terrain ?

[HOT TROT]

A new cache recently popped up in my area. I noticed the cache was on an island. Technically, I think this is supposed to be a 5 star terrain. The cache was published as a 3 star (I think). The owner said she had been contacted by another cacher who said this should be a 5 star. Since the cache was placed with no special equipment, what is the verdict?

[Trekkin and Birdin]

Well, this time of year no special equipment is required, but I’d doubt that would be true in July. As I read the rating guidelines, they recommend you try and project your cache through all seasons. So, if I placed one in early spring, maybe it felt like a 2, but by midsummer with the brush full grown, it’s a 3. So it’s a 3.

I have seen others like you describe that I thought should be a 5, also.

[furfool]

I’m not sure what to say to that. If there was open water and one could not walk to it because the water is too deep, I would say that it’s not a 1. If the water is frozen and one could walk to it, I would say that it is not a 5. So, I personally would have no problem with a 3 on the difficulty rating. Of course the ice could be thin or very slick so one would have to use common sense and decide for themself whether or not to attempt it. Then again it could be on a river island with a fairly strong current. I did this island cache last winter, GCQQ46. Anyone else care to chime in?

[PCFrog]

I have one on an island and I rated it a four not a five. ( Don’t Float Away ) During the winter you typically can walk to it and in the summer you can walk to it as long as you’re willing to get very wet. With five stars being Special equipment I felt that no boat or other gear was truly required to reach the cache.

I would say just because it’s on an island is not direct cause for a five star, but rather the risk of getting to the island might be if using no special equipment like a boat.
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[HOT TROT]

I’ve always wondered about the projecting through the year thing. I think a decent amount of my caches would be near impossible right now in over a foot of snow, with a layer of ice through the middle. Because you are supposed to rate them for the most difficult time of the year, does this mean a 1 1/2 str terrain for 9 months really be rated a four star now? It would seem the answer is yes.

[Ray]

Terrain 1 means one may get to it in a wheel chair; terrain 5 means you must have special equipment or skill not possessed by all geocachers. Everything else is shades of gray but requires no more than a GPSr and perhaps a walking stick.

[Team Deejay]

The Beast is correct. Typically, we should be asking if the cache appears to be on an island and the terrain is not listed as a 5. Caches requiring wading or swimming can be rated as 4 or higher, but if you need a boat at any time of the year, it is a 5.

I’m sure this one just slipped through the review process, but, since no one has bothered to post the cache name, waypoint number, or even the name of the hider, there isn’t a lot I can do about it. If someone wants to email me the information, I will be glad to remedy the situation.

[HOT TROT]

The cache in question has been changed to a 5 terrain. Thanks for the input all.

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