The Written Log

A blog about the happenings at TerraCaching Headquarters.

[csmithwick]

Fakahatchee Cypress Forest: TerraCaching in North America’s Amazon

We have another amazing tale from JASTA 11, this time on the hunt for an 8 year old cache in the swampy Fakahatchee Cypress Forest. Read on for the full incredible story: 

With the first snow of the season falling here in New England, my thoughts travel back to warmer days, lush, green vegetation, and a TerraCache that had sat alone in a swamp for almost eight years…

The Fakahatchee Strand: the world’s largest strand swamp, the orchid and bromeliad capital of the continent, a subtropical wilderness, the Amazon of North America. When one thinks of a jungle- thick vegetation, humid air, and the sounds of animal calls blasting from the trees are what comes to mind. The Fakahatchee is all that.

Back in 2010 I was planning a visit down to Naples, Florida. Of course that meant targeting some choice caches. I didn’t want numbers caches, I wanted to experience an environment that was very different than what we’re used to. I was looking for caches that were, to put it simply, ‘off the beaten path’. I had come across one of those, hidden fairly recently. Well, plans for that trip fell through and much time passed. Fast forward to 2017 and once again we were planning to vacation in southwest Florida – so, it was game on!

TCAAV – Fakahatchee Cypress Forest. Hidden in March 2010. Over a mile from the nearest ‘road’. Still unfound after seven years. Yes! So I contacted a Florida local and his ‘snow bird’ sidekick, they would come down and join in the trek through the strand. So I researched the swamp, checked the water levels almost daily, and created a packing list of items that I hoped would help meet the challenges of the swamp.

February 17, 2018: the big day was finally here. I was up early to get to the park near dawn. But I would be making the slog alone, my partners having bailed out on this adventure a couple days earlier. No matter. With less noise being made I’d have a better chance of seeing a Florida panther or a maybe a black bear, maybe even a skunk ape! So, with my jungle boots on I added gore-tex leg gaiters ‘cause I’d be more likely to come across a water moccasin or some other snake than any large mammals.

A short walk down a pathway (called a ‘tram’, they are left over from when the swamp was logged for its cypress in the 1940s and ‘50s) and it was time to dive into the jungle. Crossed a narrow drainage next to the tram and then stepped up a little into the swampland itself. January and February is the ‘dry’ season in south Florida, so it’s a great time to walk the swamp. The water level was usually from just above my ankle up to mid-calf. But there were plenty of spots where there was dry ground to step on. But those spots are heavily vegetated. Vegetated with things that will either poke you, trip you, or cut you. So, in picking my poison, I chose to keep mostly to the wetlands.

As you can imagine, traveling in a straight line is impossible. Creeping along, circumventing obstacles, it’s necessary to plan out your next couple moves ahead of time to keep from putting yourself in to a dead end of briars or other heavy vegetation.

All through the hours I was in there, birds were a constant companion overhead in the trees. Lots of chatter. I don’t know what kind any of them were, save for the hoots of an owl. Other times I would get startled by loud crashing in some nearby palmettos. But anyone who has ever walked through palmettos knows that they make a racket at the slightest motion. Sorry, no skunk ape.

No alligators either. With the drier conditions, gators spend most time wallowing in their holes. Aside from some small lizards and a frog, the only reptile I came close to was a solitary water moccasin…

At about .4 mi south of ground zero I encountered the largest water crossing yet, a canal about twenty feet across. I searched up and down a little, hoping to find a fallen tree across the canal with no luck. So, I threw some objects into the water to be sure I wasn’t going to surprise anything. Holding my machete in one hand I went on in to the black, mid-thigh deep water, and came out the other side uneventfully - into the cypress forest.

The terrain from here on in would largely be dry. Anticipation was rising as the distance to GZ kept dropping, but so did the anxiety. Would I find it? Was it even still able to be found? It had been almost eight years. Lots can happen out here in the ‘Amazon’. Would I be walking out of the swamp this evening empty-handed?

‘Beep-beep’, my Delorme signaled two hundred feet to target. Later a single beep let me know I was within forty feet. I was there at last…

I sat down for a snack and some much needed hydration and took in my surroundings. Nothing caught my eye. After all, it was a small, green decon container I was seeking, and surrounding me were stumps, live cypress, and many, many vines. It would be like the needle in the haystack. On top of that, the gps was having a bit of difficulty locking a signal under the thick canopy. Distances and directions drifted. I wandered about a little, checking the obvious places. As I looked around, I spotted a very interesting strangler fig climbing a thin cypress. With camera in hand I walked over to get a good picture. And there it was…

Euphoria is the only way to describe it. It was still there, after all this time, and I managed to find it.

Looking at the photo, you can see that I wasn’t the first to find. Deep teeth marks show that it had got the attention of something at some point in the last almost eight years. With holes in the container, the inside was a mess. We cleaned it out, taped up over the holes, and added a new log in a baggie.

This was probably the most extreme terrain I’ve traversed to search for a cache. All the things I hoped for in this cache were achieved. I came away from this hunt with great sense of satisfaction and some fantastic memories, all thanks to TerraCaching!

FOR LOVE OF THE HUNT!

