Atempting to Start a GOOD Power Trail

October 18, 2018

Lately I've been considering hiding a short power trail, not a repetitive under-maintained trail, but one with a good mix of caches. I really wanted to hide favorite point worthy caches, (gadget caches, field puzzles, clever camo or hiding method etc.) Any ideas of how to approach this?

13.7k · October 18, 2018

14 minutes ago, TwistedCube said:

Any ideas of how to approach this?

I'd start by not calling it a "power trail".

Many assume that already indicates many, and/or easy to do.

If you want FPs, let each cache present itself by your creativity.

4.9k · October 18, 2018

Have a look there:

https://www.geocaching.com/play/search?origin=Italy&ot=2&g=99&types=8&kw=napoleone bonaparte

All boxes are unique and it's a nice hike in the mountains. ?

Hans

15.3k · October 18, 2018

40 minutes ago, TwistedCube said:

Lately I've been considering hiding a short power trail, not a repetitive under-maintained trail, but one with a good mix of caches. I really wanted to hide favorite point worthy caches, (gadget caches, field puzzles, clever camo or hiding method etc.) Any ideas of how to approach this?

Back in the days when the guidelines included the sentence, "Please don't hide a cache every 600 feet just because you can," back in the days before the modern numbers trail full of fungible film canisters, this type of trail would develop naturally. Different cache owners would hide caches where there was room along a popular trail, until the trail became saturated and no new caches could be hidden along it (unless one of the existing caches was archived for some reason). One such trail is still used by the county parks department for its intro to geocaching classes. New geocachers can find 8 to 10 varied caches and be back at the trailhead by lunchtime.

But it was done by various cache owners who hid one quality cache at a time. It wasn't done by someone trying to create a power trail, or by someone trying to create a "good" power trail.

October 18, 2018

I recently hiked a trail to Cape Falcon in Oregon, and there were a string of top-notch caches along the trail, made by Seawind. In retrospect I realize it was a "power trail" of sorts. At least, I think it's what you're getting at. The key here was two-fold:

1. it was along a great hike, not some random road

2. each cache was highest quality and a lot of thought went into the hides. It was perfectly done, really. They were hidden well enough that they wouldn't get muggled by the considerable foot traffic on the trail, but not so well that they were very difficult to find. After all, I was there to do the hike, not spend all day looking for well-hidden caches. The description pages had very useful hints, that was part of how he did it.

To Seawind, again, hats off to you and thanks for an enjoyable caching experience.

9k · October 18, 2018

You could call it a series of caches instead of a powertrail. A lot of geoart "masks" powertrail as well, whether quick roadside stops or hiking trails...

2.9k · October 18, 2018

2 hours ago, TwistedCube said:

Lately I've been considering hiding a short power trail, not a repetitive under-maintained trail, but one with a good mix of caches. I really wanted to hide favorite point worthy caches, (gadget caches, field puzzles, clever camo or hiding method etc.) Any ideas of how to approach this?

At first you must notice that favorites can be granted only to one cache of ten. Making trail of good caches actually lowers your opportunity to earn favorites. The best practice is to make a short power trail of meaningless, unfavorable caches and then put the showstopper to the end of the trail to collect the favorite which is earned by finding those meaningless caches. Nobody can say that they do not have any favorites left at the moment. :bad:

4.2k · October 19, 2018

I did part of a power trail where all the caches and hides were different. Put out by one person. I was very impressed. Power trails certainly don't need to have every cache the same as the last. I suspect the people who make power trails like this, would use the same ordinary cache on a single cache hide too.

10.1k · October 19, 2018

2 minutes ago, Goldenwattle said:

I did part of a power trail where all the caches and hides were different. Put out by one person. I was very impressed. Power trails certainly don't need to have every cache the same as the last. I suspect the people who make power trails like this, would use the same ordinary cache on a single cache hide too.

Well, my geoart... Power trailer took the MKH, and put it where the nano was. Took the nano and put it where the magnetic bolt was. No idea where the magnetic bolt ended up.

4.2k · October 19, 2018

5 minutes ago, Harry Dolphin said:

MKH

?

10.1k · October 19, 2018

Magnetic Key Holder. A series along the Hudson River Walkway, Hudson County, NJ. Most of the caches were MKHs. But this location called for a magnetic bolt.

