Cache I Couldn't Find Is Found

[+Miragee]

Yesterday I hiked up to a cache that was very difficult and challenging to get to. The few previous logs are for the most part interesting and detailed. They also make comments about how the rating should be increased from a 2/2 to at least a 3/3.

 

In fact, this cache was way harder than one I did the other day that was rated a 4 for terrain.

 

Anyway, I stayed up at the top and looked around for the cache for more than an hour. Since I had a great time playing around on the rocks, I wasn't terribly disappointed I didn't find the ammo can.

 

But, today, when I checked the cache log, I see that a new cacher writes that they found the cache yesterday, and their log entry is "Nice cache."

 

Man, after doing that one, I would have written more than that.

 

I hoped the cache owner would see my DNF and maybe go check on the cache, but now they have a log entry stating that someone found the cache. . . . or did they?

 

This cache is difficult, and even dangerous. I would hate for others to try it if in fact the cache isn't there anymore. What would you do?

[+Divine]

I'd ask them (without questioning their find) for a slight hint for the cache. You know, describing this crevice and that boulder, and hoping for some nudge to be able to find it the next time. Is it hidden from the eye? Do I have to move something to be able to grab it? Etc. See what they will answer.

[+the hermit crabs]

But, today, when I checked the cache log, I see that a new cacher writes that they found the cache yesterday, and their log entry is "Nice cache."

That appears to be his logging style -- all of his logs for his other six finds are pretty short as well (none more than 1 line).

 

Edit: Also, based on his one hide (a 3.5/5), that cacher enjoys really rugged terrain.

Edited April 18, 2005 by the hermit crabs

[+Miragee]

I'd ask them (without questioning their find) for a slight hint for the cache. You know, describing this crevice and that boulder, and hoping for some nudge to be able to find it the next time. Is it hidden from the eye? Do I have to move something to be able to grab it? Etc. See what they will answer.

Thanks. I'll be interested to see what they say. Until I went up there, no one had attempted the cache since early March.

 

Due to the record winter rains, all the vegetation that has grown up since then has really increased the difficulty of accessing the area. I won't be making another attempt unless I KNOW the cache is there.

[+briansnat]

I'd ask them (without questioning their find) for a slight hint for the cache. You know, describing this crevice and that boulder, and hoping for some nudge to be able to find it the next time. Is it hidden from the eye? Do I have to move something to be able to grab it? Etc. See what they will answer.

That's a good way.

 

If this is indeed a fake find its a good example of why they are not harmless. The owner, seeing the find will think the cache is there and the next person, seeing the smiley will make the same fruitless journey you did.

[+welch]

I hoped the cache owner would see my DNF and maybe go check on the cache, but now they have a log entry stating that someone found the cache. . . . or did they?

 

This cache is difficult, and even dangerous. I would hate for others to try it if in fact the cache isn't there anymore. What would you do?

If you wanted the owner to check on the cache, you should (and maybe you did, I haven't seen the page) have said something in your log. Or even emailed the owner and asked when they might get a chance to check on the cache since you think its missing. Just posting a DNF may or may not get them to visit, espeically if its difficult to find.

 

Probably nothing, unless you make a return visit and do find the cache, and the logbook doesn't have a signature from this other person.

Its good that you want to save others a DNF, but the online logs are there (right?) so anyone looking at the cache can either decide the cache may be missing, or its not.

[+Miragee]

Oh, I posted a long, five-paragraph, log of my experience (check it out -- it is good reading, I think), and I posted two photographs.

 

All the other people who either found, or did not find, this cache wrote about its difficulty and the mislabled rating.

 

Even this cacher has written more about a nearby Altoids tin they found.

[+NightPilot]

Some people just aren't novelists. Some are. I don't tend to write much because this is a personal experience, and I simply don't have a lot to say that I think would be of interest to anyone else. I've always believed that if you don't have anything to say, then don't say it. Don't expect everyone to see a cache the same way you do, to take and post pictures, to write several paragraphes about a cache, or even to log the caches they find.