For more on the hunt for this TerraCache, please check out our video

New England Area Terracachers YouTube Channel

[csmithwick]

Controlled Flight Into Terrain: Searching the High Peaks for Airplane Crashes

TerraCaching is often combined with member’s other interests and can take us to all sorts of interesting places. Read on to discover some incredible locations through the experiences of JASTA 11:

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT): An accident in which an airworthy aircraft, under pilot control, is unintentionally flown into the ground, a mountain, a body of water or an obstacle. In a typical CFIT scenario, the crew is unaware of the impending disaster until too late.

Mountains are amazing things. We are drawn to them for their majesty, for their beauty, for the challenge in taming their summits – sometimes for no other reason than ‘because it’s there’. Mountains are strong, unyielding, and unforgiving. This can be particularly devastating to an aircrew that has lost situational awareness.

Along with Terracaching, mountain hiking and aviation comprise much of our interests. With this edition of The Written Log, we share some examples of where we were able to combine each of these passions:

Mount Abraham, Vermont

On June 28th, 1973, the pilot of a Cessna 182 was trying to navigate through Lincoln Gap in a cloud bank and struck the northwest slope of Mount Abraham, about fifty feet below the summit of 4,017 feet. The pilot survived the crash. According to local lore, he climbed out of the plane and walked down the mountain. Much of the fuselage structure remains intact with pieces of twisted wing metal scattered about. The engine is missing, probably hurled far away into the thick forest.

Here, you can search for TC9U3V.

Camel’s Hump B-24 Liberator Crash, Vermont

Vermont’s third-highest peak was the scene of tragedy back in 1944. On October 16th of that year, U. S. Army B-24J Liberator (#42-51067) was out on a training mission when it crashed into Camel’s Hump Mountain in the darkness of a moonless night, killing nine of the ten crewmembers aboard.

The sole survivor, Pvt. Jimmy Wilson, 18, of Jacksonville, Fla., lost both hands and both feet due to frostbite as he lay injured in the wreckage. He was rescued by five teenage members of the Civil Air Patrol, some 41 hours later.

Investigators found the wreckage near the top of the 4,083 mountain, the debris field covering more than an acre of land. When we visited, we were only able to find the largest piece – the remains of the right wing, now laying upside down on the slope. 

Across the path, about ten feet away, TC1IB6 awaits your find!

Mount Waternomee B-18 Bomber Crash, New Hampshire

The tale behind this crash had interested us for quite some time. As the story goes, on the evening of January 14, 1942, the tiny villages of Lincoln and Woodstock were alarmed by the sounds of an explosion on the side of Mount Waternomee.

That afternoon, a Douglas B18-A bomber with a crew of seven, had taken off from Westover Air Field in Massachusetts to patrol for German U-Boats some 250 miles out over the North Atlantic. Hours later as the plane was returning home in total darkness and worsening weather conditions, the crew miscalculated their position by mistaking the shoreline of Lake Winnipisaukee for the coast south of Boston. 

At about 7:40pm, the co-pilot, Lt. Woodrow Kantner saw what he first thought were dark clouds.  He turned on his landing lights and saw their error.  He tried to warn the pilot, Lt. Anthony Benvenuto, to pull up.  Benvenuto couldn't hear him and Kantner pulled up. But it was too late and the men could not prevent the disaster.  The plane hit a downdraft, stalled, and flew in through trees and crashed in deep snow on the side of the mountain.

The five survivors were rescued by local residents including a doctor. A crew of woodsmen had blazed a trail up the side of the mountain, bringing along toboggans to evacuate the injured.

We used our visit to this crash site to log LC7NP – Air Memorial.

(Years ago, there was a Groundspeak cache here, but the Forest Service had it removed due to searchers disturbing the wreckage looking for it.)

And probably the most interesting one of all…

Northeast Airlines Flight 792, Mount Success, New Hampshire

The hike up to Mount Success is reason enough to come here, but just a short distance from the summit lie large portions of a crashed Douglas DC-3.

On November 30, 1954, Flight 792 departed from Boston bound for Berlin, New Hampshire with stops at Concord and Laconia, New Hampshire.  On board were a crew of four, and three passengers.

Just after 11:00 a.m. the flight contacted the air traffic controller at Berlin Airport and requested weather information. The crew was advised that the weather was 3,000 feet overcast, with 2.5 mile visibility, and light snow showers.  This was the last contact with the aircraft.

On December 2, the wreckage of Flight 792 was spotted from the air on the southern slope of Mt. Success, 13 miles southeast of Berlin Airport, at an elevation of 3,440 feet. Two members of the crew had been killed, and the captain seriously injured, but the stewardess and the three passengers were relatively unhurt.

Located in the remote Mahoosuc Range near the border with Maine, the lower slopes of Mount Success are typical boreal forest of dense spruce and fir intermixed with deciduous trees. A bare granite outcropping known as The Outlook offers spectacular views into the valley below.

Log a photo of yourself inside the wreckage to claim a find on TCHWX.

We hope that you have enjoyed the short tour of some of our favorite special places. Whatever your interests or passions may be, there is a whole world of adventure out there to discover. All you need to do to get started is to step outside your door!

Get out there and begin your own adventure, for love of the hunt!

[csmithwick]

Marvelous Montana!  In praise of ‘Big Skies’

Montana is a very dear to many TerraCaching hearts. Our 10 Year Anniversary event was even hosted there by Yukon Jack, a legendary member! Read on to hear about JASTA 11′s Montana Adventure: 

“Big Sky Country”, “The Treasure State”, “The Last Best Place”. All unofficial nicknames or slogans for the 41st state, but here’s another you may not have been aware of: “The Birthplace of Terracaching”!