2.6k · October 19, 2018

"Just" do the obvious things, as you would do for a great single cache, but do it for each of the caches in your "series":

- Good locations

- A nice journey from cache to cache. (e.g. a nice walk or cycle).

- Good hides, varied and clever containers.

As you mentioned Favourite points; the more caches in the series, the more overall FPs you will get, but the individual caches will likely have a smaller percentage of FPs. If you put just one great cache out, it will get a high % of FPs. If you put out 20 caches, which are each as great as as that "one great cache", finders will be hesitant to give a FP on each, even if they all deserve it. Simply as they may not have enough to give, or be worried about using them all up. So, the best of your great series will get lots of FPs, but others may not get so many.

13.7k · October 19, 2018

3 minutes ago, redsox_mark said:

If you put just one great cache out, it will get a high % of FPs. If you put out 20 caches, which are each as great as as that "one great cache", finders will be hesitant to give a FP on each, even if they all deserve it. Simply as they may not have enough to give, or be worried about using them all up. So, the best of your great series will get lots of FPs, but others may not get so many.

That's how we see it as well, though we have a lot banked. I'm just stingy with FPs. One in thirty maybe...

We almost always put a FP on the last cache in a "series" (if the series was fun)

- Similar to the OP's "power trail" , they're presenting the series with caches, rather than each on their own merit.

For example, a short while ago I did a series in an area I thought was educational. Each cache numbered. Done in order, presented a loop back to parking.

The last cache got a "thanks for this informative series" kinda log and a FP. Some placed one on the first cache in the series.

If a single cache is presented in a unique area with/or a great view (a reason to be there...), it'll get a favorite.

9k · October 19, 2018

Likewise here... though an exception might be, say, a small collection/series of caches in a woodlot where each is notably part of the series, but each is a unique experience scattered around the various looping trails. If it's maybe 5-10 caches tops, it's possible that they could all get favourite points from people regularly; but you still have to content with people not wanting to give away so many in bulk, since that's another 50-100 finds to recoup

7.5k · October 19, 2018

16 hours ago, Goldenwattle said:

I did part of a power trail where all the caches and hides were different. Put out by one person. I was very impressed. Power trails certainly don't need to have every cache the same as the last. I suspect the people who make power trails like this, would use the same ordinary cache on a single cache hide too.

The term "power trail" means that all the hides are identical, boring, and easy to find. What you're describing is a series. Did they call it a power trail?

1.3k · October 19, 2018

1 hour ago, dprovan said:

The term "power trail" means that all the hides are identical, boring, and easy to find. What you're describing is a series. Did they call it a power trail?

That’s certainly my understanding of a “power trail” - something you can power your way through.

9k · October 19, 2018

Yep, generally speaking that's how I'd define it too, but I've seen a couple of exceptions to the 'speed through' aspect, leaning more towards 'power through' - as in as many as possible in a single trip. For example a 'power trail' of very tough hides - all close to each other along a trailish road, each unique and difficult in their own right (though labeled for the series). Just like any powertrail you could get one at a time, or a handful, but they're a series placed with the hope/intent that people be able to attempt to get from start to finish, or as far as possible. :)

If the caches aren't near each other, I'd say definitely not a power trail. If a bunch of caches happen to all end up near each other, maybe placed by different people over time, it could become a powertrail to those who go for them. I think it's another one of those "you know it when you see it" things, and not everyone may consider them all the same... but yeah I think the general understanding is - a tightly knit series of caches intended to be found as many as possible as fast as able.

1.1k · October 19, 2018

When I put out my Series "Paradise Springs" 17 caches. I placed them about 1/2 mile apart so that others could add to the fun which many have. In this way I have something to hunt for when I do maintenance.

I have added two more myself that are close to the the theme of the original and others have added almost as many as I did. Have gotten a lot of nice logs and Fav. Pts.

4.2k · October 19, 2018

6 hours ago, dprovan said:

The term "power trail" means that all the hides are identical, boring, and easy to find. What you're describing is a series. Did they call it a power trail?

I don't know what they called it.

15.3k · October 19, 2018

FWIW, the term "power trail" was already in use before the modern numbers trail (with fungible film canisters that facilitate "shortcuts" like the three cache monte) were allowed. The term seems to have been taken over by the modern numbers trail though. I'm not sure what the old "naturally saturated" type of trail would be called today.

