Looking for Extreme Geocache Maintainers!

[+SlightlySarah]

As any cache owner knows, owning a cache can require a lot of maintenance. 

 

What are some ways that you, or someone you know, go above and beyond for cache maintenance? This might include always carrying a maintenance kit when going caching, having a regular “cache maintenance schedule,” or something totally unique to you! If you have photos to demonstrate or illustrate your cache maintenance, please include them along with your stories.

 

Please be aware that some of your answers may be featured in Geocaching Blog as a way to inspire and instruct other cache owners.
 

[+L0ne.R]

I only hide as much as I can reasonably take care in a timely fashion.

 

I try to get to my cache within 7 days.

I use the sites Temporarily Disable feature so finders don't waste time and gas money to search for my cache if it's in possibly bad condition or possibly missing.

If I can't get to my cache for a while (more than 2 weeks) I will post a note in the logs about the delay. 

If it's a problem like encased in ice, I will disable and post notes monthly. Once the ice starts to melt I'll will check and update more frequently with regards to ice melt and availability. Also, if I had a winter-friendly attribute I'd remove it and replace it with the winter-not-friendly attribute. I might even re-consider the hide. 

Edited February 6, 2020 by L0ne.R

[+thebruce0]

I've typically got 3 levels of maintenance packs going around with me (with anything extra, the re-supply, waiting at home), not only for maintenance, but also possible impromptu cache placement!  If anything is needed, it's pass down the line as necessary:

 

Level 1: The mobile supply - In the geomobile, a case or bags with the larger quantity of geocache materials - logsheets, baggies, a variety of cache containers and sizes (sometimes an ammo can or two), camo tape, writing utensils, attachment accessories, general swag.  Additionally, big-ticket cache-accessing TOTTs (ladder, chest waders, etc), of course!

 

Level 2: The day pack - For when I'm not at the geomobile for a good amount of time, and just for general quicker access - my backpack contains a handful of each of the above.  A ziplock of logsheets or pads, scissors, multitool, a handful of writing utensils, a larger bag of bag varieties, zipties, a few bison tubes and other smaller containers. Additionally, cache-retrieving TOTTs (retractable stick, magnets, batteries, etc), of course! And camera and other fun equipment.

 

Level 3: The on-hand supply - For when I know there's a maintenance issue, or I'm on a quick, casual geocaching run, only the essentials - a small sack or sling, or sometimes my larger jacket inside pocket will suffice. A prepared container or two, travelbugs on hand, a pen or two, a couple of twist ties, maybe a bit of swag. Additionally, a few common log retrieval TOTTs (tweezers, screwdriver, etc), of course!

 

 

Contents are often changing, but the bare basics are always there. You never know when you might need an extra pen or pencil (because you forgot one, or one in a cache is dead, or you're placing a new cache that should have one); or if a baggie - of any size - is ripped; or a logsheet is not just unsignable (if it's wet it could still dry), but has simply gone to mush.

[+barefootjeff]

On 2/7/2020 at 4:21 AM, SlightlySarah said:

As any cache owner knows, owning a cache can require a lot of maintenance. 

 

I try to design my caches to not require maintenance, particularly the more remote ones. This includes using a robust container, a hiding place that will protect it from the elements, such as under a rock ledge or in a wind-eroded cave, and a logbook big enough that it will never fill in the lifetime of the cache (or my lifetime!). Here's an example:

 

 

When something does go wrong, I look for the underlying cause and try to come up with a solution that will prevent it from happening again. I had a plastic container that got washed away in a flood so I replaced it with a heavy steel box further weighed down with a couple of large fishing sinkers epoxied into the bottom so it isn't buoyant even if fully submerged.

 

 

One of my caches can't avoid regular maintenance trips, though. It has battery-powered special effects (sounds and flashing lights) so I use the highest-capacity lithium batteries for longest life and, when I remove a set of batteries, I place them in my spare container at home to see how much more life is left in them so I can get a better idea of how frequently I really need to visit it. At the moment it gets new batteries every four months but it looks like I could safely push that out to six and still have a reasonable safety margin. My ideal solution would be rechargeable cells and a solar panel but unfortunately the connecting wires couldn't be concealed well enough in the hiding place.

 

A simple tool I use to help with routine visit scheduling is a Word document listing each cache and the date of my last visit, sorted in order of date. Whenever I visit a cache, I move its entry to the top of the list so I can easily see which caches might be due for a check.

 

 

 

The only maintenance "kit" I carry on my routine visits is a collection of spare pencils. All my caches have pencils in them so I don't have to deal with "I forgot my pen" excuses, but occasionally they go missing.

 

The other significant maintenance issue here is extreme natural events such as floods, fires and strong winds. Whenever something like that strikes, I go out once it's passed and check on any caches that might have been affected, and if an area is likely to be closed for more than a day or two, such as was the case with the fires recently, I'll disable the affected hides until the area has reopened.

