Is It True?...

[+Team Cotati]

I heard from a caching pal that virtual caches were no longer being approved. Is this true? If so, why?

[+Team Perks]

(Removed inaccurate answer. Note to self: Don't post on the forums when you haven't slept all week.)

Edited January 6, 2005 by Team PerkyPerks

[+briansnat]

I heard from a caching pal that virtual caches were no longer being approved. Is this true? If so, why?

Not true. It's much more difficult to get one approved these days (its been that way for close to 2 years now), but some are still being approved.

 

The reasons are several. First was the TPTB's desire to get back to the roots of geocaching, which was finding boxes in the woods and not turning this website into a version of www.waypoint.org.

 

Second, virtuals were simply getting out of hand. People were waypointing sneakers in the woods, fence posts and every roadside marker, no matter how mundane and submitting them as virtuals.

 

And most important was that the existence of virtuals jeopardized traditional geocaching in many areas. When negotiating with land managers about allowing geocaching in many parks, they would say no to real caches, pointing to virtuals as an acceptable alternative. By removing virtuals from the table, it focused the negotiations on real caches.

Edited January 6, 2005 by briansnat

[+Team Cotati]

I read the guidelines and did not find anything that indicated that virtuals have been suspended. What did I miss?

[+briansnat]

I read the guidelines and did not find anything that indicated that virtuals have been suspended. What did I miss?

Read my post. They are not suspended. Just much more difficult to get approved.

[+Team Cotati]

Thanks, I did read your post and your comments match my understanding. Thank you.

[+mtn-man]

I read the guidelines and did not find anything that indicated that virtuals have been suspended. What did I miss?

You did not miss a thing. Virtual caches are still being approved.

The target of the cache must be extraordinary and must conform to the guidelines.

[+wolves shepherd]

 

COOL! I thought they had been suspended as well.

 

I've got an idea for a virtual, then, that I will write up and submit.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

 

COOL! I thought they had been suspended as well.

 

I've got an idea for a virtual, then, that I will write up and submit.

Why? You'd be far better off placing a cache there

[+briansnat]

 

COOL! I thought they had been suspended as well.

 

I've got an idea for a virtual, then, that I will write up and submit.

Why? You'd be far better off placing a cache there

And it probably will be denied. I think some people confuse virtuals and locationless caches. There is a moritorium on locationless caches.

[+wolves shepherd]

DOH!

 

You're right, I meant locationless.....

 

Drats!

[+freespace69]

Crap about the locationless caches...I had/ have a good idea for one and have started the research on it..is there any idea on when or if they will be started up again?

[+mtn-man]

Not really a definate time, but I think it is coming around the corner. They are actively "working on it". Keep working on your ideas in your mind. I know I am. I am looking forward to getting a couple of ideas I have out there.

 

(Edited for clarity)

Edited January 6, 2005 by mtn-man

[+fly46]

edited because MtnMan knows more than I do.

 

Ignore me.

Edited January 6, 2005 by fly46

[+mtn-man]

That's debatable sometimes fly.

[+fly46]

Well, in this instance in this thread, you do. lol.

We'll let the puppymonster slobber out the rest of the time. lol.

[+Hemlock]

Ignore me.

Did someone say something?

[+sept1c_tank]

Woof!

[+Isonzo Karst]

I wanna own the 2nd Baptist Church Locationless, though I'd settle for 2nd Methodist, 2nd Presbyterian, 2nd Unitarian..... but not the 2nd First Bank, cause I've seen it.

[+Team Cotati]

 

COOL! I thought they had been suspended as well.

 

I've got an idea for a virtual, then, that I will write up and submit.

Why? You'd be far better off placing a cache there

 

Not if he lives too distant to maintain it. This to me is one of the best things about virtuals, you can 'leave' them in distant interesting places for others to share/experience with no maintenance required. I wish that I understood the reasons for such a demand for extra specialness of the virtual. To me, the sharing of a historic, picturesque, out of the ordinary, place that time has forgotten, slice of Americana is just as rewarding and adventurous as a traditional cache with the potential for cultural and educational rewards that surpass many a traditional cache.

Edited January 7, 2005 by cotati697

[+Team GPSaxophone]

 

COOL! I thought they had been suspended as well.

 

I've got an idea for a virtual, then, that I will write up and submit.

Why? You'd be far better off placing a cache there

 

Not if he lives too distant to maintain it. This to me is one of the best things about virtuals, you can 'leave' them in distant interesting places for others to share/experience with no maintenance required. I wish that I understood the reasons for such a demand for extra specialness of the virtual. To me, the sharing of a historic, picturesque, out of the ordinary, place that time has forgotten, slice of Americana is just as rewarding and adventurous as a traditional cache with the potential for cultural and educational rewards that surpass many a traditional cache.

Sorry, even virtuals need to be maintained. There are plenty of examples of monuments and markers being moved, removed, closed, etc. Maybe they can't be picked up by muggles as easily as ammo cans, but they do require a lcoal cacher to maintain them.

[+mtn-man]

There are plenty of examples of monuments and markers being moved, removed, closed, etc.

Yes there are. Here are just three examples.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...e5-14d0511866b4

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...3d-ec0fceb57962

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...dc-b55cec8d325f

[+ogeoISplash]

I thought I'd add my two cents worth. I just tried to put in two different virtuals and they were both denied. I was told that monuments, markers, interesting sites created by farmers on the side of the road are not uncommon and will not be approved. If a regular cache can be placed in the area, you can not place a virtual. I had a brand new park that had no place to hide a traditional cache because all the growth was new but was told by the approver that there is always a way to make it traditional. Another site I wanted to place one is on private property and the closest cache was 20 mile away. I could not place a virtual because it would keep someone else from placing a regular cache which is the goal of geocaching right now. Good luck placing one. If you get one through, let me know how you did it.

[+hotandsweaty]

Try and include your virtuals as waypoints in a multicache that eventuially leads to a real cache.

 

ie, direct the cacher to the location to collect info that is needed to calculate the coordinates of the next waypoint...thats one way to include historic/interesting location where a physical cache would be impractical.

 

[+The Blind Acorn]

edited because MtnMan knows more than I do.

 

Ignore me.

As you wish.... However I must say (off topic) I like you avatar.