In October 2004, following a ‘meeting of the minds’ (with charter members Terradactyl and MountainBlaster), Terracaching founder AngryKid placed the world’s first Terracache in the hills outside of Missoula and the game was on!

Western Montana is a Terra-Target rich environment.

I recently had a quick business trip to Billings and having never been to Montana before, I looked up the nearby terracaches to see what cool locations to check out with the limited amount of time I had available. What I came up with were two awesome locations, both of them historic as well as scenic:

Pompey’s Pillar - TCUF 

Pompey’s Pillar, a 150 ft. tall sandstone rock formation about 25 miles northeast of Billings. In itself, the scenic aspects of the location are reason enough to pay a visit.

But there’s more to this place than its natural beauty, there’s history in stone here – literally.

A Nineteenth Century Graffiti Vandal?

In July 1806, Captain William Clark, co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was camped nearby. Clark later wrote that he climbed the sandstone pillar and "had a most extensive view in every direction on the Northerly Side of the [Yellowstone] River".

Captain Clark shared this view.

Clark inscribed his name into the sandstone along with the date, July 25 1806. Today the inscription is protected behind a brass and plexiglass frame – as the only remaining physical evidence along the route the expedition travelled.

Graffiti MT – TC2FH

When I first read the title of this cache, I really didn’t know what to think. Was this some sort of ode to artistic vandals with spray cans? That’s not really my thing, but it was nothing at all like that. It was beautiful scenery, geologic formations, and prehistoric art.

Prehistoric hunters who camped in Pictograph Cave left behind artifacts and over 100 pictographs, or rock paintings. The oldest rock art in the cave is over 2,000 years old.

The inspiration for future NYC subway ‘artists’?

Thousands of artifacts, ranging from stone tools, weapons, paintings and the instruments used, were excavated from the three major caves here.

The entrance to ‘Ghost Cave’.

Although I had only started to scratch the surface of the history and natural beauty Montana has to offer, I came away quite satisfied with my time spent. But also hungry for more and eager to return to “The Birthplace of Terracaching”.

(Oh, I almost forgot. Montana is also home to the greatest First to Find prize ever – Yukons Gold!)

Go on and get out there – For Love of the Hunt!

 JASTA 11 

For more information:

-     http://www.pompeyspillar.org/  

-     http://stateparks.mt.gov/pictograph-cave/

[csmithwick]

If you need a boat, is it still a TerraCache?

We’ve finally reached the hottest part of the summer! A perfect time for camping and water activities. Check out JASTA 11′s latest post about water related TerraCaches:

Recently, I spent a few days out in Boston Harbor, camping on an island, paddling, exploring. It’s an annual ‘sabbatical’ of sorts for me, one of the highlights of my summer. While out there I got to thinking “what is it about water that draws us to it, fascinating us, soothing us, spurring us to seek out adventure?” 

Adventure – that had to be at the top of my list.

Just as hiking and TerraCaching have become companion activities for me, so has paddling and TerraCaching. In support of my paddle-caching agenda, I thought I’d offer up some examples to whet wet your appetite:

Back on Snake Creek [TC60B2] by Z_Statman

dexter writes that “The St. John's and Snake River area is just a delightful place to paddle.”  But can you really relax when the local residents are in the water with you?

Quarantine Island [TC7EZJ] by JASTA 11

Speaking of locals, jonnybgoode was lucky enough to meet the ‘Mayor of Rainsford Island’ while exploring the ruins of a 19th century quarantine hospital.

Whatever Floats Your Boat - Culpepper Bend [TCCUM] by Cache & Keri

A 10.5-mile float through pristine wetlands and ancient forests of giant oaks and cypress, recommended by Z_Statman.

By now you’re thinking that I’m only going to pimp east coast caches. WRONG!:

Priest Lake Thorofare [TC79QJ] by Terradactyl

Terradactyl writes: The towering trees on both sides of the channel create a watery tunnel about thirty yards across. Although it varies in depth, the channel is relatively shallow. On this trip I saw deer, moose, osprey, heron, eagles, otters, and beavers in this short stretch of water. I saw evidence of black bears and grizzlies are certainly around. The slow paddle to the upper lake can offer a glimpse of wildlife both common and rare to the area; the entire Upper Priest Lake Scenic Area is a rich and relatively intact eco-system rife with diversity.

If flatwater isn’t your thing, there’s this…

Shoot the Bull [TCRT] by Yukon Jack

Yukon Jack describes this trip as “a gentle float thru pristine wild country with moose or beaver around each bend or if desired the last mile is a heart pounding class 3 whitewater thrill ride.” (Recommended by Terradactyl)

Sorry left-coasters, but for the last one we go back to Florida. Okay, I’m not really sorry because this one is a gem :) 

Grocery Place [TCD4E] by footTRAX

I haven’t logged this terracache, but I have made the paddle. (The cache wasn’t placed until after my visit in 2008.) A 13 mile loop paddle through mangroves and mud flats to a small spit of land where an old-time trading post once stood. Spent the night – an unforgettable experience!

You can read a little more about it here.

To finish, I believe we are inspired by the water — the sounds, the smells, playing in it, playing on it. It has a way of reaching all our senses just by thinking about it.

