Letterbox Cache Locations

[+digby645]

Where are some of the best spots for letterbox caches to be placed?  

[Keystone]

I split off the above post into its own topic, because it was originally posted as a reply to a thread about another topic.

 

The sole differentiating feature of a Letterbox Hybrid Cache is the presence of a letterboxing stamp.  So, the answer is, hide a Letterbox Hybrid cache in any location where you'd hide a Traditional, Mystery or Multi-Cache, and where you're able to hide a container large enough to hold a letterboxing stamp.

[+Sottiwotti]

A muggle-free area. Letterbox caches are often pretty big, so they get noticed pretty easily.

[+barefootjeff]

I'm currently in the process of creating an LBH cache, as there are very few in my region now (just two actually) and I thought a new one might be useful to the community for the current promotion, but I wanted it to be more than just a traditional with a stamp in it, so I set it in a large bushland reserve with lots of intersecting signposted walking trails where I could lead searchers along with letterboxing-style clues. The final, a regular-sized container, is in a honeycombed sandstone cave down off the side of one of the trails where it's unlikely to be disturbed.

 

[+hukilaulau]

11 hours ago, Keystone said:

I split off the above post into its own topic, because it was originally posted as a reply to a thread about another topic.

 

The sole differentiating feature of a Letterbox Hybrid Cache is the presence of a letterboxing stamp.  So, the answer is, hide a Letterbox Hybrid cache in any location where you'd hide a Traditional, Mystery or Multi-Cache, and where you're able to hide a container large enough to hold a letterboxing stamp.

What a disappointing response. The original INTENT of a letterbox hybrid cache was to combine elements of a traditional letterbox with those of a traditional geocache. Really has nothing to do with size. I've seen some great Letterbox caches with very small stamps. The clues for how you get to the point where you start using a gps is what makes them special. The worst "Letterbox" caches are Gladware containers with a stamp thrown behind a bush.

Your answer might be technically correct but is also a sign of how the game has been degraded.

[Keystone]

27 minutes ago, hukilaulau said:

What a disappointing response. The original INTENT of a letterbox hybrid cache was to combine elements of a traditional letterbox with those of a traditional geocache. Really has nothing to do with size. I've seen some great Letterbox caches with very small stamps. The clues for how you get to the point where you start using a gps is what makes them special. The worst "Letterbox" caches are Gladware containers with a stamp thrown behind a bush.

Your answer might be technically correct but is also a sign of how the game has been degraded.

 

I don't mind if you feel disappointed by my response.  You're entitled to your own opinion.  You are not, however, entitled to your own facts.  The game has not "been degraded" in regards to the guidelines for Letterbox Hybrid caches.  Nor has the "original intent" changed.  The original intent was to alert finders not to remove the letterboxing stamp.  That's all.

 

Let's take a trip down memory lane to demonstrate the consistency of the guidance over time, since before you became a member.

 

On 12/31/2003 at 10:00 AM, Keystone said:

A letterbox hybrid does not HAVE to be listed on both letterboxing and geocaching. Any cache that features a cache stamp would qualify. Also, to dispel another common misconception about letterbox hybrids, they should rely (at least in part) on latitude and longitude coordinates, rather than purely upon letterboxing-style clues and hints.

 

On 6/24/2004 at 7:30 AM, Keystone said:

One other thing to mention: geocaching (including letterbox hybrid caches) is about using GPS and coordinates to locate the cache. At some point, a cache submission risks being turned down because it does NOT rely on using a GPS. "Go to point X and the cache is located at an offset of 200 feet at 187°" is obviously OK. Coordinates for the parking lot, followed by 10 clues that don't involve coordinates to get you to the cache... well, that's likely a problem.

 

On 8/31/2004 at 4:33 PM, Keystone said:

A "Letterbox Hybrid" is the cache type for a geocache listed on Geocaching.com. It is the same as a traditional cache, in that it is findable by reference to latitude and longitude coordinates, but it differs in one respect: a letterboxing stamp is also included in the cache container.

