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thesuperstitions Guest
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Posted: 2/15/2006, 7:06 am Post subject: |
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There's a link on the left side called "Hide & Seek A Cache". That's your starting point if you want to find caches in your area. It'll bring up a page with lots of search criteria, but you really only need to enter a zip code or a Lat/Lon. It'll dump a list of caches near you and you can then navigate to the individual cache pages. |
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thesuperstitions Guest
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threedogz
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Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 668 Location: Chandler
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Posted: 2/16/2006, 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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Geocaching is fun and can be user friendly to the environment if placed properly and used properly and all people involved respect the environment. It is good clean fun, especially for the kids.
Perhaps the state land trust and wilderness sites can charge the geocachers a minimal fee to place the cache to raise money for trail maintenance.
I witness left-over garbage and landscape manipulation to make campsites. Should we stop camping as well?
If anybody is into destroying these, I think it is a cruel and heartless thing to do. We all need to share this world, let's do it peacefully and respectfully!
I may start one myself, with the crystals, amythst and apache tears I have in my rock collection at home... take a unique rock, and leave a unique rock...
Heidi _________________ You can never eat too much candy... |
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azbackpackr Hi Tech Wizardess
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Joined: 31 Dec 2005 Posts: 3639 Location: Needles CA
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Posted: 2/17/2006, 11:05 am Post subject: |
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I'm not against geocaching myself, but would like to point out that my son found a geocache scattered around up on Flat Top Mtn. near Eagar, he said it looked as though it had been vandalized. (This happened two or three years ago, at least.) The average person probably has never heard of this pastime, so it would be good if the caches were very well-hidden, to keep the local kids from messing around with them. Also, do you put a paper inside explaining what the purpose is? Some people who accidently find it might show respect if they can be helped to understand what it is. |
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thesuperstitions Guest
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Posted: 2/17/2006, 11:10 am Post subject: |
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Yes, you DO put an information sheet in the cache. The text follows:
GEOCACHE SITE - PLEASE READ
Congratulations, you've found it! Intentionally or not!
What is this hidden container sitting here for? What the heck is this thing doing here with all these things in it?
It is part of a worldwide game dedicated to GPS (Global Positioning System) users, called Geocaching. The game basically involves a GPS user hiding "treasure" (this container and its contents), and publishing the exact coordinates so other GPS users can come on a "treasure hunt" to find it. The only rules are: if you take something from the cache, you must leave something for the cache, and you must write about your visit in the logbook. Hopefully, the person that hid this container found a good spot that is not easily found by uninterested parties. Sometimes, a good spot turns out to be a bad spot, though.
IF YOU FOUND THIS CONTAINER BY ACCIDENT:
Great! You are welcome to join us! We ask only that you:
• Please do not move or vandalize the container. The real treasure is just finding the container and sharing your thoughts with everyone else who finds it.
• If you wish, go ahead and take something. But please also leave something of your own for others to find, and write it in the logbook.
• If possible, let us know that you found it, by visiting the web site listed below.
Geocaching is open to everyone with a GPS and a sense of adventure. There are similar sites all over the world. The organization has its home on the Internet. Visit our website if you want to learn more, or have any comments:
http://www.geocaching.com
If this container needs to be removed for any reason, please let us know. We apologize, and will be happy to move it. |
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cakewalk
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Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 512
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Posted: 2/17/2006, 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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threedogz wrote: |
I may start one myself, with the crystals, amythst and apache tears I have in my rock collection at home... take a unique rock, and leave a unique rock...
Heidi |
Sneak me the coords early so I can collect those rocks, I will replace with quartz chalcedony samples that I have collected.
I love rocks. |
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azhiker96
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Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 1419
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Posted: 2/17/2006, 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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threedogz wrote: |
Geocaching is fun and can be user friendly to the environment if placed properly and used properly and all people involved respect the environment. It is good clean fun, especially for the kids.
Perhaps the state land trust and wilderness sites can charge the geocachers a minimal fee to place the cache to raise money for trail maintenance.
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I think it's a great passtime but I also don't think it belongs in designated wilderness areas. The rules on the geocache website state that caches are not to be setup without permission or in places where they are not allowed. However, those who play this game don't seem to care about those rules and some here support that disregard. I have found a geocache in the middle of an archeological site in the Superstition Wilderness. Good clean family fun..... _________________ It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. -- Carl Sagan |
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threedogz
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Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 668 Location: Chandler
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Posted: 2/18/2006, 2:07 am Post subject: |
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Although I agree that if it is not allowed by that particular wilderness area not to have geocaches there, then it shouldn't. But wilderness areas that do allow, then there is no harm as long as you respect the environment.
Lets put it this way, I'd rather stumble across a ammo box full of trinkets then a broken beer bottle left by a someone 4-wheeling in the desert partying. I could go on with the make shift toilets campers leave behind, the rock-hounders who leave huge trenches in the ground and the individuals who shoot at the Saguaro's. The list goes on.
If one hiker leaves trash, should all hikers not be allowed to hike? If one geocacher plants their cache in an area where they are not supposed to, should all geocaches be eliminated from the wilderness if they allow them there?
I'll spend my energy worrying about the poor air quality, the drought and urban sprawl before I start worrying about how geocaching is a detriment to our wilderness and environment.