I hope I’ve got you thinking about a TerraCache adventure on the water. But I can’t help wondering, if ‘terra’ refers to solid land – and if you need a boat to get to it, is it really a TerraCache?

Enjoy your hunt (along with a paddle)!

JASTA 11

Thanks to Z_Statman, Terradactyl, and dexter for their valued input :) !

[csmithwick]

TCEZEC: First Terracache in Cuba

dexter, one of our members, recently visited Cuba and placed the first TerraCache in the country. TerraCaching in Cuba is a bit different- read on to learn all about it!

On a recent People to People trip to Cuba, I placed a few TerraCaches for the next folks to hunt down. Finding these or other caches on the island may require some creativity as Cuba currently requires a special permit to bring a "dedicated GPSr" unit into the country see Import Authorization for current information. (This makes caching in Cuba, "Juuuust a little bit different", as Bob Uecker might say.) Cell phones and GPS enabled cameras seem to be allowed without an issue, however cell coverage is spotty and very expensive (how does three dollars per minute for data sound to you?). Wi-Fi Internet access is similarly hit or miss and expensive, so the question is: how can you find a cache without the usual technology?

The old technology still works pretty well...

Finding a cache  

Remember the old days, before paperless caching and really accurate GPSrs? Folks used to print out the cache page, use online maps and later Google Earth to preview the cache location to narrow down the search area, maybe print that out, too. Then once in the general area the search would begin. To update this old school approach, use your cell phone to either upload documents you can review off line, or take pictures of everything (cache page, maps, photos) so you can retrieve them on your camera or phone photo gallery to get the information in the field without needing a cell phone connection.  A photo of an area map you can review in detail will prove handy.

Placing a cache

Finding a cool new spot to place a geocache won't be a problem. 🤔 Maintenance, well, that's an issue, so unless you live in Cuba you are going to be placing virtual caches. Choose an interesting area that is clearly open to the public where walking about looking at stuff is acceptable. Once you have decided on a placement write up a detailed description to lead folks to the area as in letterboxing. Starting from a known public location, describe how to get to the cache area using narrative and photos to guide people along the way. Once there, your hint should direct people to the CC and FFC.  When you have access to the Internet, use Goggle Earth to compute the cache coordinates. The coords are needed to show the placement on the cache page map and will aid in the search even if they aren't available to you in the field.  

Cuba is a beautiful country and the people are friendly and welcoming. Hey, maybe in a few years, you can even use a GPSr to go caching...

Cuban Capital Building Restoration 2017

dexter

[csmithwick]

Hafa Adai Terracachers!

In the latest blog post from JASTA 11, we hear about his recent trip to Guam and a few new TerraCaches! Read on below: 

Hafa Adai (pronounced ‘half-a-day’), means ‘hello’ in Chamorro, the native language of Guam.

I really enjoy travel. Discovering new places, seeing different things, it’s great.

So when I found out that my job would take me some 9,000 miles away to the island of Guam, my thoughts almost immediately went to one thing: Tropical Terracaching!

Guam: A 210 square mile dot on the map of the western Pacific. Discovered by Magellan in 1521, colonized by Spanish missionaries, captured by the United States in 1898, invaded and occupied by Japan for 30 months before being liberated again by the U.S. during World War II. 

Jungles, coral beaches, and so much history, but no terracaches!

Something had to be done to fix that.

It is said that the Chamorro first encountered Ferdinand Magellan at Umatac Bay on the south end of the island.

The natives gave the starving crew food and water and in  return they took Magellan’s skiff.

For this, he burned their houses. Yet, the locals still erected a monument to this encounter. Find it and log a terracache at the same time:

If Magellan were around today, he’d be a Terracacher

The presence of large air force and naval bases highlight Guam’s strategic location. Remnants of conflicts past are to be found all around, like this Japanese Pillbox behind a large hotel…

… or this less-welcomed sight along the roadway:

UXO = Unexploded Ordinance

(you don’t want to be the first finder on one of these)

One old military artifact in particular had my interest. It’s rusting away on an old, abandoned target range located behind a large tourist resort. An M4 Sherman Tank, one of six armored vehicles parked out here near the encroaching jungle.

Although marching no more, this Sherman can be the target of your hunt

The island is also rich in natural beauty. Rolling hills with steep cliffs, waterfalls, and caves are abundant in the interior. We came across this large sinkhole known locally as ‘The Devil’s Punchbowl’ while exploring the grounds around our hotel. You’ll spot it easily if you’re out hunting for TC6NMJ:

We enjoy hiding terracaches about as much as finding them. Planting these hides gave us another great reason to do a little research and get out and explore. 

The chances are probably slim that you’ll ever find yourself going to Guam (I certainly didn’t think I would), but you never know. Life, like terracaching, can take you to some unexpected yet beautiful places.

And now, Guam can truly say “ Hafa Adai Terracachers! “

We hope you enjoy your hunt, wherever it leads you.

(PS: A plate of short ribs at PROA would be a great way to end a day of caching on Guam.)

[csmithwick]

A Look Back/A Look Forward

Happy New Years from everyone at TerraCaching Headquarters! We are so excited for every thing that 2017 will bring to our community. We have been talking about making some big changes this year- we will keep you guys posted here on the blog and on the Community Page, so stay tuned! In the meantime, check out this wonderful New Years post from JASTA 11:

I received a great gift from my kids this Christmas – one of those digital photo frames. You’ve probably seen them around, they display your photos in a continuous slide show. As someone who likes to take a lot of photos out on the trail, it was a perfect gift.

