+ChicagoCanineCrew Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 Hello, I was just scouting out a local park for somewhere to place a small cache. I was not finding many as it is a small park and I could see a cache getting stolen from most places I was looking at... Then I noticed a tree that looked like it might make a good hiding place in the low branches. When I got closer I realized the tree had a HUGE (but somewhat narrow) 'hole' in the side of it, starting at the ground going at least 2-2.5 ft. up the tree. Seems like it'd be a perfect place for a cache, but I figured I'd ask if there's any reason NOT to hide a cache "inside" of a live tree? Quote
+AuntieWeasel Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 Seems like it'd be a perfect place for a cache, but I figured I'd ask if there's any reason NOT to hide a cache "inside" of a live tree? Well, I've got one like that. So, if it's a bad idea, I'm really very sorry. I can't see anything about my hide that would injure the tree in any way, so I'm not holding my breath Quote
Dale_Lynn Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 If tree were out in forrest or about any other place but a local park it would be ok.... Can you guess how many kids investigate the hole in the tree in a year? Dale Quote
+Team Perks Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 Seems fair game to me. But it's true, I must've stuck my hands in all sorts of weird places as a kid...I agree it's not a great idea for a busy park but just fine for pretty much anywhere else. Quote
+AuntieWeasel Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 Mine's in a very busy urban park. Only three months, but so far, so good. And there's a letterbox in the same tree. Quote
+CompuCash Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 I have several in trees and have found several in trees. From little ones in little cracks to full sized caches in hollows and holes. Go do it! Quote
+ValleyRat & TillyMouse Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 (edited) There are lots of caches in the Rio Grande Valley that were placed in tree hollows. Most have been muggled one or more times, then had to be replaced. Have a look at this one. One of the best I've seen was a micro with a tiny eye-hook screwed into a tree above eye level, and a matching hook on the lid of the camo-taped 35mm film canister. I can't imagine any damage happening to the tree from the hook. Edited January 13, 2005 by valleyrat Quote
+Team Tigger International Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 Inside trees that have natural hollows is fine , We have found many caches hidden this way. However if you have to "create" the hollow that would be wrong. Star Quote
+the hermit crabs Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 One of our favorite caches was hidden inside a tree. The tree had an enormous hole in it, although the size wasn't really obvious from the outside. You have to stoop and crawl in, turn around and stand up; anyone standing outside the tree can only see you from the knees down. You're inside a pitch-dark hollow tree. You squeeze your arms up over your head into the darkness, reach up, and there it is. About 6 feet off the ground, I think. (The hole went up even higher than that; we couldn't see where it ended.) Putting the cache back was a little more difficult that getting it out in the first place. Quote
+Papa Bill Posted January 13, 2005 Posted January 13, 2005 We found one in a tree hung by a plastic strap. Didn't damage the tree. Of course, my son fell on his tailend and pulled a muscle getting out, but we got it... Quote
+BilboB Posted January 14, 2005 Posted January 14, 2005 One of my favorite caches was hanging from a tree as well. It was about 100' off the trail in plain site, but the trick was you had to wade almost waste deep through muck and crap to get to it. Easy in the winter when everything is frozen, not easy in the summer when I visited. I also have found a good many hides in trees as well. My first find (and all time favorite cache) was in the hollow of a tree. It wasnt difficult, but the experience is one I will never forget. My wife, kids and I had no idea what we were doing back then and looked everywhere, when my 4 year old looked up and said, "Dad, what is that?" Quote
+Thot Posted January 14, 2005 Posted January 14, 2005 (edited) How do you restrain the cache in a hollow? One of the few places I’ve seen to put caches in urban parks is in tree hollows. The ones I’m talking about run deep down the tree, many all the way to a hole in the base. I’ve never been able to come up with a way to restrain the cache in the hollow. Driving a nail to attach a lanyard to is considered bad form. A string wrapped around the trunk or a limb will be too conspicuous. The holes don’t taper much. Even if they did you’d have to have a carefully chosen container to go down the hole far enough but not too far that it can’t be reached – then hope it doesn’t get wedged in too tight to pull out. Etc., etc., etc. Edited January 14, 2005 by Thot Quote
nobby.nobbs Posted January 14, 2005 Posted January 14, 2005 i've done one which unfortunatley then became impossible for a few months due to a hornets nest! great idea as long as the likelyhood of something nasty, snake etc not high. always think before sticking hand where i can't see it! Quote
+sbell111 Posted January 14, 2005 Posted January 14, 2005 The final location for my 'Great Caesar's Ghost Cipher' was inside a tree for the first year or so. I used a piece of log inserted into the hole to camo it enough that at first glance it just looked like the tree was missing some bark. Since the location regularly flooded higher than the hole, it became a pain to keep replacing the camo, so I moved it to a different spot. Quote
+Ladycacher Posted January 15, 2005 Posted January 15, 2005 When I was in Louisana this past Christmas, we did three that were in hallow trees. It made it more fun and interesting to reach inside the tree...not knowing what might come out besides the cache! Quote
+Nurse Dave Posted January 15, 2005 Posted January 15, 2005 Ijust did a cache yesterday up inside a tree hollow. It was a big plastic file folder box! Quote
+tirediron Posted January 15, 2005 Posted January 15, 2005 This micro that I did just before Christmas sounds very much like what you describe. As you can see, it's been there a while, and this too is a very busy park. Go for it... whatcha gonna lose besides a film cannister? Quote
+ChicagoCanineCrew Posted January 16, 2005 Author Posted January 16, 2005 This micro Go for it... whatcha gonna lose besides a film cannister? Well I was thinking of a small regular cache rather than a micro... But heck it's still not that big a deal if it gets lost because what I was thinking of using is only a 16 oz. container so will not have anything big in it anyway... Thanks, everyone! Quote
+HIPS-meister Posted February 14, 2005 Posted February 14, 2005 Arbor-wells are very common hiding places. The cache does not have to be extraordinarily large or small... just make sure it won't get lost or out-of-reach. Quote
+JMBella Posted February 14, 2005 Posted February 14, 2005 No problem other than it might be evicted by a squirrel. This actually kept happening on one of mine. Other than that it won't be a problem. Quote
+CYBret Posted February 14, 2005 Posted February 14, 2005 Hmmmm...well I have this cache. I seem to recall that it might be in a tree. I've got a multi where a few stages are inside trees. One stage is constantly being knocked out by the residents of the tree. I'll eventually replace it, but for now I like tickin' them off. Bret Quote
+WalruZ Posted February 14, 2005 Posted February 14, 2005 Since you're from Chicago, go downtown and do Around the Ponds. That should answer your question. Quote
+Alan2 Posted February 15, 2005 Posted February 15, 2005 I have one in the hollow of a tree in a NYC park about 50 feet of a fairly busy trail. The area is surrrounded by poison ivy and some cachers have found the container laying on the ground near the tree pulled there probably by a squirrel. The cachers replace it in the tree and the varmint, likely a member of the Sierra Club, keeps pulling it back out. Quote
+ironman114 Posted February 15, 2005 Posted February 15, 2005 How would you like it if a giant kept putting a large box in your home? Quote
+trail hound Posted February 15, 2005 Posted February 15, 2005 (edited) How would you like it , if a squirrel stuffed a boxcar in your house?!?!?!?!?!?!? Just kidd'n ! Oops...ironman beat me to the punch Edited February 15, 2005 by trail hound Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.