Edited February 8, 2020 by barefootjeff

[+thebruce0]

What will be interesting to see is the variety of maintenance strategies people employ, because region to region the common requirements (beyond the bare basics) will differ. And I'm speaking general community, since obviously some COs have excellent design and maintenance philosophies, and others are quite sub-par. Add to that the environmental differences geocachers have to deal with, and hopefully geocachers won't assume that their strategy is universally 'better', just different, or appropriate for their region .

Looking forward to see what people share as their own maintenance strategies!

[+coachstahly]

I have a hard time understanding what "above and beyond" would entail beyond a weekly visit to one's cache to make sure it's in good shape, which I don't expect any CO to do.  I don't expect to find a pristine cache 6 months to a year after it's published because the CO checks on it at least once a week and I really hope that's not where we're headed.  When I head out to cache, I hope to find a cache in good shape that has had some normal wear and tear with any possible issues that have arisen in that time frame, if any, suitably addressed to keep the cache in good shape.  I would hope that a CO would pay attention to logs that indicate possible problems with their cache.   If a CO does what is expected of them, then that should be enough.  It's great if others are willing to diligently visit their caches weekly but I hope that doesn't become the expectation.

 

I took it upon myself to place my caches so that hopefully they need as little maintenance as possible on my end. That means good containers hidden in a manner that presumably deters the cache from being found by non-cachers, with an appropriately large enough log to prevent me from heading out more than once a month to replace it, which I've never even really come close to as my caches tend not to be found regularly to begin with.  That being said, natural events and people going where I don't expect people to go (where my caches can be) crop up enough for me to have to perform maintenance.  Caches go missing where I thought no one would go so I have to rethink my ideas.  Perhaps the container is too big, perhaps it's too easily seen, or perhaps it's in a spot where anyone curious would look.  If it gets taken/muggled more than twice, I usually archive it.  I tend to have 2 containers for each hide, one which goes out and another one for replacing it if it goes MIA.  Special containers/caches that take some time to create usually get two as well, unless the supply is cheap to procure.

 

As far as when I'm out caching and not actively looking to place any caches, I'll carry some spare logs and baggies and some swag, even though I rarely participate in that part of it.  I'll have some old small hand towels (they're reusable once washed) to clean out messy containers that otherwise appear to be in good shape.  If the container isn't in good shape (cracked lid, cracked container, missing lid, bad seal, etc...), I won't waste my time and effort because the cache will just revert back to how I found it because it's no longer a good container.  

 

All of us that are COs agreed to take care of our caches so I'm not really sure why we are looking for cachers who go "above and beyond", other than to point out possible COs who take maintenance to another level.  I don't want another cacher performing what I would consider "major" maintenance on one of my caches, even if they mean for it to be helpful to me. I hope that's not what we're looking for because that is something, despite me not wanting them to do it, that goes above and beyond.

[+hal-an-tow]

I read the topic title and thought it meant  maintainers of extreme geocaches ...  the above and beyond bit had me visualizing someone climbing a tree past where the T5 cache was to maintain it ...  

Maybe 'conscientious' would be a better word to use than 'extreme' . Less overstated and  dramatic , but more accurate.

[+The A-Team]

1 hour ago, thebruce0 said:

What will be interesting to see is the variety of maintenance strategies people employ, because region to region the common requirements (beyond the bare basics) will differ. And I'm speaking general community, since obviously some COs have excellent design and maintenance philosophies, and others are quite sub-par. Add to that the environmental differences geocachers have to deal with, and hopefully geocachers won't assume that their strategy is universally 'better', just different, or appropriate for their region .

Looking forward to see what people share as their own maintenance strategies!

 

Agreed. There are so many variables in play that there can't be a fixed "standard", so it's then hard to say if anything one does is "above and beyond". What one person may consider "above and beyond" may be what everyone has to do regularly in another region.

 

Personally, my maintenance strategy is built on a foundation of choosing an appropriate container and an appropriate hiding spot. Once you do that, the need for regular maintenance is greatly reduced. I have some caches that may go 5+ years without me checking on them, yet they're still in fine condition. Beyond that, maintenance is largely on an as-needed basis based on what I see in the logs. If I happen to be passing by one, I'll quickly check it to see if there are any issues.

[+cerberus1]

30 minutes ago, The A-Team said:

There are so many variables in play that there can't be a fixed "standard", so it's then hard to say if anything one does is "above and beyond".

What one person may consider "above and beyond" may be what everyone has to do regularly in another region.

 

Yep. 

Add in urban pill-bottle hides that often need to be maintained regularly, to an ammo can in the woods, and "above and beyond" I feel, is reaching.

The container usually has a lot to do with how often a cache needs maintenance.

 - An "extreme" maintainer could simply be one who has to keep replacing hides because they use containers that should go to recycling...     

 

[+Goldenwattle]

My maintenance strategy for my own caches is to notice problems mentioned in logs and respond if I think is necessary. I definitely respond timely to a NM, which I hope everyone makes when a cache need maintenance. NM is a nice helpful thing to do when a cache needs help.

