Are we still permitted to host a FTF Event?

[+Misha]

Are we still permitted to host a First to Find Event? One Where people hide caches and get them approved then trade the pages to facilitate getting first finder status?

 

Here is an example of one 9 years ago http://coord.info/GCPXZ7

[Keystone]

The linked event cache has a fair bit of text which encourages other people to hide caches. That's considered an agenda, so it wouldn't be allowed anymore, just like the "Curse of the FTF" series is no longer allowed.

 

There are enough bad cache placements without encouraging more to be hidden by people who perhaps ought not be hiding so many -- that is the reason for the "agenda" classification. Let those people come to an event and learn about how to hide awesome caches from the better hiders in your area. THAT would be a positive, permissible agenda. If they leave the "Maker's Event" and decide independently to hide a good cache, then the world is a better place. If they decide they're not up to hiding anything besides an LPC, then the caching landscape is no worse off.

 

If the alternative idea of a "Maker's Event" doesn't appeal to you, feel free to organize a "trade the FTF's" group privately among your circle of good cache hiders. Just don't put it on a cache listing.

Edited June 18, 2015 by Keystone

[+The A-Team]

What an odd concept. It would feel like a hollow victory for me to claim FTF on a cache that nobody else has even been given the opportunity to look for yet. I generally go after FTFs for the (minor) thrill of head-to-head competition to beat others to it and the chance to meet other (sometimes new) cachers. When you're the only one going after it, the experience loses these characteristics.

[+cerberus1]

Easy FTFs...

- What a great idea !

It's good for others in the community to know who the people are who'll do pretty-much anything to get FTF, a smiley, etc; for stats and leaderboards.

Quick scan at attended, and there ya go.

[+ChileHead]

Seems like a bizarre idea. Not sure the point of FTF if it's handed to you.

[Pup Patrol]

Are we still permitted to host a First to Find Event? One Where people hide caches and get them approved then trade the pages to facilitate getting first finder status?

 

Here is an example of one 9 years ago http://coord.info/GCPXZ7

 

Guidelines

 

https://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

Please be advised that there is no precedent for placing geocaches.

 

4. Solicitation and Commercial Content

 

Geocaches do not solicit for any purpose.

 

Cache listings perceived to be posted for religious, political, charitable or social agendas are not permitted. Geocaching is intended to be an enjoyable, family-friendly hobby, not a platform for an agenda.

 

Cache pages cannot require, and should not strongly encourage, the placement of new caches. This is considered an agenda and the listing will not be publishable.

 

B.

[+Misha]

Thanks for the replies

[+bflentje]

What an odd concept. It would feel like a hollow victory for me to claim FTF on a cache that nobody else has even been given the opportunity to look for yet. I generally go after FTFs for the (minor) thrill of head-to-head competition to beat others to it and the chance to meet other (sometimes new) cachers. When you're the only one going after it, the experience loses these characteristics.

 

+1

[+Ben0w]

There are enough bad cache placements without encouraging more to be hidden by people who perhaps ought not be hiding so many

+1000

[+NYPaddleCacher]

There are enough bad cache placements without encouraging more to be hidden by people who perhaps ought not be hiding so many -- that is the reason for the "agenda" classification. Let those people come to an event and learn about how to hide awesome caches from the better hiders in your area. THAT would be a positive, permissible agenda. If they leave the "Maker's Event" and decide independently to hide a good cache, then the world is a better place. If they decide they're not up to hiding anything besides an LPC, then the caching landscape is no worse off.

 

A.greed. As I see it, creating events where cache owners can learn how to make better caches or to talking about finding a caches is a good thing, but, IMHO events should not be used for the purpose of actually hiding or finding caches.