skydiver Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 I've always just assumed that the container of choice in an area with fire potential would be an ammo can. Seemed like the most likely to be able to stand up to the fire and protect the contents. Not indestructable, but ... safer. The Black Mountain fire just outside of Missoula, MT burned across the locations occupied by three different caches, two of mine (ammo cans), and one of a fellow geocacher's (tuperware). The owner of the tuperware cache was able to get in and check on his cache yesterday... it was fine (container barely melted, and contents in good shape), but the area it was in had been completely ravaged by the fire, so he moved the cache to a new spot that wasn't so depressing. So, with lots of confidence, I went to check on my caches today after work. One was completely missing. I'm assuming it was discovered by the fire fighters and removed as trash. Not really surprising, if it was in anything like the shape my other cache was in... I'll let the photos speak for themselves. --------------------------------------- "We never seek things for themselves -- what we seek is the very seeking of things." Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) --------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment
+CYBret Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Wow...amazing pictures. Thanks for sharing. Where are you going to spread the ashes? Bret "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again." Mt. 13:44 Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Don't you think that if your ammo can was under a rock in the cool earth and not in a combustible stump it would of fared much better than even the tupperware? Quote Link to comment
skydiver Posted September 15, 2003 Author Share Posted September 15, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Renegade Knight:Don't you think that if your ammo can was under a rock in the cool earth and not in a combustible stump it would of fared much better than even the tupperware? Of course. But since ammo cans or considerably more expensive than even the good tuperware (at least around here), and a lot heavier to lug back in on a 9 mile hike to a remote location (which I've done), tuperware is starting to look more and more desirable to me. The damage the tuperware container incured certainly wasn't enough for the hider to say "dadgum, sure wish I'd used an ammo can." The point of this thread was to offer up the leasons I learned, so that others can make even more informed decisions with their own caches. Stump or Rock, Ammo Can or Tuperware, SCUBA cache or Mountain Top. --------------------------------------- "We never seek things for themselves -- what we seek is the very seeking of things." Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) --------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Good point. I didn't think of the hike. Quote Link to comment
Team Sidewinder Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 My condolences on your losses. Thanks for the information and pics. I probably will take my chances and hope my caches never get too close to the flame. Out of the ashes rises the Phoenix of caches. Team sidewinder LOST AND FOUND DEPT. Quote Link to comment
+carleenp Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Very interesting. Thanks for the pics! Quote Link to comment
mckee Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 I would imagine the stump burns hotter for a much longer time than any spot in a grassy meadow. -------------------- This space for rent! Ask about our easy layaway plan! Quote Link to comment
ChiefPig Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Hmmm...maybe I should stop trying to buy an ammo can for my next cache...I should just head to Walmart and buy a plastic container. Quote Link to comment
+SamLowrey Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 quote:Originally posted by ChiefPig:Hmmm...maybe I should stop trying to buy an ammo can for my next cache...I should just head to Walmart and buy a plastic container. I do hope you are joking. Quote Link to comment
+Doc-Dean Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 oh yea... I visited that cache, I think my log read took Geocoin (intended for someone else) and left ashes... Sorry about that --------------------------------------------------- Free your mind and the rest will follow Quote Link to comment
+Sissy-n-CR Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 While an ammo can is much sturdier than *ware, metal is an excellent heat conducter. In the Navy, we are taught how a fire can actually go through a steel wall. The flames themselves don't go through the wall, but instead heat the wall up enough that the wall catches objects on the other side on fire. This is the same case here. I'll still use my ammo cans as I figure if all things are equal the ammo can will fare better than plastic. CR Quote Link to comment
Moun10Bike Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 We also lost an ammo can cache to a fire this summer here in Washington. Check out this log from Yellow Alligator on the Jack Knife Cache. Quote Link to comment
