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Geocaching in Boulder, CO


Two-Braids

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I just wanted to open a discussion on this topic since I recently placed a cache on Boulder Mountain Park land and seem to have started a debate about this.

 

After reading the following posting

 

http://www.ci.boulder.co.us/openspace/news/geocache.htm

 

I understood it to say that the city would "prefer" that we didn't place caches on OSMP land, not that we couldn't.

 

I think that as long as everyone obeys the local area closures and sticks to the main trail system, we can cache these areas without any more impact than the hundreds of hikers that use these trails on any sunny day.

 

There is very little land in or around Boulder that DOESN'T fall into OSMP management. That doesn't give us much to work with if we are banned from these areas.

 

I would like to know what other think about this.

 

Two-Braids

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Two-Braids,

 

I have actually been in contact with the OSMP via e-mail and letter. I am trying to get them to allow a cache to be placed to determine if their "ban" is warranted. I can almost guarantee that when they find your cache page, they will do as Larimer county is, and demand removal of the cache, or they will just go pick it up! From what I have been able to get out of them, they do not want anything but virtuals, and they would be happy without those, too.

I do plan to keep trying and have even applied for a federal grant for monitoring equipment! Think $35,000 is enough. I am after 2 motion activated cameras and the computer equipment to go along with them and supplies for 1 full year of surveillance.

We'll see.

 

I can go anywhere!! ... (if my wife lets me)

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I am so glad I moved out of Boulder County last fall.

 

From their page, they don't want any more visitors to "their land". They don't want dogs weaving down the trail and barking.

 

It looks as if they would like to preserve the land and eliminate visitors totally. Gee whiz.

 

DustyJacket

Not all those that wander are lost. But in my case... icon_biggrin.gif

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I too have contacted the city by sending the letter below. I have not heard anything back, nor do I expect to.

I have noticed that any cache on "their land" does not last.

Their open space advisory board meetings are open to the public. Maybe it is time to attend a few of them and discuss our concerns.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Greetings, 24-Feb-03

 

I have lived in Boulder County since 1969 and am an avid outdoorsman. I am also a geocacher (username:cameltrekor). I have just viewed your webpage concerning your “response to geocachers” and have a few comments about it.

First off, any addition to the conversation about geocaching would be done where it can be seen and responded by all others involved in the conversation (i.e. Geocaching website). You are just stating your preconceived views without being open to others’ viewpoints. This is not an understandable stance from a public entity.

Second, during geocaching I use the trails and encourage others to do the same. Your supposition that we do not is wrong. While it is true that caches are placed off the trail, the ones I have visited are in areas of durable surfaces. In fact, your own statement about social trails is in favor of geocaching, since caches are closed if any sign of disruption appears. With over 140 miles of trails (340 if you count the social trails), it would be easy to include geocaching within some of them.

Third, while the other information on your webpage is interesting it does not apply to geocaching. Dogs, destruction of plants, and animal recreation are not directly related to geocaching.

Finally, while it is easiest to shut out those attempting to follow the rules, I hope that the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks will be open to allow for some geocaching within its parks system. I think that some sort of cooperation can be given and an arrangement reached to allow for geocaching. I have listed several websites of other government entities that have worked out arrangements.

http://www.cs.utk.edu/~dunigan/hrcaches/

http://sjrwmd.com/programs/operations/land_mgmt/geo_cache.html

http://www.clemetparks.com/recreation/geocaching.html

 

As an aside, I am curious how you obtained the 3.5 million visitor/year number. I do not see how it can be directly comparable to the numbers from RMNP or even Yellowstone NP.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

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CdirtO and Cameltrekor,

 

Do either of you, or anyone else, think that it would be of any benefit to form some type of official panel or association and appeal to OSMP as an organized group? My wife and I are also regular users of these trail systems and would be interested in working towards a resolutions for this.

 

I have been out of town for the last week or so, but I will go check on the cache in the next day or so and see if it is still there.

 

Two-Braids

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Dusty wrote:

quote:
I am so glad I moved out of Boulder County last fall.

Hey Dusty, I can see being happy to get out of Boulder County, but Lees Summit, MO? Maybe I shouldn't judge since I have never been there...but, I just read that it is named "Summit" because it is the highest point of the R.R. linking K.C. to St. Louis. Don't you miss looking at CO's nearby 14er's just a teeny weeny bit? icon_smile.gif

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Oh yeah.

I even had to get a compass for my car, since I could not tell which way was west.

 

Several of negatives here, but the Blue Springs school system is much better (was #1 in the country for a while) and I get away from some of the Boulder Country "attitudes" like the OSMP haveing "too many" visitors, and bring upset that dogs bark and don't walk in a straight line, and so on....

 

On the other hand, I had to shovel snow just once this winter. Plus, by moving here I got to keep my job, and right now that is a very good thing.

 

DustyJacket

Not all those that wander are lost. But in my case... icon_biggrin.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by Two-Braids:

CdirtO and Cameltrekor,

 

Do either of you, or anyone else, think that it would be of any benefit to form some type of official panel or association and appeal to OSMP as an organized group? My wife and I are also regular users of these trail systems and would be interested in working towards a resolutions for this.

 

Two-Braids


 

Two-Braids,

 

The only response I got from OSMP was to go to an open meeting of the OSMP council. They will not discuss geocaching in any other forum and you are only alloted 5 minutes to say your piece. If your subject can't be discussed and a decision reached in that 5 minutes, well, you're just out of luck.

OSMP doesn't want any visitors to "their" land.

They feel that the only way for "their" land to remain pristine is to keep people off it. Of course, they don't realize that without peoples money, they can't continue to operate!

I personally have stopped using anything in Boulder. I will not spend my money to support a group that is so obviously trying to become a dictatorship. In that statement, I do not include all of the people of Boulder, only those that openly try to force their views and morals on everyone else. This is a free country and if you don't like something, don't do it. Just don't try to make others stop what they enjoy!

 

I will not be attempting to work with them anymore. I will, however, continue to enjoy this sport in other locations.

 

I can go anywhere!! ... (if my wife lets me)

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In the spirit of "civil disobedience" one could starts setting virtual caches all over OSMP and encouraging tons of visitors. There's not a thing they can do about those but get upset.

 

It won't accomplish anything productive, but if they want a war, by golly, they'll get one. icon_wink.gif

 

As a member pointed out in another thread, you could also become a paid member and make the caches subscriber only, just to make OSMP pay to see which are on OSMP and which aren't.

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Just thought I would jump into the disscussion and give my two cents. I lost a cache to Boulder Parks last year. It was called Mallory's cave cache, and It was just removed by Boulder Mountain Parks as soon as they could find it. When I contacted the ranger in charge ( Brent Stoner ) I was pretty much politely blown off with no good reason. If any body here wants to start placing Virtual caches in Boulder Mountain parks, count me in for a couple

Vader

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