Found Garmin Oregon 550

[lauhowell]

Hi, I was out trail running near Manitou Springs and found a Garmin Oregon 550 on the trail. Any ideas on how to go about finding the owner? Thanks!

[+Mausebiber]

Check the screen during boot-up, maybe the owner has left his name or phone number.

 

[+kunarion]

On 7/17/2021 at 2:52 PM, lauhowell said:

Hi, I was out trail running near Manitou Springs and found a Garmin Oregon 550 on the trail. Any ideas on how to go about finding the owner? Thanks!

 

Is there a park office where someone may go ask if they lose an item?

Did you find it near Geocaches?  That would be a good start to some detective work… assuming it’s a Geocacher.  I tend to forget things at cache sites.

If you connect it via USB, you can see files in the Garmin/GPX folder.  They may provide clues.  A recent file may be the cache(s) that the person intended to hunt.  [EDIT:  OK, I'd say DON'T do that.  It's not a good idea to plug an unknown drive into a computer.  Bunch of reasons.]

 

In the Garmin folder, look for a file named geocache_visits.txt.  You can open it in a text editor.  Or open the Oregon’s calendar to see the same info.  Clues may be there.  It’s possible that the owners’ most recently found caches were logged online.  Look for a log mentioning a lost GPS.  Compare logs and dates with the online web site cache logs.

 

Is there a track on the map?  That might show where the GPS has been.

 

Are there some named waypoints?  If one is named “Home”, you’re golden.

 

I have boot info as Mausebiber mentions.  But I also have an info sticker inside the battery compartment.  Might be worth a look.

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by kunarion

[lauhowell]

Thanks for the ideas!

 

I don't see any unique name, but there are some waypoints dated in June. 

 

Unfortunately I don't have a USB cord for that, but do have a charging cord since it died shortly after I powered it up. 

 

I'll look into the other suggestions!

[+kunarion]

2 minutes ago, lauhowell said:

Thanks for the ideas!

 

I don't see any unique name, but there are some waypoints dated in June. 

 

Unfortunately I don't have a USB cord for that, but do have a charging cord since it died shortly after I powered it up. 

 

I'll look into the other suggestions!

The fact that the batteries were dead may help.  That’s a sign that it was powered on when lost.  So it might have clues about its trip all the way to the drop point.
 

If you can tell me where you found it, I’ll look at some caches around that area for logs about a lost GPS.  No rush.  

[lauhowell]

I was in Waldo Canyon. It doesn't appear to have many caches since it is not a very highly trafficked trail. I was at the bottom near the final creek crossing and climb out (clockwise).

 

When I power it on, it says appleiphone6 and 1536 caches found. There are a few maps saved, but no finds on the nearby caches around the dates they were saved. I'm stumped!

[+kunarion]

18 minutes ago, lauhowell said:

I was in Waldo Canyon. It doesn't appear to have many caches since it is not a very highly trafficked trail. I was at the bottom near the final creek crossing and climb out (clockwise).

 

When I power it on, it says appleiphone6 and 1536 caches found. There are a few maps saved, but no finds on the nearby caches around the dates they were saved. I'm stumped!

That’s pretty cool!  I keep thinking there must be enough info on it to find the owner somehow.

 

If the cacher didn’t find any of those caches, that person may have lost the GPS before finding any.  That would be a disappointing cache run! 

 

Look in the calendar App on there.  See what some of the caches were and what the drafts say (possibly shorthand log notes).  Days that have drafts are highlighted.  It may even be that there were caches logged on the device that haven’t been logged online yet.

 

 

[+kunarion]

OK, it’s looking like “appleiphone6” is a cacher name.  Standby…

 

Take a look at this cache page.  The cache owner seems to not be very active. Or it’s a group name.  But they knew someone called “appleiphone6”.

https://coord.info/GC4EDAC

 

I’m not sure why that name appears on that GPS.  Is it on the same screen as the find count?  Is that the startup text, pretty much the text that pops up right after the Garmin logo on start?  Anyway, I’m sure it’s a clue. 
 

I’d say don’t even try to connect via USB.  I know you weren’t gonna anyway.  But connecting to a stranger’s USB drive, that’s not good.  I think you have all you need without that.
 

Edited July 19, 2021 by kunarion

[+kunarion]

While we wait, this may be a good point to suggest that Garmin owners add some text to the “Startup” file, you know, just in case .  

If the OP turned it on and saw a name and phone number (for example), this mystery would have been solved already.

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=tySWKvTP8K554K5HVMSIW5

 

You can edit the background images for various screens.  My menu screen had my name and phone number in the margin of the background image.  I did that using a photo editor.  That idea isn't for everyone.

 

AND I have an address label inside the lid of the battery compartment of my GPSs.  With a phone number.  Suppose a finder can't start it up, the contact info is available.

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by kunarion

[+kunarion]

OK, I may have found the actual "appleiphone6", who may not be the one who uses that particular GPS.  I'm asking around.  Maybe that cacher knows about a lost GPS.

