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Need help on setting cache difficulty ...


Shel

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I'm trying to figure out a way to hide a cache on the Oregon Trail. So far I've managed to decide that I want to do it as a traditional cache, rather than a virtual cache, or a multistage across the state.

 

This past weekend I actually located (with a lot of help from a local Oregon Trail buff) some trail ruts and the remnants of an old stagecoach stop on BLM land, so I don't have to worry so much about permission issues. But the cache would easily be about 20 miles from the main road, over dirt trails that zig and zag -- no following the little pointy arrow on this one. So I'm thinking about doing an it as an offset -- listing the coordinates on the cache page for the end of the gravel road, where it veers off into the dirt, and there leaving the coordinates for the actual cache, which will be at the end of first segment of the dirt road (that's an offset, right?)

 

It's not one most folks would want to hike to, more of a 4-wheeling kind of cache, because of the distance. But the terrain itself isn't hard because you're driving really close to the site. Can I assume that folks will be driving? (I know, never assume... )Ideas/input on how to set the terrain difficulty?

 

Cool cache prizes (at least i think so icon_smile.gif -- I bought some Indian head pennies and buffalo nickels, and I'm gonna do a cache card, too, so people will have at least one picture in case they forgot their camera)

 

any help always appreciated

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Shel, Your in Idaho. Everyone had a 4x4, or can borrow one, or can walk 4 miles. I'd just post the coordinates and let them figure out how to get there. I find the rubber band pointer on my GPS works really well when you are zigging and zaggin all around where you are actually trying to go. If you really want to do an offset cache, maybe find a good spot to park (like by the only tree for 100 miles) and start it there and do an offset.

 

You gave me a good idea about putting one at the Great Rift National Monument above Aberdeen. I think the Oregon Trail runs through there also but the country is so desolate and baren that the only reason a settler would stop is cause his wagon broke. Not many people visited the monumnet either so they tore out all the trailers and things, and locked up the rift. I figure that's a great spot for a geocache. It will get one visitor a year.

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When placing a cache, I use the amount of difficulty that I had in placing it as my baseline.

 

I assume that most Geocachers will approach the cache from the same direction, using similar methods and routes. But the seekers don't always follow the suggested route. I have one cache that I rated as a 2.5 terrain-wise, assuming the cachers took the same blazed trail that I suggested on my cache page.

 

Some seekers however have decided to bushwack directly to the cache. This probably saves about a half mile, but it is not an easy walk and raises the terrain difficulty to a 3.5 or 4.

 

Since you can't account for the method and route others take to the cache, just use whatever it took you to put it there as your rating.

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quote:

You gave me a good idea about putting one at the Great Rift National Monument above Aberdeen.


 

Not a good idea at all. Key works: NATIONAL MONUMENT - totall no-no to place caches on NPS lands. Read the guidelines for placing caches on geocaching.com. Unless of course you are talking about a virtual cache.

 

RedShoes.jpg

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Laraley - are national monuments definitely NPS? I'm pretty sure that our local national monument, Craters of the Moon, is a BLM spot, so at least there's a chance of setting a cache there. (actually, I'm puzzling over how to do one at our BLM national landmark ... there's two rest stops at it already, so I'm hopeful that if they can put in plumbing, I can get permission to place a cache icon_smile.gif )

 

But even BLM is concerned about making sure that sensitive areas are protected, so I agree that it's definitely better to check if it's got any type of designation

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quote:
Originally posted by laraley:

quote:

You gave me a good idea about putting one at the Great Rift National Monument above Aberdeen.


 

Not a good idea at all. Key works: NATIONAL MONUMENT - totall no-no to place caches on NPS lands. Read the guidelines for placing caches on geocaching.com. Unless of course you are talking about a virtual cache.

 

http://www.larahartley.com/RedShoes.jpg


 

If it's is park service, you would be correct. It's barren and desolate. So much so you would be impressed, and pray that your car starts. As far as Craters of the Moon (which I'll do also if Shel doesn't beat me to it) there is enough lava outside the craters area to do one in BLM land even if Craters of the Moon is NPS. Actually the lave flow dwarfs the park.

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quote:
Originally posted by Shel:

Laraley - are national monuments definitely NPS?... I'm puzzling over how to do one at our BLM national landmark ... there's two rest stops at it already, so I'm hopeful that if they can put in plumbing, I can get permission to place a cache icon_smile.gif )

 

But even BLM is concerned about making sure that sensitive areas are protected, so I agree that it's definitely better to check if it's got any type of designation


 

LOL! And you know, now that you mention it ARE all national monuments NPS? So many bureaucracies to keep track off. Like someone else said, there is SO much lava flow outside Craters of the Moon you would prolly be safe there.

 

Craters of the Moon - very neat place!

 

Lara

 

RedShoes.jpg

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