Circular Mult-cache..has It Ever Been Done?

[+gsguru]

I grabbed a multi yesterday that had 5 parts and took me on a 2 mile bike trip through a very lovely park. I started thinking that it would be cool to have something similar only ending up near the starting point.

OH GREAT POSTERS OUT THERE!!! Has anyone ever heard of this being done before?

[12UP]

Although my comments might not answer the question "Has this ever been done?", I mean to encourage the efforts of people who place caches to which bring people to do something enjoyable, like visit a good park or hiking trail.

 

One might place caches with references to nearby or other caches which could be circular or even non-linear. They don't even have to be caches you've placed. The rules for placing caches too close to each other might mean the trail or path you wish to place several single or a single mutli-cache would have to be one that coveres several miles.

 

Making them a variety of different regular caches might add to the interest. Such as a trade cache, a log-only micro, a virtual. There's no reason why these caches have to ONLY be seperate distinct entries in the database here.

 

For that matter, what do you do with the printed descriptions and clues when you've found the cache? You might consider folding them and writing "nearby cache" and placing them into a plastic bag and dropping them into the next cache in the area you find. I've not many finds, but none of them have had anything like that in them - and that's a shame because it would have made it more interesting for me.

[bodolad]

Haven't DONE a circular one, but I think the idea is excellent.

Sounds better than some of the ones I've done where you're led

ALL OVER, in no particular order or direction/backtracking/etc...

 

It would be cool to be able to park your car somewhere, knowing you'll end up back to it at the end!

[+Renegade Knight]

Yes, those are my favorite. If you get lucky you can find the final stage before doing all the rest.

[+strikeforce1]

I grabbed a multi yesterday that had 5 parts and took me on a 2 mile bike trip through a very lovely park. I started thinking that it would be cool to have something similar only ending up near the starting point.

OH GREAT POSTERS OUT THERE!!! Has anyone ever heard of this being done before?

Yep! it's been done. I must say, it was fun to do as well! It's always nice to do a circle and return where you parked the auto! This was well thought out! It even took you by some singles to grab along the way! Check out the link Frogs & Gnat by Berkmom

I actually plan on doing it again, someday in the near future! When I started out (06/13/03) to do it, I was after a FTF, some 45 mi out from home. I needed a slight hint, on stage 4, which I got from the owner. I returned (11/10/03) to finish it, and was glad I did! SF1

[+Anonymous']

I've done one like that, you walk around a large pond finding the waypoints along the way.

[+wimseyguy]

There might be one like that in the Raleigh, NC area.

In fact most good multis with more that 2-3 stages should be set up to bring you back near the parking area. Why would you want to lead someone down a 5 mile linear track and leave them at the end with nothing to do on the way back to the car?

Edited August 29, 2004 by wimseyguy

[+Sweetpea of the Bitterroot]

Re: 12UP Aug 29;

Recently I found a printed cache sheet in another cache, that said the cache was nearby. I went looking for it, and it was hard to find it, I think it took about 45-60 minutes to locate it. Imagine my surprise, when I logged it and found out the cache had been listed as archived and missing for two years!

Edited August 29, 2004 by Sweetpea of the Bitterroot

[+ChileHead]

I placed a cache Bike 104 that is circular. It's a 8 mile trip meant to be done on bike, and you end up where you began, more or less. Makes parking easier.

Edited August 29, 2004 by ChileHead

[lowracer]

I think circular multis are quite common. I set out two:

 

J Canyon Trail

 

Escape from Eastridge Canyon

 

Both involved a hike through a nature preserve. Since physical caches aren't allowed in the preserves, I had the hikers answer questions about what they saw at certain pre-defined points to form the coords for the final containers, which were placed outside the preserves and only a couple hundred feet from the start point.

 

Alas, both are archived since our preserves here in Steiner Ranch are for residents and escorted guests only. They weren't buying the "I live here, so if you come find this cache, you are my invited guest." Hey it was worth a shot.

[+Harrald]

One of the Multis I have placed ends a short flatish walk from the parking coords. If you went back the way you came it would be a few miles down and up again.

 

There is also a couple of great loop hikes in this area that have Multi caches or a string of traditional caches along the loop.

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Our cache Dial Out SG1 was placed in a "Large Circle" so it resembles the 'Stargate'.

 

You cannot hike from cache to cache from a parked car ... wellll, you could, But it is going to be a Looong hike!

 

The find posts tell it all.