 

On 7/1/2005 at 12:36 PM, Keystone said:

The policy regarding Letterbox Hybrid geocaches can be found in the specific section on this cache type within the Geocache Listing Requirements/Guidelines (of course, all other guidelines for physical caches in general are also applicable):

 

Hiders of Letterbox Hybrid caches frequently overlook two of the points mentioned in this excerpt from the listing guidelines. The first is, the cache should have a letterboxing-style stamp. Secondly, the cache must be findable by reference to GPS coordinates, not just letterbox-style clues. It is fine to incorporate letterbox clues as an *aspect* of the hunt, or to provide both the coordinates and the clues as alternatives.

 

On 12/4/2005 at 2:52 PM, Keystone said:

... the distinguishing feature of a Letterbox Hybrid is the presence of a letterboxing stamp. Beyond that, the cache can be small, regular or large, it can have trade items or just a log and stamp, it can be a puzzle or a traditional single-stage cache, etc.

 

The most common mistake I see in cache submissions for Letterbox Hybrid caches is the failure to incorporate GPS coordinate use as an integral part of the cache hunt. While it is OK to rely upon letterbox-style clues as an alternative, or as part of a more complex hunt, some GPS use is required for it to be a geocache.

 

On 3/22/2006 at 8:46 AM, Keystone said:

While it is true that the letterbox stamp, not a cross-listing, is the single distinguishing feature of a letterbox hybrid cache, they still must meet the other requirements for a geocache. That means that GPS use must be an *option* for an integral part of the hunt. Whether the geocacher chooses to use a GPS is up to them.

 

There is no other way to read the statement in the guidelines which says that letterbox hybrids must be referenced by latitude and longitude, not just clues.

 

On 8/2/2006 at 2:59 PM, Keystone said:

It is a *very* common error for hiders of LB hybrids to assume that the clues can be solely letterbox-style, and I wanted to draw attention to that. So, in brainstorming ideas in this thread, please bear in mind that GPS use must be an integral part of the cache hunt for a letterbox hybrid.

 

On 1/22/2009 at 6:51 AM, Keystone said:

The distinguishing feature of a letterbox hybrid cache is the presence of a letterboxing stamp.

 

All letterbox hybrid caches must include GPS use as an integral part of the hunt. They can't rely just on clues. Arriving at the park entrance sign or the parking lot really isn't GPS use.

 

Letterbox hybrid caches MAY have letterbox style clues as part of the hunt, so long as they also have GPS usage.

 

On 5/30/2009 at 9:58 AM, Keystone said:

The distinguishing characteristic of a letterbox hybrid cache is that it contains a letterboxing stamp -- NOT that it is cross-listed on a letterboxing site, or that it relies solely on letterbox clues, or that it "has" to be an offset cache.

 

Like all other geocaches, letterbox hybrid caches must rely upon GPS use somewhere along the way as an "integral part of the hunt." Finding the parking lot isn't very "integral." Better examples include a cache placed at the posted coordinates, a set of letterboxing clues which lead to a tag containing coordinates for a cache, or going to a random spot in the woods using GPS coordinates and then following letterbox clues from there.

 

[+barefootjeff]

2 hours ago, hukilaulau said:

What a disappointing response. The original INTENT of a letterbox hybrid cache was to combine elements of a traditional letterbox with those of a traditional geocache. Really has nothing to do with size. I've seen some great Letterbox caches with very small stamps. The clues for how you get to the point where you start using a gps is what makes them special. The worst "Letterbox" caches are Gladware containers with a stamp thrown behind a bush.

Your answer might be technically correct but is also a sign of how the game has been degraded.

 

In fairness to Keystone, what he said about size was "where you're able to hide a container large enough to hold a letterboxing stamp". No matter how small the stamp is, it still needs a container big enough to hold both it and the log and that would likely rule out a lot of the smaller micros.

