Wheelchair Accessible Caches

[+rusty_tlc]

I am working on a series of caches along a bike/walking path. It is paved and about 6 to 8 feet wide. The two caches I have placed so far are located off the path. One is hidden in rick-rack on a stream bank the other is hidden...... well not in a place somebody in a wheel chair could get to.

 

I would like to include one or more wheelchair accessible caches in the series. My problem is how to hide them in a relative open area. If somebody could give me some guidelines it would help. I realize every disability is different and I may not be able to meet all needs. I just need a general idea of maximum/minimum height above ground level, max reach from paved surface, that kind of info.

 

It would be really great to hear from some "rolling" cachers first hand what they would like to see in a geocache.

[+rusty_tlc]

Bump.

 

I really need some help on this one.

[+RJFerret]

I'll email you what I did with mine, if anyone else want's the info, feel free to contact me.

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

[+rusty_tlc]

Thanks.

[+Renegade Knight]

Rusty, The department of justice has a downloadable PDF document that covers the ADA.

 

http://www.access-board.gov/indexes/accessindex.htm

 

In it you can find specific information you are after. Heights, reach, path width etc.

 

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/stdspdf.htm

 

Might be a better link as it has current standards.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

I didn't see anything that listed ADA requirements for poison ivy or stinging nettles

[+Renegade Knight]

I didn't see anything that listed ADA requirements for poison ivy or stinging nettles

It depends on what you are trying to do. If you want people in a wheelchair to enjoy those you can use the measurments provided in the guidelines to ensure the experience is shared by all.

[+rusty_tlc]

Thanks RK.

To summerize:

 

High forward reach 48" (1220mm)

Low forward reach 15" (380mm)

 

High side reach 54 in (1370 mm)

Low side reach 9 in (230 mm)

 

180-degree turn is a clear space of 60 in (1525 mm)

 

Width for single wheelchair passage shall be 32 in (815 mm)

 

I'd still like some first hand advice, spec's can be so wrong.

[+NuVine]

What if we build a small waste receptacle about 36" high and placed it in just the right place along the path? The idea of designing very accessible caches really appeals to me and I'd like to help. This is fun & challenging. Time for some collaborative brain-storming.

 

If the trash-can looked like a trash-can... it might fill up before anybody might empty it and cause problems because of the way people will throw their trash AT a trash-can even though it's already full, etc., etc.. What if the waste receptacle was small and very inconspicuous and labeled on the inside lip "ALUMINUM CANS ONLY" or something... ("POOPER SCOOPER BAGS ONLY" ? - nah) I think that I could build something that would conceal a hidden tupperware cache container close to the top.

 

Better yet, if there's a large tree where the backside would be accessible to someone in a wheelchair, I'll build a cover for the container that harmlessly wraps the tree and that muggles most likely won't discover.

Edited April 7, 2004 by NuVine

[cycledudemn]

hi, I am new to this hobby and this forum. I have MS and would like to be able to find as many caches as possable, is there a method of choosing a site that is wheelchair accessible? Thanks for your replies

[+Boot Group]

It might be difficult to find places where you are allowed to put a trash can or other object. However, if you are determined and find such a place that grants you permission than maybe you could erect something smaller, like the size of a bird house. Then you could set up a multi-cache with the first find being a key to unlock the bird house size box. The third step of the cache would be to replace the key. A key and new coordinates could be hidden anywhere, like under a park bench.... This is just brainstorming, but I wanted to share my idea. This would be fun for both wheelchairs and regular cachers.

[+geoguyver]

I think that the urban caches with a terrain difficulty level of one star are going to be best. If they are urban though, they might need to be micro caches.

 

I hope that some of the other cachers reading this topic might be influenced to create at least one wheelchair/scooter accesible cache somewhere in there area. I know I am from reading everyone's comments in this topic!

 

I am hoping to place one in my city that is a 1/1 level and a level 5 difficulty/level 1 terrain.

 

Great topic!

[nobby.nobbs]

i've set one up in kew gardens london, england if you ever visit!

 

on this subject i've suggested that we change the rating system to out of ten. with set guidelines as to what each level means. 1 being wheelchair accessible 10 being top of mount everest. at the moment 2,3,4 don't seem to be alot between these two given levels.

 

i know it would be a big of trouble but if everyone went into their own caches it wouldn't take long to rerate them. then everyone would have a good indication of what each cache involved and any special equipment they might need.

 

i intend to try and make a couple more wheelchair accessible caches, i can confirm they are as i push my dad around in his whilst i'm setting them up.

 

happy cacheing

[+cache_us_if_you_can]

We hid this one with wheelchair users in mind. The park that it's in is always full of people in wheelchairs (it's by a low income elderly housing complex). We even asked one of the park regulars to help us by testing it's accessability. He was more than happy to help and to have someone to visit with. I'd hate to give to many details about it on here (who knows when a local may be reading this?) but you can email me and I'll pass them along to you.

Edited April 18, 2004 by cache_us_if_you_can

[+Torry]

hmmm

[+Torry]

Micros along the path are useful. Magnets under benches and guardrails, etc.; film cans in the I-beams or supports - -- I wouldn't recommend the breath strip containers ( 1. I hate 'em. and 2. They can be a pain to manipulate.)I have one that's a nice drive-by. just reach out the car door if you do it right.

