Temporary Cache?

[Sammorost]

Me and two friends who are interested in geocaching met up and found a few caches. They really wanted to place a cache so we found a container that was littering up the park and put a paper and a trinket inside. Sadly it is an hour away from all three of us deep inside the busy city. Would it alright to leave it until it disappears or gets muggled then archive it?

[+Manville Possum]

Me and two friends who are interested in geocaching met up and found a few caches. They really wanted to place a cache so we found a container that was littering up the park and put a paper and a trinket inside. Sadly it is an hour away from all three of us deep inside the busy city. Would it alright to leave it until it disappears or gets muggled then archive it?

 

No.

[+candlestick]

https://www.geocaching.com/about/hiding.aspx

[Pup Patrol]

Me and two friends who are interested in geocaching met up and found a few caches. They really wanted to place a cache so we found a container that was littering up the park and put a paper and a trinket inside. Sadly it is an hour away from all three of us deep inside the busy city. Would it alright to leave it until it disappears or gets muggled then archive it?

 

No. You just left some garbage.

 

If you truly want to hide caches for others to find, you need to read and re-read and read again how to do it. There's a lot to learn.

 

First, I guess, you need to understand about how caches get published by Groundspeak. There is a submission form, and a Review process.

 

Help Center → Hide a cache

Hide a cache

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.book&id=19

 

There are Guidelines you must follow before even thinking of placing a real cache. (What you left behind isn't a real cache.)

 

https://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

 

B.

[Sammorost]

The location is a good one, this will be my third cache. If you have seen my work I usually put a lot of thought into cache design. However not having an official cache I figured I would put some of the junk littering the park into good use. There is nothing different from it and any other cache other than I will not be able to maintenance it. I am not understanding the issue?

[Sammorost]

I understand it is not to par with my normal caches but it is no less in quality to 95% of the caches I find.

[Pup Patrol]

Since you already have 2 caches published, you already know all about the Guidelines, the submission form, and the Review process.

 

Why are you asking about this?

 

If you can't provide maintenance, then don't bother.

 

The responsibility of cache maintenance is in the Guidelines.

 

B.

[Pup Patrol]

I understand it is not to par with my normal caches but it is no less in quality to 95% of the caches I find.

 

Don't be a monkey-see-monkey-do.

 

Read the Guidelines about owner maintenance, of both the physical cache and the cache page.

 

Did you check for saturation?

 

Did you read the part about "temporary caches"?

 

Did you read anything in the Guidelines?

 

 

B.

[Sammorost]

I took the official quiz and passed and have successfully placed two caches. I have read guidelines I am not sure which particular ones that you are speaking of.

[+L0ne.R]

And this is what geocaching has generally become. It's the norm. Sigh.

[+L0ne.R]

The location is a good one, this will be my third cache. If you have seen my work I usually put a lot of thought into cache design. However not having an official cache I figured I would put some of the junk littering the park into good use. There is nothing different from it and any other cache other than I will not be able to maintenance it. I am not understanding the issue?

 

Why ruin a good reputation? This doesn't sound like a cache you can be proud of.

[+BCandMsKitty]

The location is a good one, this will be my third cache. If you have seen my work I usually put a lot of thought into cache design. However not having an official cache I figured I would put some of the junk littering the park into good use. There is nothing different from it and any other cache other than I will not be able to maintenance it. I am not understanding the issue?

 

The issue is that temporary caches are not allowed except under some very special circumstances, and ...

One of the requirements for placing a cache is that you are able to maintain it.

 

If the reviewer knows that you don't live nearby, they will require you to provide a maintenance plan (such as another cacher living nearby) and even then it's sometimes hard to get a remote cache approved. And rightfully so.

 

What happens if you do submit it and it gets declined for any number of reasons ... (another cache too close, etc.). Will you go back and get this container, or will it just stay there with other trash in the park?

[Sammorost]

It started as junk in the park. But yes I see your point.

[Sammorost]

However I did already do it, so shouldn't I try and make the best of it?

[+Michaelcycle]

However I did already do it, so shouldn't I try and make the best of it?

 

Ah, the old "it is easier to ask forgiveness than ask for permission"

 

The answer is still NO!

 

It appears that you have done little more than add a bit more trash to some trash you found that you have no intention of either attending to when it needs maintenance or going back to dispose of properly.

[+Manville Possum]

The location is a good one, this will be my third cache. If you have seen my work I usually put a lot of thought into cache design. However not having an official cache I figured I would put some of the junk littering the park into good use. There is nothing different from it and any other cache other than I will not be able to maintenance it. I am not understanding the issue?