 

These days, I suspect what makes LBHs special to most cachers is the icon they might need for a challenge cache or, for this month, the Wheel of Challenges. For them, they'd likely prefer to just go straight to that Gladware behind the bush, sign the log and move on to the next smiley rather than navigate their way through a set of letterboxing-style clues. Of the nine LBHs I've found (yes, a small sample I know, but they're almost as rare as hen's teeth around here), only one had letterboxing clues to follow and I messed that up so badly I had to get the final coordinates from the CO. The others were just traditionals with a stamp, although often using an actual letterbox as the container. Given a choice, I'd prefer the letterboxing-style ones as they'd likely be a fun experience, which is why I'm doing that with the one I'm creating, but I suspect it'll get few finds once this month's promotion is over.

[+Goldenwattle]

Not only should a letterbox have a stamp, they should have a log big enough for finders to stamp. Not a tiny micro log. In fact I have seen challenges with find a micro sized letter box. A micro sized letterbox should  not exist, but I found out they do. I found a micro sized bison tube listed as a letterbox. The log not big enough to stamp and not big enough for a stamp. In fact no stamp. No micro sized letterbox caches should be allowed to be published. Challengers should not be allowed to list find a micro sized letterbox cache either.

[+digby645]

14 hours ago, Sottiwotti said:

A muggle-free area. Letterbox caches are often pretty big, so they get noticed pretty easily.

That’s what I thought.  Pity I don’t know any muggle-free areas in the suburbs.

[+digby645]

11 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

I'm currently in the process of creating an LBH cache, as there are very few in my region now (just two actually) and I thought a new one might be useful to the community for the current promotion, but I wanted it to be more than just a traditional with a stamp in it, so I set it in a large bushland reserve with lots of intersecting signposted walking trails where I could lead searchers along with letterboxing-style clues. The final, a regular-sized container, is in a honeycombed sandstone cave down off the side of one of the trails where it's unlikely to be disturbed.

 

Sounds like it will be a great letterbox cache to find.

 

[+digby645]

8 hours ago, Keystone said:

 

I don't mind if you feel disappointed by my response.  You're entitled to your own opinion.  You are not, however, entitled to your own facts.  The game has not "been degraded" in regards to the guidelines for Letterbox Hybrid caches.  Nor has the "original intent" changed.  The original intent was to alert finders not to remove the letterboxing stamp.  That's all.

 

Let's take a trip down memory lane to demonstrate the consistency of the guidance over time, since before you became a member.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the response, all the banter around this topic has definitely broadened my knowledge of Letterbox Hybrid caches.

[+Sottiwotti]

11 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

I'm currently in the process of creating an LBH cache, as there are very few in my region now (just two actually) and I thought a new one might be useful to the community for the current promotion, but I wanted it to be more than just a traditional with a stamp in it, so I set it in a large bushland reserve with lots of intersecting signposted walking trails where I could lead searchers along with letterboxing-style clues. The final, a regular-sized container, is in a honeycombed sandstone cave down off the side of one of the trails where it's unlikely to be disturbed.

 

Great idea! That's what I would call a REAL Letterbox Hybrid cache.

[+Harry Dolphin]

5 hours ago, Goldenwattle said:

Not only should a letterbox have a stamp, they should have a log big enough for finders to stamp. Not a tiny micro log. In fact I have seen challenges with find a micro sized letter box. A micro sized letterbox should  not exist, but I found out they do. I found a micro sized bison tube listed as a letterbox. The log not big enough to stamp and not big enough for a stamp. In fact no stamp. No micro sized letterbox caches should be allowed to be published. Challengers should not be allowed to list find a micro sized letterbox cache either.

 

My Letterbox was two MKHs.  one with the stamp, one with the log.  It had 989 finds and 112 favorites.  You had to follow the instructions to find it.

[+niraD]

2 hours ago, Harry Dolphin said:

My Letterbox was two MKHs.  one with the stamp, one with the log.  It had 989 finds and 112 favorites.  You had to follow the instructions to find it.

