Why so many clues to help people find your cache?

[Guest BugsDaffy]

G'day,

 

I've been seeing many cache pages sometimes with a flurry of clues/directions to help people find the cache. Why? Sometimes people just say, along the lines of, "Here it is, here's what's in it, costs $5 to park, don't approach from the north, that is a protected wildlife sanctuary, be careful of mountain lions and rogue soldiers protecting their poppy fields. Have fun."

 

A minimum of information. Simplicity. That's the way many should be, methinks. Sometimes people say such things as:

 

The parking coordinates are N34 58.030, W082 57.237.

 

There are two common approaches to the top - the cache is located from the 'backside' but it can be easily accessed by going up and over from the main parking area. Head uphill on O'malley rd to Hillside. Take a right on Hillside and comtinue to Upper Hufman road. Signs guide you most of the way

 

The cache is at an elevation of 5242' so there is a 924' accent over 3.1 miles.

 

This cache is located approx. 30 yards to the left of the trail to Twin Falls.

 

This isn't all from one, it's a combo but these are things people say that don't need to be said. There are a number of resources available to folks including roadmaps, topos and satellite images for most areas.

 

In the game Geodashing you're given a point to go to and that's all. Just coordinates. You find it. Geocachers should make hunts more challenging for people and not give away any info to help hunters (unless it's encrypted... and I really think that ought to be gotten rid of.) No hints. No clues. No help.

[Guest Craig]

Well if you think thire is to much info. why not just read the coordinates, and go from thire? Just i ideal. some ppl like more info.

[Guest Chris Juricich]

Different strokes-- the other guy's notion of just taking the latlong makes sense.

 

I do one fellow's caches and after his, I want easy ones for a week! Sometimes despite all the help I end up getting challenged!

 

(like coming home three hours later than anticipated one Saturday with my wife in a mood! uh oh!)

[Guest Hawk-eye]

ithout taking away from the hunt.

 

When I'm looking for a challenge I print out any clues and only use as a last ditch effort ... Some cachers point out different approaches ... referring to their scenic value vs getting there fast. You know a lot of folks looking for these things are family groups ... out for fun not "X-treme cache dashing".

Hey ... you don't like the extra clues ... don't use them ... go for the extra challenge ... leave your GPS at home ... wrap aluminum foil around your head and pick up the signals by mind link!

 

 

[This message has been edited by Hawk-eye (edited 26 August 2001).]

[Guest Hawk-eye]

ithout taking away from the hunt.

 

When I'm looking for a challenge I print out any clues and only use as a last ditch effort ... Some cachers point out different approaches ... referring to their scenic value vs getting there fast. You know a lot of folks looking for these things are family groups ... out for fun not "X-treme cache dashing".

Hey ... you don't like the extra clues ... don't use them ... go for the extra challenge ... leave your GPS at home ... wrap aluminum foil around your head and pick up the signals by mind link!

 

 

[This message has been edited by Hawk-eye (edited 26 August 2001).]

[Guest ClayJar]

This is the main reason I have been campaigning for the ability to use something like [square brackets] to put unencrypted text in the encrypted hints. That way you can have something like "[Parking] zworfmongrel hippy doodad [Cache hint] plenum dorkinty qtdwreeh" and let people decode only the parts they want to use.

[Guest mtnsteve]

If you don't need em, don't read em.

[Guest k2dave]

Sometimes the waypoint is only a clue to an item to help you locate the cache and not to the cache itself.

 

Parking waypoint is very helpful for people who like to find a quick cache comming home from a new jobsite and you don't know the 'hood.

 

I agree that there is something to be said about a cache that has only 40.4537N 73.9234W as it's description (Yes I know that is not the format for waypoints we use on this site but the format we use is wrong {not incorrect wrong but the pain in my @$$ wrong - use dec. deg. not this dec. min. crap}). Actually I might try a cache w/ only the waypoint.

[Guest Siageah]

Maybe if you are somewhere without any tree cover that would be easy...just have the co-ordinates. But most of the caches I seek are under heavy tree cover in which all hints help *immensely.* For geodashing, all you need to do is get to within 100ft of the dashpoint according to your GPS. Well on cache hunts I've been within 100ft of the co-ordinates and still need to use clues and hints to find the cache. The GPS starts pointing in a multitude of directions and I can't hold a good signal. The point is, on a dash you aren't looking for a box, just a point. If you get within 100ft, according to your GPS, you've scored a point. Under heavy tree-cover, I get within 100ft with a cache, then I know I have at *least* 100ft to search through to find a small box. I need those hints to help narrow it down within that vast area. But that is just me!