 

Recycled litter that you can't maintain? That is not what geocaching is about.

[Pup Patrol]

I took the official quiz and passed and have successfully placed two caches. I have read guidelines I am not sure which particular ones that you are speaking of.

 

If you had really read the Guidelines, you would know.

 

However I did already do it, so shouldn't I try and make the best of it?

 

Were you honest with your Reviewer? Did you describe the garbage you found to use as a container, an hour away from you, that you can't maintain, etc, as a Reviewer note in your submission form?

 

This is just sad, sad, sad. No wonder geocaching is heading into the dumpster...literally.

 

B.

Edited March 27, 2017 by Pup Patrol

[+JL_HSTRE]

It started as junk in the park.

 

We you go caching do you enjoy finding a piece of "junk" with a logsheet inside?

[+SwineFlew]

Since you already have 2 caches published, you already know all about the Guidelines, the submission form, and the Review process.

 

Why are you asking about this?

 

If you can't provide maintenance, then don't bother.

 

The responsibility of cache maintenance is in the Guidelines.

 

B.

I find this extremely rude.

[+SwineFlew]

It started as junk in the park.

 

We you go caching do you enjoy finding a piece of "junk" with a logsheet inside?

I know someone that hide a cache in real junk(he placed a cache on a piece of junk)... and placed it in a ditch full of junk. DNF that cache and moved on.

[+Team Microdot]

It started as junk in the park.

 

We you go caching do you enjoy finding a piece of "junk" with a logsheet inside?

 

Sadly there are people out there - some of whom post on these forums who would rather find a piece of junk with a logsheet inside than nothing at all.

 

Also sadly, there are people out there who think that serving those described above is a service to the community and that they should be congratulated.

[+Team Microdot]

Since you already have 2 caches published, you already know all about the Guidelines, the submission form, and the Review process.

 

Why are you asking about this?

 

If you can't provide maintenance, then don't bother.

 

The responsibility of cache maintenance is in the Guidelines.

 

B.

I find this extremely rude.

 

It isn't rude - simply saying it the way it is.

[+TriciaG]

Aside from the garbage container issue...

 

Did you get landowner permission? You click a check box saying you did when you submit a cache.

 

If it's in a government-owned park, are you aware of any local by-laws related to geocaching? There are often local laws to think about that non-locals are not aware of.

 

And yeah - the maintenance thing. Caches are meant to be viable for AT LEAST a few months. If your new cache needs maintenance in 2 weeks, you must be prepared to perform that maintenance. If you're not willing, do not publish it.

[+kunarion]

Me and two friends who are interested in geocaching met up and found a few caches. They really wanted to place a cache so we found a container that was littering up the park and put a paper and a trinket inside. Sadly it is an hour away from all three of us deep inside the busy city. Would it alright to leave it until it disappears or gets muggled then archive it?

 

I figured I would put some of the junk littering the park into good use. There is nothing different from it and any other cache other than I will not be able to maintenance it. I am not understanding the issue?

 

I understand it is not to par with my normal caches but it is no less in quality to 95% of the caches I find.

 

Awesome!

 

Is that the text you put in the Reviewer Note?

[+Manville Possum]

It started as junk in the park.

 

We you go caching do you enjoy finding a piece of "junk" with a logsheet inside?

 

You mean like a "Happy Panda" cache? Just an old shrimp sauce container full of ants and a piece of paper? I CITO that kind of garbage.

[+candlestick]

Me and two friends who are interested in geocaching met up and found a few caches. They really wanted to place a cache so we found a container that was littering up the park and put a paper and a trinket inside. Sadly it is an hour away from all three of us deep inside the busy city. Would it alright to leave it until it disappears or gets muggled then archive it?

 

Again, I'm going to put this link here for you to check out https://www.geocaching.com/about/hiding.aspx

Please read through all of that. Those are the guidelines that are provided as the basis for all geocaches hides. Sometimes other hiders get away with hiding a half taped leaky pill bottle or cracked Tupperware container. This is not ok. They don't follow those guidelines or provide good examples of how to hide geocaches.

I'd like to know what kind of container you found littering the park. Was it something that can hold up for a few years and keep the logbook dry? If not, this is trash and not a geocache! As a park employee I've found many "containers" in the park that only add to the destruction of the area. A good container for a geocache can be placed and not hinder the environment around it by becoming litter or for a park employee to confuse with litter( labeling the cache and providing good camoflaged can greatly aid in this). Even if it is a good container it still doesn't sound like a good idea to place it when you will not be able to do a maintenance run when necessary

I'd like to ask, why hide it in the first place? Is it a nice area you want to bring people? Is it just a place that was open and you wanted to hide it? Is it just that you and your friends had a good time there and wanted to place something as a memory? Remember that geocaching is community based so if you hide something it isnt just for you and your friends to enjoy, its for many others. Also, why not let someone else who is closer and willing to maintain hide something in that spot? I'm glad that you want to add to the game by hiding a cache but I would beg you to really put something nice out instead of hiding just for the sake of hiding. And as geocachers, we have every responsibility to clean up after ourselves so I think you should find time to remove the container from the area and dispose of it properly or if it is good enough then spruce it up a bit to hide closer to you.