I was about to comment on that. I've found LBH caches that were micros with no stamp. But a stamp doesn't have to be huge, and a log big enough for letterboxers personal stamps can fit in a micro-size container. Sure, it will fill up faster than a big notebook, but blinkers need new logs after a couple dozen finds, so I have no problem listing a LBH that needs a new log after a couple dozen finds by letterboxers with personal stamps.

[+hukilaulau]

Congrats, Keystone. You made your point!

I was one of the confused (for almost 20 years now) who thought a letterbox hybrid cache was supposed to be something special. I stand corrected.

I would suggest dropping the word "hybrid" from the name to avoid confusion.  Perhaps call it a "Letterbox stamp" cache, or maybe a "Letterbox icon" cache since this appears to be the main reason people hide, or seek, them now.

[Keystone]

On 3/20/2006 at 3:02 PM, Jeremy said:

... As indicated before a letterboxing hybrid is merely a geocache that has a stamp and a logbook instead of tradable items. It's a way for people to understand not to, for example, take the stamp. ...

 

On 3/31/2006 at 1:06 PM, Jeremy said:

In defense of the type, attributes weren't around before letterboxing hybrids. But I can certainly see how it could be an attribute for caches so people understand to use the stamp and not take it! ...

 

As supported by Jeremy Irish's posts quoted above, if cache attributes had existed at the time when geocaching was first becoming popular, then "Has a Letterboxing Stamp" would likely be a Cache Attribute rather than a Cache Type.  Probably too late now to make a change!

[+thebruce0]

Interesting, I've got that covered in an upcoming project of mine

[hsiale]

On 8/8/2023 at 3:00 AM, Keystone said:

The game has not "been degraded" in regards to the guidelines for Letterbox Hybrid caches.  Nor has the "original intent" changed.

Well ok, then the guidelines have been allowing abuse right from the start. Not much difference from my point of view.

 

There is an area two hours drive from me which has about 200 caches published recently. Mysteries or traditionals (i.e. either on starting coordinates, or you need to solve something at home and then you get the coordinates). But each of them has some random cheap stamp thrown in and thanks to this they are listed as letterboxes, purely to enable lots of letterbox finds for statistics hunters.

Edited August 9 by hsiale

[+cerberus1]

29 minutes ago, hsiale said:

Well ok, then the guidelines have been allowing abuse right from the start. Not much difference from my point of view.

There is an area two hours drive from me which has about 200 caches published recently. Mysteries or traditionals (i.e. either on starting coordinates, or you need to solve something at home and then you get the coordinates). But each of them has some random cheap stamp thrown in and thanks to this they are listed as letterboxes, purely to enable lots of letterbox finds for statistics hunters.

 

Sounds (to me) to be all about issues with a cacher(s), and not something wrong with the guidelines. Guidelines aren't rules...

Before 2017, some people realized that they could do multiple logging on the same cache, and even log their own caches as found.

Few did it and now the option no longer works.  There's always someone looking to "bilk the system" or stretch the guidelines to the max. 

Heck, maybe it's even human nature...    There's third-party sites dedicated to this hobby's stats.

 - And now we have the ability to lock most of our profile from view.   I understand it's for "internet security"...

[+briansnat]

23 hours ago, hsiale said:

Well ok, then the guidelines have been allowing abuse right from the start. Not much difference from my point of view.

 

There is an area two hours drive from me which has about 200 caches published recently. Mysteries or traditionals (i.e. either on starting coordinates, or you need to solve something at home and then you get the coordinates). But each of them has some random cheap stamp thrown in and thanks to this they are listed as letterboxes, purely to enable lots of letterbox finds for statistics hunters.

 

It wasn't abuse from the start, it was a misconception of what a LB hybrid was by many from the start.  A LB hybrid is essentially a geocache AND a letterbox. Not a geocache that is LIKE a letterbox. 