7.5k · October 20, 2018

53 minutes ago, niraD said:

FWIW, the term "power trail" was already in use before the modern numbers trail (with fungible film canisters that facilitate "shortcuts" like the three cache monte) were allowed. The term seems to have been taken over by the modern numbers trail though. I'm not sure what the old "naturally saturated" type of trail would be called today.

Interesting. There were already power trails in the "modern sense" 8 years ago when I started geocaching. I'd have to see some examples of groups of caches that "power trail" was applied to before then, but I'm guessing is that the "modern usage" is not really different but, rather, reflects a higher bar for "power" because there are so many more caches now. When there are only 2 caches in your state, I can see that calling 10 caches all near each other a "power trail" would express a similar awe that it takes 100 caches together to invoke today.

What distinctions made an early days "power trail" different than a series? Or was "power trail" then just what we call a series today?

14k · October 20, 2018

20 hours ago, dprovan said:

The term "power trail" means that all the hides are identical, boring, and easy to find. What you're describing is a series. Did they call it a power trail?

However, placing identical and easy to find caches as close to each other as possible and calling it a series doesn't make it not a power trail.

October 20, 2018

I have 10 caches including a bigger bonus cache that you could call a trail although not a power trail!

October 21, 2018

I'd consider teaming with a few other cachers to create unique containers and hides Three owners each doing 3 or 4 caches on a trail with an agreement for mutual maintenance checks and an attempt to make a really cool experience will probably produce a very satisfying trail.

11.6k · October 21, 2018

On ‎10‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 5:24 PM, TwistedCube said:

Lately I've been considering hiding a short power trail, not a repetitive under-maintained trail, but one with a good mix of caches. I really wanted to hide favorite point worthy caches, (gadget caches, field puzzles, clever camo or hiding method etc.) Any ideas of how to approach this?

I have a couple of small cache series. Caches with a common theme, different containers and hide styles. I usually add them one at a time over a period of time. The most recent was a theme I think has potential, and the cache gets a decent percentage of Favorites. But if the finds dry up, it's gonna be a series of one.

As mentioned, cachers can't always place a "Favorite" on every cache of a "cache trail". Even the official Geotours or other "Geo Trails" may get one or two Favorites placed per cacher. If I have no Favorites to place, I'll at least mention that it's a pretty cool cache.

Edited October 21, 2018 by kunarion

15.3k · October 21, 2018

Does it have to be "a trail"? One series of high-quality caches around here are linked by a theme, but they aren't really near each other in location.

13.7k · October 21, 2018

54 minutes ago, kunarion said:

As mentioned, cachers can't always place a "Favorite" on every cache of a "cache trail". Even the official Geotours or other "Geo Trails" may get one or two Favorites placed per cacher. If I have no Favorites to place, I'll at least mention that it's a pretty cool cache.

A few times now were I got ticked over something and went basic for some time, I'd mail the CO (for the few I thought should get a FP) and tell them that if/when I go pm again, I'll be sure to add a favorite. And have.

11.6k · October 21, 2018

1 hour ago, cerberus1 said:

A few times now were I got ticked over something and went basic for some time, I'd mail the CO (for the few I thought should get a FP) and tell them that if/when I go pm again, I'll be sure to add a favorite. And have.

As for placing Favorites, I've most often reviewed my Finds list and back-Favorited the most memorable. Lately, I don't seem to have an excess of points to dole out.

9k · October 22, 2018

You know it when you see it....

22 hours ago, niraD said:

Does it have to be "a trail"? One series of high-quality caches around here are linked by a theme, but they aren't really near each other in location.

Well, as a power"trail", I'd say it is some form of trail. Not necessarily a foot walking trail literally but the concept of a trail... one after the other in a closely enough related sequence. Maybe the question could be 'At what distance can caches be placed for their relation to no longer be considered "trail-like"?' heh

I'd say if it don't look like no trail, it ain't no powertrail.

eg, a clump of caches isn't a powertrail (especially when not connected by an actual trail system); a series spread around town isn' a powertrail; 3 caches isn't a powertrail.

I think we'd have more luck seeing a definition take shape if we look at what isn't a powertrail than what is.

As for the clump of caches, that may be arguable; I can forsee someone claiming a series in a forest as some kind of powertrail (when connected by an actual trail) depending on how they tackle it, but I wouldn't call it one. I'd just call it a cache series in a woodlot or something, for a nice afternoon walk.