Recently, I read about an event called “Good Riddance Day”. For those of you that are like me and have never heard of it before, it goes something like this: On Wednesday December 28th, “anyone who wanted to forget that 2016 had happened could bring all evidence of the anxiety-ridden, tragedy-filled year to New York’s Time Square and have it destroyed in a large mobile shredding truck.”

This all seemed a bit bizarre to me. Sure, not everything was perfect last year. We can all surely come up with a gripe or two, or more.

But with my new photo frame mounted next to my desk and loaded with selected photos from some of my exploits in the past year, I found it better to enjoy reminiscing about some of the places that Terracaching has helped take us in 2016

There was an ancient fortress in Puerto Rico: 

CRZN San Juan (TC62J4) by Rideau Rangers

An early morning walk to a lighthouse on Oahu:

Diamond Head Light House (TCHBK) by Space Cone

Another lighthouse, this time on the tip of Cape Cod:

Wood End Light (TCEGL) by dexter

There was terracaching with a local yokel down in Florida:

South meets North on the way to Sunken Marsh (TCCXS) by rnrgrl

And wouldn’t ya know? He followed me home! (sort of)

Z_Statman gets a lesson in terrain at Ellisville Harbor Terracache (TC45GK) by dexter

But some of the best times were to be found closer to home, with good friends:

Nakitas, johnybgoode9, dexter, and Baddshadd09 joined me for food, laughter, and even a few insults at JASTA’s End of May Weenie Roast (TC5JZ3)

So as you can see, we had a pretty good year!

What will Terracaching bring in 2017? We hope for many more great adventures both near and far. There are many great places to visit, and we know of some more to introduce terracachers to. So look out!

Most of all, my greatest hope is to see our game grow and advance with

New, unique, interesting, and challenging terracaches.

More active members joining our community.

Spirited and thoughtful dialog about improving the TC experience.

And of course, the continued support of the folks behind the scenes that make this game and the website possible: Thanks Cash, Christa and Scott!

So everyone, let’s get out there and make the hunts of 2017 the best we’ve ever had!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE JASTA CREW !

[csmithwick]

Cheers and Warm Wishes

Happy Holidays from everyone here at TerraCaching Headquarters! Our tight knit community makes us so proud - proud and extremely grateful for every member. In light of that, here’s the latest post from JASTA 11: 

With the holiday season in full swing all around us there’s so much to do, so many places to go, so many people to see.

As I contemplated what to write in this edition of the Terracaching Blog, I thought of many of the things I had to be thankful for. I also pondered the many heart-warming stories that are on the newscast each night. 

One story came to mind, one I had heard recently. It was simple, yet powerful.

It was about a man who planned a hike he knew he’d never be able to take. It was about that man’s boots. More importantly, it was about a journey.

This is the story of Paul’s Boots.

Cheers and Warm Wishes to the Terracaching Community both near and far! 

We hope you enjoy your Holiday, and your hunt!

JASTA 11

[csmithwick]

Discovering the Forest Beyond the Trees

The changing of seasons provides an opportunity to see your environment in a different light. Depending on your location, it can provide a whole new set of challenges as the weather changes. It keeps the game of caching interesting and engaging, as you can constantly find new things on your adventures. In this week’s post, JASTA 11 discusses the changes in New England and shares some really cool information from his recent autumn adventures. Read on below! 

Autumn is probably my favorite time to get out and hit the trails. It may sound weird but I especially enjoy the time after the leaves have fallen. Sure, the forest is beautiful when all the vegetation is leafed-out. But this is the time of year when you can see so much more. Now you can see what lies beyond the trees.

Growing up, I would love to ride around in the back seat of my parents’ car. I’d stare out the window, watching for the stone walls that run endlessly through the woods in silent testimony to the land’s agricultural past. Spotting the overgrown woods roads and wondering where they lead. Looking for the old farm structures, steeply leaning with sagging roofs, and wonder what their purpose was, what they were like way back when.

Up here in New England, the land is rocky. Consisting largely of granite, it was broken up and moved about by the glaciers of the last ice age. These stones were a bane to planting crops, but also provided a ready supply of construction material to those who could quarry it out.

 Skim Milk Bridge (TC56Q1)

So, during a typical walk through the New England woods in late autumn one can find all sorts of examples of 18th and 19th Century infrastructure. Stone walls are the most common. (Yankee farmers would often hide valuable items in their stone walls - look for a telltale such as a large piece of white quartz among the otherwise gray stones. )

Just off the path, old cellars and foundations reveal themselves through the naked vegetation.

 Doggy Door-way (TC9IBL) by Nakita

Sometimes, it’s not something made of stone:

Before the advent of the garbage man, you dumped your household trash on your property somewhere. Old bottle dumps are my favorite spots to discover: 

Okay, so maybe abandoned cemeteries are my favorite…

 In any case, don’t let the changing of the seasons get in the way of your caching adventures.

Keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel because you never know what else there might be to discover, just off the beaten path!

We hope that you get out and enjoy your hunt! 

JASTA 11

[csmithwick]

Chasing a Supermoon (or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Embrace the Locationless Cache)

Locationless caches are one of the unique cache types that Terracaching offers to our members. These caches provide a fun opportunity to participate in the game regardless of the number of traditional caches in your area. The latest blog from JASTA 11 highlights the interesting challenges these caches can provide. Read his post below and then check out the numerous locationless hides on the Cache Hunt page! 