Cache at posted coordinates=Traditional
Cache at posted coordinates with LB stamp = LB hybrid
Cache with multiple stages and clues = a multi cache
Cache with multiple stages and clues and a LB stamp = a LB hybrid

In the very beginning of this site Jeremy approached the letterboxing community and proposed listing letterboxes on gc com. The LB community, who generally had (and may still do) a low opinion of geocachers, refused the offer.   So the LB hybrid was introduced.  The idea at the time was that they would attract both geocachers and LBers.  Although it would make sense to cross post them on LB sites, it wasn't a requirement.  The only requirement was the stamp.   

[Johannis10]

On 8/8/2023 at 3:00 AM, Keystone said:

You are not, however, entitled to your own facts. 

Just My Opinion: I find this statement inappropriate.

Unfortunately, many new LB hybrid in my area are also made just so:

On 8/9/2023 at 8:59 PM, hsiale said:

There is an area two hours drive from me which has about 200 caches published recently. Mysteries or traditionals (i.e. either on starting coordinates, or you need to solve something at home and then you get the coordinates). But each of them has some random cheap stamp thrown in and thanks to this they are listed as letterboxes, purely to enable lots of letterbox finds for statistics hunters

In the past, power trails were not allowed. Thus GS has made possible by this rule change, that the game has been degraded.

[+thebruce0]

14 minutes ago, Johannis10 said:

GS has made possible by this rule change, that the game has been degraded.

Degraded for people who dislike power trails. Enhanced for people who enjoy power trails.

The effect of that change on the entire activity is objectively more complex and nuanced than your one opinion.

(and no, I'm no not exclusively pro power trail, as I've seen both beneficial effects and adverse)

And no power trails weren't technically "disallowed" - rather they were given a category of their own (attribute and limitations in writing) to reduce the wild west of people trying to get away with stuff.

 

Similarly, LB Hybrids needed a ruleset to make them a 'thing' that was related to geocaching and thematically similar to Letterboxing - without being pure letterboxes.

Edited August 11 by thebruce0

[Johannis10]

24 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

The effect of that change on the entire activity is objectively more complex and nuanced than your one opinion

I agree. Sorry, English is not my native language, which is why it is not so easy for me to write more extensively. In general, I see the tendency that statistics always gains a greater importance, rather than the original idea in geocaching. Some people like this tendency, others don't. I accept that, but personally I find it a pity.

[Johannis10]

1 hour ago, thebruce0 said:

And no power trails weren't technically "disallowed"

Just one example from my area:
Someone built a power trail with several hundred cans.
This gave a rush of visitors in the affected forest. The hunt tenants were annoyed. The authorities have not only archived the Powertrail, but in this large district are already banned for years any kind of new geocaches. The frequent statement and behavior in this context: "Everyone should play the game as he pleases" sometimes destroys years of good cooperation with the competent authorities to the detriment of all.

[Keystone]

1 hour ago, Johannis10 said:

Just My Opinion: I find this statement inappropriate.

 

And you are entitled to your own opinion.  My prior posts to this thread were made to correct factually inaccurate misstatements about the intent of the Letterbox Hybrid cache type.  We should move on from that subject and get back to the original question, which asked what are the best spots for hiding Letterbox Hybrid caches.  The answer is "wherever one would hide the underlying cache type."  For example, a library cache with an inside stage and an outdoor stage is a popular design for a Multi-Cache.  Add a letterboxing stamp, and perhaps some lettterbox-style directions like "go up the stairs, turn right, go down to the third row of shelves and look for a library book called Geocaching Secrets," and you have a great Letterbox Hybrid cache.  So, "Libraries" is an on-topic answer to the OP's question.

 

Quote

In the past, power trails were not allowed. Thus GS has made possible by this rule change, that the game has been degraded.

 

The OP did not ask about power trails and, if one does not like power trails, that opinion is unlikely to change regardless of whether the component caches on the power trail are Letterbox Hybrid caches.

