Running Into Other Geocachers

January 15, 2004

I have only been geocaching for just under a month. How often have you run into other geocachers while on the hunt? I am guessing the urban caches have this happen more often.

9.4k · January 15, 2004

Usually the first day or two after a cache is placed, you run the highest risk of running into another cacher. Drive up caches (and urbans) leave you at the cache site for a very short amount of time. I think the 1/2 mile hikes run the greatest chance of seeing someone else. You'll be in the area for 20-30 minutes instead of only 5.

I ran into another cacher once when doing a maintenance check on one of my caches. (I check the cache within a week of placement to make sure there are no problems, etc). I finally met the cachers that placed the first cache I ever found. Neat!

Overall, I rarely meet other cachers when hunting, but it has happened a few times.

8.4k · January 15, 2004

On the trail: Under a dozen. Usually near NEW caches.

At events: Several hundred.

Sn :lol: gans

3.9k · January 15, 2004

How often have you run into other geocachers while on the hunt?

Not too often. But when I do it hurts. It hurts really bad. Especially when I on a marathon cache day and I'm running really fast. Sparky posted a picture yesterday of someone after they ran into a cacher. Unfortunately that cache was carrying an M-80 at the time. Not pretty.

Seriously though, it's always a pleasure to meet a fellow cacher on the trails. Like Sax said it usually happen when the cache is new and all the FTF ho's are going after it. But even then it's kind of rare.

edited to add: Sparky that doesn't mean you need to post that photo again. Please I just ate lunch and if you post it I will fly to Kansas and barf on you. :lol:

Edited January 15, 2004 by JMBella

1.2k · January 15, 2004

I have yet to run into a cacher (at least one I wasn't on the hunt with) but I look forward to it.

9.4k · January 15, 2004

Seriously though, it's always a pleasure to meet a fellow cacher on the trails. Like Sax said it usually happen when the cache is new and all the FTF ho's are going after it. But even then it's kind of rare.

Are you calling me a ho? :lol:

3.9k · January 15, 2004

Seriously though, it's always a pleasure to meet a fellow cacher on the trails. Like Sax said it usually happen when the cache is new and all the FTF ho's are going after it. But even then it's kind of rare.

Are you calling me a ho?

Yes. But that has nothing to do with geocaching. Get back on topic please.

Actually with over 30 FTF out of 275 finds, I'm a big ol' ho myself.

Edited January 15, 2004 by JMBella

5.9k · January 15, 2004

I've never run into another cacher. I have run in to a cacher on a couple of times. :lol:

January 15, 2004

Hi All, Only once have we encountered another cacher (and that was a family) while on the hunt. That was on a Mystery Cache and they had computed the coordinates wrong...they were about 200 feet off. We compared notes and they adjusted their numbers...then the wife in that family found the cache...we all had a good laugh, and a nice visit. I was lucky enough to score 2 FTFs in the past 2 days :lol: , and I thought surely I'll run into another cacher out there...not so. I guess we're a sneaky, solitary lot.

Regards,

Bill

January 15, 2004

After Criminal's reply, I had to take a break.

Back on topic, we have run into less than a dozen cachers. At one cache, you had to walk downhill on a trail that was slightly obscured by brush. A pair of cachers didn't hear us, and we did not see them. They thought it was a deer, and were surprised to see other people along the trail.

2.1k · January 15, 2004

I'd wager you meet more cachers geocaching outside of the urban areas. I am guessing that you would tend to have longer hikes from trailhead to the caches and so more time to catch up with someone with a GPSr looking around the forest.

Most of my finds are urban (easier to get to where I am) and I know that I usually keep my GPSr low-key (if I pull it out at all) and as I near the spot, I usually can put it away completely because even at a few hundred feet in the city, you usually know exactly where you're headed (gee...the only tree/park bench/rock within a city block...hmm....). This makes it harder to notice other cachers. The overwhelming number of other people around also helps let you blend in and also means you have to be sneakier about revealing the cache site.

I did run into one other caching pair who were from out of town and visiting. We both messed up the math in the offset and were wandering around a parking lot staring at our GPSr-s. Other than that, it's usually pretty uneventful. I even beat WaldenRun et al (in New England, we call them all the Usual Suspects) to my only FTF...but I beat them all by over an hour, so there was nobody around to see get it after me.

9.2k · January 15, 2004

Putting aside about a dozen planned hunts with other geocachers, and event caches, I've met other geocachers randomly on 7 occasions out of about 600 cache hunts. Interestingly, when I first started, there weren't as many geocachers so it was far more rare to see someone else. In fact, it wasn't until my ninth month of geocaching that this occurred for the first time, in February 2003. After that, the pace picked up: once in May, twice in July, once in October, once in December and once just last weekend. I agree with others that random meetings are more likely to occur at newly-placed caches. 6 of the 7 random meetings occurred at caches less than 3 weeks old.

3.5k · January 15, 2004

Two years of caching...341 finds, and I think it's happened...maybe....2 times.

