City Cache Hides

[+The Lazy Sunbathers]

I currently reside in Key West, FL. The area isn't too dense with geocaches and I want to do my part keeping the game going for those who've cached out this area and put out some hides.

That being said with the dense local and tourist population it's not easy to be inconspicuous. As a result I think that they should be easy to find by a regular cacher so they don't draw too much unwanted attention.

I also strive to put out the largest cache I can that will be unnoticeable within reason. I'm not a huge fan of micros/nanos that could have easily been a small or regular and think it's sometimes a cop out. I'm not against them if they're what's best for the area.

I reread the cache guidelines again and there's no rule or suggestion on placing the biggest cache you could reasonably hide. I'm curious to hear from the more seasoned cache hiders and finders what your advise would be on hiding urban/city caches.

 

(Sorry for the long rant/read)

[+Sharks-N-Beans]

I reread the cache guidelines again and there's no rule or suggestion on placing the biggest cache you could reasonably hide. I'm curious to hear from the more seasoned cache hiders and finders what your advise would be on hiding urban/city caches.

It sounds like what you want to hide are commonly known as "HIPS" (hidden in plain sight) caches. They are some of our favorite. They range from the simple cap on the chain link fence post to much larger items that look like they belong. One of my favorites was a light bulb in a real socket. If you plan on putting a lock-n-lock in a place that muggles wouldn't look, think again. They somehow look everywhere.

[+Colonial Cats]

There is no shame in hiding a micro or nano as long as it is a good fit to the environment. However, if there is a good spot for a larger cache near by (less than 528 feet), then the larger cache should be placed instead.

[+Heli Leo]

The largest cache I have at present is a ammo can. It is in the bushes next to the front door of the local Boyscout Office. I thought that as long as they had a geocaching merit badge they should have a cache at the office. They agreed. Nobody pays attention to a cacher looking in the bushes there. The cache has received a lot of favorable comments on the size being hidden in town.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

I hid over a dozen nanos in Newport RI at interesting locations (neat view, history, etc). (The series has been archived for several reasons and was replaced by a multi)

 

They were all well received, especially by tourists who were only in town for a short visit.

 

If you go this route, make sure the are easy to find, and the hint is a dead give away (example: back of blue bench side closest building). Place them such that an innocent activity can cover up the retrieval and re-hide (such as tying of shoes, or reading an info sign). If people have to look for them, that's when they get noticed and muggled.

[+Chief301]

It definitely takes a little more effort to find a good placement for a Small or a Regular in an urban environment, but I think it's worth it. I really appreciate it when someone finds a way to do it properly.

 

At least with a Micro you can palm the container, walk away to an inconspicuous location, have a seat on a bench and sign the log without arousing attention in a lot of cases.....a little harder to do when you're sitting on the bench with an ammo can in your lap😳

[+The Lazy Sunbathers]

All great feedback. I was worried that I was going to get chewed up for my personal cache hide views. On the first cache I placed in Key West http://coord.info/GC4X405 I did make it completely obvious where it's placed. I've received a lot of positive feedback in the logs too. Helps me to work hard on the next one.

[+niraD]

At least with a Micro you can palm the container, walk away to an inconspicuous location, have a seat on a bench and sign the log without arousing attention in a lot of cases.....a little harder to do when you're sitting on the bench with an ammo can in your lap😳

Yep. There are a number of local parks where I've seen a series of caches hidden. The larger caches get muggled until someone hides a micro-cache (or perhaps even a puzzle micro-cache). That's what survives.

 

And yes, the larger caches get muggled even when they are completely invisible to non-geocachers when hidden. Just as prolonged searches attract unwanted attention to an urban/suburban cache, finders retrieving and replacing a larger container attract unwanted attention to an urban/suburban cache.

[+Dread_Pirate_Bruce]

My basic rule is to use the largest cache that won’t be muggled. The first corollary to this is to hide the cache only well enough that it won’t get muggled. The second corollary to this is you may need to use a smaller cache so that it does not need to be hidden quite so well as a larger one might. The third corollary is that most adult cachers don’t bother with trades after they have found more than a few dozen caches.

 

A cache that is in an obvious spot may not be an easy one to find if there are lots of places you might need to look to find it. For example, a cache hidden under a newspaper machine is an “easy” one to find, unless (1) there are a dozen such machines in a line, or (2) there is no way to inconspicuously look under the machine. The act of looking at, in or under a lot of things tends to attract attention.