As for other people's caches; that's up to them to maintain, unless they ask for assistance, and then someone can assist. I have been asked to change a log for a cache far from where a CO now lives, because I was travelling there, and I was happy to do this. I also have an understanding with some other COs that I can maintain their caches, and I do when I am finding one of their caches and find a problem. Otherwise I rarely maintain other's caches. That's up to them and when they published a cache maintenance comes as part of the responsibly. That's why I have only published as many caches as I feel I can maintain. I appreciate NM on caches of mine that need it, so I can go and fix the problem. Not like some people who publish hundreds with no plan of maintaining them and then expect others to do this for them. I don't expect anyone to maintain my caches, and please don't unless I ask or you check with me first. I do regular checks on my caches, depending on what the individual cache calls for. The few caches I make an exception for are remote caches in areas where almost no one lives, and certainly no geocachers. If travellers didn't maintain these caches there would be NO caches in these areas, where because of the proximity rule now, no replacement cache can be made. Replacing these caches is not for the owner, but for fellow travellers to these remote areas. Otherwise for hundreds of kms there would be no cache to find. Other travellers do similar. Not throw-down pill bottles, but proper maintenance. These caches will not be replaces if archived.

I do carry items to maintain caches in remote area and usually largish 'small' sized' caches for replacement of deteriorating caches. Because many of these areas are remote, often, despite a crumbling cache, the log and contents are still okay and don't need replacement, because the CO put a decent sized log there originally.

For general caching, all I carry is a box of trinkets; the quality varying from ordinary to much above average of the trinkets I normally see.

[+cerberus1]

1 hour ago, hal-an-tow said:

I read the topic title and thought it meant  maintainers of extreme geocaches ...  the above and beyond bit had me visualizing someone climbing a tree past where the T5 cache was to maintain it ...  

Maybe 'conscientious' would be a better word to use than 'extreme' . Less overstated and  dramatic , but more accurate.

 

Yep.    I feel the wording's awkward , and what caught my attention too.  

 

We had an "extreme" cache owner once. 

They'd hoof it the  mile in and inspect their cache each time folks cached in a group, of  left a TFTC log.  Itemize swag n trackables each trip.

They'd even hide  (camped out...) in the woods so there weren't arguments over FTF.  

  That's the kind of maintainer I'd call "extreme"...  

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by cerberus1
an e

[+Goldenwattle]

27 minutes ago, cerberus1 said:

They'd even hide  (camped out...) in the woods so there weren't arguments over FTF. 

But that could be days; even weeks.

[+cerberus1]

11 minutes ago, Goldenwattle said:

But that could be days; even weeks.

 

Not this area and FTF       State next to us, we'd be 1st or 2nd to find hours after published.

They finally burned out, realizing micro-managing an outdoors hobby wasn't working out too well.     

[+Goldenwattle]

6 minutes ago, cerberus1 said:

 

Not this area and FTF       State next to us, we'd be 1st or 2nd to find hours after published.

They finally burned out, realizing micro-managing an outdoors hobby wasn't working out too well.     

Within minutes here. FTF is EXTREMELY competitive. But how does the owner know when the cache will be published? The FTF will likely beat the owner there, so to camp out, they might need to wait for a week or more to guarantee being there.

[+cerberus1]

17 minutes ago, Goldenwattle said:

Within minutes here. FTF is EXTREMELY competitive. But how does the owner know when the cache will be published? The FTF will likely beat the owner there, so to camp out, they might need to wait for a week or more to guarantee being there.

 

Veering OT, but the CO had a lot of area around their house to hide.  Took them minutes to get to most spots.

 I thought I missed a FTF once, seeing tracks but no vehicles... to find the CO waiting for one of us.  0600  in the snow.  

 

[Keystone]

Since Geocaching HQ created this topic to get content for a Geocaching Blog post, this is an especially good thread in which to remain on-topic.  Let's discuss cache maintenance habits, and not FTF races or similar tangents.  Thanks!

[+L0ne.R]

I'd like to hear from the COs who have 100+ active hides. How do they manage it? 

[+thebruce0]

I'd love to read about "extreme geocache" maintainers probably more than than extreme "geocache maintainers" 

[+barefootjeff]

1 hour ago, L0ne.R said:

I'd like to hear from the COs who have 100+ active hides. How do they manage it? 

 

I only own 35 active hides but last year there were only seven occasions when I needed to carry out repairs to any of them:

• Replaced the container on GC4X42A which was starting to show its age
• Replaced a damaged container on the adopted GCMHXX
• Moved the final of GC8BXVN slightly as it turned out my original hiding place became a watercourse in heavy rain
• Cleared away a fallen tree branch blocking access to the final of GC5P0CE
• Replaced a muggled physical waypoint on GC6PE5B
• Repaired damaged camo on GC5H5G2
• Replaced a vandalised physical waypoint on GC8BXVN

Looking back, that was probably a bit more than most years, so if I owned three times as many caches and had to do three times as much maintenance, I don't think it'd be unduly onerous, especially as I'm now retired.

 

As far as routine visits go (just checks with no repairs needed), I got to all my caches at least once during the year without feeling at all that it was gobbling up my time, and with my caches spread far apart and often in fairly remote bushland, it's rare that I can check on more than two on the one trip. It would be a lot easier for someone with a large number of caches all in the same general area; for someone with a power trail, it might be easiest just to go along once a year or whatever and replace them all.

