"The Good 'Cache Hiding' Guide"

psychokat · Post by **psychokat** » 26 January 09 10:18 am

When placing your cache if you see any used needles in the area reconsider your hide. It's sad when you can see a cache but can't get it due to needles, not to mention dangerous if your caching with kids.

crew 153 · Post by **crew 153** » 26 January 09 10:55 am

If you are placing a cache in a remote area, remember that the majority of the cachers will be tourists and probably on a time restriction. They will not appreciate having a long search for a well hidden cache or to do a seven point multi.

Bronze · Post by **Bronze** » 26 January 09 12:13 pm

If for any reason your cache has an element of danger, thats fine but please list it in your description. I tried a cache yesterday and my boys had to sit and watch for an hour because it was along a steep cliff face.

Agree with the above re:
* spend money on your cache
* Make sure its waterproof
* Describe 'why' in your micro description.

Provide a decent clue in case the cache has been muggled then the fact its missing can be confirmed. Saves lots of teams lots of time.

Don't be afraid to add information about the location to your cache page. History, Geology, Facts, Photos, Links, Research and maybe even interviews about what significance this location has to you or the community else it will just be another street corner or remnant bushland.

Practice being unique in your riddles, locations, cache type, descriptions and feel free to promote your region to visiting cachers.

Finally:
Establish or at the very least support your local caching community by participating in events, even if by checking and maintaining you caches in the region regularly. Attend events if possible or even host one and invite all the local hiders to share stories and refreshments.

If I can think of some more I'll be sure to add.

Bronze · Post by **Bronze** » 26 January 09 12:15 pm

If for any reason your cache has an element of danger, thats fine but please list it in your description. I tried a cache yesterday and my boys had to sit and watch for an hour because it was along a steep cliff face.

Agree with the above re:
* spend money on your cache
* Make sure its waterproof
* Describe 'why' in your micro description.

Provide a decent clue in case the cache has been muggled then the fact its missing can be confirmed. Saves lots of teams lots of time.

Don't be afraid to add information about the location to your cache page. History, Geology, Facts, Photos, Links, Research and maybe even interviews about what significance this location has to you or the community else it will just be another street corner or remnant bushland.

Practice being unique in your riddles, locations, cache type, descriptions and feel free to promote your region to visiting cachers.

Finally:
Establish or at the very least support your local caching community by participating in events, even if by checking and maintaining you caches in the region regularly. Attend events if possible or even host one and invite all the local hiders to share stories and refreshments.

If I can think of some more I'll be sure to add.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 26 January 09 12:42 pm

Ummm as nice as brain storming in a thread is, but is anyone planning to do a more succinct version, either as a wiki page or pdf someone can easily print out?

Post by **caughtatwork** » 26 January 09 12:55 pm

delta_foxtrot2 wrote:Ummm as nice as brain storming in a thread is, but is anyone planning to do a more succinct version, either as a wiki page or pdf someone can easily print out?

See post 9, 10 and 11. Please try reading the thread before derailing it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 26 January 09 1:13 pm

caughtatwork wrote:
delta_foxtrot2 wrote:Ummm as nice as brain storming in a thread is, but is anyone planning to do a more succinct version, either as a wiki page or pdf someone can easily print out?
See post 9, 10 and 11. Please try reading the thread before derailing it.

Wasn't trying to derail anything, although I did only skim the first and second pages and missed those posts.

Mr Emu · Post by **Mr Emu** » 26 January 09 4:25 pm

Team Rubik wrote:Splel chick you're cash discripshin!!<br>

Which reminds me, make sure your cache description - especially instructions about working out clues, avoiding hazards and other necessary information - is written in way that cachers of all backgrounds will be able to both see the important details and (hopefully) understand them.

There's nothing more disappointing than trying to be environmentally-sensible with cache placement - specifically stating in the description "there is no need to leave the viewing platform to find this cache" - only to subsequently read something like "Spent 15 minutes searching at GZ ... no luck, so then spent some time off (the platform)... still no luck. Eventually gave up..."

I know I'm guilty of wordy cache descriptions. I have to remind myself that there are some people out there who simply don't read the instructions!

Team Rubik · Post by **Team Rubik** » 26 January 09 5:43 pm

crew 153 wrote:If you are placing a cache in a remote area, remember that the majority of the cachers will be tourists and probably on a time restriction. They will not appreciate having a long search for a well hidden cache or to do a seven point multi.

I disagree. Why change your hiding practice to appease the tourists who may visit an area? If it is worthy of seven waypoints then hide it as such. If tourists want to find your cache they will make the time, otherwise it is their loss.