I’m pretty much a traditional kind of guy. Searching for an ammo can deep in the woods, or out in a swamp is my idea of a good time. Send me out on a hike or a paddle and I’m happy. So the whole premise behind locationless caches didn’t strike a chord with me at first.

So what was I doing the other night, climbing up a hill outside of Boston just to get some pictures of the Moon?

Well, I say that an interesting DNF is better than any boring find. Sure, many LCs can be as easy as a park-n-grab, but that’s not for me. Akin to the ‘it’s the journey, not the destination’ philosophy, my belief is that the experience of the hunt is largely what you make it - so make the most out of it!

(From our first attempt at TC4EIL: Burnt Swamp Corner)

Inspiration for seeking out interesting LCs also came from reading some of the log entries by terracachers such as Terradactyl. Well researched, well written -thoughtful logs that are from just leaving an acronym and an emoji. Having a good story to share afterwards is as important as making the find. 

To this point, while doing a little on-line research for some cemetery challenges we located the graves of some local veterans of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. As well as a suspected vampire…

(From LCU6: Cemetery Challenge #5)

This certainly made the experience more interesting for us, and hopefully for anyone reading our logs.

Getting back to the Moon:

I hadn’t paid much attention to the talk of the approaching ‘Supermoon’ until a hiking friend brought up the notion of a night hike to the top of Mount Moosilauke in the White Mountains to view it. I immediately saw this as the perfect opportunity to bag the Supermoon LC from a mountaintop. But, it wasn’t to be this time. 

I wasn’t going to give up though. After all, this was the closest the moon had been to earth in 68 years. I wanted in.

Leaving for work about three hours early that morning, I stopped and made the short hike up to the summit of Great Blue Hill ahead of the coming dawn. At 635 feet, it was going to be about as close I would ever get to the Moon.

So, I ended up on a hilltop instead of a mountaintop. It didn’t matter up there. It was still something special.

We hope you enjoy your hunt!

JASTA 11

Just a few of our favorite LCs:

The 1,000 Foot Challenge by UNK1

Air Memorial by Andyscorch

Mountain Peak Benchmarks by Lehigh Cachers

Bunker! By tolmaus

[csmithwick]

Hunting a Lonely Terracache

This week, we are excited to bring a fresh voice to the blog. JASTA 11, one of our longtime members, will be featured on the blog from time to time to share his stories from the trail, his TerraCaching insights, and his geocaching wisdom. We look forward to sharing these tales with you! 

Hunting a Lonely Terracache

I got to thinking the other day about what it is that makes hunting for a terracache that hasn’t been found in quite some time. After all, it’s just ‘tupperware in the woods’, right?

In my case, I think the thrill of the hunt was instilled in me at a young age. It might have been when I unexpectedly unearthed an 18th century Spanish coin in my parent’s back yard. I was nine or ten at the time, and since then I’ve always been excited at the prospect of finding something old. Well, maybe not just because it’s old, but something that’s been seldom seen or at least hasn’t seen for quite some time.

It’s probably why I enjoy shows like Treasure Quest and Expedition Unknown. Sure, I realize that much of the show is scripted, but I can’t help but be excited when an ancient carving is discovered, or an artifact is recovered from a cave. Maybe I’m a treasure hunt junkie? 

The thrill of the hunt took center stage a few weeks ago. Teaming up with dexter and my faithful sidekick Bandit, I stole the wife’s car for the day and we headed out on a road trip through central Connecticut. Our quarry: three traditional terracaches with no logs in over six years. One had never been found.

The first cache was down an old rail bed turned into walking trail. It was an easy mile and a half in the rain, but in the back of your head there’s always a bit of doubt as to if you’ll be able to locate it. Doubts grew louder as we got closer to GZ, seeing the swampy ground and overgrowth of ferns. But we found without much effort. A twist-top food container that kept everything remarkably dry after 8+ years out in the elements. We were the first visitors in 7+ years.

Our next stop was the yet to be found cache, also located along an old rail bed. We searched without any luck, but were treated to exploring an old metal truss railroad bridge that was nearby. It’s not always making the find that makes the search worthwhile.

The third and final cache of the day was up on a ridge, about a mile hike into the low-lying clouds this day. On the way up we were treated to spectacular views during cloud-breaks. As we bushwhacked up to the top of a large granite knob, dexter split off and went a different direction. Unfazed, I began my search without him. My gps brought me right to a spot that matched the hint perfectly, except that the tree it described had fallen. More searching was fruitless. My hopes began to fade. Then, comparing my gps vs the cache page on my phone, I saw that I transposed two digits. dexter was in the correct spot. It hurts when he’s right. :) Someday I’ll start downloading gpx files.

So we catch up with dexter and figure that he’s found it by now. Nope, the hunt is still on. That thrill feeling is back in my veins. I start looking around with no luck, pretty much double-checking places he already searched. After ten more minutes, the thrill had faded again. But as fate would have it, I checked one more spot, and unlike dexter, I moved the dead branch that look suspiciously out of place and Tah-Dah! There it was! It had been six and a half years for this one, and extricating the ammo can from it lair was a little tricky. The tree had grown a bit so I had to trim away a little bark to get the can out.