 

Shirley~

[+FtMgAl]

I am planning a mystery cache in a large park where some of the best areas don't lend themselves to full size caches and I don't like micros. I plan to send you to the nice places to obtain pieces of the final coordinates which is near the parking lot. The round trip should be about 2 miles. The other major advantage of this, besides giving you a nice experience with anticipation at every stop, is that I can do maintenance without having to walk very far.

 

Even if you do a straight line multi I would prefer mixing it up so that you pick up some on the way out and some on the way back with the final near the starting point. I really dislike a multi that doesn't tell you that you are going to drive 5 miles in the wrong direction to get to the final. That drive back is worse than the return hike from a single cache 5 miles from nowhere. With a single cache 5 miles out you know before you start that you will have to come back. A one way multi always seems anticlimactic on the return.

[+flask]

i will not tell you which cache this was because if you knew they'd have to send somebody out to kill you, but it was a horrible frustrating maddening puzzle multi and the final was just feet from the first stage. i am surprised even that one hasn't been found accidentally, but it hasn't been.

 

i would recommend it to you, but i've been sworn to an oath of secrecy.

[vagabond]

This one has been around since 10-13-2001, with 16 intermediate waypoints

 

look here

Edited August 30, 2004 by vagabond

[Dinoprophet]

Where is the Armory at Ford Lake? is a nice mile loop.

 

I've thought about an almost-circular multi. The first and last stages would be on opposite sides of a river, mere yards from each other, but there would be a nice hike in between.

 

Edit: Filling in the blank URL tag

Edited August 30, 2004 by Dinoprophet

[avroair]

I have a series of caches that bring the cacher thru 5 linked parks - the 6th cache brings you back to near the start (and your car!).

[+Runaround]

I've done one where the cache is within 20' of the starting point. It's 5 stages and covers about 15 miles of driving. That is, unless you get lucky and spot the container and save yourself the trip.

[12UP]

Any that take you around the world?

[Tahosa and Sons]

Yep I've done one that starts out with a 2D & 4T Virtual that leads you to a 4D & 4T Traditional the total hiking distance is over 7 miles, and the elevation gain is over a 1000ft.

[+trippy1976]

At this point the answer to any "has it been done" question is going to tend 90% or more towards "yes it has" but I'd add "don't let that stop you."

 

Don't try to be *too* original either. More and more I see cachers trying to one-up each other. A nice, simple, interesting traditional in a cool spot will win over a crazy hard to find or too long multi any day in my book. Sometimes simple is good.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I have a three part cache that brings cachers back to the recomended coordinates for parking at the cache area. With any luck, the cacher will park next to cache.

[+gsguru]

At this point the answer to any "has it been done" question is going to tend 90% or more towards "yes it has" but I'd add "don't let that stop you."

 

Don't try to be *too* original either. More and more I see cachers trying to one-up each other. A nice, simple, interesting traditional in a cool spot will win over a crazy hard to find or too long multi any day in my book. Sometimes simple is good.

Thanks for all the good information. I will definately NOT let it deter me. And I agree that sometimes "simple" is good.

[+briansnat]

With over 100,000 caches out there, if your question is "has this been done?" the answer is most probably.

 

Several of my multis are circular because it makes the maintenance of the final stage (the one most likely to need attention) much easier.

[BassoonPilot]

A couple of years ago, I did a multicache that was quite long ... and it turned out the final stage was hidden less than 6 feet from my car. That taught me a valuable lesson, and from then on, I've looked for potential locations very close to any suggested parking coordinates/starting points prior to setting out. It has paid off several times.

[+AtoZ]

To answer the question has it been done is YES. If it is your own cache and it is a multi the is NO rule at how close the legs can be, just practical one based upon the inaccuracy of the GPS.

Cheers

[+Ed & Julie]

I have yet to do a circular multi.

 

I can see how it would be nice to return to your starting place. I did a linear night cache that took me far away from my car into woods. The final cache left me kicking myself for not marking my vehicle's waypoint.

 

Ed

[WH]

Theres one hider out here who loves to send people on long multis over several miles only to find the final 200' from the parking area,

[+Cherokeecacher]

This one is pretty well known in Southeast Texas.

 

I am not sure if there are enough of them to label them "common", but they do exist, and they are a blast.

[+Lafrog]

I placed a four stage cache called "Toadilly Silly" on a local trail which takes you past your car three times and then ends right near it. Finders have said the final container makes it worthwhile.

[+flask]

Finders have said the final container makes it worthwhile.

i know one finder who said he nearly beat it to death, it startled him so.