 

I've seen some caches located under the concrete parking lot "stoppers" that require bending down but would be do-able with some intelligent camouflage.

 

Old signs often have electrical wiring access panels. A fake panel or just an unlabelled one could be added to some structures surreptitiously.

 

Jim_eye in Lincoln, Nebraska had a neat cache hidden in a "fake" birdhouse. This could be copied and attached openly to a fence or stuck in on a pole. ("Fake" birdhouse recipe: Take one normal birdhouse, such as used to encourage bluebirds. cover the hole with black paper on the inside. Put cache inside.)

[+briansnat]

hi, I am new to this hobby and this forum. I have MS and would like to be able to find as many caches as possable, is there a method of choosing a site that is wheelchair accessible? Thanks for your replies

 

In theory, 1 star terrain is supposed to be wheelchair accessable. In practice, that guideline is not followed very often. When in doubt, contact the cache owner, or a previous finder and ask.

 

There is also a link to a site that has a listing of handicap accessable caches floating around. I don't have it, but perhaps someone else can post it.

Edited April 18, 2004 by briansnat

[+bons]

http://bellsouthpwp.net/g/e/geocache/ is a listing site for wheelchair accessable pages. In addition some wheelchair accessable cache pages sport graphics such as:

 

The preferred terrain rating system is http://clayjar.com/gcrs/

It refers to terrain: 1 as handicapped accessable (Terrain is likely to be paved, is relatively flat, and less than a 1/2 mile hike is required). In order to get a terrain 1, you need to click the top selection for each terrain question. This has a good chance of being wheelchair accessable but does not mean that the cache is wheelchair accessable. For example, a short trip along a paved path with the cache hidden under a bridge will rate a terrain:1 on the system, despite the fact that the cache is not accessable in any way by someone in a wheelchair.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

hi, I am new to this hobby and this forum. I have MS and would like to be able to find as many caches as possable, is there a method of choosing a site that is wheelchair accessible? Thanks for your replies

If they have a terrain rating of 1 star they are supposed to be accessible by a wheelchair. You'll discover that most are not. But if you click on the second site in my signature you'll find more caches that might fit your needs.

[+Pyewacket]

Personally, I'll try caches with a higher difficulty/terrain rating of 1/1. So far, there's only one I haven't been able to get, because a huge fallen tree blocks my path; most anyone who isn't a wheelchair pilot could get under or over said tree.

 

My fave cache is hidden less than a foot off a paved trail, underneath the base of a footbridge that fords a small stream. It's under the bridge, so to speak, but just where the bridge begins, so there's no downhill racing or swimming to get to it. A non-geocacher would never know it's there; it's not at all visible unless you know exactly where to look. It's a perfect example of an accessible cache; no special "out-of-place" devices were used to hide it.

 

Other good places for accessible caches are going to be subjective, as noted, depending on the cacher's ability to reach and/or wheel off an "improved" path or trail. A few suggestions:

 

Caches hidden behind existing architectural elements, such as loose bricks or boards, at a level between 12-40 inches.

 

Well-concealed caches hidden in thick brush within reach from an established path or trail that can be transversed easily in a wheelchair.

 

Micros hidden in the forks of low trees or bushes.

 

Caches disuised as, or in the form of, an existing item that most people wouldn't look at twice, because it seems to "belong" in its location, such as the above-mentioned birdhouses.

 

Magnetized containers hidden beneath mailboxes, park benches, and other receptacles. An exception would be a dumpster; these are picked up by trash trucks and banged about, possibly dislodging a magnetic cache.

 

Micros hidden between fences and fence posts (wedged tightly enough between the two, yet removed easily enough by hand).

 

Containers sandwiched between two-sided signs.

 

Small boxes stashed in the open end of a metal pipe railing, or a rail with an easily-removed end cap. A cap that can be removed from the top of an upright post can also be a good hiding spot.

 

I hope some of these ideas spark some inspiration. But, remember, not all wheelchair pilots will stay "on the beaten path", depending on on our abilities, and the capability of our equipment. I appreciate so much the effort put forth to make this activity fun for everyone.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

Thanks for your imput Pyewacket.

[+Perry Mason]

check out his one GC3914. It sits along the Indipendance Trail, in Northern California. This was the first wheelchair accessible trail in the country! As for the cache itself I have to say that I couldnt find it today, it may have been stolen. This is a beautiful trail and is totally wheelchair accessible. I know this is only one cache but its a start!

[+lilbluyze]

I had put together several caches in our area that would be W/C accessable. All are not on trails, but with my personal experience with W/C I believe they would be great. When I tried to e-mail them to you personally, I got some kind of stinkin error message and it didn't make it

 

I'll try again.

Lilbluyze

[+The Commissar!]

I have several WCA caches and they can be found by the terrain-1 . I always try to educate other area cachers when their cache is listed as a 1 and shouldn't be or is and is not listed as such because I know some folks rely on that...I may have to go back and specifically say WCA on the pages to be clear because I had not considered that some might rate it a 1 even if you have to go over the edge of a bridge but is otherwise very easy terrain...

 

I like micros of many varietys for WCA caches...But I just found 6 ammo boxes that I lost and will try to hide one within reach just for the challenge of it!