Earth cache advice?

[Trekkin and Birdin]

I’ve been doing a bunch of research on a favorite, geologically interesting location near my home (and near the site of the WGA picnic!) I’ve read all the stuff on the earthcache site regarding placement of these.

Anyone who owns one, do you have any advice or tips? It would be cool to have it up and running before the picnic (even though only Trekkin’ will be there 🙁 ). Thanks.

[Lostby7]

I have one still waiting for the park mgr to give me the A-OK. It’s been nearly two weeks. I have emailed and sent a letter (with the proposed cache page and the DNR approval form). Looks like I must have to pick up the phone next…..I guess my MTV generationness expects everything to be NOW! I think the hardest part of getting one approved will be the permission from the parks dept. and approval from the Earthcache peeps…but then again I still haven’t gotten past the first stage on my approval.

[Trekkin and Birdin]

Oh, then I might be in for double trouble, which is the part confusing me, anyway. The Kickapoo River Valley is designated as a National Natural Landmark, with fed and state ownership. So I’m guessing I’ll need to contact both entities to obtain approval.

Guess I’d better get going on this one! I’m driving down tomorrow to pick out my spot. I won’t have a GPS until next week, though. Trekkin’ is taking it to the re-enactment up in Grand Portage. No, it’s not a period correct “compass,” but he figured he could grab some delorme pages on his way home.

Hope he changes out of his 1750s French militia uniform before he leaves!

[Lostby7]

OK I made the call……permission granted. I so hate to use the phone…next ➡

[rogheff]

I have four Earthaches and find the approval process can be easier than a geocache. However, they’re really picky about the geological significance of the location. So your write up better talk about geological “stuff” rather than environmental “stuff”.

I have gone through the process to have an earthcache approved in a State Natural Area. A relatively painless process as well, but necessary for approval.

[Trekkin and Birdin]

This is pretty cool geologically, actually. Many geologists think the Kickapoo is the oldest river system on the whole darn planet, and it has unique “seeping sandstone” walls, thus the National Natural Area.

When I go down tomorrow, I want to visit the Reserve Center. It has never been open the times we’ve been there, and maybe by talking in person to folks there, I can get that part of the approval process done.

[AuntieNae]

The Tapps & I have 5 more Earthcaches up our sleeves. We did the leg work at the sites a month or two ago now. The approval from the state and local parks was the easiest step so far. We are about half way there with the “geology” detail that is being requested.

I think Earthcaches are a great educational tool and have enjoyed the process of placing them.

AuntieNae

[Lostby7]

@Auntienae wrote:

…We are about half way there with the “geology” detail that is being requested….
AuntieNae

I’m hoping I have enough detail on the first draft. Writing papers in college was one of my passions…granted you’d have a hard time telling from all the poor spelling and rushed spamming here on the boards.

I can’t wait to find your new Earthcaches!!!

[Lostby7]

I’m confused on a couple of points in the process of approval…I read in the GC placement rules that the regional reviewer has no part in the process:
“Earthcaches

This is a unique but limited cache type. An Earthcache is an educational site that people can visit to view a unique geoscience feature on-the-ground.

All Earthcaches must be submitted and approved through the Geological Society of America – the regional Groundspeak volunteer cache reviewers have no involvement with Earthcache listings. The Earthcache submittal form and Guidelines may be found on the Earthcache.org site. http://www.earthcache.org/

Logging an Earthcache find requires compliance with the requirements stated by the owner and the Earthcache Website, including answering the required questions by e-mail to the owner, providing original photos if so requested, etc.”

Yet The Earthcache folks said they were waiting for Wisconsin reviewers to sign off on my cache…..something about making sure local reg’s were being followed in it’s placement.

So what involvement if any is up to the Wisconsin Reviewer?

[Team Deejay]

If you are placing an earthcache in an SNA, they contact Tie before approving the cache. Did you tell them you were placing a cache in an SNA? Otherwise, there should be no contact with us.

[Lostby7]

@Team Deejay wrote:

If you are placing an earthcache in an SNA, they contact Tie before approving the cache. Did you tell them you were placing a cache in an SNA? Otherwise, there should be no contact with us.

No, the first one was not placed in an SNA (it took 12 days to get approved after the OK from the EC folks). Do not get me wrong I am not complaining about the delay in approval, in fact a portion of that delay is possibly my own fault.

My second Earthcache is in a county park. It was OK’d yesterday by EC folks- (still waiting for it to publish).

I’m just curious what the process is on our (WI reviewers) end?

*EDIT*
Oh and yes I have a third (and final) one that is going the SNA route but that is not the focus of my inquiry as I have yet to get the OK from the SNA folks….

[HOT TROT]

I’ve been thinking of putting on in the neighborhood as well. I’m hoping to be up Labor day weekendish. Curious to see where yours will be. I’m hoping the KVR caches have survived.

Good luck

[Lostby7]

@HOT TROT wrote:

Curious to see where yours will be.

#1. just north of Eagle – now active
#2. just west of Oconomowoc – in Que waiting for some kind of WI approver OK.
#3. just north of Dundee (by Long Lake) – still waiting for SNA folks to get back to me.

-I really enjoyed making these. I guess I miss school a bit too much.

[Team Deejay]

I suspect the earthcache people might be confused. I will check with Tie.

[Lostby7]

@Team Deejay wrote:

I suspect the earthcache people might be confused. I will check with Tie.

PM sent with EC email regarding the WI approval issue.

It is possible that when the EC folks said, “….I will contact our Wisconsin reviewers again….” they meant they have their own EC Wisconsin Approvers and NOT our WI GC Approvers.

[Author]

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