 

Incidently, I'm ranked third in the list of COs with the most active hides in my region:

 

Maybe that's why unmaintained caches aren't much of a problem here.

 

Edit to add: In my entire state (New South Wales, Australia), there are only 21 cachers with 100 or more active hides, and only 6 of those have 200 or more.

Edited February 7, 2020 by barefootjeff

[+barefootjeff]

1 hour ago, thebruce0 said:

I'd love to read about "extreme geocache" maintainers probably more than than extreme "geocache maintainers" 

 

You mean like this on the way to a "routine" check of my T4 GC6JMDK ...

 

 

Or this visit to my T5 GC6WPQ5 ...

 

Edited February 7, 2020 by barefootjeff

[+Goldenwattle]

4 hours ago, L0ne.R said:

I'd like to hear from the COs who have 100+ active hides. How do they manage it? 

Unless they are not visited very often caches, and the caches are in protected places, such as Barefootjeff's caches, and caches large enough for a decent sized log, many don't bother to service their caches. they expect others to do this for them, and some write irate logs to a NM:

Needs Maintenance

Needs a new logbook.

Temporarily Disable Listing

Due to a troublemaker within the community, I have disabled this cache until it can be looked at. Please do not be malicious - it is a GAME only and people do have lives and family which come before caching.

 

In a private message to me they wrote, " Normal cachers generally replace full or wet logs - I do." (That was some of the politer conversation.)

 

[+Isonzo Karst]

Cache owners with a lot of hides tend to lose track. The best to manage them is with GSAK, but i doubt a Geocaching.com Blog post wants to go there.  From the site:

 

• Read the logs - if someone mentions soggy, or too wet to sign, that has meaning. IF two different cachers mention "coords out", your coords are out, maybe someone moved your cache
• From your profile you can ask for caches I own, then rank on date of last find - this will include archived, and events, but it's all one page, you can just scroll down - you're looking for the easier access caches that have gone a long time unfound  -  owned, ranked last found oldest first
• In the info column of that list of owned, you can see the red wrench of the NM attribute, you can also see any with TBs or coins (you may want to check those travelers, mark missing those that aren't really in the cache now
• Harder access caches may normally go a long time unfound, but are  more apt to be hunted if you visit and add an owner maintenance log.  A simple trad, sturdy container, well placed may not need this, but a  multi or high D micro probably does, if you expect some to make the trip. (I have a multi coming up on 5 years unfound, my last OM log is a year old. I'll go walk it, soon)
• Always keep all the coords of all your owned caches in your device.
• Premium members, keep a PQ of caches you own, check it from time to time. It isn't necessary to set a day to run it, just submit.   This will NOT return archived, and is the only place on the site where COs don't have their archived mixed with their active. You can preview this, and click to rank date of last find.
• Alter that PQ to "  I own" with attribute "needs maintenance" - fix those

 

Finally, and most critically, don't places caches you aren't prepared to return to. If you can't take some coords, GO HOME, think about the right container, look at the other hides in the area, and then go back to place - don't place it.  

Edited February 7, 2020 by Isonzo Karst

[+barefootjeff]

13 hours ago, Isonzo Karst said:

IF two different cachers mention "coords out", your coords are out, maybe someone moved your cache

 

On a T3 traditional I had published about a year ago, the first two finders both said their phones were pointing them to another rock feature some five or so metres away. So I went back out and checked, taking both my Oregon 700 (which I'd used to originally take the coordinates when sussing out the area and confirm them when placing the cache) and my old 62S. Both were consistently dancing around zero metres directly on top of the hiding place and showing around five metres "back that way" when I moved over to the other rock feature. Here's the OM log I posted:

 

 

The subsequent six finders haven't mentioned any problems with the coordinates, with one saying it was an easy find with good coordinates. So yeah, I don't think just two cachers saying the coordinates are out necessarily means there's a problem, particularly when they're using phones which might be trying to combine GPS and phone tower triangulation in an area where phone reception is rather marginal.

 

Maybe its a sign of an "extreme maintainer" to make a 3km T3 hike out to check on a cache when two people have reported the coordinates were 5 metres out, or maybe I'm just too pedantic for my own good.

[+Goldenwattle]

53 minutes ago, barefootjeff said:

I don't think just two cachers saying the coordinates are out necessarily means there's a problem

No it doesn't, but it might be worth checking, as you as a good geocacher did. However this would depend on what other logs said. If a number of previous logs mentioned good coordinates, or the GPS took them straight there; and similar, then those two logs could likely be ignored. However, as the first logs on your cache you didn't have previous logs to check to find if anyone else had a problem.

I recently found a new cache and logged a NM that the coordinates are out 500 metres (600 by road). There are several other NMs mentioning the coordinates too. Nothing has been corrected yet.

[+lee737]

While there's a Lackey interested - I'd like to suggest an aid to cache maintenance - a sortable column in the cache list view, when looking at your hides - for last owner maintenance..... 