Jardry · Post by **Jardry** » 26 January 09 7:48 pm

crew 153 wrote:If you are placing a cache in a remote area, remember that the majority of the cachers will be tourists and probably on a time restriction. They will not appreciate having a long search for a well hidden cache or to do a seven point multi.

Being predominantly a rural cacher, I beg to disagree.

In our region (The Riverland SA) we have some excellent caches that are well hidden and are multis.

We have a seven point multi that takes about ten minutes to walk around to get all the answers to then get to GZ about 100 metres away. The cache description details exactly what's involved. YOU decide whether you want to do it or not!

There is also has a devious hide inside a building ruin which takes a little thought to find.

If the degree of difficulty and terrain are accurately depicted, if I were a tourist I'd narrow my searches down to traditionals with a difficulty and terrain being 1.5 or lower. Any more and I know it will be a little harder and a lot longer to find.!

I suppose it all comes down to what each cacher defines "remote" to be.

Some thrive on the challenge! Others just want quick numbers. It's all relative to how we want to play the game.

Richary · Post by **Richary** » 26 January 09 8:46 pm

I tend to agree with the various points about multis. Firstly all my multis have in the description an idea of what to expect, distance to be travelled and how long it might take. There is nothing more disappointing than being interstate, finding part 1 and realising part 2 is a fair way off with no time and/or transport to get to it.

As for "remote" multis or long caches, I don't mind them. If I am say travelling up to visit my family in Coffs Harbour in a day I don't mind a few caches to break the journey. But as I have to be somewhere by the end of the day it isn't a caching trip as such, and I will ignore the 2 hour return hike up a mountain ones. But if I was staying in the area I probably would target it as I prefer one memorable cache to 5 drive bys.

As for the comment about plastic bags not being waterproof I fully agree. Also things like coffee tins should not be used unless well and truly undercover. They will never seal 100%, moisture from rain or dew gathers in the rim and gets sucked in as the air cools at night to condense on the inside of the cache. If it goes a little while between finds the next finder gets a hopefully dry logbook if the ziplock bag has been sealed correctly and no holes - and a bunch of rusty metal toys. With anything else being covered by rust from the inside of the tin.

totalube · Post by **totalube** » 26 January 09 9:38 pm

A hint to help keep a log book dry; don't place a pencil or other sharp writing implement in the same bag as the log book, finders should also not do this.

I will summarise this thread into a wiki, with a link so people can proof read what I have done.

If there are things that people don't quite agree on I will wait and see if there is a consensus first, but at the moment all the advice has been great.

I also agree with the caches wrapped in plastic, maybe we should have a section on cache hide mortal sins

Post by **caughtatwork** » 26 January 09 10:11 pm

If you include a pencil, include a pencil sharpener.

If your pen will only fit in the cache diagonally, it's too long, cut it down or find a smaller pen.

Include a stash note so people who find the cache know what it's all about.

35mm file cannisters are not waterproof, do not hide them in the elements.

Laminated pieces of paper used as intermediate waypoints fade and cannot be read after a short while

An ammo can can't be beaten for durability and (mostly) water resistance. If you put your swaps in a sistema INSIDE the ammo can, almost guaranteed not to allow moisture to enter.

Hide the largest possible container you can in a given area. A small is cheaper, but a regular is more fun.

Place more than one log book in the cache at the start. That way you don't need to replace it as often.

If you can, place silica gel bags in your cache to ward off moisture.

When hiding a cache, give a hint so that if the cache gets muggled the seeker knows to move on (said before).

A lick of paint on your plastic container will keep the UV off it and only costs a few cents per container. Spray paint from your local hardware store can be bought for a couple of dollars a can and should cover at least a dozen caches (depending on the size). A nicely (or even badly) painted container shows that you put thought into your hide. Always a bonus for a seeker.

Avoid hiding a cache every 161m, even if you can, just don't do it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 26 January 09 10:20 pm

totalube wrote:I also agree with the caches wrapped in plastic, maybe we should have a section on cache hide mortal sins

Found 2 caches wrapped in plastic today, they were doing a good immitation of a dam. Not to mention the critters that love to call them home.

Geodes · Post by **Geodes** » 27 January 09 8:42 am

caughtatwork wrote: A lick of paint on your plastic container will keep the UV off it and only costs a few cents per container. Spray paint from your local hardware store can be bought for a couple of dollars a can and should cover at least a dozen caches (depending on the size). A nicely (or even badly) painted container shows that you put thought into your hide. Always a bonus for a seeker.

I'm also of the opinion that a painted container is much less attractive as a usable souvenir to any muggles that may stumble across it e.g. a clean, unpainted sistema may have some value to anyone that finds it - while a painted one will be just a bit of rubbish.