re looking on a hillside, go back to the sidewalk.

• Speaking of hints, geocaches often offer a real hint. Check that.

• Still stuck? Try looking at any photos. Clues might be hiding in the pictures others uploaded to the geocache page. Still unable to find the geocache? Don’t worry, you’re not out of options yet.

• You’re a social person. You’ve got friends. Maybe one of your friends has found the geocache that’s giving you issues. Try the old “Phone a Friend” or “PAF” as it’s known in geocaching circles.

• Finding the geocache might be a waiting game. Some geocaches are easier to find in the spring or fall.

• If all else fails, be sure to log your Did Not Find or DNF. That lets others know they’re looking for a tough-to-find geocache.

   

And sometimes they’re just really, really well hidden. For example, check out this geocache with 247 DNF’s and 1 Find. Share your tricks for finding well-hidden geocaches on the Geocaching Facebook page. 

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In this week’s Geocaching Weekly Mailer, we talked about logging DNFs (did not find). While no one yearns to log a DNF, they’re a necessary part of the game. DNFs can mean all sorts of things: the geocache has been moved, needs maintenance, or in the case of A Real Challenge (GC1764C), it could mean that it’s incredibly hard to find.

 

With 247 DNFs and only one find, A Real Challenge lives up to its name. In fact, it took nearly four years for the FTF. This geocache was hidden near Peoria, Illinois, USA by geocacher Fuzzy B, who set out with the goal of creating something he’s never seen before, which, with nearly 46,000 finds, is hard to do. “I have felt a little guilty that so many people have spent so much time searching for it,” he said when asked how it felt to be the owner of such a difficult geocache.

 

In the geocache description, Fuzzy B writes, “Please, to hold down the level of frustration, anger, etc., just put this on your ignore list, it’s not very findable.” But he goes on to reassure us,  “Yes, its there. It’s a shelter Cache, a log in a container. Cache is not in, on, or touching any part of the electrical equipment. It’s not on the roof, or under the shingles, nor the drip edge. Cache is exposed to light and air. Cache is within the footprint of the roof. There is NO reason to damage or destroy Park property.”

 

BransonAdventure after their find.

 

It’s there somewhere…

A Real Challenge has only one find so far by geocacher BransonAdventure. “We found at 8:07pm, but waited to log so we could confirm with owner it wasn’t a decoy or mistake. All the way from Nebraska on vacation we extended the Eastward travel just for this cache,” they said in their log, “I will say we spent just a little under 2 hours looking when my husband found it and then to unroll the log, being so excited and shaking felt like it took about as long. The husband and kids did a little jig.” After the find, Fuzzy B came to meet the lucky geocachers.

 

Even if it’s a little discouraging, DNFs are an important part of the game. Just think, if all the people that had searched for A Real Challenge hadn’t logged their DNFs, the FTF wouldn’t have been as special.

 

There’s only one way to find out where this geocache is located, but in the meantime, we can speculate. Where do you think it’s hidden?

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I think maybe a puzzle/multi/field puzzle would make for a hard find. I just dont have the puzzle mind!

I'd bet (just like most everybody) you know lots of things few other people know. Design a rather simple "puzzle" based on some obscure topic, and it becomes an devious enigma, until cachers can figure out the key.

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Get a nano/blinkie container. drill a hole in a small limb & insert blinkie. Walk 5 or 6 miles into a mountainous, wooded area of the same type of tree as your limb camo. Take a coord reading then throw the cache into the underbrush. Be sure to mention in the cache write-up that the cache is a nano and mention the long hike over the rough terrain.

Many folks will ignore one like that; and those that try to get there will have a VERY difficult time finding the cache.

Glad I dont live in your area.

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Perhaps you are not on the right track...

 

I find the best ones are the ones that are so ridiculously easy to find given the right mindset, that they get completely missed by the seeker(s). They usually provide the best hunts and result in much self deprecation as well... You know the 'how in the world could I miss that!

 

I can't tell you how to do it deliberately, but I do know they exist. Read around the forums and just about everyone has at least one tale (admitted or not) about the 1/1 or similar that evaded them, and a lot more for slightly harder ones. Personally, I like the challenge some times.

 

An awful lot is dependant on the seeker's personality type. Creating something that is simple, but induces a feeling of "OMG! How am I going to find that" usually succeeds in avoiding detection easily. And it is often the cause of bruised egos and sometimes extreme angst. I know of at least two locally that fit that bill. There is at least one active 'nemesis' cache on my to do list right now, I've been there several times already. It's a micro in the wilderness, possibly a nano (blinky is good bet), and from other caches by the CO, likely has somewhat soft coordinates. OK fine, I'm a big boy and I will play along with it as much as possible. I'm aware of the trickiness which is intended, and it's a roadside hide. But... that valley road is hard on coordinates for the placer and potential finders, mountains, trees everywhere and not exactly flat land either.

Again, I know all of this, and I will continue to hunt it, I did manage most of the other problems I've done in that series, and it is a good one. I'm working (trying to anyway) on helping the CO get better readings for at least two of their caches, one nearly caused injury when a bank collapsed on me trying to follow the apparent GZ as on the page, but... the cache turned out to be further away, other side of the road and at the obvious choice of locale. But we don't know whether it was my (or the next finder's) GPS or the CO's tech causing the problem.

We just don't want someone getting into the wrong place again. Point is: If you place a difficult cache,'hard' or 'easy', you owe it to yourself and others to make sure you spend some time vetting the coordinate set. More than you would for a more normal 'easy find'. That means you can consistently follow the GPS to the right spot, and check it against some other GPS as well, then get it tested by other people as well. That makes the hunt frustrating, but enjoyable, rather than a waste of time. Also think well about the location, since such hunts often cause a lot of wear and tear on the local site, something you want to avoid. Limit locations to more or less 'bomb' proof sites, with a bit of seclusion if you can... but it can be in a muggle magnet as well.

Check out 'Razzle Dazzle' camouflage as well... Sometimes that can be used to good effect. I know one chap that didn't believe me, but tried a bright rainbow coloured container... I got it, as did the FTF before me, but it's darn near impossible to see. Depends on your site and target audience.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

Doug 7rxc

 

This description is excellent Doug.....There is 1 cacher here that has hidden 1 exactly as you have explained.....

http://coord.info/GC4FWD3

It is early in its placement but has so far stumped the locals....I cant reveal the details of this cache....but I don't think it will be found soon....

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Get a nano/blinkie container. drill a hole in a small limb & insert blinkie. Walk 5 or 6 miles into a mountainous, wooded area of the same type of tree as your limb camo. Take a coord reading then throw the cache into the underbrush. Be sure to mention in the cache write-up that the cache is a nano and mention the long hike over the rough terrain.

Many folks will ignore one like that; and those that try to get there will have a VERY difficult time finding the cache.

Glad I dont live in your area.

Glad I don't own a cache like that to maintain. :laughing:

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