[+hal-an-tow]

1 hour ago, lee737 said:

While there's a Lackey interested - I'd like to suggest an aid to cache maintenance - a sortable column in the cache list view, when looking at your hides - for last owner maintenance..... 

Great idea.

 

On 2/7/2020 at 11:21 AM, Isonzo Karst said:

Cache owners with a lot of hides tend to lose track. The best to manage them is with GSAK, but i doubt a Geocaching.com Blog post wants to go there. 

+1

Would I still be caching .hiding and maintaining caches with Groundspeak without that excellent tool ? No.

[+barefootjeff]

This is turning out to be a testing summer for caches and COs. First it was the fires, now torrential rain, gales and big seas are lashing the coast.

 

 

Once it clears, I guess I'll be doing some extreme maintenance visits to my more weather-exposed caches. Most have survived worse than this so they should be okay, but for my newer ones this will be their first real test. Never a dull moment for COs around here.

[+funkymunkyzone]

13 hours ago, lee737 said:

While there's a Lackey interested - I'd like to suggest an aid to cache maintenance - a sortable column in the cache list view, when looking at your hides - for last owner maintenance..... 

Great idea.

To take it one step further I'd like to see a view of my hides that show an icon for each of the last 5 or so logs on each cache, so that at a glance I could look down the list and see a string of DNFs for example (or perhaps more accurately, a string of DNFs I had forgotten about). This could be sortable to bring NM caches to the top, ignore archived caches, perhaps even sort by CHS to bring to the top caches the system thinks might have problems. I definitely think there are tools Groundspeak could add to the website to help out cache owners. Any time saved on the PC at home is time that could be used out in the field maintaining, or just plain caching.

[+Seeker_Knight]

On 2/6/2020 at 12:21 PM, SlightlySarah said:

As any cache owner knows, owning a cache can require a lot of maintenance. 

 

What are some ways that you, or someone you know, go above and beyond for cache maintenance? This might include always carrying a maintenance kit when going caching, having a regular “cache maintenance schedule,” or something totally unique to you! If you have photos to demonstrate or illustrate your cache maintenance, please include them along with your stories.

 

Please be aware that some of your answers may be featured in Geocaching Blog as a way to inspire and instruct other cache owners.
 

I thought it would be nice to stock a few new pencils in the swag department to add some new swag. I went online and found a company that makes them and placed an order late one night while getting my other stuff together for a complete overhaul of a cache that has been devastated according to some recent posts.

I learned something in doing this. Never place a custom order for bulk items when you are half asleep. I messed up pretty bad on this one. The bill came to over $200.00. Seems the five boxes of pencils I checked off on the order form were for one gross (144) each. I am about to be the proud owner of 720 freshly printed custom pencils. Us old guys know how to mess up properly. The wife is not happy with me at the moment. On the other hand, there are going to be some very happy kids who visit my cache for quite some time. LOL

Seeker_Knight

 

[+Seeker_Knight]

10 minutes ago, Seeker_Knight said:

 

There is gonna be a complete meltdown in civilities at home when the six cases of Dollar Tree toys arrive later this week!

It is not easy being married to a guy like me!

Seeker_Knight

Edited February 9, 2020 by Seeker_Knight
added text

[+hal-an-tow]

13 hours ago, funkymunkyzone said:

To take it one step further I'd like to see a view of my hides that show an icon for each of the last 5 or so logs on each cache, so that at a glance I could look down the list and see a string of DNFs

<cough> GSAK

Yes, I've been out and maintained the ones with the red DNFs showing. The mud was extreme

[+31BMSG]

9 minutes ago, hal-an-tow said:

<cough> GSAK

Yes, I've been out and maintained the ones with the red DNFs showing. The mud was extreme

It will also track find count and the last OM date. I use it for something that's probably borderline OCD but hey, I'm a numbers geek. On caches too small for a log book I count the number of signature spots on the new log sheet, subtract 10% for stamps and large signatures, and decrement that number by the cache's current find count. It keeps a fairly accurate count of blank signature spaces on the log sheets.

[+hal-an-tow]

7 minutes ago, 31BMSG said:

 On caches too small for a log book I count the number of signature spots on the new log sheet, subtract 10% for stamps and large signatures, and decrement that number by the cache's current find count. It keeps a fairly accurate count of blank signature spaces on the log sheets.

Now that's what I call extreme cache maintenance !

[+edexter]

(In response to L0ne.R, who wanted to hear about cache maintenance from someone with "more than 100 cahces")...

      I presently have 130 plus geos (and another hundred or so TCs) that I actively manitain in five different states.  I'm a big fan of multis so the total number of geocache stages is north of 500.  To keep track of everything I use both GSAK and an excel spreadsheet.  The maintenance section tracks when the cache was placed, when it was last found, when I last checked on it and what repairs were needed.  While the tracking system was tedious to set up, maintaining it takes a few minutes a week:  if a cache is logged, I note the date, find/dnf, fav pt.  Since I get notified of every log, this is easy to keep up with.  If I get an NM log I enter the cache and date and a note on what it needs to my repair list.  As you might expect the majority of NM involve a missing or damaged coordinate stage, not the cache itself.  Depending on the report I prioritize the repair: if  an expirienced cacher reports a damaged container or stage and includes a photo it gets top priority.  If a newbie can't find stage one of a five state multi, not so much.  Consecutive dnfs on an easy to find cache goes near the top of the list, etc.  