[+thebruce0]

1 hour ago, Johannis10 said:

The frequent statement and behavior in this context: "Everyone should play the game as he pleases" sometimes destroys years of good cooperation with the competent authorities to the detriment of all.

I completely agree, and I too hate that phrase "everyone plays how they want", which as you say is often used to defend practices that negatively affect others in the community.  I vastly prefer "everyone enjoys the activity differently" which gives the sense that there are rules or guidelines and an inherent spirit to the game.

 

But with such a variety of preferences, everyone's activity is 'not enjoyable' to someone else. I honestly don't know any geocachers who actually do proper Letterboxing. On the contrary, in Ontario there are powertrails (on land and along water) and geoarts of Letterboxes, many either with single-letter tiny stamps in micros to be technically allowable, or even placed without stamps and no one bats an eye.  They attract a certain type of geocacher who love the experiences they provide.  So the proliferation of a certain experience changes the landscape of the local geocaching selection, and over time the community adjusts to accommodate people who enjoy the predominant geocaching experiences, and less for people who enjoy what's much less available.

 

Overall enjoyment on average doesn't change, even though the style of experience has shifted.  So there will always be people who think the game is changing for the better, or for the worse

 

Personally, I'm all for encouraging enjoyment of various aspects of the hobby the way they were intended to be enjoyed; not taken purely for their statistics, numbers, and missing out on intentional experiences.

 

 

ETA: Point to the OP: You can place Letterbox[ hybrid]s along rivers and lakes as well, just make sure they have a stamp in them ;P

 

Edited August 11 by thebruce0

[Keystone]

1 minute ago, thebruce0 said:

Letterboxes, many either with single-letter tiny stamps in micros to be technically allowable, or even placed without stamps and no one bats an eye. 

 

As a player, I log "Needs Maintenance" when I encounter a Letterbox Hybrid cache without a letterboxing stamp, including a "throwdown" when a finder replaces the missing original container that had a stamp.  This does not make me popular with Cache Owners, but as a Reviewer I am obligated to call out examples where a cache I find as a player does not meet the Geocache Hiding Guidelines.  Perhaps more people should bat an eye in this fashion.

[+thebruce0]

No argument here

[Johannis10]

On 8/7/2023 at 10:40 AM, digby645 said:

Where are some of the best spots for letterbox caches to be placed?

That depends on who you are placing the cache for.

For statisticians* to whom statistics is more important than anything else:
- Find a place where there are already many caches nearby or place many yourself.
- The caches must be easily and quickly accessible. Never choose a long footpath even if it is scenically beautiful.
- Choose a place where a rare and coveted D/T attribute can be used. It does not have to fit exactly to the circumstances.
- Choose desirable rare attributes such as "snowshoes required" even if they are not very appropriate to the chosen location.
- A pillbox with a single stamp-letter glued on it, is sufficient as a container. It is not important to choose a beautiful stamp motif or an interesting location. It is more important that the points mentioned above are fulfilled.
=> You will get many logs, but mostly in poor quality.

For geniuses:
- Search a beautiful interesting place, the way may also be longer.
- Create a well understandable interesting clue

- use a nice stamp motif that people like to remember
- Choose the attributes and the D/T rating as they fit to the hiding place.
=> You may get less logs, but on average, more pleasant to read logs.

 

Just my opinion: Interest in statistics does not have to be bad in itself, but some effects I consider questionable.

Greetings Johannis10

 

*This type of priorities is increasingly promoted by GS through Various Actions and rule adjustments.

 

 

[+barefootjeff]

2 hours ago, Johannis10 said:

That depends on who you are placing the cache for.