[Larry H]

You can't blame a cacher for making a false find log based on your inability to find the cache. What are you going to do when there is another find? Accuse them too?

Maybe you should wait and see if there are more finds on this cache before making allegations. An apology to the cacher in question may be in order too.

[Find Now, Log Later?]

You can't blame a cacher for making a false find log based on your inability to find the cache. What are you going to do when there is another find? Accuse them too?

Maybe you should wait and see if there are more finds on this cache before making allegations. An apology to the cacher in question may be in order too.

Bingo!

 

Let's see ... the OP thinks the cache should be re-rated "at least 3 stars," but made at most a "2 star" search. Hmmm .... perhaps if the OP had put as much effort into his search as he put into disparaging the subsequent finder, his results might have been different.

[+Tharagleb]

Oh, I posted a long, five-paragraph, log of my experience (check it out -- it is good reading, I think), and I posted two photographs.

 

All the other people who either found, or did not find, this cache wrote about its difficulty and the mislabled rating.

 

Even this cacher has written more about a nearby Altoids tin they found.

Since you haven't given us the name or ID of the cache I don't see how I can check out your log. I can only see your "found" logs. Although it looks like at least one other poster has figure out which cache you are referring to. Hmmm.... what am I missing?

 

Now, as to the original issue. Many a DNF are just that, they are just caches that are there that you can't find. It can be very embarassing if you insist the cache isn't there and later find out that it is. My advice, from experience, is to try not to go there.

[+Miragee]

I do owe the finder an apology and I'm sorry I posted this yesterday.

 

It is just that a couple of very experienced finders (one who has found more than 1500 caches), had a VERY hard time finding the cache. Several other finders and non-finders also mentioned that the cache should be rated at least a 3/3.

 

No one had tried to find this cache since early March.

 

I spent more than an hour looking for the cache, and had a lot of fun climbing around on the boulders. It was a great experience, even if I didn't find the cache.

 

My DNF log on Sunday night was the first one since early March.

 

So, yesterday when I saw a log saying, "Nice cache." by somone who had only found six previous caches, my original reaction was complete disbelief.

 

I was wrong and I apologize.

 

 

EDIT for typo . . .

Edited April 19, 2005 by idiosyncratic

[+the hermit crabs]

Since you haven't given us the name or ID of the cache I don't see how I can check out your log. I can only see your "found" logs.  Although it looks like at least one other poster has figure out which cache you are referring to. Hmmm.... what am I missing?

The cache is Golden Hammer. (To find it, I had looked at idiosyncratic's recent finds, and then looked for others in the same area that idiosyncratic had not found... the log in question was in the first one I checked. I then looked at the other cacher's find logs & his cache hide. From those, my guess would be that it was a legitimate find. But it's just a guess.)

[+Tharagleb]

Since you haven't given us the name or ID of the cache I don't see how I can check out your log. I can only see your "found" logs.  Although it looks like at least one other poster has figure out which cache you are referring to. Hmmm.... what am I missing?

The cache is Golden Hammer. (To find it, I had looked at idiosyncratic's recent finds, and then looked for others in the same area that idiosyncratic had not found... the log in question was in the first one I checked. I then looked at the other cacher's find logs & his cache hide. From those, my guess would be that it was a legitimate find. But it's just a guess.)

Well, I did a pocket query on 2/2 caches in the area that were found in the last 7 days. since the cache is a 2.5/2 I didn't see it.

[+the hermit crabs]

Since you haven't given us the name or ID of the cache I don't see how I can check out your log. I can only see your "found" logs.  Although it looks like at least one other poster has figure out which cache you are referring to. Hmmm.... what am I missing?

The cache is Golden Hammer. (To find it, I had looked at idiosyncratic's recent finds, and then looked for others in the same area that idiosyncratic had not found... the log in question was in the first one I checked. I then looked at the other cacher's find logs & his cache hide. From those, my guess would be that it was a legitimate find. But it's just a guess.)