   One of the main reasons I cache is to get out in the woods for a hike.  This is part of the reason most of my caches are multis and most of the reason I don't mind maintaining them.  Generally speaking I'm going to enjoy my two mile woods ramble more than a long drive to an cache unknown to me.  (Having to drive an hour or more to do new interesting caches can get tiresome...).  If I can't get to a cache within a week or two,  I'll disable it and say why in the log and estimate when I'll be able to repair it.  Because I make myself available to other local cachers, I will occasionally get a PAF call or text and can assist folks and determine if the stage or cache is actually gone.  Since I bring a repair kit with me (replacement logs, containers, pens, wire ties, etc) and do some temporary repair work for others, some folks return the favor and do a temporary repair for me.  Because excel makes all this data easy to sort and play around with, I can tell how long it's been since I checked on a cache and compare that to the last find and decide when to go check on it.  Since long woods multis are not popular with most cachers, and neither are "admitting" dnfs,  it can be difficult to tell if a cache with no finds in a year or so is gone or simply ignored, so the caches with the greatest number of days between finds also get placed on the maintenance list for a check.  A major change in the frequency of finds also gets it on the list (If a cache  that was being found twice a month for years goes six months without a find, I have a pretty clear idea that something is amiss and the cache needs to be checked).   The schedule of mainenance runs varies but on average I go out once every month or so to sort things out:  sooner if there is clearly something wrong, less often if there are no new NMs logged.  Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it ;-)

edexter

[+31BMSG]

3 hours ago, edexter said:

(In response to L0ne.R, who wanted to hear about cache maintenance from someone with "more than 100 cahces")...

      I presently have 130 plus geos (and another hundred or so TCs) that I actively manitain in five different states.  I'm a big fan of multis so the total number of geocache stages is north of 500.  To keep track of everything I use both GSAK and an excel spreadsheet.  The maintenance section tracks when the cache was placed, when it was last found, when I last checked on it and what repairs were needed.  While the tracking system was tedious to set up, maintaining it takes a few minutes a week:  if a cache is logged, I note the date, find/dnf, fav pt.  Since I get notified of every log, this is easy to keep up with.  If I get an NM log I enter the cache and date and a note on what it needs to my repair list.  As you might expect the majority of NM involve a missing or damaged coordinate stage, not the cache itself.  Depending on the report I prioritize the repair: if  an expirienced cacher reports a damaged container or stage and includes a photo it gets top priority.  If a newbie can't find stage one of a five state multi, not so much.  Consecutive dnfs on an easy to find cache goes near the top of the list, etc.  

   One of the main reasons I cache is to get out in the woods for a hike.  This is part of the reason most of my caches are multis and most of the reason I don't mind maintaining them.  Generally speaking I'm going to enjoy my two mile woods ramble more than a long drive to an cache unknown to me.  (Having to drive an hour or more to do new interesting caches can get tiresome...).  If I can't get to a cache within a week or two,  I'll disable it and say why in the log and estimate when I'll be able to repair it.  Because I make myself available to other local cachers, I will occasionally get a PAF call or text and can assist folks and determine if the stage or cache is actually gone.  Since I bring a repair kit with me (replacement logs, containers, pens, wire ties, etc) and do some temporary repair work for others, some folks return the favor and do a temporary repair for me.  Because excel makes all this data easy to sort and play around with, I can tell how long it's been since I checked on a cache and compare that to the last find and decide when to go check on it.  Since long woods multis are not popular with most cachers, and neither are "admitting" dnfs,  it can be difficult to tell if a cache with no finds in a year or so is gone or simply ignored, so the caches with the greatest number of days between finds also get placed on the maintenance list for a check.  A major change in the frequency of finds also gets it on the list (If a cache  that was being found twice a month for years goes six months without a find, I have a pretty clear idea that something is amiss and the cache needs to be checked).   The schedule of mainenance runs varies but on average I go out once every month or so to sort things out:  sooner if there is clearly something wrong, less often if there are no new NMs logged.  Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it ;-)

edexter

Holy.....paragraph, break this down so old people can read it

 

 

 

 

[+funkymunkyzone]

14 hours ago, hal-an-tow said:

<cough> GSAK

Yes, I've been out and maintained the ones with the red DNFs showing. The mud was extreme

 

Yes I figured that response would come.  However, it takes extra steps and therefore time, to do this, and it still doesn't provide the functionality really needed for the best CO experience.  It's also an extra tool when all the data is right there in Groundspeak's database already AND they already have a view that lists hides, it's just some different columns and sorting that would be useful.  Additionally, Groundspeak's UI is so much nicer looking and easier to use than clunky (yet powerful, yes) GSAK.  One could strongly argue that in the context of user experience, if a lot of people would benefit from something that currently requires an external tool to achieve, then that's poor user experience and the functionality should be built in, noting that if it was built in, then power users such as yourself could still use GSAK if you wanted to.  I hope that you can see where I am coming from and that this does not become one of those all too common "because there's a clunky workaround, and I don't need the functionality, then nobody needs it" situations that we see so often on the forums.