15.3k · October 22, 2018

1 hour ago, thebruce0 said:

23 hours ago, niraD said:

Does it have to be "a trail"? One series of high-quality caches around here are linked by a theme, but they aren't really near each other in location.

Well, as a power"trail", I'd say it is some form of trail.

My question was really targeted at the OP. Is there any reason why "a good mix of caches" worthy of Favorite points would need to be "a trail"? Why not just hide a number of good quality caches, without any effort to keep them near each other or to form "a trail"?

9k · October 22, 2018

Ahh, gotcha.

14k · October 22, 2018

4 hours ago, thebruce0 said:

You know it when you see it....

Well, as a power"trail", I'd say it is some form of trail. Not necessarily a foot walking trail literally but the concept of a trail... one after the other in a closely enough related sequence. Maybe the question could be 'At what distance can caches be placed for their relation to no longer be considered "trail-like"?' heh

I'd say if it don't look like no trail, it ain't no powertrail.

eg, a clump of caches isn't a powertrail (especially when not connected by an actual trail system); a series spread around town isn' a powertrail; 3 caches isn't a powertrail.

I think we'd have more luck seeing a definition take shape if we look at what isn't a powertrail than what is.

As for the clump of caches, that may be arguable; I can forsee someone claiming a series in a forest as some kind of powertrail (when connected by an actual trail) depending on how they tackle it, but I wouldn't call it one. I'd just call it a cache series in a woodlot or something, for a nice afternoon walk.

There is a "clump" of caches in France that doesn't look like a "trail" in the same way that the power trails in Nevada look (a long string of caches along a road) but, on the ground, I suspect that the experience is fundamentally the same: all easy finds as close to each other as possible. IMHO, a power trail doesn't necessarily have to follow a identifiable route. Many of the cache "series" I've seen include caches that only seem to be related in what they're called. Creating 300 caches, hidden in the same manner, with the same type of container, as close to each other as possible, but all named based on some contrived theme (I've seen one based on uses of duct tape) and calling it "a series", still makes it a power trail to me.

9k · October 22, 2018

3 minutes ago, NYPaddleCacher said:

Creating 300 caches, hidden in the same manner, with the same type of container, as close to each other as possible, but all named based on some contrived theme (I've seen one based on uses of duct tape) and calling it "a series", still makes it a power trail to me.

If I saw that on a map, with no discernable 'route' or trail connecting them, I wouldn't call it a powertrail... but that's just me. That to me would look like a whole bunch of scattered caches around a region that people might make a day of finding with some strategy, or trying to figure out the fastest route. I'd expect a series like that probably in the desert somewhere with a whole lot of free-roaming land where they could be hidden. But if there was a trail system and you could follow the trail to grab each of them in some discernable route, I might potentially call it a powertrail. *shrug* just my thoughts.

14k · October 22, 2018

5 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

If I saw that on a map, with no discernable 'route' or trail connecting them, I wouldn't call it a powertrail... but that's just me. That to me would look like a whole bunch of scattered caches around a region that people might make a day of finding with some strategy, or trying to figure out the fastest route. I'd expect a series like that probably in the desert somewhere with a whole lot of free-roaming land where they could be hidden. But if there was a trail system and you could follow the trail to grab each of them in some discernable route, I might potentially call it a powertrail. *shrug* just my thoughts.

In this case, it looks like dozens of trails all connected to each other. Scroll out a bit and it just looks like a blob of cache.

Take a look

9k · October 22, 2018

heh, I think I have seen that posted elsewhere before... not sure how I'd qualify that. I can see it being referred to be some as a powertrail, I might say I'd be going "powertrailing" if I spent a couple of days knocking off various segments. I might even call it a powerseries who knows. The nice thing is there's no official definition, it just is what it is, and people understand it by how most people refer to it, generally speaking.

You'll know it when you see it... or maybe you won't know and you'll find some limbo category when you see it... lol

2.9k · October 22, 2018

If you're not sure you've ever done a Power Trail you can check your status from this Power Trail challenge checker https://project-gc.com/Challenges//37898 ?

9k · October 22, 2018

That seems to explicitly define a "powertrail" (for the purposes of such a challenge) as a chain of caches linked by spans of 0.11 mile (a buffer of 0.01 mile extra between caches), connecting two at either "end" that are at least 1 mile apart. So. Relevant, but not definitive.

By that checker, a line is a powertrail; an S is a powertrail; a dense city core of 1 mile diameter that you've cleared out is a powertrail...