SLCDave Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 I think you should put the ashes in a small urn, and make it into a bug! "I'm 35 Years old, I am divorced, and I live in van down by the river!" - Matt Foley Quote Link to comment
+Planet Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 I am sorry for the loss of your cache and sorrier still for the loss of your trees, shrubs, grasses, and such. May gentle rains come your way. Thank you for sharing. Planet Quote Link to comment
+Team Shibby Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Just goes to show that nothing we use or could use would be completely 'indestructible'. The only way that cache would have survived would be if it were A) Under a BIG pile of rocks, or it was buried (which is a No No) Kar Quote Link to comment
Jamethiel Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Hey Skydiver, was that Vista/Hayes or Snipe? Dean and I really liked Snipe Hatch and I've been planning to wander up the creek this fall to see the fire damage! I hope the other caches in the fires survived better than that one did. A note on tupperware. When we planted Bear Creek cache we used brand new tupperware, washed and dried and let air to get rid of any residual smells from the store. Last winter several rodents tried eating their way into the cache. It had no food or smelly stuff to attract them that we could see. We were told that plastic is "sweet" smelling to animals and sometimes they try to eat it. I can vouch for animals eating plastic as one of our cats eats plastic bag bits and the other goes for tape. The adhesive also attracts animals. Good luck with what ever container you decide to use next. If you replace Snipe in a different location, do we get to go search again and log another trip up OBrian Creek? Please! -Jennifer Age does not bring wisdom, but it does give perspective. Quote Link to comment
+Kite and Hawkeye Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 If you're putting a cache in a very fire-risky area, perhaps something besides an ammo can would be good... but in all other conditions, the ammo can will hold up better. I've never seen a cracked ammo can, or an ammo can that was wet inside, or a "time to replace the ammo can" log. On the other hand, I've seen dozens of tupperware-type containers that were in dire need of replacement -- cracked lids, failure to seal, etc. Plastic containers have a very short lifespan out in the elements. Well, three of the elements, anyway. Real tupperware will seal better and hold up longer than off-brand stuff, but for real durability I'm still voting for the ammo can. Quote Link to comment
+yumitori Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Jamethiel:Hey Skydiver, was that Vista/Hayes or Snipe? According the the cache pages, Vista/Hayes fried, Snipe Hatch is missing. (Isn't that just like a snipe?) Ron/yumitori --- Remember what the dormouse said... Quote Link to comment
Jamethiel Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 I'll bet the snipe egg I left in Snipe hatched during the heat and wandered off with the cache. Could you tell I am too lazy to log in as a subscriber to read his Vista/Hayes note? Am happy to see that the snipe area survived, it is very pretty this time of year. Now I just gotta convinve Dean to go up Black for the survivor cache up there. -Jennifer Age does not bring wisdom, but it does give perspective. Quote Link to comment
lowracer Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 This is just another case in point why all ammo cans should be banned as cache containers! Quote Link to comment
Jamethiel Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Bumping this thread, someone had wanted pics of a fire damaged ammo can. -Jennifer Age does not bring wisdom, but it does give perspective. Quote Link to comment
+AmishHacker Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 quote:Originally posted by lowracer:This is just another case in point why all ammo cans should be banned as cache containers! What is your other reasons? .-=Amish_Hacker=-. Quote Link to comment
+Bilder Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 At least your ammo can was air tight. Until the air got so hot that it blew out the side of your can that is. Thanks for the pics. Give the area a year or two and it will be all green again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have never been lost. Been awful confused for a few days, but never lost! N61.12.041 W149.43.734 Quote Link to comment
+yumitori Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 quote:Originally posted by AmishHacker: What is your other reasons? .-=Amish_Hacker=-. It's an old joke - Markwell --- Remember what the dormouse said... Quote Link to comment
dsandbro Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Maybe I shouldn't have left a small bottle of gasoline and a 1/4 stick of dynamite in trade. =========================================================== "The time has come" the Walrus said "to speak of many things; of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and Kings". Quote Link to comment
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