 

[This message has been edited by Siageah (edited 26 August 2001).]

[Guest jc364]

LMAO Hawk-eye!!!

[Guest leskowitz]

My theory is that you should make the first few people who look for the cache suffer a little. These people don't want hints. If they want to be the first person to sign that log book, strip the best goods out (because in few months all that will left will be some bubbles, free Micky D toys, and a 8 track tape) then they have to earn it. I normally give more helpful hints after the cache has been looted a few times. My 2 cents.

[Guest Guppy]

(like coming home three hours later than anticipated one Saturday with my wife in a mood! uh oh!)[/b]

 

Off topic, I know but, bring her with you and let her hold the GPS.

[Guest BigDoggie]

First off, no one puts a gun to your head and FORCES you to read the full description. You could just jot down the coordinates. Or, you could do that PLUS print the pages for possible "emergency" use.

 

As to the specifics that you quoted:

 

"The parking coordinates are N34 58.030, W082 57.237"

 

I have no problem with this. Good info to have. The cache I plan to post next week will have this info.

 

"There are two common approaches to the top - the cache is located from the 'backside' but it can be easily accessed by going up and over from the main parking area. Head uphill on O'malley rd to Hillside. Take a right on Hillside and comtinue to Upper Hufman road. Signs guide you most of the way"

 

This one is on the edge of being a spoiler. If I were going to say this, I would prefix it with the word "SPOILER:"

 

"The cache is at an elevation of 5242' so there is a 924' accent over 3.1 miles."

 

No problem here. This is a rigorous climb, the equivalent of walking to the top of a 90 story office building. It is good to let people know. Not everyone has, or knows how to use, topo maps. If I had to criticize the sentence, I would just say that the info was too specific. Just let it say:

 

"The cache is at an elevation of over 5200' so there is a 900'+ accent over about 3 miles."

 

"This cache is located approx. 30 yards to the left of the trail to Twin Falls."

 

Definate spoiler, and not necessary unless there were some special circumstances. That sort of thing is what the GPS is supposed to tell us, once we get there!

 

 

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

Interested in Geocaching in the state of Georgia? Visit the Georgia Geocachers Association home page at http://www.ggaonline.org

[Guest no limit hunter]

should initially tell you every little detail. go out and figure it out for yourself !

[Guest jeremy]

1. The cache owner can do whatever they want in the description. It's their cache.

 

2. You don't have to read the description if you don't want to. So don't.

 

3. Some people are soft. So what. I doubt their approach is going to ruin yours unless you let it.

 

Jeremy

[Guest EyezOfTheWorld]

quote:

---

Originally posted by no limit hunter:

i just think you people have gotten soft. all you need are the coordinates. you shouldnt need anything else, if you want a clue you can e-mail the owner of the cache to get a private one. i dont think they should initially tell you every little detail. go out and figure it out for yourself !

---

 

Amen! Well, mostly amen. People have gotten soft. I agree about only needing coordinates. Use available maps to figure out where you can park, what kind of hike it might be, etc. All someone should say is what kind of dangers there might be and/or what kind of areas to avoid when trying to approach the cache and/or something like "This is a beautiful, historic area, enjoy the view." "Park here, take this trail, 1000' elevation gain, strenous hike, need a boat" - all not needed! True, you don't have to read all that crap about how to get to the cache but it's there on the page and often mixed in with other things to read.

[Guest Haps]

Try to remember that free access to topo maps is not available in all countries. So indicating parking and or boat necessity can be helpful to some.

 

Also some of my caches are picked because of their location. Hopefully when people go find it they will have never been there and experience a new area. However if they approach it the wrong way they might end up doing 15mins of bushwacking and then find the cache while the intent was to show them a nice trail system, or waterfall or whatever.

 

Also my area is not exactly littered with geocaches. So in order to go find them one must travel significant distances. Going out there and getting skunked is not something I like doing. So the hints are nice to have in case you can't find it.

 

However I do have a cache located in North America at the base of a tree. It is covered with some other objects. It may be near some form of rock. Happy hunting. Hope that one is "challenging" enough for ya.

 

[This message has been edited by Haps (edited 29 August 2001).]

[Guest Hawk-eye]

quote:

---

Originally posted by no limit hunter:

i just think you people have gotten soft. all you need are the coordinates. you shouldnt need anything else, if you want a clue you can e-mail the owner of the cache to get a private one. i dont think they should initially tell you every little detail. go out and figure it out for yourself !

