Extreme Cache List

[Greg&Christy]

After reading about Blood & Guts in Virgina in the new online magazine, I got very curious about other "extreme" caches whether it be physically, mentally or both and did a search and found a few here and there in other threads like Tube Torcher and thought we should get a listing of them all in one place. Please add links to your favorites here!

[+bons]

The complete list of 5/5's is but a pocket query or two away. Looks like about 161 when I selected all the states (although oddly enough I got one in Japan. I don't know how that happened).

 

Some of them are really interesting. I may add some links later.

Edited March 1, 2004 by bons

[Dinoprophet]

Erta Ale Volcano is a 5/5 in Ethiopia. It has one of my all-time favorite descriptions.

To lean over the crater without protection is out of the question. Just to have a quick look, one must position gloved hands in front of the face. Aluminium, fire-proof clothing Nomex is a must. To protect the eyes, a sheet of polished gold must be used

Check out the pictures, they're incredible.

[Tahosa and Sons]

5/5's can be a misnomer as to its real rating. A rating of 5 usually means specialized equipment. So if you use a jeep (specialzed equipment) to drive 4 miles back in someplace and walk 10 ft. to get a cache, is it more difficult than a 4 mile hike that has a rating of 4.

[+wildearth2001]

5/5's can be a misnomer as to its real rating. A rating of 5 usually means specialized equipment. So if you use a jeep (specialzed equipment) to drive 4 miles back in someplace and walk 10 ft. to get a cache, is it more difficult than a 4 mile hike that has a rating of 4.

I don't consider a JEEP specialized equipment for a 5, maybe a 4.5

[+9Key]

I think many cachers get a carried away with the 5/5 designation.

If special equipment is needed then the terrain should be a 5 but the cache needs to be *very* difficult to find too.

An ammo can on top of a steep mesa would be a 5/1, IMO.

[+wildearth2001]

I think many cachers get a carried away with the 5/5 designation.

If special equipment is needed then the terrain should be a 5 but the cache needs to be *very* difficult to find too.

An ammo can on top of a steep mesa would be a 5/1, IMO.

you mean 1/5 because it is d/t not the other way around

[Greg&Christy]

Erta Ale Volcano is a 5/5 in Ethiopia. It has one of my all-time favorite descriptions.

To lean over the crater without protection is out of the question. Just to have a quick look, one must position gloved hands in front of the face. Aluminium, fire-proof clothing Nomex is a must. To protect the eyes, a sheet of polished gold must be used

Check out the pictures, they're incredible.

This is definately what I had it mind when I started this thread I agree that some people get carries away with the 5/5s I'm looking for the TRUE ones.

[CoyoteRed]

While I wouldn't call it the hardest cache to complete, Sissy's Snarky Walk #1 is probably the hardest around here. It does rate a 5/5 on the Clayjar system and we've had to put "cheaters" out just so the stages could be found. Many have looked at just the first stage and turned around.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed Tube Torcher and I'd say it rates a 5/5, as well.

 

We'll be going after Up in the Low Country with the warmer weather, but the only real requirement is a seaworthy boat. Not a true 5/5 IMHO.

 

I think there are 5/5 caches and then there are EXTREME caches.

[+briansnat]

I agree with Tahosa. A 5 rating, especially for terrain, doesn't necessarily make a cache difficult. The use of a canoe would require that the terrain rating is a 5, but of the three 5 star terrain caches that I found, 2 invloved a short and easy paddle on calm lakes. The third was a slippery, but not particulaly difficult walk across a frozen lake. I think 4.5 star terrain would be considerbly more difficult than many 5 star caches.

Edited March 1, 2004 by briansnat

[CoyoteRed]

I'm thinking normal, easy, everyday conveyances shouldn't be included in the ratings.

 

Remove 4WD vehicles from the list unless it's a 10 mile drive in 4WD.

 

Remove boats unless it take specialized skills like that to manage a class III rapids.

 

Add to that rope is not a piece of specialized equipment unless you need a lot of it--100' or better.

 

A ladder is not specialized unless you're toting a 20' extension ladder half mile into the woods.

 

Personally, I wouldn't call any of the above "specialized."

[+TeamK-9]

I agree with just about everyone in this thread so far. There are caches rated 5/5's that may require some equipment or something but that are rated a little higher than they should be, and then there's 5/5 caches that are rated fine, and then there's extreme caches. I'd say blood and guts would fall under extreme...

[+BadAndy]

If the combination of terrain, distance, and environmental conditions are extreme enough, I think they can trump the difficulty rating and bump it up.