Once was a very chance occurrence at a fairly old cache, the other was running into someone I had previously met at a new urban cache.

What seems to be much more popular is the "just missed them" factor. I've had people tell me they're 30 minutes behind me on signing logs and I've been 15 minutes behind another guy a couple times.

Bret

January 15, 2004

I've met nearly a dozen on the trail. 4 just a couple days ago in a major fiasco trying to find a new cache in Gig Harbor.

I still have yet to meet Criminal though. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing...

I suppose it will happen sooner or later.

January 15, 2004

I have met other catchers on two different occasions. On the second occasion, the brother of the cache owner came with his family while we were looking. He even called his brother on his cell phone. There were 6 people, and 1 dog looking, but it was a DNF, his brother was no help on the phone.

3.8k · January 15, 2004

I found my first cache by meeting another cacher on the trail, but at that time, I wasn't a cacher. Other than that, and event caches, I have met two cachers while searching and one while working (wearing a Groundspeak hat). The time line: 9 months/105 caches.

Edit: Oh yeah, and I've met two other cachers while riding my bike in an area saturated with caches.

Edited January 15, 2004 by sept1c_tank

1.3k · January 15, 2004

I've met nearly a dozen on the trail. 4 just a couple days ago in a major fiasco trying to find a new cache in Gig Harbor.

I still have yet to meet Criminal though. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing...

I suppose it will happen sooner or later.

You know up until about a minute ago I thought I had met Criminal. I now realize that that is not the case. I must just feel that way from reading all of his wisdom on the forum.

I have met Perrin, though. (Though at a pre-planned event.)

January 15, 2004

279 finds since April - I believe I have run in to 8 others. So that's like what, 95% of the time?

Yeah, that's right, I supervise math!

January 15, 2004

Out of 70 caches, I have met 3. One was on a trip to do maintence on a cache. It's surprising you don't run into more.

1.3k · January 15, 2004

60 caches, 1 other cacher.

January 15, 2004

Usually the first day or two after a cache is placed, you run the highest risk of running into another cacher.

Around here, you run the risk of running into another cacher who's racing to the newly advertised cache!! There are several cachers that head out as soon as the cache is posted, to be the FTF! It's a race to the dying end! Watch out!

Rich

January 15, 2004

148 caches and 2 cacher

January 15, 2004

I've only run into another cacher once, by accident. I;ve set up some trades before, but the time I ran into the most, was during Magellan's geocaching contest. I saw more cachers than you can shake a stick at !!!!

January 15, 2004

I have run into 1 other cacher on the trail. On a multi though I had a cacher a few minutes behind me from the log but he never caught up to me.

January 15, 2004

jfyi:

The official geocaching PMR channel in Europe is 2 (8 as alternate) and as far as I know there's something similar in the US. If you carry a radio with you, the probability of running into another cacher rises :-)

January 15, 2004

I've been geocaching about 8 times, and have seen 1 cacher.

January 15, 2004

88 caches, 4 cachers (one meeting offered up two cachers - bonus)

It's easier to come in contact with other cachers on weekends; I prefer to hunt on weekdays.

3.9k · January 15, 2004

279 finds since April - I believe I have run in to 8 others. So that's like what, 95% of the time?

Yeah, that's right, I supervise math!

Good to see the kids are in good hands.

6.5k · January 15, 2004

Wow I'm surprised at the rarity of this happening. I've been at this for almost 18 months, 300+ finds and I can count at least 6 encounters. I even got within 15 feet of one guy who was so focused on his GPSr that he didn't hear me approach! I had already inspected the log he was looking at so I just said 'it isn't there'. After he came back down we got to meet and spent the next 3 hours completing the multi-quest.

Edited January 15, 2004 by wimseyguy

January 15, 2004

I've never run into another cacher. I have run in to a cacher on a couple of times.

Thanks for the grammar fix up!

Your real nice too point out that witch I spelled incorrectly!

January 16, 2004

Quite new at it, almost two months. Have run in to a family of cachers once so far.

All the grammar lessons ahead, and I ran into, not in to. Oh well.

Edited January 16, 2004 by harleycache

January 16, 2004

I've met other geocachers on the trail, in the park, under the bridge... over a dozen times. It is a chance encounter like this that I really hope for, but they rarely occur, as a percentage of my caching tries.

New caches are where most have occured. At least twice there were so many people looking for the cache it was like an impromptu event. Kind of hated to eventually find it and move on.

Lots of near misses! It's wierd when you get to a cache at 7am and you see that someone has already signed the log that day.

2.5k · January 16, 2004

I've never run into another cacher. I have run in to a cacher on a couple of times.

Thanks for the grammar fix up!

Your real nice too point out that witch I spelled incorrectly!

Always proofread. That way miss something.

January 16, 2004

85 caches, we met the owner of a multi we were searching for a few days after he hid it. then when we came back the following day we met a two person team searching the same caches. that's it. we've been in the parking lot and seen cars with "GEO" bumperstickers, but never actually met any of them. i did meet a cacher at work, but only talked to him because we were both using gps's at the time.