There’s something about the smell of an open ammo can in the woods on a fall day. Can you remember back when most hides were ammo cans in the woods? This cache was placed back in 2006. And there was a real logbook, with real log entries! The finders of this cache took the time to write a thoughtful log, not just TFTC or some other acronym. For me, this cache had it all. A fine hike, great views, a quality hide. 

It’s caches like these that make terracaching such a rewarding experience for me.

If you have a story to share about finding a lonely terracache, check out Bon Echo’s TerraTalk thread: http://community.terracaching.com/Post/Details/588

We hope that you’ll seek out a ‘lonely oldie’ for yourself. When you do, be sure to visit our ‘Finding an Old Terracache’ Locationless Cache. If you qualify, you could win one of our JASTA 11 1916-2016 Limited Edition Gold Pathtag.

Now get out there and enjoy your hunt!

JASTA 11

[csmithwick]

Updated Cache Hunt Features

Welcome to the new world of searching for TerraCaches! We heard the feedback from our members and we have worked hard to create an updated Cache Hunt that ensures our members can quickly find what they are looking for. We now offer Basic Search Features and Enhanced Search Features- read on to learn the difference!

Basic Features

When redesigning the features for the basic Cache Hunt Search, we implemented the simplest method for members to find exactly what they want to find. The new Basic Features are perfect for new members and include:

An updated process that guides members through the process of searching for caches

The ability to search caches by type, style, and category

Sort results by a variety of options

View results in grid or map view

Hide the search bar for a full screen view

Full Screen Map View

Updated Grid View and Search Options

Enhanced Features

Following a guided process similar to the basic features, the enhanced features give you additional abilities to sort, filter and view cache hunt results in numerous ways. Our interactive features allow members to view any combination of cache status, styles and categories with an additional ability to further filter by all cache data. Here are the highlights of the new features:

Search for Traditional Caches by location and radius or by Country and State

View combinations of Cache Status, Cache Styles, and Categories

Find your preferred challenge level by selecting the parameters for Physical Challenge, Mental Challenge, Camouflage Challenge

Use the Measure of Cache Excellence and TPS formulas to set parameters for cache results

Review results in the new list view or in Grid and Map View

Create an Adventure List from Searches with an updated cache count of 200

Download GPX files in groups of 1000 or 1500 and set the number of files per group in the Member Profile Section

We are thrilled with the results of the new Cache Hunt and we hope that our members will enjoy it as well. We are so proud and honored to be part of this community and excited to continue our growth. Happy Caching!

[csmithwick]

TC Tutor Tuesday: Voting on a Cache Detail Page

There are truly two pieces to the TerraCaching experience: visiting cool outdoor locations and engaging in and creating a fun online experience. To help facilitate that on Cache Detail Pages, we have provided tools for members to upload photos, a rich text editor to add detail, and the ability to use HTML if you are feeling extra ambitious. Many of our members have taken advantage of these tools and created some magnificent cache detail pages.

Generally, descriptions, pictures, and interesting visual details are highly regarded in our community. As just one example of many amazing cache detail pages, check out Terradactyl’s Kilauea Iki (TC6TQL), which shows everyone enduring winter right now quite a beautiful view from Hawaii.

Our various point systems are tools that we provide to rate the actual caches. We have created a separate system for rating the cache detail pages. Located on each small Cache Detail Box, there is a ‘Thumbs Up’ and ‘Thumbs Down’ icon. This simple voting system shows how members have voted on each Cache Detail Page.

Remember, you can only vote once and you will not be able to vote on your own caches. Check out this feature and make sure to vote on the small Cache Detail Box of each cache that you find!

[csmithwick]

Community Update: Archived Caches

Tomorrow, December 17th, we are very excited to release a major update related to archived caches, their points, and a process for un-archiving caches. While we worked on the best solution for handling archived caches we listened to community members to determine the fairest way to account for these caches and restore points to members. We are pleased with the results and we think the community will be too! 

Archived Cache TPS Points

Currently, the TPS for all archived caches have been set to zero. We will be restoring the TPS points for the times that the caches were active. Then we will finalize and lock the TPS points for the archived caches. After listening to the community, we decided that the fairest way to restore points is based on MCE- the Measure of Cache Excellence, which is determined by finders of the cache. Therefore, the final TPS points for all types of caches will be calculated as follows:

For caches with MCE greater than or equal to 5, 100% of the TPS points will be restored.

For caches with MCE between 4 and 5, 75% of the TPS points for the will be restored.

For caches with MCE lower than 4, 50% of the TPS points will be restored.

Event caches will be handled slightly differently, as they are intended to be archived after the event ends, so they don’t have time to accumulate TPS points. The final TPS on Event caches will be calculated as follows: 

For Event caches with MCE greater than or equal to 7, the final TPS will equal 50 + (10*number of finders).

For Event caches with MCE less than 7, the final TPS will equal (10*number of finders).

This puts the final TPS value of a cache directly into the hands of the members who have found the cache. Once the final TPS value has been calculated it will be locked to further changes, unless it is un-archived. We are super excited to be restoring points for these caches to both the owners and the finders!

Un-Archiving Caches

We will also be releasing a process related to un-archiving a cache. For any members who are interested in bringing a cache back to life, this is the process:

First, the member will contact administrators at [email protected] to un-archive the cache.

The un-archived cache will calculate an adjusted “date posted” to ensure that the TPS does not include the time that the cache was archived. We will post a resource explaining this calculation in detail. 