 

Using clayjars rating system bears this out on one of my caches. The ammobox is hidden at the base of a juniper under a cairn of rocks. Not a particularly difficult find....once you bear the physical torture and endurance of getting to within 50 feet, let alone making the return trip.

 

Depending on the season I will change the difficulty from 4 to 5. 4 in the spring and late fall, 5 the rest of the year.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=88313

[Poopdog]

The complete list of 5/5's is but a pocket query or two away. Looks like about 161 when I selected all the states (although oddly enough I got one in Japan. I don't know how that happened).

 

Some of them are really interesting. I may add some links later.

How do you sort by difficulty?

[+bons]

The complete list of 5/5's is but a pocket query or two away. Looks like about 161 when I selected all the states (although oddly enough I got one in Japan. I don't know how that happened).

 

Some of them are really interesting. I may add some links later.

How do you sort by difficulty?

In the PQ generator there are two sets of selection boxes that read:

 

Terrain is greater than or equal to equal to less than or equal to 1

Difficulty is greater than or equal to equal to less than or equal to 1

 

You can set these to 5/5 and do a global search.

 

To find the hardest caches in your area, load a .gpx file into Watcher and click on the "D"/"T" buttons and then start scrollling down.

[Poopdog]

In the PQ generator there are two sets of selection boxes that read:

Sorry, PQ generator?

[+Lil Devil]

Add to that rope is not a piece of specialized equipment unless you need a lot of it--100' or better.

I disagree.

[WH]

Ive come across 2 EXTREMELY over rated caches:

 

Deadman's Hill

wondertwins supacache

 

Its a real disappointment when I get myself all geared up to tackle, what I think is, a difficult cache and it turns out that from car to cache and back to the car again takes all of 15 minutes.

[+Divine]

I know a certain 5/5 virtual cache (I haven't done it yet), where you're supposed to photograph yourself with certain object once you reach the cache site. When the owner told me about it on the phone, I protested and said that photographing shouldn't be that hard that the cache should have 5-star difficulty. The owner said that since the way to the cache is so hard (tens of kilometers trekking, like at least 2 nights, no vehicles allowed), it should also 'be told with difficulty rating, since there are so many easier 5-star terrain caches' or something.

 

I still protested, and said but that's still what the terrain rating's for. Difficulty rating is supposed to mean either on-site difficulty (once you get there, how difficult it is actually to find the cache, or in this case, how difficult it is to get a photo of yourself with the object) or the possible tasks you have to do in order to get the final coordinates (like calculations, deciphering etc). I guess he just wanted to have a 5/5 hide, since that's what the cache still is.

 

Of course, the on-site task, the photographing, might still be difficult engough for 5-star difficulty. I wouldn't know since I haven't been there. Somehow I still don't believe that.

[+briansnat]

Ive come across 2 EXTREMELY over rated caches:

 

Deadman's Hill

wondertwins supacache

 

Its a real disappointment when I get myself all geared up to tackle, what I think is, a difficult cache and it turns out that from car to cache and back to the car again takes all of 15 minutes.

 

Those certainly seem to be overrated. A 4.5 star difficulty with 0 DNFs and many comments about an "easy find"??? A 4 star terrain cache thats a 5 minute walk in a town park? You'd think the owners would adjust the ratings after some of the feedback. Its caches over rated like these (as well as seriously underrated caches which can be more dangerous, as hunters head out unprepared for the challenges) that led me to propose this.

 

If the combination of terrain, distance, and environmental conditions are extreme enough, I think they can trump the difficulty rating and bump it up.

 

I disagree with this. In my eyes (and I think in the eyes of most geocachers) the terrain is the difficulty of the hike to the cache. Not having been there, I'll assume your 5 star rating is accurate. But difficulty, is the difficulty of finding the acutal cache, either once you are at the site, or through a challenging puzzle, or series of puzzles to get the coordinates. By your logic, any 5 star terrain cache would also be 5 star difficulty. From what I saw, if I owned that cache I'd probably rate it a 1.5/4.5.

 

It is my bet that there are far fewer true 5/5 caches out there than the numbers indicate and somoeone looking for a real challenge should disregard the ratings and

go by word of mouth. The locals will all know the really tough caches.

Edited March 11, 2004 by briansnat

[+KVOM]

I was impressed by the Ethopian Volcano cache, although I wonder who is 'maintaining' it. A vacation cache if there ever was one.