A 10 mile trail of caches broken by one gap > 177m disqualifies it as a powertrail.

Edited October 22, 2018 by thebruce0

1.3k · October 22, 2018

11 minutes ago, arisoft said:

If you're not sure you've ever done a Power Trail you can check your status from this Power Trail challenge checker https://project-gc.com/Challenges//37898 ?

I was intrigued... I qualified with some Geoart (a series of puzzles forming the Olympic Rings, e.g. https://coord.info/gc3bek2). The final locations of these were anything but a power trail!

2.9k · October 22, 2018

1 hour ago, IceColdUK said:

I was intrigued... I qualified with some Geoart (a series of puzzles forming the Olympic Rings, e.g. https://coord.info/gc3bek2). The final locations of these were anything but a power trail!

You are right. Mystery caches do not work pretty well. Maybe Power Trails should be only traditionals. Problem fixed and your best Power Trail contains 9 caches and it is 0.7 miles long.

1.3k · October 22, 2018

1 minute ago, arisoft said:

You are right. Mystery caches do not work pretty well. Maybe Power Trails should be only traditionals. Problem fixed and your best Power Trail contains 9 caches and it is 0.7 miles long.

Thanks arisoft - quick work! :-)

2.9k · October 22, 2018

1 hour ago, thebruce0 said:

A 10 mile trail of caches broken by one gap > 177m disqualifies it as a powertrail.

The checker displays both parts if they are at least one mile.

9k · October 22, 2018

Problem's not fixed, that's just one challenge cache's checker based on an arbitrary set of calculated rules. Not definitive enough. Just like any checker, it's only applicable to the context of the challenge cache in question.

2.9k · October 22, 2018

Just now, thebruce0 said:

Problem's not fixed, that's just one challenge cache's checker based on an arbitrary set of calculated rules. Not definitive enough. Just like any checker, it's only applicable to the context of the challenge cache in question.

There is no challenge cache for a Power Trail, yet, so there is no context to any challenge as you suggested. The definition of the PT in the checker is just my creation. It is easy to see that many participants in this thread are not fond of Power Trails in this context.

9k · October 22, 2018

1 minute ago, arisoft said:

8 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

Problem's not fixed, that's just one challenge cache's checker based on an arbitrary set of calculated rules. Not definitive enough. Just like any checker, it's only applicable to the context of the challenge cache in question.

There is no challenge cache for a Power Trail, yet, so there is no context to any challenge as you suggested. The definition of the PT in the checker is just my creation. It is easy to see that many participants in this thread are not fond of Power Trails in this context.

Oh it's a checker that's not connected to any particular published challenge cache then? Just a standalone script? I didn't think of checking that.

So theoretically you could keep altering the checker to provide some semblance of an objective guide - for anyone who agrees with your algorithm, of course =P

2.9k · October 22, 2018

1 minute ago, thebruce0 said:

So theoretically you could keep altering the checker to provide some semblance of an objective guide - for anyone who agrees with your algorithm, of course =P

Not only theoretically. I just made an adjustment for cache types when IceColdUK gave feedback about mystery power trails.

9k · October 22, 2018

... yes ... not theoretically editing, theoretically in regards to constantly updating as long as desireable with no end in sight based on feedback from people.

7.5k · October 22, 2018

3 hours ago, NYPaddleCacher said:

In this case, it looks like dozens of trails all connected to each other. Scroll out a bit and it just looks like a blob of cache.

Take a look

??

2.9k · October 22, 2018

23 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

... yes ... not theoretically editing, theoretically in regards to constantly updating as long as desireable with no end in sight based on feedback from people.

I'm sensing a wish to make your Power Trail a little bit longer with some modifications you are too shy to express yourself. ?

For the OP I would like to remind that creating a good Power Trail is an oxymoron.

9k · October 22, 2018

14 minutes ago, arisoft said:

I'm sensing a wish to make your Power Trail a little bit longer with some modifications you are too shy to express yourself. ?

I have no idea what you're getting at

15.3k · October 22, 2018

1 hour ago, arisoft said:

The definition of the PT in the checker is just my creation.

So what is that definition, just out of curiosity? Based on this thread, I'm guessing a span of at least a mile, with traditional caches no further apart than 0.11 miles. Is that correct?

Is there any test that the caches were found sequentially? Or even if they were found on the same day?

Atempting to Start a GOOD Power Trail

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