Newbie questions about App

[+S&A rainbow unicorn]

Has anyone used the android app? As a newbie I am finding it a bit difficult. I don't know what some of the things on the map mean because there is no map key. Like what are those random light blue lines? Also I noticed that the hiking trails are not on the map. Both are very frustrating but also the difficulty rating system seems to be flawed. People give their own rating of terrain difficulty but what seems really easy to an experienced hiker or geocacher is not to a newbie. For example I am doing this with a 4 year-old child. I only want to find caches that are on well marked trails matianed by the DCR, easily accessible by road/side walks, or less then a 1 mile hike on flat terrain on an easily found path where it is almost impossible to get lost. Even after chasing the terrain /difficulty down to 1, I am still finding that some of these caches with the lowest rating are actually very hard to get to for a young child and newbie hike. They are either well off any marked/easily found trail (ie "super sunset cache") or have a really cute kid friendly name but are located well off the path and amongst lots of thick brush a nd pricked bushes (ie "saving 'repunzel") which is far from kid friendly.

[+noncentric]

Has anyone used the android app? As a newbie I am finding it a bit difficult. I don't know what some of the things on the map mean because there is no map key. Like what are those random light blue lines? Also I noticed that the hiking trails are not on the map.

I don't use the Geocaching-R app very often, so I can't provide much help on that. If you're not liking that app, then you may want to check out some other apps. This page shows API partner apps: https://www.geocaching.com/mobile/partners/

 

Both are very frustrating but also the difficulty rating system seems to be flawed. People give their own rating of terrain difficulty but what seems really easy to an experienced hiker or geocacher is not to a newbie. For example I am doing this with a 4 year-old child. I only want to find caches that are on well marked trails matianed by the DCR, easily accessible by road/side walks, or less then a 1 mile hike on flat terrain on an easily found path where it is almost impossible to get lost. Even after chasing the terrain /difficulty down to 1, I am still finding that some of these caches with the lowest rating are actually very hard to get to for a young child and newbie hike. They are either well off any marked/easily found trail (ie "super sunset cache") or have a really cute kid friendly name but are located well off the path and amongst lots of thick brush a nd pricked bushes (ie "saving 'repunzel") which is far from kid friendly.

The D/T ratings, especially for Traditional caches, should follow these guidelines: https://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=82 The ratings are subjective though, so accuracy depends on the CO's knowledge and experience. It's not realistic to expect Reviewers to confirm the ratings for every cache placed.

 

That being said, I looked at the 'super sunset cache' you mentioned (D2/T1.5). It seems like it should be close to a trail that encircles the lake. I don't know the area, so I can't say whether the area matches a 1.5 terrain rating or not, but a couple things to consider. First, it's possible that the terrain level has changed since the cache was placed and rated. Secondly, and I think more importantly, is that the hider only has 2 finds and so maybe they didn't have a good understanding of the rating system. The cache description mentions that it's their first hide, so maybe keep that in mind when determining what caches to search for. There can be all kinds of issues with cachers' first hides. Finally, I see that you haven't logged a find on the cache. Did you find it? If you didn't find it, then maybe you were looking too far off the trail?

 

I wasn't able to find the 'saving repunzel' cache you mentioned, so not sure what to say about that one. Did that cache have the 'thorns' attribute or mention anything about what to expect? It's difficult to evaluate a cache's surroundings strictly based on the name.

 

Hope you are able to find some kid-friendly caches out there. Besides the ratings, I'd suggest looking for the Kid-Friendly attribute, which you can search for using Pocket Queries. It might also help to read through some recent logs for each cache you plan to search for and see if cachers mention terrain issues. Another option might be to look at gallery photos, but those can be misleading depending on when the photo was taken and whether the cacher took the photo at/near GZ.

[+Meow&Purr]

I don't use the app much anymore but I pulled it up to have a look...

 

Light blue lines? I'm lost on that one. The only light blue lines on mine are creeks, rivers, waterways.

 

The other one I will address is hiking trails not being on the map. For the GPS there are map packs available that show some trails however I can't imagine trying to map the trails of out local parks and make that global. Trails change, open and close for maintenance and repair,a million things. I'm neither surprised nor troubled that trails are not mapped on the app.

 

Maybe for now some of the urban caches would be more appropriate for a 4yo? I don't know of many caches in the woods/parks/trails that are right on the trail - most in our area and other places we've cached require at least a few feet - usually more - off-trail. Some are best reached seasonally.

 

As I said, maybe urban caches are better for now until the little tyke is a bit more durable and ready to go bushwhacking The terrain is much more subjective than the difficulty.

 

Pocket queries for kid-friendly posted above is a great idea as well.

[+Tassie_Boy]

I believe the 'light blue line'referred to is simply the straight line route between you and the cache. It gives you a rough direction and that's it.

[+S&A rainbow unicorn]

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I think that urban caches are my best bet as you are right trails change/open/close over time and many may be too far off the real for my little one. Also, I did not think about the fact that first caches often may be hard to find out poorly maintianed, so you are right to suggest that I check out caches that are not first hides and have been found by many others.

[+S&A rainbow unicorn]

Thanks for all the help. You are right about most of what you said and as a newbie I did not consider the other factors at play besides the ratings. I should definitely look and start away from first caches for now and also any that do not have many finds...they will be too hard for me and my youngling. I will definitely check out the pocket queries options I did not know about those. I think urban caches for now and maybe I will message the one who hid the cache if I think we are ready to try trails and make sure that it's not too into the brush for us. Most geographers seem friendly enough and want to help out a new start of they can.