 

I'll freely admit that my main motivation for placing my LBH (now awaiting publication) was to give the local community a new LBH to find in the current Wheel of Challenges promotion, as there are only two others in the region, placed in 2014 and 2020. But it hasn't been easy. The bushland reserve, with its network of trails and the statue of a barefoot navigator that inspired the theme of the cache, has a fair number of other hides, including some multis and a D5 mystery I haven't solved, and the final of one of the multis was relocated by its owner some time after I'd found it so I don't know where it is any more, so I had to ask our reviewer to do a coordinates check for me which delayed things by a few days.

 

 

Then there was the stamp. I couldn't order that until I knew for sure what size container I'd be using and that couldn't be settled until the reviewer had given the okay for my chosen hiding place. Once all that was sorted on Monday morning, I went to an online stamp maker, submitted my text and graphic and paid them $43.50 for both the stamp and express delivery. The next day I received an email saying the stamp had been made and was awaiting courier pick-up, but the courier they chose was anything but express and, after it appeared to have been lost en-route, it finally turned up on Friday.

 

 

The container I chose to use is a regular-sized Duratech instrument case which set me back $27, plus a few dollars for the spiral-bound logbook. With the laminated labels made and glued into place, it was then back to the mountain (a half-hour drive from home) to place it and double check all my coordinates, distances and directions for the letterboxing-style trail to it. So all up, a lot of expense and effort for something that will likely have limited appeal, but the same is true for most of my hides. We don't have power trials or geoart here, just a thin smattering of mostly bushland caches like these. Fortunately for this month's promotion you don't need lots of them, just one of each type.

Edited August 11 by barefootjeff

[+Smitherington]

Looks intriguing. Thanks for your effort even if I never get there to find it. 

[+Goldenwattle]

On 8/10/2023 at 4:59 AM, hsiale said:

Well ok, then the guidelines have been allowing abuse right from the start. Not much difference from my point of view.

 

There is an area two hours drive from me which has about 200 caches published recently. Mysteries or traditionals (i.e. either on starting coordinates, or you need to solve something at home and then you get the coordinates). But each of them has some random cheap stamp thrown in and thanks to this they are listed as letterboxes, purely to enable lots of letterbox finds for statistics hunters.

See a lot of that. Traditionals with stamps.

[+Goldenwattle]

5 hours ago, Johannis10 said:

The caches must be easily and quickly accessible. Never choose a long footpath even if it is scenically beautiful.

These two comments cancel each other out.  A footpath allows a cache to be "quickly accessible". Easy, walk from cache to cache. They are often the  most accessible. No need to have to find a place to park a car. Recently on holidays in Europe (I do much of my caching when travelling) the most accessible caches were those I could walk to. Each day I would walk many kms, although I admit only just over 13kms was my longest walk. I cached for a few days with another cacher (likely a couple of decades younger than me*), and after I had had enough, she would continue, walking more than 20kms a day. More enjoyable than driving from cache to cache, and the stress of almost no car parks.

I started off a series of caches along a cycleway/footpath. It has been successful. GC64K69

I don't understand your comment.

* Cop out comment.

[+Smitherington]

I think that comment was made with the tongue firmly located in the cheek. Only for the number grabbers. 

[Keystone]

Let's talk about Letterbox Hybrids and where to hide them, like in barefootjeff's post.

[+Goldenwattle]

Hide them along footpaths and bicycle paths, where people can get some exercise.

[Johannis10]

Below is an Example of a nice letterbox location and a nice matching stamp.

@Goldenwattle

On 8/12/2023 at 5:04 AM, Goldenwattle said:

More enjoyable than driving from cache to cache

I agree with that. In our area, however, some cachers drive to each powertrailcache by car, although they are on forest roads that are closed to cars. This leads to understandable anger about geocaching at the forestry authorities. => For number grabbers best to place the Pillboxes on a road, even if the area is ugly...

 

Edited August 13 by Johannis10
better translation

[+Goldenwattle]

6 hours ago, Johannis10 said:

although they are on forest roads that are closed to cars.

The authorities here in the ACT where I live, often have gates to keep cars out, unless they get permission.

