Archived Caches

[+Fritz_Monroe]

I've located a nice little park nearby that I'd like to place a cache. I don't have an exact place picked out yet. I looked to see that there wasn't a cache too close, but found that there is an archived cache just outside the park. The park is small enough that anywhere I place the cache will be within .1 mile. Is this a problem? Will that archived cache keep mine from being approved? Should I contact the placer of that archived cache to see if they are going to un-archive it? (if that can be done)

 

Thanks

 

F_M

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

I placed a cache once about 400 feet from an archived cache. Several months later the archived cache was unarchived. So there are two caches within .1 miles of each other. The sun still came up the next morning

Edited February 1, 2004 by Lazyboy & Mitey Mite

[+Team GPSaxophone]

If it is temporarily disabled, it will probably prevent your cache from being placed unless it is close to the 528 foot distance guideline. Archiving a cache is generally permanent, so if you place yours the other cache generally won't be unarchived unless it is also moved outside of the 528 foot radius of your cache.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

If it is temporarily disabled, it will probably prevent your cache from being placed unless it is close to the 528 foot distance guideline. Archiving a cache is generally permanent, so if you place yours the other cache generally won't be unarchived unless it is also moved outside of the 528 foot radius of your cache.

One of the things I do when I place a new cache is to click the nearest cache link to double check there isn't a cache real close by. If it's archived it won't show up anyway so it will most likely get approved.

[+Fritz_Monroe]

Not sure yet if it was intended to be permanent or not. The last log entry was April last year. I'd guess that if it was going to be un-archived, it would have been by now.

 

I'm going to drop him an e-mail to check.

 

F_M

[+Renegade Knight]

If it's archvied it's not part of the nearest cache limit. Place yours and call it a day.

[Keystone]

If the cache has been archived, the reviewer won't worry about it in most cases. Exception: I will give a quick read of the archived cache, to make sure that the reason for its being archived would not also affect the new cache placement -- for example, if the old cache was archived at the request of the land manager, I would ask the hider of the new cache about getting permission.

 

If a cache has only been temporarily disabled, then it still has dibs on its 528 foot space unless the owner archives it or the cache is archived by a reviewer because the owner failed to respond to inquiries.

[+JohnnyVegas]

If the cache has been archived, the reviewer won't worry about it in most cases. Exception: I will give a quick read of the archived cache, to make sure that the reason for its being archived would not also affect the new cache placement -- for example, if the old cache was archived at the request of the land manager, I would ask the hider of the new cache about getting permission.

 

If a cache has only been temporarily disabled, then it still has dibs on its 528 foot space unless the owner archives it or the cache is archived by a reviewer because the owner failed to respond to inquiries.

If the cache is archived, it will not be displayed on the web site, If it is displayed it would be temp. deactivated, in that case you will have a problem.

[Keystone]

Not quite true. Archived caches do display in search results for Groundspeak volunteers when we are checking new cache placements. This is helpful for a number of reasons.

 

Second, archived caches appear for all members when using the Geocaching.com maps.

 

Third, there is talk in the future of having archived caches show up in pocket query results, if requested.

 

So, yes, it's a relevant question to ask.

[+Mopar]

Archived caches also show in a search if you had previously found them, don't they?

It's been so long since I've used anything but PQs with 3rd party apps to search for caches that I could be wrong.

[+The Blind Acorn]

Email your approver and explain the situation. I had one approved that is less than .1mile from one that got washed away and has been showing up as not available for months. Chances are if you explain why you chose your location, it will be approved. Good Luck.

[+Fritz_Monroe]

The cache is listed as temporarily unavailable. It's been that way for a while, so I've e-mailed the owner. Asked him if he was going to replace it. Haven't heard from him yet.

 

F_M

[+Stunod]

Second, archived caches appear for all members when using the Geocaching.com maps.

I think this used to be true, but now only the ones I have found/own show up when they are archived.

[+Mopar]

The cache is listed as temporarily unavailable. It's been that way for a while, so I've e-mailed the owner. Asked him if he was going to replace it. Haven't heard from him yet.

 

F_M

Big difference! Temp disabled and archived are not the same thing. Disabled means there is a problem with the cache, and the owner intends to repair or replace it. A disabled cache could potentially interfere with your new cache.

[+Fritz_Monroe]

The cache is listed as temporarily unavailable.  It's been that way for a while, so I've e-mailed the owner.  Asked him if he was going to replace it.  Haven't heard from him yet.

 

F_M

Big difference! Temp disabled and archived are not the same thing. Disabled means there is a problem with the cache, and the owner intends to repair or replace it. A disabled cache could potentially interfere with your new cache.

That's why I e-mailed the owner. The first post was based on what I remembered from the cache page. I went back and found temporary disabled. Should have looked prior to posting, but didn't. My bad.

 

Is there a time limit on how long a cache can be temporary disabled? This one's been disabled since August. My thinking is that this is no longer temporary.

 

F_M

[+IV_Warrior]

Is there a time limit on how long a cache can be temporary disabled? This one's been disabled since August. My thinking is that this is no longer temporary.

 

F_M

Officially, no there is no "max time" a cache can be "temp disabled". However, if the cache owner hasn't visited the site in a while, and doesn't respond to the e-mail you already sent, there is the "cache should be archived" log option. That should get the attention of the local approver, who can handle it from there. Jeremy has said elsewhere in the forums that one of the reasons disabled caches show up in searches is so if they stay disabled too long, someone will post the "should be archvied" log.

[+Fritz_Monroe]

Thanks for pointing out the "Should be archived" option. I just e-mailed him yesterday, so it's not time to treat this as abandoned. Don't need to place my cache in this park that badly.

 

F_M

[Keystone]

Officially, the Cache Listing Requirements/Guidelines say the following:

You may temporarily disable your cache to let others know not to hunt for it until you have a chance to fix the problem.  This feature is to allow you a reasonable time – normally a few weeks – in which to arrange a visit to your cache. In the event that a cache is not being properly maintained, or has been temporarily disabled for an extended period of time, we may archive or transfer the listing.

 

As a practical matter, a bit longer is allowed and we look for multiple attempts to contact the owner before a cache listing would be archived or adopted out. It's the owner's cache, after all... and he could be on vacation, serving in the military, recovering from a serious illness, etc.

 

There is also an exception for long-term disabling of caches that are inaccessible in the winter or other valid reasons... IF so stated on the cache page.

 

But when I write to the average cacher whose cache has been disabled for four months, they have at best another month to fix the problem.

[+Fritz_Monroe]

Looking thru the logs, the cache was found 2 times after it was disabled. Some work has been done on it by a cacher just earlier this week, not the owner.

 

Would it be considered bad form to go out, find it, and log it as a find? How about if I went back the next day with a replacement container and log book. I know others have done this, but the ones that I know of have always known the owner, or contacted them beforehand.

 

F_M

[+Confucius' Cat]

One of mine that I had temproraily disabled for a long time was archived without prior notice or my being asked when another cacher placed one <.1mile.

 

On the bad side, I WAS intending to place something else there, but had not found a suitable place yet (mine had disappeared twice and had very little activity when it was up).

 

On the good side, since I got an automatic email wneh the approver archived my cache, I got the first notice of the new cache and went immediately and grabbed the FTF.

 

She hid hers a LOT better than mine anyway. (but its gonna get flooded).

 

So there is precedent. Place that momma.