[Az-Geocaching] thoughts about urban geocaches...

[Jerry Nelson]

Scott

I'm glad to see thoughtful notes like this.  Geocaching is still a very
new and small activity and I don't think there is much chance of a
problem at its present size.  My concerns are for the future when this
sport is MUCH larger than it is now, a high probability in my opinion. 
While we may be able to ignore the issues you expressed at the present,
we need to be watchful for the problems that growth will bring.  

My personal concern is not so much about urban caches but for those
placed on open public National Forest and BLM lands.  These areas are
already suffering from forces such as cattle grazing, mining and certain
inappropriate destructive off-road recreational activities.  My special
concern is for caches placed in designated wilderness areas where "Take
only pictures, leave only footprints" is the rule.  I'm a die hard tree
hugger Sierra Club life member if you haven't guessed by now.  I also
love this sport and want to see it continue.

Again, we don't need to worry at the present but more regulation is
inevitable when this grows to some critical mass.  Let's keep
occasionally discussing this topic.

Jerry-Offtrail


On Mon, 21 Jan 2002 21:44:08 -0800 "Scott Nicol" <arizcowboy@hotmail.com>
writes:
> 
> Howdy,
> 
> I went out this afternoon to run some errands and decided to go for 
> a few 
> urban caches. I drove by 3 of them today and didnt even stop to do 
> them. I 
> think I know right where they are at.. but, didnt stop as there was 
> just way 
> to many people around to go for them. They were all in city parks. 
> The ASU 
> Research Park one had not only people around, but, there are 
> buildings 
> around it with windows that you cant see in.. but, you know they are 
> looking 
> out at you!
> 
> These 3 caches I drove by are, in my opinion, night time cache finds 
> only 
> and will go back at night to find them sometime soon.
> 
> I went to the airport to pick someone up on an arrival around 5:45pm 
> today 
> and tried for a few around Tempe/Papago Park as well. I did get two 
> in the 
> Papago Park area. I drove by A mountain but didnt make the climb. 
> Way to 
> many people on the trail. Just to afraid I would get up there and 
> not be 
> able to retreive the cache and log in without being seen. There is 
> also 
> Sparky's Cache. I drove within 500 feet of that one and it looks 
> like it is 
> right in amongst the buildings! That is surely a fun cache to get if 
> you 
> like doing 'undercover' type work and the feeling that comes with 
> it! I do. 
> But, again.. dont want to chance being seen and chancing someone 
> taking the 
> cache. I was looking at the logs of the ones that I drove past but 
> didnt do 
> and see they were all had during the day today. Not sure how. I 
> wasnt about 
> to. I just didnt want to blow it and have someone see me.
> 
> There is way to high of a risk of these urban caches being found by 
> a 
> non-geocacher and being taken. I think it is important to return the 
> 
> property around the cache to its very original state. In otherwords, 
> dont 
> step on bushes for one. I have seen several caches that have alot of 
> bushes 
> around them trampled on. That is not only a sure sign of where a 
> cache is 
> hidden to another geocacher.. but, is also not a very positive thing 
> for the 
> property owners to see. This can surely put geocaching, in that 
> persons 
> eyes, as a very negative thing. Also, if you move rocks, I think it 
> is very 
> important to put them back exactly as found and not strew them out 
> around 
> the area. To keep the place looking exactly like it was before you 
> arrived 
> is very important. One example is the 'sign of the past' cache I 
> visited 
> this afternoon in Papago Park. Right around the immediate area of 
> the cache, 
> there are obvious signs of pedestrian activity. In most desert 
> parks.. it is 
> illegal to walk off a trail or path. Some even have signs reading to 
> that 
> effect. The area around this particular cache has obvious signs of 
> the area 
> being disrupted of its natural state. Again, if a park ranger were 
> to see 
> this.. they would greatly frown upon the sport of geocaching.
> 
> I propose this... I think that any urban caches should have a limit 
> of say 
> 30 days perhaps. After that, they archive. That will limit the 
> chance it 
> will be found by a non cacher. I think 30 days is plenty of time for 
> anyone 
> that wants to go for that cache to get it. When I refer to urban 
> caches.. I 
> mean the ones that are in parks and/or surrounded by houses. The 
> makeout mnt 
> cache, for instance.. I dont consider a true urban cache. But, I 
> have seen 
> caches in very populated parks and right amongst neighborhoods. I 
> dont think 
> these caches shouldnt be hid in these spots.. they are great for a 
> quickie 
> after work or something and are also good for the youngsters in the 
> 
> geocaching families. But, how about limiting the time these caches 
> are 
> stashed? Eventually, they will be found by a non-geocacher and will 
> either 
> be stolen or damaged. The logs need to be recovered to prove that 
> someone 
> actually was there and didnt just log their visit to move them up in 
> ranking 
> or just show they have X number of caches. Where they really there? 
> No way 
> to tell unless the log is recovered. (I do think we are all honest 
> about 
> that though, afterall, this IS just for fun).
> 
> Also, I think that all geocaches should use 'official' geocaching 
> cases. 
> These appear to be the small green ammo boxes with the official 
> geocaching 
> stickers on the side and the paperwork contained within explaining 
> what it 
> is. I am starting to see several caches that were contained in pint 
> size 
> paint cans and tupperware containers and such. If someone saw this.. 
> it 
> could be percieved as trash (litter) and we all want to keep our 
> lands 
> clean. The official ammo boxes look much more professional. These 
> ammo cases 
> cost very little and can be had at a military surplus store or from 
> a dealer 
> of geocache merchandise. If you archive your urban cache after say 
> 30 days.. 
> you will be more likely to still have it there to be retrieved and 
> the same 
> case used for another cache.
> 
> Professionalism is another thing. I dont think the paint cans and 
> such give 
> the sport of geocaching a very professional image. People will think 
> we are 
> a bunch of litterbugs hiding paint cans and stuff in our national 
> forests 
> and city parks, etc. Again, they could very well be percieved as 
> trash in a 
> non-geocachers mind. Also, if the cache containers remain consistant 
> (all 
> ammo boxes), as the sport becomes more mainstream... non cachers 
> might begin 
> to recognize the typical geocache container and perhaps understand 
> what it 
> is there for and not disrupt it if they should stumble upon it. I 
> know if I 
> saw a paint can in a nice clean local park, I wouldnt think to 
> highly of who 
> ever put it there. I know what it is there for as I am a geocacher 
> and see 
> no problem with it. I am just trying to put myself in a non cachers 
> shoes 
> and considering their thoughts. On the other hand... if I saw a nice 
> clean 
> small ammo box with a nice clean 'official geocache' sticker on the 
> side.. I 
> would perceive it as something of higher value.
> 
> I am not trying to preach anything here. I am sure this is stuff 
> most of us 
> have already heard. These are just thoughts from a new member of the 
> 
> geocaching family. I now have 15 finds ranging from easy and quick 
> urban 
> caches to hard to get to caches like the Lone Pine cache on top of 4 
> peaks. 
> Myself and my teamies are enjoying our new found hobby and want to 
> see the 
> sport grow and keep a positive image. I think most will agree with 
> me on 
> this. We have been geocaching now since the first week of January 
> and 
> greatly enjoying the excercise the sport has brought us! (I really 
> need 
> it!). ;)
> 
> Thanks for allowing me to express my thoughts on the subject.
> 
> Scott
> Team Ropingthewind
> 
> Scotts Adventure Flying Web Page
> http://www.geocities.com/safwp
> 
> 
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