[+lee737]

Looking at the 'Hides' screen again, there is a huge amount of screen space available for an extra column or two for CO stuff, the advertising column could be narrowed down a bit surely. Anyway, as cache hiders we're supplying the goods for geocaching.com free of charge, do we need to be looking at ads on this screen??

[+barefootjeff]

On 2/9/2020 at 10:11 AM, barefootjeff said:

Once it clears, I guess I'll be doing some extreme maintenance visits to my more weather-exposed caches. Most have survived worse than this so they should be okay, but for my newer ones this will be their first real test. Never a dull moment for COs around here.

 

After receiving about a quarter of our annual rainfall in just a couple of days, this afternoon I went to check on a couple of caches that are close to watercourses. This one is in a wet cave here and was designed to survive this sort of flood without washing away, although it usually moves a bit, but I'll have to wait until the water subsides a bit more before I can get in to check.

 

 

The other one, a multi, has a physical waypoint just to the left of this waterfall. I was able to work my way around from the other side and all is well even though it went underwater at some point.

 

 

That waterfall was bone dry when I was out there last week.

 

I have a few other weather-exposed caches I want to check on in the coming days once the local council has had a chance to fix some of the enormous potholes that have opened up in the roads.

 

[+Seeker_Knight]

23 minutes ago, barefootjeff said:

 

After receiving about a quarter of our annual rainfall in just a couple of days, this afternoon I went to check on a couple of caches that are close to watercourses. This one is in a wet cave here and was designed to survive this sort of flood without washing away, although it usually moves a bit, but I'll have to wait until the water subsides a bit more before I can get in to check.

 

 

The other one, a multi, has a physical waypoint just to the left of this waterfall. I was able to work my way around from the other side and all is well even though it went underwater at some point.

 

 

That waterfall was bone dry when I was out there last week.

 

I have a few other weather-exposed caches I want to check on in the coming days once the local council has had a chance to fix some of the enormous potholes that have opened up in the roads.

 

Beautiful location!

[+HunterandSamuel]

On 2/6/2020 at 12:21 PM, SlightlySarah said:

As any cache owner knows, owning a cache can require a lot of maintenance. 

 

What are some ways that you, or someone you know, go above and beyond for cache maintenance? This might include always carrying a maintenance kit when going caching, having a regular “cache maintenance schedule,” or something totally unique to you! If you have photos to demonstrate or illustrate your cache maintenance, please include them along with your stories.

 

Please be aware that some of your answers may be featured in Geocaching Blog as a way to inspire and instruct other cache owners.
 

 

An interesting topic. One way that my husband and I go above and beyond maintaining our caches is that after every snowfall, we  uncover them or shovel them out to make them winter friendly. The first snowfall of winter we got 18 inches. We went out the next day and uncovered the caches. Our snow prints made a nice geopath.  We even received a few favorites for doing this. We also check up on our caches once a week to make sure they haven't been muggled and that geocachers replaced them as found, and also to restock with swag. We keep all our hides in one town so that they are easier to maintain. We have a geo-backpack with extra supplies and swag that we bring with us. Geocachers in our surrounding area love finding a cache stocked with lots of swag! Thank you for this interesting thread. 

[+barefootjeff]

On 2/7/2020 at 7:51 AM, barefootjeff said:

When something does go wrong, I look for the underlying cause and try to come up with a solution that will prevent it from happening again. I had a plastic container that got washed away in a flood so I replaced it with a heavy steel box further weighed down with a couple of large fishing sinkers epoxied into the bottom so it isn't buoyant even if fully submerged.

 

 

 

I just checked on this one after the weekend floods. The outside of the container was damp so the creek probably came up over it at some point, but the contents were snug and dry and, more importantly, it didn't wash away. So, no maintenance required, extreme or otherwise.

 

[+kunarion]

2 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

I just checked on this one after the weekend floods. The outside of the container was damp so the creek probably came up over it at some point, but the contents were snug and dry and, more importantly, it didn't wash away. So, no maintenance required, extreme or otherwise.

 

How do you keep water out of that.  Does it seal?

 

I'm just now trying some ideas to weight a plastic box that has an electronic doorbell inside.  I don't have lead weights, but I'm gonna try a brick.  I may also tie it to the base of a tree, just in case.

[+barefootjeff]

12 minutes ago, kunarion said:

 

How do you keep water out of that.  Does it seal?

 

I'm just now trying some ideas to weight a plastic box that has an electronic doorbell inside.  I don't have lead weights, but I'm gonna try a brick.  I may also tie it to the base of a tree, just in case.

