Cache Locations

[+StashSeeker]

Okay tell me, how are most cache's planted? Buried? Hung in trees? Hidden under brush/rocks/logs? If buried, how deep? And how can you direct hunters to buried items to enough accuracy?

[+Krista&Geert]

Most caches that I have found have been hidden under rocks. I think that is one of the easiest ways of getting them out of sight. The only bad thing is that they are hard to find in winter if there is snow on the ground . I have also had to climb to trees to reach the caches. One cache was attached to a wire and it hung down from a bridge... and another one was inside an iron railing... some caches are really hidden in a very clever way! .

 

I like those caches the most where the cache isn't hidden in the most obvious place .

[Keystone]

"Buried" caches, those which would require digging, are not permitted for listing here. It's easy to understand why, once you see the accuracy range of the typical consumer-grade GPS. People would be digging all over in a 30 foot radius from where their GPS said the cache was, which would be a bit different circle than the person who hid the cache. If you'd like to turn your backyard into a garden, bury a cache in it and let the geocachers do the work.

 

All the other things you listed are common cache locations. Just go to the spot, look around, and ask yourself "Where would I hide something?"

[+xenophon10k]

Okay tell me, how are most cache's planted?  Buried? Hung in trees? Hidden under brush/rocks/logs? If buried, how deep? And how can you direct hunters to buried items to enough accuracy?

Burying a cache is generally not acceptable. Mainly because it's destructive, and most land managers and property owners won't allow it.

 

So you have to be creative, and use what's around. Most of the caches I've found have been inside, under, or next to dead or fallen trees. Some have been inside or next to living trees, with bark or sticks used as camoflage. Piles of rocks work well.

 

Edit: additional info

Edited December 13, 2003 by xenophon10k

[+Sparky-Watts]

"Buried" caches, those which would require digging, are not permitted for listing here. It's easy to understand why, once you see the accuracy range of the typical consumer-grade GPS. People would be digging all over in a 30 foot radius from where their GPS said the cache was, which would be a bit different circle than the person who hid the cache. If you'd like to turn your backyard into a garden, bury a cache in it and let the geocachers do the work.

 

All the other things you listed are common cache locations. Just go to the spot, look around, and ask yourself "Where would I hide something?"

Oh.....so, ummm....should I return that backhoe to the rental store for the DNF I had last week?

[+Kite and Hawkeye]

Most regular caches are hidden under rocks or sticks, tucked into hollow trees, or stuck in the middle of a bush. As soon as you get used to that, you'll encounter one dangling twenty feet over your head on a rope or disguised as a big rock. You may even look under the cache once, not realizing it was the cache because you didn't flip it entirely over and see the screw-lid embedded in the bottom. Not that this ever happened to me or anything.

 

Microcaches are usually magnetic, or otherwise attached underneath a bench/against a metal utility box -- or, a recent variation here, in the liftable guard thing at the base of a light pole.

 

In any case there's usually a landmark involved. A microcache hidden underneath leaves in the middle of the woods isn't much fun, nor is the "hidden in a random bush" regular cache. GPS units aren't accurate enough to pinpoint such a spot, and brute-force searching is tedious. Even the cache owner couldn't come back and quickly find such caches without a landmark. A clever hiding method, on the other hand, may take just as long to find (if you're not the owner!), but you get the 'aha!' moment at the end where you're pleased to find the cache and you can admire (or curse) the owner's inegenuity. Those are the memorable ones.

[+briansnat]

There are a few popular methods. One is the URP, or Unnatural Rock Pile. Someone hides the container and covers it with a bunch of stones. Another is the UPOS, or unnatural pile of sticks. Similar to the URPs.

 

Hiding the cache in the crevice of a rock, or hollow stump is also popular. And I've found a few hung from trees. Not quite as numerous, but gaining in popularity are caches hidden in plain sight, usually disguised as rocks, stumps, etc....

 

As others stated here, buried caches are taboo, but sometimes you will find one in a natural deperssion in the ground and covered with leaves, or duff, which is find.

[+scoobydooers]

when you go to hide your cache, find the most likely spot, and then hide it 25 feet away

[vagabond]

There are a few popular  methods. One is the URP, or Unnatural Rock Pile.  Someone hides the container and covers it with a bunch of stones. Another is the UPOS, or unnatural pile of sticks. Similar to the URPs.

 

Hiding the cache in the crevice of a rock, or hollow stump is also popular. And I've found a few hung from trees.  Not quite as numerous, but gaining in popularity are caches hidden in plain sight, usually disguised as rocks, stumps, etc.... 

 

As others stated here, buried caches are taboo, but sometimes you will find one in a natural deperssion in the ground and covered with leaves, or duff, which is find.

Hey Brian you forgot a real favorite of mine, the proverbial cover around the light standard in mall parking lots

[+IV_Warrior]

If you'd like to turn your backyard into a garden, bury a cache in it and let the geocachers do the work.

OK, just when you see the cache page for approval, remember that YOU suggested it.

 

When I have another room I want remodeled, can I hide a cache in the wall?

[gm100guy]

Guidelines read them first

 

[+StashSeeker]

Thank you, read them BEFORE I posted. I'm finding not all follow guidelines and I'm wondering how those may be found....but thanks!

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

The more caches you find the easier it will become to figure out how and where to hide your caches. As you increase your find count you also start looking at things a bit differently. You'll be driving along and see a spot and say 'wow that'd be a good place for a cache'.

One thing we like to do is to use misdirection when we hide our caches. For example on this cache All Choked Up we lead the cacher into a canyon that has some huge choke stones about 1/2 mile in. The stones form a type of cavern this is about 30 feet in diameter and has lots of places for a cache. Only we hid the cache outside the opening and about 8 feet up the sidewall of the canyon.

 

When you're ready to hide a cache you must first find someplace worth bring the cachers to. Try to chose an area that you like to visit repeatedly and then spend some time just looking at all the different places that are just begging to have a cache placed in them.

 

If you choose an area that you enjoy visiting then others will probably enjoy it as well.

 

Hope this helps.

 

John

[+fabasard]

Another Geo newbie signs on. We downloaded three waypoints to the Garmin E-trex and plan to look for them tommorow. Most of you will not know us, but we met a small "herd" of you at a local Golden Corral during one of your meetings. I guess were gonna have to start coming to those meetings as well. We loved the idea so much of Geo caching that we went out and got a GPS. is the garmin Etrex with the MAPSOURCE a good thing? See you out there....

[stonefinder]

Fabasard, I use the gramin vista with mapsource and love it. I can put all of mass. on it with room to spare and use the compass when geting close to the cache