[+J Grouchy]

I don't think you even need to read the guidelines to know it's a bad idea.

[+SwineFlew]

Since you already have 2 caches published, you already know all about the Guidelines, the submission form, and the Review process.

 

Why are you asking about this?

 

If you can't provide maintenance, then don't bother.

 

The responsibility of cache maintenance is in the Guidelines.

 

B.

I find this extremely rude.

 

It isn't rude - simply saying it the way it is.

Telling a newbie that they are to know the inside and out of every rules is RUDE... nobody learn it that fast. Go nice and easy on those newbie.

[+Manville Possum]

Since you already have 2 caches published, you already know all about the Guidelines, the submission form, and the Review process.

 

Why are you asking about this?

 

If you can't provide maintenance, then don't bother.

 

The responsibility of cache maintenance is in the Guidelines.

 

B.

I find this extremely rude.

 

It isn't rude - simply saying it the way it is.

Telling a newbie that they are to know the inside and out of every rules is RUDE... nobody learn it that fast. Go nice and easy on those newbie.

 

Don't hide litter you found that you can't maintain should be a given. Best advice for the newbie, go out and find more caches and get a better idea of what geocaching is about before littering up a park far from home.

[+SwineFlew]

Since you already have 2 caches published, you already know all about the Guidelines, the submission form, and the Review process.

 

Why are you asking about this?

 

If you can't provide maintenance, then don't bother.

 

The responsibility of cache maintenance is in the Guidelines.

 

B.

I find this extremely rude.

 

It isn't rude - simply saying it the way it is.

Telling a newbie that they are to know the inside and out of every rules is RUDE... nobody learn it that fast. Go nice and easy on those newbie.

 

Don't hide litter you found that you can't maintain should be a given. Best advice for the newbie, go out and find more caches and get a better idea of what geocaching is about before littering up a park far from home.

 

Some people view all caches as litter.

 

I feel strongly that you need to be kind to newbie so they dont switch to the dark side and start stealing caches. I am seeing this far too often. This person can say, ok...fine, I will just remove all the caches in find to get even.

[+kunarion]

Telling a newbie that they are to know the inside and out of every rules is RUDE... nobody learn it that fast. Go nice and easy on those newbie.

I'm guessing the issue is not so much the OP who already placed two specially crafted caches. The issue is the two friends. If one's friends have just a basic concept of Geocaching, anything goes. When I mentioned Geocaching to friends of mine, they immediately suggested the Coolest Cache Ever, which was the most flagrant guideline violation cache ever, but very creative.

 

One friend said “The best Geocache would be a log book in a box of breakfast cereal hidden under a bridge, and you have to get it by kayak!” He was very impressed with that idea. It's the most fun he could imagine! Just think of the poor Geocacher having to carefully open the box, did around in cereal without getting a mess in your kayak, find the log and sign it, then place it all back without spilling anything. That's a high-difficulty for sure! And of course the next cacher finds it exactly the same way. Sooo Coool!

Regardless of how new the hider is, a cache must get past a Reviewer. Each hider already confirmed that he in fact understands the guidelines, it's part of the submission process to agree that he understands. So it must be permanent, have a suitable container and hiding spot, and have a maintenance plan. This applies to all, even a brand new hider.

Edited March 27, 2017 by kunarion

[+Manville Possum]

Since you already have 2 caches published, you already know all about the Guidelines, the submission form, and the Review process.

 

Why are you asking about this?

 

If you can't provide maintenance, then don't bother.

 

The responsibility of cache maintenance is in the Guidelines.

 

B.

I find this extremely rude.

 

It isn't rude - simply saying it the way it is.

Telling a newbie that they are to know the inside and out of every rules is RUDE... nobody learn it that fast. Go nice and easy on those newbie.

 

Don't hide litter you found that you can't maintain should be a given. Best advice for the newbie, go out and find more caches and get a better idea of what geocaching is about before littering up a park far from home.

 

Some people view all caches as litter.

 

I feel strongly that you need to be kind to newbie so they dont switch to the dark side and start stealing caches. I am seeing this far too often. This person can say, ok...fine, I will just remove all the caches in find to get even.