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by kunarion

[+kunarion]

"appleiphone6" seems to be more like a Geocaching group, or imaginary friend, than a person.  Cachers that are closer to the inner circle aren't very active.  But I got a pretty good lead this morning.  If there's no response, would you like a list of cachers that know "appleiphone6"?  At least one claims to be "appleiphone6".  If you have a list to look at, you might see a familiar name, someone you could ask about in person.

[+cerberus1]

On 7/18/2021 at 10:13 PM, kunarion said:

I have an address label inside the lid of the battery compartment of my GPSs.  With a phone number.

 

I have my Cache name and PO Box address.  Don't know who found it (if ever lost), so good luck finding me at the PO box.    

[lauhowell]

Sorry for not getting back sooner, it's been a busy week! I don't really do much caching - just a little last year to maintain sanity, so it's unlikely I'd recognize any names. Most of the maps are in the Colorado Springs area, but they are all dead ends in regards to nearby caches from what I see. I'd happily take any leads you have! I looked inside the battery compartment and there is nothing there.

Thanks much!

[+kunarion]

1 hour ago, lauhowell said:

Sorry for not getting back sooner, it's been a busy week! I don't really do much caching - just a little last year to maintain sanity, so it's unlikely I'd recognize any names. Most of the maps are in the Colorado Springs area, but they are all dead ends in regards to nearby caches from what I see. I'd happily take any leads you have! I looked inside the battery compartment and there is nothing there.

Thanks much!

 

I asked a few cachers who seem to be at least somewhat familiar with a person nicknamed "appleiphone6".  So far, I've had one response, and they aren't sure, but provided another name.  Some of these people haven't been caching for over 2 years.  Looks like cachers aren't all that active in Colorado. My next plan was to just ask a Geocaching Event organizer, but I don't see any upcoming Events in the Colorado Springs area!  That was a surprise.

 

I sent the requests via the "Message Center" because it would send both an email and a "Message".  But many people ignore all Geocaching stuff until they go Geocaching again.

 

Are there cyan lines, "tracks", on the GPS map?  I leave mine on, just because.  And my home is a big scribbled cyan blotch of tracks.  That is, it's probably not hard to figure out where I live by looking at the map.

 

I would dearly love to get my hands on that GPS!  There must be enough clues on it to narrow down the owner.  The trick is, looks like the owner is not all that responsive to communication requests.  Maybe that cacher doesn't know he lost a GPS?

 

At what point do you see the word "appleiphone6" and on what screen?

 

Edited July 21, 2021 by kunarion

[lauhowell]

I just received a message from a cacher saying he's appleiphone6. I looked at his hidden caches and one is similar to a spot marked on the map (Badger Mountain), so I'm betting it's his! Thanks so much for your help!

[+kunarion]

3 hours ago, lauhowell said:

I just received a message from a cacher saying he's appleiphone6. I looked at his hidden caches and one is similar to a spot marked on the map (Badger Mountain), so I'm betting it's his! Thanks so much for your help!

That’s awesome!

 

There’s a Geocaching Event coming up in Colorado Springs.  That would be a suitable place to return the GPS… if it’s convenient for everyone.  Anyway, what I did was contact that Event Cache Owner (who I figured could at least mention it at the Event).  But the CO also has some great contacts, which helped get the ball rolling. 

 

I’d love to know the story of how the GPS got there. How long has it been there on the trail?  Some things I guess we’ll never know.  
 

Edited July 28, 2021 by kunarion

[+WingsAndTales]

It's great to have the caching community work together to help someone out. After kunarion contacted me I recognized the name appleiphone6 but couldn't find it on the site. I vaguely remembered that he may have changed his caching name so I posted on the FB page for GCCO, Geocaching Colorado. Sure enough one of the members was able to give me the new name so I could find his account. When I contacted him he said his dad had been using it for hiking but I'm not sure how long it has been since it was lost.

 

Thanks for being persistent in trying to figure this out

[+kunarion]

4 minutes ago, WingsAndTales said:

It's great to have the caching community work together to help someone out. After kunarion contacted me I recognized the name appleiphone6 but couldn't find it on the site. I vaguely remembered that he may have changed his caching name so I posted on the FB page for GCCO, Geocaching Colorado. Sure enough one of the members was able to give me the new name so I could find his account. When I contacted him he said his dad had been using it for hiking but I'm not sure how long it has been since it was lost.

 

Thanks for being persistent in trying to figure this out

 

That right there was some fine detective work!  

[+kunarion]

On 7/27/2021 at 6:16 PM, lauhowell said:

I just received a message from a cacher saying he's appleiphone6. I looked at his hidden caches and one is similar to a spot marked on the map (Badger Mountain), so I'm betting it's his! Thanks so much for your help!

 

Whatever happened with that?  Did the Garmin get returned to the owner?