Photo Letterbox

[+TeamK-9]

The other day, I came up with an idea for a really cool cache. It will take some planning, and I have a cool theme for it, but I was wondering what everyone else's opinions on it were.

 

Basically, it's a letterbox, but using photographs to lead you to the cache instead of a written description.

 

I'd take pictures of the trailhead, and then any turns on the trail, and then finally, a picture detailing the cache location.

 

All in all, geocachers would have around seven pictures that they'd have to use to lead them to the cache.

 

I'm not explaining it really well, because I never can quite explain cache ideas until they're actually put together. But I think it's a lot cooler than I'm describing.

 

Does anyone know of any caches that use a similar idea?

[+The Cheeseheads]

So the finder would have to memorize all the pictures before heading out? Or would they take them with and return them when finished?

[+cache_test_dummies]

Yeup. A Thousand Words is such a cache.

 

It was fun, I did it last fall. It was a really interesting hunt. The pictures are not listed in sequence, so part of the challenge is figuring out how to get to the trailhead.

[+TeamK-9]

So the finder would have to memorize all the pictures before heading out? Or would they take them with and return them when finished?

My idea right now is to have all the pictures in a PDF file that will be downloadable from the cache page.

[+briansnat]

This one is similar.

[+Camo-crazed]

sorta

[+cache_test_dummies]

So the finder would have to memorize all the pictures before heading out? Or would they take them with and return them when finished?

My idea right now is to have all the pictures in a PDF file that will be downloadable from the cache page.

You don't even have to bother with a PDF (which would have to be a link to another site, since you can't upload a PDF here). Just load the images right to the cache page.

 

(edit: missed a word)

Edited March 27, 2005 by cache_test_dummies

[CoyoteRed]

Yeup. A Thousand Words is such a cache.

 

It was fun, I did it last fall. It was a really interesting hunt. The pictures are not listed in sequence, so part of the challenge is figuring out how to get to the trailhead.

Here I thought I had an original idea. Sissy's latest one is the result of a failure to find a good spot for this to work. (It become too non-descript to work well.) I was going to scramble the photos, as well.

 

As for the searcher using the pix, I was going to have them on the cache page, but also a couple of sets near the trailhead and hope they got returned.

 

[EDIT: clarity]

Edited March 27, 2005 by CoyoteRed

[+McMurdo1]

This one in Christchurch is something like that.

Dynamic Botanic

and seems to be real popular.

 

Not really trailheads though..

[+E = Mc2]

Saint James Court by Show Me The Cache is something like what you are talking about. Most people just print the pictures. He has another cache called Virtually Uncoordinated in Louisville that doesn't even require a GPS to find as it's entirely pictures

[+TeamK-9]

Okay, my next question is something hopefully a reviewer can help me out.

 

How would this sit with the proximity guidelines. I mean, it's sort of on the line in my mind. On one hand, it's just sort of directions to the cache, on how to follow the trail, and so there'd be no problem with proximity guidelines. On the other hand, you could consider each picture a virtual stage of a multi-cache.

 

I'm hoping not to have any of the pictures in a place where this would even be a problem, but it's just something I was wondering about.

[+carleenp]

Here is one in Nebraska. Another in Nebraska is here.

 

As for being close to other caches, I say ask the local reviewer. I think most will be OK with that, since when the pic (being a virtual site) is near a physical cache, there is little room for confusion there. I say work with him or her on that.

Edited March 27, 2005 by carleenp

[+bthomas]

In San Francisco, my Columba GCGH5J

[+WalruZ]

Bovine Inspiration

SOMA little pictures

 

There are great caches. One thing they let you do is to 'tour' people through an area that intermediate physical caches could not be hidden in. They do need to be maintained though, sometimes the intermediate pictured items come up missing.

 

Point of View is a variation on the theme.

Edited March 28, 2005 by WalruZ

[+murfster]

Yeta another in Ottawa, Oh Canada !

 

Murfster

[+TeamK-9]

And here I was, thinking I was original...

[+cache_test_dummies]

And here I was, thinking I was original...

I bet if you think about it, there's still plenty of ways to be creative and original with this basic concept.

 

I remember now seeing a cache listing someplace (and I wish I could provide a link - perhaps someone else will) which used a video clip instead of photos to do what we're talking about here. The whole film was in kind of a fast-forward mode, so it only took about 30 seconds to show the whole trip from the parking area to the cache. I think it ended up near a rabbit cage or something. Quite clever.