""Rain Shadow" robust enough concept for Earthcache?

[+Korichnovui]

Hi all,

I was wanting to make an Earthcache and I have a spot and a concept picked out. I was doing research on the topic and starting to put some things together. But I've heard (and seen) that Earthcaches are held to pretty high geological science standards so I've gotten nervous that my concept might not be robust enough.

I wanted to do one on the idea of a rain shadow. Where I live, we are in the rain shadow of the cascade mtn's, making my area in SE Washington a desert when usually people think "luscious green forest" when they think of Washington.

Briefly, a rain shadow is when moisture-laden air driven by prevailing winds goes up a mountain range, and decreasing pressure/temp causes precipitation. The wind coming down the other side is dry and sucks up moisture from the ground, making a different climate.

I will go into more detail for the earthcache, including diagrams etc. Is this going to be robust enough idea for an Earthcache?

[+egroeg]

From the EarthCache Guidelines:

Accepted sciences

• Geological materials such as rocks, minerals, fossils, sands, and soils.
• Geological processes such as erosion, weathering, deposition, volcanic activity, and glacial action.
• Geological landform evolution such as glacial valleys, reverse topography due to rock properties, waterfalls with geological explanations, and use of geological materials like building stones.
• Geological phenomena such as impact craters, geysers, and mineral springs.
• Tools used by geologists, such as index fossils, rocks, and historical geology sites.

Unaccepted sciences

• Rivers, mountains, meanders, streams, unless the cache page indicates what is unique about that particular location, and provides an appropriate lesson.
• Plants and animals related to biology, botany, zoology, or ecology.
• Air and water related to atmospheric, hydrologic, or oceanographic observations.
• Geodesy, unless specifically linked to the location.
• Archaeology or history, unless it has a geological theme.
• Engineering, unless it has a geological theme.
• Cartography or lessons about basic map information.

 

Looks like you are trying to place one that runs afoul of the 3rd unaccepted science.

You could try to compare an accepted science in an area not in the shadow to a similar area in the shadow.  Different erosion rates, different number of streams or types of streams or size of streams.  EarthCaches are allowed to require visits to more than one location (but the further apart they are, the fewer the visitors!!).

 

 

 

[+Korichnovui]

Ok, it looks like I have more to learn on this Earthcache stuff

I tried looking up the guidelines before but somehow only saw part of them (only section 4.1), not these other sections, so I'm glad you showed me that

I also see they recommend doing 20 Earthcaches before making my own...

[BlueRajah]

You are looking at the big picture, look smaller at the rocks in front of you.  It can be tricky, but much easier to do logging tasks.  Good luck. 

[+Team Microdot]

On 15/07/2018 at 1:53 AM, Korichnovui said:

I also see they recommend doing 20 Earthcaches before making my own...

 

Oh yeah - I wasn't aware of that!

 

https://www.geocaching.com/play/guidelines

 

Quote

We encourage you to find at least 20 geocaches before hiding one. The more variety of geocaches you find, the better you will understand how to create an enjoyable experience for other geocachers.

 

[+niraD]

5 hours ago, Team Microdot said:

On 7/14/2018 at 5:53 PM, Korichnovui said:

I also see they recommend doing 20 Earthcaches before making my own...

 

Oh yeah - I wasn't aware of that!

 

https://www.geocaching.com/play/guidelines

 

Quote

We encourage you to find at least 20 geocaches before hiding one. The more variety of geocaches you find, the better you will understand how to create an enjoyable experience for other geocachers.

Huh? That's the general recommendation to find 20 geocaches before hiding a cache.

 

Is there also a recommendation to do 20 EarthCaches before hiding an EarthCache? If so, then I guess it's going to be a while before I can hide an (another) EarthCache.

[+Team Microdot]

6 minutes ago, niraD said:

Huh? That's the general recommendation to find 20 geocaches before hiding a cache.

 

Is there also a recommendation to do 20 EarthCaches before hiding an EarthCache? If so, then I guess it's going to be a while before I can hide an (another) EarthCache.

 

Oh yeah.

 

My reading skills score has decreased by one point

[+Korichnovui]

I could have sworn I read specifically 20 earthcaches but now I can’t find it.

 

part of the problem is that all the recommendations, tips, and guidelines are confusingly spread out among at least 5 webpages across 2 separate websites....