Power Trails

[+LestISmiteThee]

A couple questions about Power Trails...

 

1) What's the minimum number of caches that can make a "power trail?" I've heard anywhere from 10+ to 50+. I'd like to know so I can keep track of how many I've done, which at this point might only be one.

 

2) Does it have to be on a road or trail, or can it be anywhere, like through a forest or over a swamp?

 

3) Do the caches or descriptions have to say "power trail" in them to count? Some places have tons of caches along a bike trail or something without being called "power trails."

 

Thanks for the help :]

Edited September 9, 2014 by LestISmiteThee

[+BAMBOOZLE]

A couple questions about Power Trails...

 

1) What's the minimum number of caches that can make a "power trail?" I've heard anywhere from 10+ to 50+. I'd like to know so I can keep track of how many I've done, which at this point might only be one.

 

2) Does it have to be on a road or trail, or can it be anywhere, like through a forest or over a swamp?

 

3) Do the caches or descriptions have to say "power trail" in them to count? Some places have tons of caches along a bike trail or something without being called "power trails."

 

Thanks for the help :]

 

1. There is no set number.

 

2. They can be anywhere but usually follow a road or trail.

 

3. " power trail " is seldom mentioned....the term does not have to be used.

[+lamoracke]

There is no set definition of a power trail, as the last poster said. No minimum # of caches. To me, a power trail are caches put pretty much for the sole purpose of gathering a big # of caches, in a row or cluster, usually by the same CO, often with the same exact container. May or may not be Geo Art.

 

If you want to make it a better, in my opinion, choose different containers, perhaps find good spots in general, not the next convenient spot to make it as close to 528 feet as possible. However, do as you like, folks seem to like getting numbers up, so its your call.

Edited September 9, 2014 by lamoracke

[+T.D.M.22]

Its not an official thing, kinda like the nano size cache. So it's really subjective. But if you have a lot of similar caches placed in close proximity along a path with the sole intention of being able to find them fast, well that's a power trail.

 

It could be anywhere- along a road, or through a forest. But since the point is to get many caches with less effort, it's going to be along a road or trail, not through the middle of a forest. Taking a truck, or even an ATV in a straight line makes it much easier than walking around trees. In my city they are set up so you can get 500 caches in 24 hours.

 

No it doesn't have to say power tra anywhere. But really if it's a popular place there's going to be lots of caches. It just happens to be a trail. If the caches are different and placed by different peoe with different descriptions, it's not a power trail. If they're aced by the same person/group with the same description and same container hidden the same way, it's a power trail.

[+geodarts]

No it doesn't have to say power tra anywhere. But really if it's a popular place there's going to be lots of caches. It just happens to be a trail. If the caches are different and placed by different peoe with different descriptions, it's not a power trail. If they're aced by the same person/group with the same description and same container hidden the same way, it's a power trail.

 

That's why I usually call them "repetitive trails," since "power" seems inaccurate to me.

[+humboldt flier]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm,

 

Since Power Trails have not been defined ... here are my thoughts. A continuum of sorts. Shortest to longest ... feel free to add your number designation to each category.

 

A, Nano.

 

B. Micro.

 

C. Small.

 

D. Regular.

 

E. King Sized.

 

F. Super Sized.

 

G. Mind Numbing. *** MEGA

 

H. Will It Ever End. *** GIGA

 

I. WHAT WAS I THINKING. *** MONDO GIGA, SUPREMO,

[+LestISmiteThee]

Haha, thanks for the info, everyone :]

[+Dame Deco]

I've only done a couple while with friends because it's not really my thing--that said, I found the names of the caches on a PT in WV to be pretty cute, they looked kind of cool in a long list of my finds, so I enjoyed the experience in spite of myself! Do something playful--that's what I recommend--

 

Here's one of the caches so you can look at the list under the owner's name-- http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC38PMZ_mellow?guid=93ec598e-ab2a-4de5-94cf-2808c79f1b19#

[+FunnyNose]

1) What's the minimum number of caches that can make a "power trail?" I've heard anywhere from 10+ to 50+.

 

Back in the good ole days I tried to place 3 caches in an 80 acre park along along a trail. My caches got denied because the reviewer said I was putting out a power trail.

 

So the answer is 3.

[Mr.Yuck]

1) What's the minimum number of caches that can make a "power trail?" I've heard anywhere from 10+ to 50+.

 

Back in the good ole days I tried to place 3 caches in an 80 acre park along along a trail. My caches got denied because the reviewer said I was putting out a power trail.

 

So the answer is 3.

 

Thank you! The term Power trail exists because they once were not allowed under the "don't place a cache every 528 feet just because you can" clause. Reviewers would use the term when rejecting your caches. No one believes me half the time when I say that.

 

Therefore, my definition is anything that would have been rejected pre the floodgates being opened. And if that means 3 caches in an 80 acre park, so be it.

[+niraD]

1) What's the minimum number of caches that can make a "power trail?" I've heard anywhere from 10+ to 50+. I'd like to know so I can keep track of how many I've done, which at this point might only be one.

As others have pointed out, there is no one definition of what constitutes a "power trail". Around here, there's an old-school power trail with a dozen or so closely spaced caches along a popular hiking trail. It's still used by the county parks district for their geocaching classes because new geocachers can find an assortment of varied caches and be back at the trailhead by lunchtime.

 

But others don't consider that a power trail because you can't drive from identical film canister to identical film canister, racking up 50-100 finds per hour. To them, that's what defines a power trail. But to me, that's something new and different; I use the term "numbers run trail" to describe them.

[+frinklabs]

Would be fair to say that any numbers-run series where the containers and log sheets are fungible would be considered a power trail?

[+wimseyguy]

1) What's the minimum number of caches that can make a "power trail?" I've heard anywhere from 10+ to 50+.

 

Back in the good ole days I tried to place 3 caches in an 80 acre park along along a trail. My caches got denied because the reviewer said I was putting out a power trail.

 

So the answer is 3.

 

Wasn't that the number of licks it took to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

[+The A-Team]

1) What's the minimum number of caches that can make a "power trail?" I've heard anywhere from 10+ to 50+.

Back in the good ole days I tried to place 3 caches in an 80 acre park along along a trail. My caches got denied because the reviewer said I was putting out a power trail.

 

So the answer is 3.

Wasn't that the number of licks it took to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

Like the length of a power trail, everybody has a different answer. Cambridge determined that it took 3,481 licks, Harvard's mechanical licker took 2,255, while Purdue, Michigan, Swarthmore College all had the number at a few hundred.

 

Basically, nobody really knows.

[+niraD]

Would be fair to say that any numbers-run series where the containers and log sheets are fungible would be considered a power trail?

I think combining fungible containers and logs with roadside access is what pushes a mere power trail into being a numbers run trail. But I seem to have a minority opinion.