Found Unlisted Benchmark?

[+MiTuCats]

On September 23, we were hiking along the lakeshore trail west of AuSable Point in Michigan's UP. We stumbled across what appeared to be a benchmark along the trail, placed by the Department of the Interior in 1977. I took photos, but when I went to log it, I can't find anything that correlates in the GC.com database. The number stamped into the disk reads ASP6. It was located at N46 40.238 W086 09.381. There were trees on both sides of the trail, and I didn't think to check the accuracy ratings. However, the closest benchmarks listed are miles away, and I know the accuracy wasn't that bad.

 

Is this not really a benchmark, or one that somehow got overlooked in creating the database?

 

I haven't been on the forums for a long time, so I'm not sure how to post the photo here. I've never posted on the benchmark forums so please forgive any gaffs I may have made here.

 

Any advice on what I should do about this?

[+Renegade Knight]

The GC.com benchmark database is just one subset of the total benchmarks out there. Plus when the database/s that GC.com scraped to build their own database was made human errors would have been made in assembling the data. Some coordinates would be wrong, some benchmarks missed etc.

 

Over time the original databases will be updated as errors are found. I am not sure if GC.com does the same.

[Z15]

Need to see a photo of it to be sure.

 

What was cast into disk besides the Dept of Interior? Does is say General Land Office? If so it land boundary, not bench marks. Lots of those in the UP on federal or indian lands.

 

There are many reasons you don't find it in the database. Only marks that meet NGS standards get published and only those with a Latitude and Longitude or have an elevation on them. This one could be relating to land boundaries or some other purpose.

[+MiTuCats]

OK, I posted a photo of it on the AuSable Light Station Virtual Cache site, and I'll put a link to that below. This should let you see what it looks like and the rest of the data that is on it.

 

Thanks for the answers:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...4e-709366d30546

[evenfall]

Just this last week, I wrote a piece about the many Survey Markers there are in the field, and why you may not find them in the geocaching.com database. I added it to the Geodetic Interspacial Referencing Devices pinned topic in the top section of the Bench Mark Forum. In fact, it is right Here. Hopefully it is a good overview, and will help to explain a lot of the questions you might have. The FAQ's on the Geocaching.com Benchmark page are a great resource as well!

 

I hope that helps, and if you still have questions, let us know. There are lots of us here who may be able to help find answers!

 

Rob

[+MiTuCats]

Thanks, that helps my overall understanding a lot. I've been wanting to get more involved in benchmarks, and I did find one more including a witness post that had a last reported recovery back in the 1970's.

 

However, I don't have the in-depth background that many of you avid BM hunters do, so things are sometimes a little confusing for me.

 

Again, thanks to all for the helpful answers.