hidden stages

[+AliJam]

I am not writing this to have a go at any reviewers so please bare this in mind before you comment. I recently submitted a cache for publishing and the reviewer stated it couldn't be published as it was too close to a hidden stage of a multi. Now I accept that he/she is following the guidelines but don't this one seem silly. If it's close to a hidden stage how is anyone meant to know where is ok to place. I checked locations before I placed the cache and nothing comes up on the map to indictate that a stage was hidden in the area. I appreciate that the word hidden means it is not revealed, but seriously how are we supposed to know where to place things if whole areas are barred by mysterious hidden stages. The reviewer sent me a pleasant note and I have no axe to grind with him/her, but surely something should come up on the map to indicate the area is not suitable for cache placement. Or have I got this all wrong?

[+Malpas Wanderer]

Get to know your area by solving puzzles and multicaches.

 

Then you will be fine.

 

It's a chance you take in any placement.

[RuideAlmeida]

If any stage of a Multi, Mistery or Letterbox was shown on the maps... would spoil the fun of finding any of those.

[+kunarion]

how are we supposed to know where to place things if whole areas are barred by mysterious hidden stages.

The Help Center presents two ways to know:

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=199

[+on4bam]

Or have I got this all wrong?

 

You have it all wrong

 

Suppose you could see these hidden stages, then why solve mysteries and find stages of multi's if you could just see them on a map?

[+AliJam]

I do get it honestly, just seems silly to me but hey! That's life at least caching hasn't been taxed yet.

[+MartyBartfast]

That's life at least caching hasn't been taxed yet.

 

Oh yes it has, when you come to pay your Premium membership you'll be paying VAT on it

[+redsox_mark]

There really isn't a good way around it. The waypoints need to be kept hidden, otherwise it spoils the multis (or puzzles). A tool to automatically check if a location is OK or not (that includes the hidden waypoints) would be nice for cache hiders, but could be abused by people trying to find out the waypoints of a multi/puzzle.

[+dartymoor]

I have been in the same position, and just as frustrated as you - but there really is no better way that I can think of.

 

What I did, was rather than go out and collect the cache (which was really quite remote - an hour's drive and then another hour's walking each way), instead I published it on opencaching.org and opencaching.org.uk as a non-Groundspeak geocaching. Neither get anywhere near the same number of visitors, but neither are likely to have another cache of the same type within their restrictions. It saves the effort being a complete waste of time.

[+Touchstone]

It saves the effort being a complete waste of time.

 

Another alternative...

 

Checking for Geocache Saturation

 

or more specifically:

 

If you are still concerned about encountering the hidden parts of other geocaches, you may contact a community volunteer reviewer for a saturation check with your proposed coordinates. This should be done before placing the geocache container.

[+AliJam]

Thanks I forgot about vat on my prem membership dadgum and I forgot open caching as well. It must be my age, that or the whiskey.