---

 

Look if you're worried about your macho image ... go for it ... use just the cord. ... just use to two decimal points ... do whatever ...

 

Some people start off soft ... kids for example ... and you'd be surprised how many older folks are doing this activity ... those type of clues or descriptions ... that seem to reduce your hormone levels ... help these people select the caches they seek ... that way they keep the fun in the activity at whatever level they approach the game.

 

Sorry for the rant ... but if you're old enough to be out caching without your mom ... your old enough to know how much of the information you yourself select to use. Have a friend ... or in your case a competitor ... email you the cache name and cord. ... don't even look at the page ... impressive ... no?

 

[This message has been edited by Hawk-eye (edited 30 August 2001).]

[Guest Hawk-eye]

quote:

---

Originally posted by no limit hunter:

i just think you people have gotten soft. all you need are the coordinates. you shouldnt need anything else, if you want a clue you can e-mail the owner of the cache to get a private one. i dont think they should initially tell you every little detail. go out and figure it out for yourself !

---

 

Look if you're worried about your macho image ... go for it ... use just the cord. ... just use to two decimal points ... do whatever ...

 

Some people start off soft ... kids for example ... and you'd be surprised how many older folks are doing this activity ... those type of clues or descriptions ... that seem to reduce your hormone levels ... help these people select the caches they seek ... that way they keep the fun in the activity at whatever level they approach the game.

 

Sorry for the rant ... but if you're old enough to be out caching without your mom ... your old enough to know how much of the information you yourself select to use. Have a friend ... or in your case a competitor ... email you the cache name and cord. ... don't even look at the page ... impressive ... no?

 

[This message has been edited by Hawk-eye (edited 30 August 2001).]

[Guest Nemesis]

quote:

---

Originally posted by no limit hunter:

all you need are the coordinates

---

 

It's difficult not to read the rest of the cache report. Therefore, if that's the way you want to play it, why not use the WAP site at geocaching.com/wap/. You don't need a WAP phone, simply download m3gate from m3gate.com (for free).

 

Cheers,

Donovan.

[Guest Nemesis]

quote:

---

Originally posted by no limit hunter:

all you need are the coordinates

---

 

It's difficult not to read the rest of the cache report. Therefore, if that's the way you want to play it, why not use the WAP site at geocaching.com/wap/. You don't need a WAP phone, simply download m3gate from m3gate.com (for free).

 

Cheers,

Donovan.

[Guest BigDoggie]

There's absolutely no question that I am soft. One reason I took up geocaching was to get my lard arse off the sofa! I *know* that I am not up to a 3 mile hike combined with climbing a 90 story office building, and I'd rather know that a cache involves that BEFORE I choose the cache to search for,

 

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

Interested in Geocaching in the state of Georgia? Visit the Georgia Geocachers Association home page at http://www.ggaonline.org

[Guest EyezOfTheWorld]

t in places so be careful & have fun.

 

Everything else should be encrypted!

 

 

[This message has been edited by EyezOfTheWorld (edited 30 August 2001).]

[Guest Nemesis]

quote:

---

Originally posted by EyezOfTheWorld:

Exactly!! Being soft is okay. Encypting is just for you

---

 

I must admit that I'm soft too. I like to get the occasional free hint. With any luck the cache hider has struck their own personal balance (i.e., the correct balance ) between encrypted and plain text hints to keep the hunt interesting (but not lethal).

 

Cheers,

Donovan.

[Guest Nemesis]

quote:

---

Originally posted by EyezOfTheWorld:

Exactly!! Being soft is okay. Encypting is just for you

---

 

I must admit that I'm soft too. I like to get the occasional free hint. With any luck the cache hider has struck their own personal balance (i.e., the correct balance ) between encrypted and plain text hints to keep the hunt interesting (but not lethal).

 

Cheers,

Donovan.

[Guest zilla]

Hmm, I have mixed emotions here.. I have a cache that is located in a place that is easliy accessable if you do your homework and find the correct route.. Otherwise it is a long hike through some nasty country.. I have had two cache seekers take the hard way, and complain a bit.. I modified the cache description a bit ... In my opinion most of the fun is researching the site before heading out to locate the cache.. I know there are those here who believe in the point and shoot method, and just plug the cords in and follow the GPS without maps or reseach.. As a cache hider I feel a little obligated to provide information.. Especially after one cache log noted it would be nice to have the cords to the road to the top..Seems to me, that you're damned if ya do, and damned if ya don't.