 

When it is likely that most cachers who come to a cache are going to a lot of trouble to get there, consider finding a way to make it easier for them to find that it might otherwise be. There is little that is more frustrating than hiking 10 miles to get a particular cache and then not being able to find it. Likewise, when a cache is one of only a few in a vacation destination, try not to make a tourist go home without having found a cache. Of course, the basic rule and corollaries must be considered. (I have exactly one find in Haiti. It was the only one in the area where cruise ships go. I would have hated to go to Haiti and then been unable to find a cache.)

 

Hints should not require internet access or “local knowledge.” Locals may know what a “Typical Hossenpfeffer hide is,” but cachers from out of the area may not. I know that a hint saying “No hint needed.” means “It is an easy cache to find.” But, if it was so easy, I would not need to look at the hint. And, if I’m looking at the hint, hen a hint sure is needed.

[+The Lazy Sunbathers]

Had to google corollary. LOL.

I've gone back to the spot I want to put a cache several times now trying to come up with a way to put anything other than a micro. After reading your comments and revisiting the location it's just going to have to be a micro. That way I can ensure survivability and no DNF's.

Now, I am slightly disappointed that I just couldn't figure out a way to place a larger hide without the weather here or muggles destroying it but at least I can still highlight the location and maybe show people something they didn't know was here.

 

Curious, what are some ways you've hidden some high muggle area caches in an urban environment? Maybe there's an idea I haven't thought of.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I hid over a dozen nanos in Newport RI at interesting locations (neat view, history, etc). (The series has been archived for several reasons and was replaced by a multi)

 

They were all well received, especially by tourists who were only in town for a short visit.

 

If you go this route, make sure the are easy to find, and the hint is a dead give away (example: back of blue bench side closest building). Place them such that an innocent activity can cover up the retrieval and re-hide (such as tying of shoes, or reading an info sign). If people have to look for them, that's when they get noticed and muggled.

 

I've cached in Key West and this is good advice, esp. about the dead give away hint.

Edited January 29, 2014 by BAMBOOZLE

[+GopherGreg]

Curious, what are some ways you've hidden some high muggle area caches in an urban environment? Maybe there's an idea I haven't thought of.

 

I always place micros in urban locations, because IMHO I'd rather look for, and find a micro, then DNF the small medium sized cache five times before finding it in a really urban location (behind a bench or such).

 

However, this one by 9Key seems to be doing pretty well url="http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4Q1Q9_large-plastic-bin-hidden-under-a-bush"]http://coord.info/GC4Q1Q9[/url].

 

Good luck!

[+TheWeatherWarrior]

Start hitting up the junk piles of old city utility boxes, covers, etc. find places (might have to coordinate with the officials in Key West...but it is a small town) like a fake parking meter, an empty utility box, a faux sewer cover (small 8" diameter type), etc.

 

There are TONS of good small, regular and LARGE caches that are possible in urban areas (and I'm getting ready to prove the point here in Tampa).

Edited January 30, 2014 by TheWeatherWarrior

[Blue Square Thing]

I've found small and regular boxes in central London - and that's a fairly major city with a fair number of tourists and so on. They beat the urban nanos or micros any day of the week - although there are obviously places where they won't work. I think there's even a large cache in central London - hidden in the British Library I believe.

[+Turnip Farm]

I am always on the lookout for places to leave a larger container that won't get muggled..I'm a trackables fan and would love to have a TB MOtel here in suburban Sacramento. I have several containers about all ready to be camo'd and placed. But I don't want a 'typical' hide, although one of mine is very typical and gets a lot of finds, due to it being a gateway to a nature area with even more caches. Always trying to come up with ideas that are probably common in other areas but not here. Metal tins in storm drains are rather overdone. I'm hoping someone will throw out a clue of something larger they have found in an urban area that is not just a peanut butter jar tossed in the bushes. I always feel a little disappointed when I find a log only cache..even though I have placed one myself (if it shows thought behind the placement or container choice, I'm all for it!) but still, I like the idea of trading or dropping off a trackable..as in 'we visited the relatives for the holidays and left the TB we found when on vacation..just moving it along..)

 

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. I want adults to have some fun with this and not get bored, which I could see happening after finding a few of our 'typical' suburban hides.

[+TheWeatherWarrior]

If you want a urban regular or large container, consider getting into welding. I've got a smaller ammo can that I'm going to possibly weld a plate to, drill holes and hard mount to a spot in downtown Tampa (probably be a couple months before I get to it though).