[+CheekyBrit]

As far as the LOCATIONS of letterbox. I am glad that there is no limitation on the size. I have a bucket hanging my a rope and pulley in a tree in our front yard and it is size large - no problems. But I also have a letterbox nestled in a small rocky nook in this cliff face chamber next to this 'face in the mountain'. It is only an altoid tin but there is enough toom for the stamp and a decent size scroll of paper.

 

If there was a rule that only large or regular size caches could be letterboxes, this face of the mountain letterbox couldn't exist (it'd have to be a traditional or some other type).

 

We have a few micro sized letterboxes in town. A big bison tube with a letter size piece of paper folded and wrapped around a small stamp. Enough space for stamping. They are along hiking trails in parts where there isn't really room to hide anything else larger feasibly. 

[+digby645]

On 8/14/2023 at 4:04 AM, Johannis10 said:

Below is an Example of a nice letterbox location and a nice matching stamp.

@Goldenwattle

I agree with that. In our area, however, some cachers drive to each powertrailcache by car, although they are on forest roads that are closed to cars. This leads to understandable anger about geocaching at the forestry authorities. => For number grabbers best to place the Pillboxes on a road, even if the area is ugly...

 

I can’t believe how much effort some people go to for these letterbox caches.  It would be awesome finding a stamp like this one.

[+Goldenwattle]

16 minutes ago, digby645 said:

I can’t believe how much effort some people go to for these letterbox caches.  It would be awesome finding a stamp like this one.

It would be. Needs chaining down though, or someone will take it, either because they are a thief, or in innocence, such as a beginner who honestly thinks this is a swappable item, because they don't yet understand letterbox caches. Really nice stamps can be commercial bought * too.

 

*I bought a stamp with a sprig of wattle on it for my stamp. I didn't think a stamp with wattle would be available. I was admiring the stamps in a stamp shop and said to the woman who owned it, "Nice stamps, but I bet you don't have a stamp with wattle on it." 

"Yes I do, " she replied and fetched it for me.

I was really surprised. I bought it and that's the stamp I stamp the letter box logs with. Unfortunately yellow ink doesn't show up very well, so I use an orange yellow ink instead. An ink that says it's archival and waterproof.

[+thebruce0]

On 8/19/2023 at 9:51 PM, digby645 said:

I can’t believe how much effort some people go to for these letterbox caches.  It would be awesome finding a stamp like this one.

 

I do have to say, I could understand the draw some might feel with it. When we find geocaches, we sign its log, but we don't really take anything tangible home from them.  Letterboxing, you use the (in theory) unique one-of-a-kind stamp to leave a mark on your physical log book as a keepsake and record of your visit. You open the page and see and touch the stamp made with ink that was put to paper at the location of that stamp. We can take pictures, but that's not quite the same... some people love getting passports stamped when visiting other countries; I'd argue there's a similar draw to that. I brought back a few small lava rocks and pebbles from my trips to the UK and Iceland.  Again, similar draw - the tactile, tangible keepsake and memory from that location.

 

Maybe I should start getting into real Letterboxing...

[+barefootjeff]

On 8/20/2023 at 12:17 PM, Goldenwattle said:

On 8/20/2023 at 11:51 AM, digby645 said:

I can’t believe how much effort some people go to for these letterbox caches.  It would be awesome finding a stamp like this one.

It would be. Needs chaining down though, or someone will take it, either because they are a thief, or in innocence, such as a beginner who honestly thinks this is a swappable item, because they don't yet understand letterbox caches

 

I put this label on my stamp, hopefully it will discourage beginners from honestly thinking it's swag. Time will tell, I guess.

 

[+digby645]

On 8/22/2023 at 1:13 PM, barefootjeff said:

 

I put this label on my stamp, hopefully it will discourage beginners from honestly thinking it's swag. Time will tell, I guess.

 

I think the sticker is a such a good idea, Im definitely putting the same sticker on mine when I create one.  I think I will create a stamp with a picture of my Labrador dog.