How Long Does It Take You To Find A Cache?

[cujo0123]

Also, what makes you decide to do a certain cache?

[+Team JASS]

For us, the amount of time it takes to find the cache depends on how well it is hidden (some take 2 minutes some 20). Right now, the kids and I are just doing traditional caches, and most are picked based on location. We are "attacking the caches closest to home first...

 

Steve

[cooney]

Time varies. It has taken me an hour or more just to find the logging road access point to a cache in northen Wi. It has taken me two days of several hour hunts to locate a couple of local caches. However, with limited time to hunt, those are the caches I prefer: ones that are close by, mentally and physically challenging. My immediate goal is to find every cahe hidden by jthorson.

[+hikemeister]

It just depends on the difficulty level. We did a road trip yesterday, with a goal of finding at least 10 caches in a few hours. We did not omit any of the caches in the region, but set a 20 minute 'search limit' for deciding when to go onto the next cache. In some cases (multi-stages) we hiked nearly 45 minutes, but fortunately found all but one of the caches we were after without spending more than about 5 minutes hunting. At this point, with about 1000 finds between the four of us, however, we know the hiding methods of nearly all of the local geocachers, so one of us usually finds the cache in about 30 seconds once we reach the location. When I'm out alone, it sometimes takes 10 to 15 minutes to find challenging hides.

[+quills]

it all depends on the difficulty. i found one monday that took 6 hours to do all the legs of a multi. when we were on the final part we were literally standing within 20 feet of the cache and it still took 30 minutes to find it.

[+briansnat]

I've found them in a matter of seconds and there are some I've still not found after hours of searching.

 

As far as deciding what chache to do, my wife and l love to hike and if we can find an interesting hike that has a cache along the way, we'll do it. Other than that, its just a matter of being in the area and having some extra time on my hands.

[+crzycrzy]

I dunno about you guys, but it seems the more I find, the faster I get.

I have learned to look where I usually would not look.

[+Perrin]

Well I once stared at one for a couple of minutes and still didn't see it. The embarassing part was that it was just sitting there in the branches. No camo what so ever. Then Faile walks up, laughs and points after I walked away from it.

 

I must say it is much more fulfilling when I get to do that to her

[+New England n00b]

How Long Does It Take You To Find A Cache

 

Aside from not finding it at all, when I am close to the cache, it's frequently been 10-15 minutes of searching and second guessing my GPSr/compass.

 

Also, what makes you decide to do a certain cache?

 

For me personally, I look for caches that are in parks I've never heard of even though I live within 20 minutes from them (as the crow flies, anyway).

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

From the time I park the car it has taken as little as 5 seconds to as long as 3 days.

 

Just depends

[adampierson]

As others have mentioned, it depends. If it is a straight forward regular sized cache that requires bushwacking, it takes me as little as long as 3 minutes. If extraordinary measures are taken to disguise the cache, installed barriers in place (puzzle combination lock)...

 

Too many factors can come into play.

[+protocoldroid]

or how long does it take you to -not- find a cache ...i've had at least a couple occasions where I ran out of sunlight before I could find the cache.

 

my time wavers quite a bit, depending on length of trail and amount of bushwhack.

 

at least in my area, I like to seek caches that have some decent traffic noted in the logs. new caches attract me too. other times i just kinda throw my finger down on the map and go for a cache.

[+Night Stalker]

Sometimes it is no time at all. But sometimes it takes a while. Renegade Knight and I were searching for one cache that had alluded both of us. He had gone back to the same spot 4 times and I visited it twice before we found the darned thing. If you counted cumulative time on that one it would be weeks.

[+Fritz_Monroe]

Well, I had one just last week rated as a 2 star and it eluded me for over an hour. But found a true 4.5 star in about 30 minutes. Lately I've been taking longer. I think that I'm starting to get a little too sure of myself. When this happens, I try a cache like Little Nasty 4.

 

It's been out there for quite a while and no finds. It's definately there. There are multiple very experienced cachers that have MANY hours on this. I've only got about 2, but I'll be back over there.

 

F_M

[+flask]

sometimes i find them before i get out of the car. sometimes, if i'm familiar with the hider's tactics and i know the terrain, i find them before i finish reading the online description.

 

sometimes i stand right on top of them and don't see them. sometimes i go for many consecutive sleepless nights until i find the blasted thing.

 

what i'm really getting good at is knowing when to stop searching. i've gotten better at recognizing situations where i'm missing the key element.

[+JohnnyVegas]

It depends on the cache, It could be as little as one minute, then It could be an hour or more if it is a long complicated multi or puzzle. Then if you are having problems with your GPS you may never find it.

[+Sagefox]

Roadcow and I found two caches, each within 4 minutes...

 

after the 2 1/2 hour hike and 1900' elevation gain to get to them.

[+The Cheeseheads]

Anywhere between 5 seconds and never, although for most caches, it's usually between 5 and 15 minutes.