Well, I did a pocket query on 2/2 caches in the area that were found in the last 7 days. since the cache is a 2.5/2 I didn't see it.

I had noticed that, too, and wondered if maybe the owner had bumped up the difficulty after the DNF.

[+Tharagleb]

I do owe the finder an apology and I'm sorry I posted this yesterday.

 

It is just that a couple of very experienced finders (one who has found more than 1500 caches), had a VERY hard time finding the cache. Several other finders and non-finders also mentioned that the cache should be rated at least a 3/3.

 

No one had tried to find this cache since early March.

 

I spent more than an hour looking for the cache, and had a lot of fun climbing around on the boulders. It was a great experience, even if I didn't find the cache.

 

My DNF log on Sunday night was the first one since early March.

 

So, yesterday when I saw a log saying, "Nice cache." by somone who had only found six previous caches, my original reaction was complete disbelief.

 

I was wrong and I apologize.

 

 

EDIT for typo . . .

I understand your frustration. Probably a stupid question but did you use the hint?

The hint seems to imply there are a lot of places to look in the rocks. I hate those kind of hides.

 

I once got a FTF on a cache in NH (I am in VT) that had gone unfound for quite a while, it was placed by a friend of mine. Quite a few experienced cachers cound not find it, one had over 800 finds. My friend asked me to go find it. I did, in less than half an hour. I am not saying this to point out that I am a good finder, I'm really not, but to say that experience doesn't guarantee a find. (The cache is emanemanem by Flask) Reading the logs for this cache is always fun, most people claim the cache is not there. We (Flask and I) made a special trip to the cache one Saturday because people were claiming it was gone, when we got there we found two fresh finds in the log.

 

Guess we all beat this one to death by now.

 

Happy hunting!

 

EDIT for typo.

Edited April 19, 2005 by Tharagleb

[+pghlooking]

Wouldn't the easiest and most fun way to know if it's a good log or not be go back up there and find it, then check the log book. You get your bonus and at the same time you get the answers you are looking for.

[+Car54]

I found the cache listing in question by checking out the OP's gallery and looking for recent pictures. I figured that if someone goes to all the effort to climb up a mountain, they're almost sure to have a camera with them.

 

Mrs. Car54

[+Tharagleb]

I found the cache listing in question by checking out the OP's gallery and looking for recent pictures. I figured that if someone goes to all the effort to climb up a mountain, they're almost sure to have a camera with them.

 

Mrs. Car54

Everyone is smarter than me

 

It seems the the latest finder also found a TB that was in the cache and logged it, so the chances are something like %99.99999645 that the find is legit.

[+Miragee]

That is why I am sorry I rushed to post this yesterday. I didn't notice the TB in the finder's possession until later.

 

I was just so shocked to see the "Found It" after I spent so much time looking for for the cache. Because there is a fair amount of graffiti and broken glass and evidence of other people's use of the spot (the Hammer Clan ), I thought the ammo can could have been muggled by the creeps who do that sort of thing to such a neat spot.

 

I still won't be going back up there until a few other people have located the cache and have updated the coordinates. Apparently the cache "has been moved."

[Larry H]

 

I still won't be going back up there until a few other people have located the cache and have updated the coordinates. Apparently the cache "has been moved."

Some people don't log their finds on line on the same day that they find the cache.

You could e mail the last finder and ask when they found the cache.

It's possible that they found it in the past week and just got around to logging it on line. If that is the case, it really could be missing.If they found it right after you, you'll know it's still there waiting for you.

Edited April 19, 2005 by Larry H

[+Miragee]

He found it before I did -- he logged it after I posted my lengthy DNF log -- probably another reason I was so surprised by his two word "Nice cache." log.

 

I'm not going to take the risks I took the first time to get up there and back down again until some other people find it. Hopefully the next finder will update the coordinates.

 

Like Tharagleb said, we have beaten this one to death now, so I'm closing the topic.