Earthcache Subtypes

[+caverdon 2]

Earthcaches are classified into 20+ subtypes (erosional feature, fold feature, igneous (plutonic) feature, sedimentary feature, ...). However, you can't find these classifications on the EC page at geocaching.com. (Unless the CO is aware of what it is and adds it to the description. But rarely you see this.)

 

At one time you could go to earthcache.org and could download a CSV list of ECs with their classifications. This no longer appears on the site.

 

Anyone know where to get it now?

[CathyH 37]

Sorry, it was removed from the GSA site and no longer exists.

[+hzoi 1616]

I found this Google docs spreadsheet linked to GC1Z4PZ, one of the earthcache type challenges out there. It's not an exhaustive list, looks like it was only current through June 2015, and even then there are many that were uncharacterized. But, better than nothing.

[+caverdon 2]

I found this Google docs spreadsheet linked to GC1Z4PZ, one of the earthcache type challenges out there. It's not an exhaustive list, looks like it was only current through June 2015, and even then there are many that were uncharacterized. But, better than nothing.

 

Many thanks!

 

Without a subtype listing for the ECs, challenge caches like the one you mentioned will become impossible to complete eventually. If someone knows they need a subtype or two, they would just have guess if a certain EC is a subtype or not for the challenge. If you're wrong, keep trying, maybe you will get lucky.

 

I've noticed the challenge checkers at Project-GC that work with EC challenges have hard-coded ECs and subtypes that were in existence when the checker was created. Eventually the challenge checkers will become out-of-date, because they cannot be updated with subtypes for any new ECs that are created. Challenge checkers will only validate "old" ECs, not any new ones that are created.

 

Hopefully EC subtypes will have some type of reference eventually!

[+narcissa 82]

Earthcaches are classified into 20+ subtypes (erosional feature, fold feature, igneous (plutonic) feature, sedimentary feature, ...). However, you can't find these classifications on the EC page at geocaching.com. (Unless the CO is aware of what it is and adds it to the description. But rarely you see this.)

 

At one time you could go to earthcache.org and could download a CSV list of ECs with their classifications. This no longer appears on the site.

 

Anyone know where to get it now?

 

I seem to recall that at some point they fell very far behind on categorizing them and just decided to give up on it.

[+hzoi 1616]

I found this Google docs spreadsheet linked to GC1Z4PZ, one of the earthcache type challenges out there. It's not an exhaustive list, looks like it was only current through June 2015, and even then there are many that were uncharacterized. But, better than nothing.

 

Many thanks!

 

Without a subtype listing for the ECs, challenge caches like the one you mentioned will become impossible to complete eventually. If someone knows they need a subtype or two, they would just have guess if a certain EC is a subtype or not for the challenge. If you're wrong, keep trying, maybe you will get lucky.

 

I've noticed the challenge checkers at Project-GC that work with EC challenges have hard-coded ECs and subtypes that were in existence when the checker was created. Eventually the challenge checkers will become out-of-date, because they cannot be updated with subtypes for any new ECs that are created. Challenge checkers will only validate "old" ECs, not any new ones that are created.

 

Hopefully EC subtypes will have some type of reference eventually!

Yeah, without official categorization, I don't know that those challenges would be that fun to do. I guess given a definition of each category I could puzzle out how to pigeonhole our earthcaches, but I'm not really interested. I don't know who owns the Google doc; maybe it could be a collaborative effort for those who are interested in maintaining categories.

 

Apparently soils is a pretty rare category, or so I learned from someone who logged one of our two soils ECs.

[+terratin 351]

I found this Google docs spreadsheet linked to GC1Z4PZ, one of the earthcache type challenges out there. It's not an exhaustive list, looks like it was only current through June 2015, and even then there are many that were uncharacterized. But, better than nothing.

 

Many thanks!

 

Without a subtype listing for the ECs, challenge caches like the one you mentioned will become impossible to complete eventually. If someone knows they need a subtype or two, they would just have guess if a certain EC is a subtype or not for the challenge. If you're wrong, keep trying, maybe you will get lucky.

 

I've noticed the challenge checkers at Project-GC that work with EC challenges have hard-coded ECs and subtypes that were in existence when the checker was created. Eventually the challenge checkers will become out-of-date, because they cannot be updated with subtypes for any new ECs that are created. Challenge checkers will only validate "old" ECs, not any new ones that are created.

 

Hopefully EC subtypes will have some type of reference eventually!

Yeah, without official categorization, I don't know that those challenges would be that fun to do. I guess given a definition of each category I could puzzle out how to pigeonhole our earthcaches, but I'm not really interested. I don't know who owns the Google doc; maybe it could be a collaborative effort for those who are interested in maintaining categories.

 

Apparently soils is a pretty rare category, or so I learned from someone who logged one of our two soils ECs.

 

There are a few EC challenges using this old classification. I add it for myself in gsak. Took a while to get through my 250 or so find though