 

I don't believe most people think that way. Besides, geocaching has became a game of throwdowns if the cache is missing.

[+SwineFlew]

Telling a newbie that they are to know the inside and out of every rules is RUDE... nobody learn it that fast. Go nice and easy on those newbie.

I'm guessing the issue is not so much the OP who already placed two specially crafted caches. The issue is the two friends. If one's friends have just a basic concept of Geocaching, anything goes. When I mentioned Geocaching to friends of mine, they immediately suggested the Coolest Cache Ever, which was the most flagrant guideline violation cache ever, but very creative.

 

One friend said “The best Geocache would be a log book in a box of breakfast cereal hidden under a bridge, and you have to get it by kayak!” He was very impressed with that idea. It's the most fun he could imagine! Just think of the poor Geocacher having to carefully open the box, did around in cereal without getting a mess in your kayak, find the log and sign it, then place it all back without spilling anything. That's a high-difficulty for sure! And of course the next cacher finds it exactly the same way. Sooo Coool!

Regardless of how new the hider is, a cache must get past a Reviewer. Each hider already confirmed that he in fact understands the guidelines, it's part of the submission process to agree that he understands. So it must be permanent, have a suitable container and hiding spot, and have a maintenance plan. This applies to all, even a brand new hider.

 

For those type of caches, just be the cache cop and remove it. You are dong the caching world a huge favor.

[+kunarion]

For those type of caches, just be the cache cop and remove it. You are dong the caching world a huge favor.

Those caches are archived as the OP suggests. But not by a cache cop. Animals, weather, non-cachers digging through the trash. The "cache" itself remains, just more like the trash it originally was. I don't dig around to "be a cache cop and remove" the one that has a piece of paper in it, for not being up to my standards. But I also won't try to find that. YWWV.

[+kunarion]

I feel strongly that you need to be kind to newbie so they dont switch to the dark side and start stealing caches. I am seeing this far too often. This person can say, ok...fine, I will just remove all the caches in find to get even.

Excellent. Let the property managers know that people with the proclivity to "get even" will coming, "far too often". That will help with the decision on whether to allow caches at all.

Edited March 27, 2017 by kunarion

[Sammorost]

Sorry for the flare up this has caused. I did not think it was the greatest idea, but I didn't realize it was in violation of rules. 95% of the caches I have personally discovered are a "half taped leaky pill bottle". This cache was not leaky and was hid deep under a tree root. As far as submission I have done nothing. I wanted to hear what the community had to say before I posted it. I am sorry again for the ignorance on my part. I will see if I can interest them in doing a good proper cache. I will try and find someone in the area who would be willing to remove the cache and properly dispose of it.

Edited March 27, 2017 by Sammorost

[+Manville Possum]

95% of the caches I have personally discovered are a "half taped leaky pill bottle".

 

We call that Monkey see, monkey do geocaching. You should hide a nice container that is water-proof and clearly marked as a geocache so it will not be confused as litter.

[+BCandMsKitty]

Sorry for the flare up this has caused. I did not think it was the greatest idea, but I didn't realize it was in violation of rules. 95% of the caches I have personally discovered are a "half taped leaky pill bottle". This cache was not leaky and was hid deep under a tree root. As far as submission I have done nothing. I wanted to hear what the community had to say before I posted it. I am sorry again for the ignorance on my part. I will see if I can interest them in doing a good proper cache. I will try and find someone in the area who would be willing to remove the cache and properly dispose of it.

 

Don't beat yourself up too badly. This how we learn a lot of the finer points of geocaching.... By doing and sometimes making mistakes. Some here have said read the guidelines again, and have even put links to some of the pertinent areas. While I agree with all of that, there is a ton of stuff in those guidelines, and I know that I for one wasn't able to absorb all of it at once ... especially when I was new at the game.

Try your best and realize that you won't get it right all the time.

It's usually better if you can ask before you do, but in this case, it didn't work out that way. It's not the end of the world, although some of the people replying here seem to take it that way.

They need to try to think back to when they were first starting to hide. I'm sure none of us were as perfect with the guidelines as some seem to represent themselves as always being.

 

Take the advice given here and learn from it and keep on hiding quality caches.

[+NanCycle]

Since you already have 2 caches published, you already know all about the Guidelines, the submission form, and the Review process.

 

Why are you asking about this?

 

If you can't provide maintenance, then don't bother.

 

The responsibility of cache maintenance is in the Guidelines.

 

B.

I find this extremely rude.

 

It isn't rude - simply saying it the way it is.

 

+1