The cache will go through the approval process and will require the cache owner’s sponsors before becoming publicly available (similar to a new cache).

A note will be included on the Cache Detail Page stating that the cache was un-archived and the adjusted date for TPS calculations.

Our goal with these updates is to ensure that archived caches are handled fairly from a point perspective and to create a standardized “un-archive” process for our members in the event that a cache owners wants to revive a cache. This change will go into place tomorrow- please note that you might notice a significant jump in your TPS points (of all cache types) if you have found or hidden archived caches. We are very excited to restore these points to cache owners to accurately reflect their entire TerraCaching experience and to have a clear process moving forward for how to handle un-archiving caches. We will post resources related to these points and processes on the Community page as well. Happy Caching!

[csmithwick]

TC Tutor Tuesday: Managing the Watch/Ignore Lists

In addition to creating Adventure Lists, members also have the ability to create Watch and Ignore Lists. These lists allow members to keep track of caches or remove them from search results. In today’s TC Tutor Tuesday, we will cover general information about Watch Lists, Ignore Lists, and where to manage these lists effectively.

Watch Lists

Placing a cache on the watch list allows members to receive notifications when about a specific cache they are interested in. These notifications include archival notification, found log notifications, missing log notifications, and update to missing status notification. These notifications can be helpful when planning a TerraCaching adventure.

Ignore Lists

Adding a cache to the ignore list guarantees that the cache will no longer appear in search results. Controlling what appears ensures that members are able to see the types of caches that appeal to them.

List Management

Adding caches to the watch or ignore list is managed from the small cache detail box. This can be viewed in tile view on “Cache Hunt” or on any cache detail page. Selecting the “Add to Watch List” or “Ignore” link allows members to quickly add these caches to the desired list.

To control the caches that are on the Watch or Ignore list, go to your profile and select either “Cache Watch List” or “Cache Ignore List”. From here, members can remove select caches or select the “Remove All Caches” button to completely clear the list.

Utilizing the Watch and Ignore lists can help keep members updated on caches they want to find and remove caches that they would not like to see in search results. Add some caches to these lists to manage your holiday TerraCaching experiences!

[csmithwick]

TC Tutor Tuesday: The First Finder and Confirmation Codes

One of the unique features of TerraCaching is the ability to add a First Finder Code or a Confirmation Code to any cache. The cache owner enters these unique codes to ensure that members have found the cache. In today’s TC Tutor Tuesday, we are going to explain each code and how to set one on a cache.

First Finder Codes 

The First Finder Code can only be used once; subsequent finders will not need to enter this code. This code can be hidden in a traditional cache, located somewhere on a virtual cache, or the cache owner can put a note indicating that the first finder should contact them via private message. Check out TerraCentral, Caching Stats to see how many First Finder Codes you have entered!

Confirmation Codes

To ensure that all the finders of a cache have found the cache, the cache owner has the option to enter a confirmation code. Similar to a First Finder Code, these codes can be hidden in a physical cache container, be located on a virtual cache, or the cache owner can indicate that the member should contact them for the code. However, the confirmation code remains a requirement to log the cache unless the owner decides to remove it. Therefore, members should always check the description to know if they should be looking for the confirmation code when finding the cache.

Adding First Finder and Confirmation Codes 

To add a First Finder or Confirmation code, go the Cache Submission Form. This can be reached by selecting the “Placing Caches” button on the play.terracaching.com homepage or by going to TerraCentral, TerraCaching Toolkit, and selecting the “Submit New Cache” button.

Located at the bottom of the Cache Submission Form are two fields, one for the First Finder Code and one for the Confirmation Code. Enter the desired codes in these fields to set the codes for a cache.

Allowing members to have the option to put a first finder or confirmation code on the cache adds an extra layer of security- members can be reassured that the cache has been found. This is especially handy for virtual caches. Always be sure to check to see if a cache has a first finder or confirmation code before heading outside! Thanks for reading this week’s TC Tutor Tuesday and happy caching!

[csmithwick]

TC Tutor Tuesday: Private Messaging

Forming bonds with other members is a fun part of being part of the TerraCaching community. It’s great to chat with others who have similar interests! In order to make communication easier, we have a private messaging system in addition to the Community Page.

Today, we will cover the basics of private messaging, including accessing private messages, managing the inbox and sent folder, composing a message, and messaging members using the global search feature. 

Accessing Private Messages

Access private messages by selecting the envelope icon in the upper left corner and selecting a message or selecting the “Go to Inbox” link.

Managing the Inbox and Sent Folder

To manage the inbox or the sent folder, select the appropriate folder on the left side. Then, select messages by checking the box on the left side of the message. At this point, members can select to discard the message if they desire.

Composing a Message

To compose a message, select the “Compose” button. This will bring up a new page where members can search for other members by selecting the “To” button, create and edit the text in their message, and “Send” upon completion of their message.

Using the Global Search Feature

In addition to searching for a member in the “To” section of the “Compose” area of private messaging, members can also use the Global Search Feature in the upper left hand corner of the page to message other members. Simply begin entering a member’s name and select to search for that member.

Then, go to the “Send PM” link under their profile box to compose a message.

Messaging is simple and a great way to communicate with members in your area, your sponsors, or your sponsored members. Thanks for tuning into this week’s TC Tutor Tuesday and Happy Caching!