Secure hide in a cave?

[+beauxeault]

I've obtained permission to place a cache at a historic site with plenty of good hiding spots, but among them all, the most enticing is inside a small cave where Daniel Boone is once said to have spent some time. I'd especially like to use an old Daniel Boone lunch box as the container. But such a container is not exactly cheap, so I wouldn't want to take that approach if the chance of losing it would be especially high. And there is reason to think that risk is high.

 

The cave has plenty of room and good spots for hiding, but is not exceptionally large (one "room" is maybe 30-40 feet long, and a second "room" is about 20 feet long). The site is in a sort-of-suburban area, the point being that it is not remote, so there is a population nearby. As a result, the cave is reportedly sometimes used by people seeking to practice various illicit activities, and may also occasionally serve as a temporary shelter for homeless people. Since the interior of this cave is part of the tour route at the historic site, the staff there routinely check the place before they'll send a group of kids to the cave, so nobody could stay there for very long.

 

Under those circumstances, the chance of losing the container seem high enough to me that I've resorted to seeking another spot for the hide. But before I give up entirely on the cave, I thought I'd check here to see if any of you experienced cachers know of a good way to hide a cache in a cave in such a way as to render it highly muggle-resistant. Any thoughts?

 

 

[+J Grouchy]

Seems like those sorts of places often will tell YOU where people tend to spend time because of litter, graffiti, wear and tear. Maybe find a corner that appears to be little-used or unused?

 

Without seeing it first-hand, though, it's hard to say what sort of environment you're working with.

[nonaeroterraqueous]

It's a game of psychology. Never place the cache at or in the exact point of interest. It's always safer to make it one-off from the point. You could place it near the cave. When non-cachers see the cave on approach, the cave, itself, becomes the distraction from noticing the cache, and geocachers still get to see the cave when they find the cache.

[+kunarion]

I wouldn't want to take that approach if the chance of losing it would be especially high. And there is reason to think that risk is high

Ya think?!

 

Use an inexpensive lunchbox, or similar box, or even an ammo can, labeled like the original. Whatever it is, unless you're planning to archive the cache after it goes bad, you'll have to replace it anyway, just from ordinary Geocaching.

[+Chief301]

Can you find a way to place an inconspicuous tag in the cave, with some coordinates on it? A small metal dog tag or something similar could be more easily concealed, and less likely to be taken since it has little value. Then you make the cache a multi....cachers enter the cave to find the final coordinates, which lead them to a more secure hiding spot somewhere away from the cave.

[+Viajero Perdido]

It's a game of psychology. Never place the cache at or in the exact point of interest. It's always safer to make it one-off from the point. You could place it near the cave. When non-cachers see the cave on approach, the cave, itself, becomes the distraction from noticing the cache, and geocachers still get to see the cave when they find the cache.

^ This.

 

If you hide it right where people gather, this happens:

This was my least favorite cache find of the day, but it should have been the best. Why? I was stuck sitting beside my backpack for a looooong 45 minutes while herd after herd after herd of muggles arrived and did all the things tourists do at waterfalls. Hidden under my backpack was the cache container - signed, sealed, but not yet delivered - and I just wanted the MUGGLES TO GO AWAY so I could put the darned thing back.

 

If only you'd hidden the cache 100m away, instead of right smack in the middle of the only muggle zone for miles around! "Stealth caching" is a different sport, really, and I can do that in the city.

[+Manville Possum]

I've obtained permission to place a cache at a historic site with plenty of good hiding spots, but among them all, the most enticing is inside a small cave where Daniel Boone is once said to have spent some time. I'd especially like to use an old Daniel Boone lunch box as the container. But such a container is not exactly cheap, so I wouldn't want to take that approach if the chance of losing it would be especially high. And there is reason to think that risk is high.

 

The cave has plenty of room and good spots for hiding, but is not exceptionally large (one "room" is maybe 30-40 feet long, and a second "room" is about 20 feet long). The site is in a sort-of-suburban area, the point being that it is not remote, so there is a population nearby. As a result, the cave is reportedly sometimes used by people seeking to practice various illicit activities, and may also occasionally serve as a temporary shelter for homeless people. Since the interior of this cave is part of the tour route at the historic site, the staff there routinely check the place before they'll send a group of kids to the cave, so nobody could stay there for very long.

 

Under those circumstances, the chance of losing the container seem high enough to me that I've resorted to seeking another spot for the hide. But before I give up entirely on the cave, I thought I'd check here to see if any of you experienced cachers know of a good way to hide a cache in a cave in such a way as to render it highly muggle-resistant. Any thoughts?

What about about a EarthCache and give a little history about Boone? Just an idea, but I enjoy traditionals best. I have several listings along Boone's trail, and you are not too far away from my location here in the Commonwealth, so keep me posted or please semd me a PM when your cache is ready, I would like to visit the location. Some of my listings are near pioneer shelters, and have been muggled, so maybe you should place the cache near the shelter but keep it well hidden.

[+cerberus1]

Include the cave as a stage in a multi.

 

Someone besides cachers will find it if inside, probably by accident.

I can't picture a lunch box lasting more than a few months in a cave environment anyway.

[4wheelin_fool]

Get some clay, and make stage 1 a fake turd or rock inside. Stage two could be the lunch box somewhere else if you put a lock n lock inside of it, and spray plenty of clear coat on it.