January 16, 2004

JMBella Posted on Jan 15 2004, 03:20 PM
QUOTE (Squealy @ Jan 15 2004, 02:37 PM)

279 finds since April - I believe I have run in to 8 others. So that's like what, 95% of the time?

Yeah, that's right, I supervise math!

Good to see the kids are in good hands

You should see how they read!

3.8k · January 16, 2004

Overall, I rarely meet other cachers when hunting, but it has happened a few times.

Same here. I think maybe twice have I run into other cachers, when not at a 'caching event, of course!

January 16, 2004

I remember seeing alot of people with gps's, but did not know what they were up to, now I know

January 16, 2004

I've run into alot of cachers in my travels. Took awhile before I found my first couple (about 50 caches) and then I ran into a family later that same day. Scared another couple cachers who were on the lookout for a bear reported in the area. We then teamed up to find the cache.

Two groups of cachers showed up another time when I was performing maintenance on one of my caches. Two other local cachers joined up with me in the woods for a real tuff cache. There's been many more that I can't recall right now, but it goes on & on...

Edited January 16, 2004 by Tprints

January 16, 2004

I have yet to meet up with Tprints but have found several of his caches always a challenge and he is the cahe guru in our area.

January 16, 2004

I've found cachers in the field, more often than most people do. Around 50. Pretty fun.

2.6k · January 16, 2004

I've met 4 geocaching people on the trail (2 accounts, 2 different times) and bunch at different events or other occasions. Today I'm going to meet many new faces in the Tampere Dockyard International Event Cache 2004.

January 16, 2004

I had one direct encounter so far - I greeted a couple, thinking it would be plain hikers, but they had noticed that I was running with my gadget and a sheet of paper through the bush and answered: "the bug is gone"...

on two more occasions I later noticed I met cachers - on the first one I waited for a family to move away from the possible hiking spot (no cache visible, I think they had finished logging and re-hiding by then). After they left, I retreived the cache and notriced they had signed the logbook just seconds ago.

On another occasion, I tried a FTF quite early in the morning, on my way back I passed a guy, we said hello to each other, but there where no signs he might be a cacher so I went on to the parking, where only one other car stand - with a Geocaching Germany sticker...

January 16, 2004

I haven't met any other geocachers while caching, but I only have 25 finds. I'm sure it'll happen eventually, though...

January 16, 2004

Only on two occasions during 195 finds.

I'm not bashful at all. I walk right up and say howdy.

Enjoyed both a great deal!

January 16, 2004

... I almost forgot that I met Mr. Leprechaun himself once at Presque Isle and neither of us realized it at the time. We both had our GPS's put away as we crossed paths and just said hello. When he logged the nearby cache he found out I was just there.

Funny thing is, I did just meet him again last week at a Pittsburgh cache. Check out Is this "reel"y where the Lizard King is buried? for a humorous story.

January 16, 2004

The only other cacher's I've run into were a group of kids riding their scooters on a trail around a lake. The cache was off the trial and the kids had found it just two weeks earlier. The good thing was that the kids were also Geocachers and they didn't tell me where the cache was. I saw them as I was leaving the park and they asked me if I had found it. They seemed happy for me when I told them I did.

January 16, 2004

Recently there was a new cache placed in our city and I walked up on a fellow geocacher who already was there and while we were talking another cacher came up so we had a little convention. It was new year's day and a good day to be out and we all wanted to get the FTF. Somebody else beat us to it the night before.

On a bike trail cache we had a couple walk up while we had it out and we spoke for a while. On another multi we had just left one stage when we saw a couple walking up with gps in had going to that stage and it was also a pretty new cache. So out of 137, I've only had it happen a handful of times that I actually know about. It's fun to chit chat with them when it does happen.

January 16, 2004

I've seen several cachers at different times. There is a seven stage multi here in Va. and i waited for one guy to finish searching for a stage he was stuck on, i couldn't find it either, came back the next day and met a real nice family of cachers and we worked together trying to find the stage. It was fun!

January 16, 2004

Out of over 700 hunts we have run in to other cachers so many times that I have lost count, at least 30-40 times. It probably helps that I will talk to anybody that looks suspicious.

A couple weekends ago we took a chance and drove to a multi stage rural cache without even knowing the coordinates, but I had a rough idea of where to park. The cache was a few weeks old so it was pure luck that we ran into 2 other cachers that were already searching for stage one and joined them to complete the hunt. Geo-Karma :unsure:

January 16, 2004

I've met cachers three times on the trail... one was planned, so I could recover a cache that I thought had been lost to Hurricane Isabel but was rescued by another cacher the day after. The second was while hunting for a travel bug used in a game in my area. The third, I got beat to a FTF by mere MINUTES. Haven't been to an event cache yet, but I'm looking forward to going to the next one.

Running Into Other Geocachers

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