 

It doesn't seal, other than the overlapping metal lip, but the logbook is a waterproof stone paper one so it will survive a brief immersion without too much drama and soon dry out afterwards, especially in this summer heat. Interestingly the inside of the box was completely dry so the water probably didn't come up over the lid.

[+kunarion]

1 minute ago, barefootjeff said:

 

It doesn't seal, other than the overlapping metal lip, but the logbook is a waterproof stone paper one so it will survive a brief immersion without too much drama and soon dry out afterwards, especially in this summer heat. Interestingly the inside of the box was completely dry so the water probably didn't come up over the lid.

Cool!  It looks sturdy.

[+Seeker_Knight]

2 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

 

It doesn't seal, other than the overlapping metal lip, but the logbook is a waterproof stone paper one so it will survive a brief immersion without too much drama and soon dry out afterwards, especially in this summer heat. Interestingly the inside of the box was completely dry so the water probably didn't come up over the lid.

 

And this is the solution to the water proof issue. I was using the cheapo clear containers that snap on all four sides, which worked for a short time, but quickly lost the ability to seal properly. This ultimately resulted in almost complete destruction of my cache. I only have one, so it was a real PIA. So I did some research. I found a company called Seahorse  Equipment Cases. They even have the military specification for being waterproof. I read the full spec, and it is a tough one to meet. You can find them on their web site: https://seahorse.net/

or other discount suppliers www.casesbymasco.com/SeahorseSeries

I've enclosed photos of the ones I bought. I don't endorse anything, and receive nothing for offering this information. Just sharing the end result of my rather long and protracted search for something better that what I had. A bit pricey, but super high quality. And still mush cheaper than some of the more famous cases.

Seeker_Knight

‎

 

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by Seeker_Knight
corrections

[+HunterandSamuel]

On 2/6/2020 at 12:21 PM, SlightlySarah said:

What are some ways that you, or someone you know, go above and beyond for cache maintenance? 

 

I have another one, SlighlySarah, that I forgot to mention in my previous post! Another way we go above and beyond cache maintenance is, when checking up on our caches, we bring along paper towels and a water bottle to clean them off. After a rainfall some get a bit wet and dirty. 

[+ParrotRobAndCeCe]

9 hours ago, Seeker_Knight said:

 

And this is the solution to the water proof issue. I was using the cheapo clear containers that snap on all four sides, which worked for a short time, but quickly lost the ability to seal properly. This ultimately resulted in almost complete destruction of my cache. I only have one, so it was a real PIA. So I did some research. I found a company called Seahorse  Equipment Cases. They even have the military specification for being waterproof. I read the full spec, and it is a tough one to meet. You can find them on their web site: https://seahorse.net/

or other discount suppliers www.casesbymasco.com/SeahorseSeries

 

 

I only had one as well, and I found the old standard issue 7.62mm ammo can with intact gasket to be the gold standard .  Mine was hidden in a flood plain and survived flooding every year including complete inundation in a couple of hurricanes (even Sandy, where it was completely underwater for weeks).  They're readily available for under 10 bucks.  Even if you have to replace a gasket, they're about $3, and I never replaced one in the ten years my cache survived.

[+Seeker_Knight]

26 minutes ago, ParrotRobAndCeCe said:

 

I only had one as well, and I found the old standard issue 7.62mm ammo can with intact gasket to be the gold standard .  Mine was hidden in a flood plain and survived flooding every year including complete inundation in a couple of hurricanes (even Sandy, where it was completely underwater for weeks).  They're readily available for under 10 bucks.  Even if you have to replace a gasket, they're about $3, and I never replaced one in the ten years my cache survived.

We used to get them and the 50 caliber boxes at Sunny's Surplus, but they went out of business. I did see them offered in a government surplus sale, but you had to bid on them by the pallet as the smallest quantity. Where did you find them in an individual quantity? Especially at such a good price!

Seeker_Knight

[+ParrotRobAndCeCe]

3 minutes ago, Seeker_Knight said:

We used to get them and the 50 caliber boxes at Sunny's Surplus, but they went out of business. I did see them offered in a government surplus sale, but you had to bid on them by the pallet as the smallest quantity. Where did you find them in an individual quantity? Especially at such a good price!

Seeker_Knight

 

eBay.  There's a few up there right now for $8-$12.  There's also a few on Amazon in the $15 range which would be cheaper than eBay if you are (or know) a Prime member to get free shipping.  Be careful on the eBay ones because sometimes they cost more to ship than to buy.

 

Amazon also has a lot of plastic "ammo cans", that LOOK nice,  but I'm afraid to try those because they advertise water "resistant", not waterproof.

 

[+coachstahly]

34 minutes ago, ParrotRobAndCeCe said:

Amazon also has a lot of plastic "ammo cans", that LOOK nice,  but I'm afraid to try those because they advertise water "resistant", not waterproof.

 

 

They're hit and miss.  I've found quite a few of them and some are dry as a bone inside, despite evidence of high water in the area that would have covered it, and I've found some that are full of water, even in areas where the only possible explanation is from rain coming down from above.  However, the trend I've noticed is that the more recent ones I've found are more likely to have water in them than not.