We have 23 active caches and that seems like a pretty comfortable number for us to maintain. We will certainly do more, but don’t have a limit in mind-we’ll know when we get there. However, we definitely feel there is a point a few cachers reach where they are hiding way more caches than they can properly maintain, which definitely detracts from the game. On the other hand, we think the vast majority of folks do a really great job keeping their caches up and running.

200 is about 100 more than I thought we’d ever have. I agree with all the points about containers mentioned above. Good containers and careful placmements are the key to few maintenance problems.

We still enjoy putting out caches but any new ones we are putting out are done so with the intent to adopt them out to cachers who have few or no hides so that they can experience the joy of ownership…

1 just to know what everyone else goes through is MORE than plenty!

Right now I have three caches out – two in Green Bay and one in Lakewood. Right now, that’s about what I can handle. I’m sure I could put more out there, but I really don’t want to place another cache just to put one out. I like to have caches that are difficult to find, but when you find them will leave you saying, “How did I miss that?” I’m hoping to find several more locations like this around Green Bay later this summer or next year.

-The Happy Hodag!

We agree 100% with AstroD Team. Quality of the cache container, a quality hide and tough enough to make the hunt worthwhile are our guidelines.
We have only 5 out, all of them are tough, some tough enough that I had to banter with Approvers regarding their difficulty. Our caches are designed primarily for adults and not kids, although the terrain is suitable for kids.
Logs for our caches, (like AstroD Team), bear out his comments exactly. Most finders are proud of their accomplishment and say so.
We feel maintaining a cache is very important. Keeping them up to snuff with frequent maintenance checks, (& listing thereof), tells the cacher that it will be there, as promised. We also repair a cache immediately after a note in the log or an E-mail.

IMHO, nothing hurts Geocaching more than someone having MANY, MANY caches out there, and seldom maintaining them, even after many DNF’s. Personally, we dislike spending time, gas dollars and preparation searching for a cache that may have been missing for months. We think caches should be “fixed” and back on line ASAP.

Just my $.02

P.S. IMHO, match containers, (etc), hanging 4′ up on the underside of a spruce, or fir tree branch is getting a bit old, too, sorry.

@gotta run wrote:

@seekers8711 wrote:

IMHO, nothing hurts Geocaching more than someone having MANY, MANY caches out there, and seldom maintaining them, even after many DNF’s. Personally, we dislike spending time, gas dollars and preparation searching for a cache that may have been missing for months. We think caches should be “fixed” and back on line ASAP.

I agree–but I’d also add that most of the maintenance problems, at least in this area, come from people who hide a few and then fall off the radar, or school “projects” that get abandoned.

I can think of one notable exception in the area, but otherwise owners with large numbers of caches around here do a good job of staying on top of them, and I hope we fall into that category as well.

Now, how many is “enough?” As many as you can maintain well and reflects to some degree what you have taken from the game. Caching relies on the welfare–of both time and money–of owners to keep the game going. I know, I know–all the good spots are taken, I can’t think of any ideas, I’m busy, etc etc etc. Bottom line, if you have the time and the ability to go out every weekend and find caches, you have the time and ability to place some caches and give something back to the community.

I agree, I think many cachers around here do a good job of maintaining and keeping their caches up and running in a timely manner. I also understand cache hiders have a life outside of caching (or at least should) and sometimes cannot get to their caches right away. Yet, they still get their caches up and running quickly.

Where I see the big problems with those caches that are not maintaned or poorly done, stem from those cachers eager to put a cache out, but have not established any “staying power” in the game. I am very leary of any cacher that has only been in this game for a short time or has very few finds and starts putting out caches. I also do not like cache hiders who expect the caching community to maintain their caches.

we are up to 125 hides of them 22 have been archived for various reasons, usually muggle factors that were not there when first being placed, we travel and cache in different directions, and usually try to check on our caches in the area we are caching in, our caches in the UP get checked on as often as we can, but some only get 2-3 finds a year. lately we have been updating containers and upgrading the size of some of our hides. most of ours are 1.5/1.5 hides, which is what we also like to find.