I don't think eliminating geocaching is on BLM's, Sierra Clubs or the State of Arizona's intitiative on keeping our wilderness and environment pristine. There are much more pressing issues.
"BLM welcomes this activity in the right locations on the Public lands if conducted with minimal impact to the environment and conscientious land use ethics are followed."
Reference: http://www.blm.gov/az/geocache.htm
Enough said.
Happy Geocaching! _________________ You can never eat too much candy... |
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IGO
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Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: 2/18/2006, 2:46 am Post subject: |
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I'm surprised there are some people here that don't realize the difference between "BLM Lands" proper and "Wilderness Designate" lands. In the Wilderness act, no new evidence of man is permitted. Permitted in some and not in others is not what the act states. None is what it states. We may rigorously protect trails that pre-exist in wilderness designates but have you ever tried to get BLM to let your eco-recreation group build a new trail? When I walk in a wilderness designate and I find a geocache, I've found pollution. I've found a self-serving act and disregard for others. But the greatest impact is not what I've found but what I've lost and that's the feeling of "I'm the only one who's ever been here" and that's exactly what the wilderness act is all about.
Still, you are correct. I'm less upset about finding a geocache than I am a cigarrette butt. _________________ "Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir |
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azhiker96
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Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 1419
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Posted: 2/18/2006, 3:07 am Post subject: |
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threedogz wrote: |
Although I agree that if it is not allowed by that particular wilderness area not to have geocaches there, then it shouldn't. But wilderness areas that do allow, then there is no harm as long as you respect the environment.
Enough said. |
I absolutely agree!!!! My only beef is when caches are placed where they do not belong such as in the Superstition Wilderness.
The full BLM Geocache Policy does condone geocaching except,
"A special recreation permit (SRP) is not required if the geocaching activity complies with casual use conditions. The following conditions apply to casual use: the activity is not a commercial endeavor, the activity complies with land use decisions and designations, (i.e., special area designations and wilderness interim management policy), and it does not award cash prizes, is not publicly advertised, poses minimal risk for damage to public land or related water resource values, and generally requires no monitoring. If you determine the use to be casual but have some concern about the use, such as, placing the caches in Congressionally designated wilderness or wilderness study areas, at cultural resource sites, at areas with threatened or endangered species, or any other special fragile area, it would be appropriate to issue a “letter of agreement” with special stipulations attached that would address those concerns.
Considering that the rangers removed a number of caches from the Superstition Wilderness, I'd think that's a subtle hint that the caches didn't belong there. _________________ It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. -- Carl Sagan |
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azbackpackr Hi Tech Wizardess
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Joined: 31 Dec 2005 Posts: 3639 Location: Needles CA
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Posted: 2/18/2006, 6:06 am Post subject: |
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I checked my area, and am surprised to see how many more have been added since I last looked several years ago--back then I think there were only 3 or 4 caches around Eagar/Springerville.
So, a good way to practice with my GPS! Thanks for the topic! |
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thesuperstitions Guest
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Posted: 2/18/2006, 8:05 am Post subject: |
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I totally agree that caches should not be located in wilderness areas, with the exception of "virtual caches", which aren't supported by geocaching.com anymore (except ones that are grandfathered in). But... in areas where they are legal, I think that well-concealed cahes placed in containers of high integrity and placed with permission of appropriate authorities, are an asset to the community/area. Unfortunately, as in any sport/game/activity, there are those that do it poorly and draw negative attention.
I enjoy taking my kids out on these "treasure hunts" because it gives me an opportunity to teach them about navigation and following directions, safety, the environment and what we can do to help keep it clean and safe. For the most part, the caches we've come across are well-done and placed with permission. What's irksome is that we've found a couple in areas that are beatiful, except for trash left by non-geocachers. Near one we saw old appliances that had been dumped and lots of other junk left by people fishing and such. There are numbskulls all around us that will screw up whatever they see or touch, for a million different reasons (ignorance, showing off in front of peers, anal-cranial inversion syndrom, etc).
There may be hundreds or even thousands of caches that you go near every day and don't know they're there, but the one that gets "spoiled" or is placed badly gets noticed and used to form opinions.
Bottom line is... it's just another outdoor activity that, when done well, provides enjoyment for many that would not otherwise be motivated to visit these beautiful places.
Just my $0.02... (probably not worth that much really!) |
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IGO
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Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: 2/18/2006, 8:47 am Post subject: |
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We are lucky here in Arizona/nevada to have as much public land as we do. Though I won't give an inch on the wilderness incentive, I think most of us haven't got a single problem with well maintained caches on general public lands. One thing about this Geocache thing is that it brings Moms and Dads and Kids together on a great common interest for long periods of time and that is invaluable as best I can see it. _________________ "Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir |
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thesuperstitions Guest
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Posted: 2/18/2006, 8:54 am Post subject: |
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I'd say that most of the people that I've come across geocaching (and I'm a newbie) have been parents with their kids and, suprisingly, folks with empty nests and also a lot of retired people. I think that, for some, it becomes their main source of activity/entertainment. On balance, (and isn't the whole concept of giving access to public lands and the responsibilities that go with that access, just one complex balancing act?) I feel it's a very positive activity. |
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IGO
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Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: 2/18/2006, 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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Yes. Public land is public for sure. _________________ "Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir |
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