Does Need for a Boat = Terrain level 5 ?

[+hikemeister]

In south Florida, there are several new caches that are easy to find if you are lucky enough to own a boat. Otherwise you can rent one and get to the site (also pretty easy). These caches almost always have a terrain level of 5 and usually a difficulty of 4 or 5. That tops off the scale. Well, there are other caches down here that really are a 4 or 5 -- multi-stage caches with a first step of finding an underwater marker or two with Lat / Lon numbers that then lead to the cache. Question -- should a cache have a high difficulty and/or terrain level just because one must use a boat to get to the location ? Even for example on an island that is a frequently visited 'party spot' by boaters and serviced by a water taxi ?

[+El Diablo]

Since it requires special equipment to reach...yes.

 

I placed one about a year or so ago that required a boat to reach and the approver of the cache said it had to be a level 5.

 

El Diablo

 

Everything you do in life...will impact someone,for better or for worse.

http://www.geo-hikingstick.com

[+Frolickin]

quote:

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Originally posted by hikemeister:

Question -- should a cache have a high difficulty and/or terrain level just because one must use a boat to get to the location ?

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The ratings, found at www.clayjar.com, indicate that any cache that requires specialized equipment (for example, a boat) earns a five-star rating.

 

quote:

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Extreme. A serious mental or physical challenge. Requires specialized knowledge, skills, or equipment to find cache.

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Fro.

 

________________________________________

Geocaching . . . hiking with a purpose

[+sept1c_tank]

So, should I add 2 more stars to my latest cache?

 

==============="If it feels good...do it"================

 

**(the other 9 out of 10 voices in my head say: "Don't do it.")**

 

.

[+canadazuuk]

The problem with a simplistic rendering of level 5 for a boat cache is that it doesn't do justice to a TRUE 5 star difficulty... but I think that most folks would realize from reading the cache descriptions what they are getting into

 

Now, somebody who hides a cache that requires a boat trip AND a 7 hour hike uphill, without mentioning the hike, well let's just say that in my books they would be up the creek without a paddle

[+hikemeister]

It looks like this canoe in cache is ranked just about right, except that perhaps the difficulty level is slightly higher. The issue of how to set a difficulty level really hit home last week, when we did some geocaching in western Maryland and West Virginia. A terrain of 3 up there would be a 5 down here. We did a cache with a two mile walk (one way), followed by some serious rock climbing, with green briers everywhere and warnings about snakes on the rock ledges. It was rated as difficulty 3 terrain 3. Compared to that, jumping in my boat and stopping by an island to find a cache located 100 ft from the beach while on my way to dinner does not seem to be a 5. But them be the rules !!

[+SearchRescueDog]

I think that this issue could bo solved all together if we ever get searchable cache attributes added to the cache pages. This will solve the problems of dog/wheelchair access as well as special equipment.

Cache reporting form has several attributes with check boxes. The check box for special equipment then has a dropdown list for SCUBA, 4x4, boat, climbing, etc.)

[solohiker]

Sheeze...

 

The approvers don't pay attention to any of the existing rules, you want to add more???

[+Stunod]

quote:

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Originally posted by solohiker:

Sheeze...

 

The approvers don't pay attention to any of the existing rules, you want to add more???

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I thought he was gone...

 

(and nice pic on the profile. Same back to you.)

 

"Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

[+Renegade Knight]

A boat is 5 for terrain since that's how you get there.

 

It could be a 1 for difficulty once you are there.