What Kind Of Cache Is This??

[seanmc2]

I'm planning on placing a cache so the GeoCacher has to do a little orienteering. It goes like this.

 

The original coordinates take them to an identifiable spot (sign, plaque, etc). From there they must walk a specific distance in a specific direction (eg. walk 75 feet on a bearing of 345 degrees, then walk 55 feet bearing 050, then 25 feet bearing 120). From the last point they should be able to identify the location of the cache from the clues given in the description.

 

Is this a multi-cache?

[+Stunod]

That's called an Offset Cache, as the real cache is offset from the coordinates listed on the website.

You should make it clear on the webpage that the cache is not at the posted coordinates. I've seen these listed as a puzzle/mystery cache to insure that the cacher is aware that the coords are not for the cache location.

These are fun (at least I think so)...Good Luck!

 

EDIT: I see Snowleopard just made the point that I added in my edit.

Edited May 14, 2004 by Stunod

[+SnowLeopard]

I would call it a Puzzle/Mystery type cache.

[+cache_us_if_you_can]

You may want to try looking here. I would call it a Letterbox Hybrid or an Offset Cache myself.

[WH]

I did something similar with this cache of mine. Each stage has a different land navigation technique to locate the next one.

 

The cache uses a combination of:

topographic maps

written directions

distance and bearing

find the place shown in the picture

UTM coordinates

color orthographic picture

 

I wasnt sure how to classify it, so I just called it a multi.

 

*edited for typos*

Edited May 14, 2004 by WH

[+nfa]

Hi,

 

This is just my interpretation of the "cache types", but I would say that you could fit the cache you describe into the 3 following cache categories (given in my descending order of preference):

• puzzle
  
• letterbox
  
• multi/offset
  

I would guess that any one of those could work, depending, finally, on the language in the cache listing.

 

nfa

[+eigengott]

I would list it as a multi-cache since the given coordinates are the actual starting point for this cache.

 

See http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=67008 for Jeremys fine explanation of mystery vs. multi cache.

Edited May 14, 2004 by eigengott

[Ranger One]

It would be a offset cache, which is a type of multi cache. It's not a letterbox hybrid unless you place a stamp inside and advertise it to letterboxers.

[+briansnat]

I agree with the two previous posters. It's an "offset cache", which uses the multi-cache icon.

 

Its technically not a mystery cache, because they generally don't have correct coordinates on the page. You have to derive the coordinates somehow, through a puzzle,or other clues. But the mystery cache category also includes "unknown" so I'm sure you could post it as a mystery without complaints from anybody

 

It's definitely not a letterbox hybrid, because a letterbox hybrid is actually a geocache AND a letterbox, meaning that it has a stamp and is posted on www.letterboxing.org, or through the various other methods that letterboxes are posted.

Edited May 14, 2004 by briansnat

[+GatoRx]

I'd agree with the few posts above me. I suppose it could be a puzzle/mystery cache, but a multicache is probably the better choice, as your coordinates would take a cacher to one spot, and they would then have to proceed to other spots from there.

 

Its definitely not a letterbox, unless you include a stamp for letterboxers to stamp their logbooks with.

[+Stunod]

The question of Multi vs. Mystery has come up before for this type of cache. One arguement for Mystery is that you said there is no container at the posted location. Many people do not carry copies of the cache page (which I assume would have your orienteering directions), and without the printout they will have nothing to "find". If you were to hide a micro with the instructions at the posted coords, then you would absolutley call it a multi.

 

I know this can be argued both ways, but this is just one opinion.

Edited May 14, 2004 by Stunod