 

Had geocaching been around in 1998, I would have been tempted to place one on the Dolma La pass over Mt. Kailash in western Tibet. I'm certain that would get a 5/5 rating too (3-day 4wd vehicle trip from Kathmandu followed by a 2-day trek arriving at 18,000' altitude). Of course, Tibetans, including children do this as a pilgrimage and were walking/climbing a lot faster than I was.

[+bons]

Sorry, PQ generator?

http://www.geocaching.com/subscribe/ - scroll down to Pocket Queries

If I have some curiosity question about caches, want to load them into a spreadsheet or make pushpins in Microsoft Streets and Trips or just want to run some unusual search, PQs are the way to go.

Edited March 11, 2004 by bons

[CoyoteRed]

Add to that rope is not a piece of specialized equipment unless you need a lot of it--100' or better.

I disagree.

Looks like you used more that rope to log that one! The other gear would qualify. Also, the description calls for specialized training or skills.

 

I'm talking about lengths of rope I carry on my pack--50' worth. I carry some 50' 1/2" rope AND 100' #500 paracord. Generally, I'm set when I need a little hand on inclines. Still not what I'd call "specialized."

 

IMHO, it's not the rope that warrants the 5 stars, but the climbing gear and skill.

 

I know of a similar structure that is tempting, but it's too far out of my stomping grounds for me to put something like that out. Though, it is similar to one I've been planning for over a year that is, but you need a boat just to get to it!

Edited March 11, 2004 by CoyoteRed

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

Here is one 5-5 we did

 

King Kahekili

[+Cow Spots]

Here's a 5/5 I did in the Tucson area.

 

Giggles

 

While it doesn't compare to that volcano one... it's a doozy.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Here's a 5/5 I did in the Tucson area.

 

Giggles

 

While it doesn't compare to that volcano one... it's a doozy.

Hmmm...I wonder when Wildearth is going to find that one

[MOCKBA]

Tough caches tend to have 4.5 terrain, since 5 is reserved for places requiring scuba, climbing harness, or some other uncommon piece of gear. Level 5 doesn't have to be extreme. If your container lid won't open without a hex wrench, that's sufficient to make it level 5.

What's more, even if the owner used some special equipment to place a cache, it may still be doable without. This was certainly true for both 5-stars I logged thus far, in popular climbing and skiing local spots.

[CoyoteRed]

Tough caches tend to have 4.5 terrain, since 5 is reserved for places requiring scuba, climbing harness, or some other uncommon piece of gear. Level 5 doesn't have to be extreme. If your container lid won't open without a hex wrench, that's sufficient to make it level 5.

A good illustration of what's wrong with the present system.

 

I'm wondering if "specialized gear" shouldn't be removed from the equation altogether. Reserve "specialized skills" for the level 5 terrains.

 

Rope, allen wrenches, pipe wrenches, and other common items shouldn't be termed as specialized gear for caching purposes.

 

Specialized skills--and the ability to use the associated gear--might be a better definition of that one aspect of a cache warranting a 5 star.

 

Heck, follow my suggestions and our 5/5 drops to a strong 4/4. While our cache is pretty hard, I wouldn't call it extreme. (There's always room to make it even harder! )

[+briansnat]

I'm wondering if "specialized gear" shouldn't be removed from the equation altogether. Reserve "specialized skills" for the level 5 terrains.

 

Yeah, with close to 100,000 caches out there, lets go change the rating criteria.

[CoyoteRed]

Yeah, with close to 100,000 caches out there, lets go change the rating criteria.

I'd see your point if even half of them followed the rating system.

 

But, that's okay, we'll just continue to use a flawed system. No problem.

[Poopdog]

Sorry, PQ generator?

http://www.geocaching.com/subscribe/ - scroll down to Pocket Queries

If I have some curiosity question about caches, want to load them into a spreadsheet or make pushpins in Microsoft Streets and Trips or just want to run some unusual search, PQs are the way to go.

Oh, cool! Thanks!

[+MarcB]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...31-0d3310ea4911

This is a 5*/5* cache. The logs are great fun to read but there's some confusion in the UK forums whether this is for real or not!

Does anyone know?

MarcB

[+aka Monkey]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...31-0d3310ea4911

This is a 5*/5* cache. The logs are great fun to read but there's some confusion in the UK forums whether this is for real or not!

Does anyone know?

MarcB

Oh, it's real all right. At least three cachers have gone missing trying to do this cache. It's been in all the papers.

Edited March 13, 2004 by Indiana Cojones