geocaching in trees

Hi all. Our family is new to technical tree climbing, but not new to doing fun things outside together. We mountain unicycle, geocache, climb trees, camp, canoe, hike, etc. I'm wondering what your thoughts are about placing geocaches in trees that can only be reached on rope. (if you're not sure what geocaching is check out http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=258e1b43-b5aa-493c-b64b-37869ae1e573#) Is this a good way to promote our sport among geocachers who also appreciate the outdoors? Do any of you geocache and if so have you ever hidden a cache in a tree (like this one for example: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=258e1b43-b5aa-493c-b64b-37869ae1e573#)? Is there any reason not to place a cache in a tree? In my way of thinking it adds to the fun of technical tree climbing and is a good way to share good climbing trees with others. Thanks!

Welcome aboard. The subject of tree-o-chacheing was discussed in a previous thread a while ago. I think it's a pretty cool idea.

Such caches exist. For a list, see:

http://extreme-caching.com/index.php?p=1_22

When posting it on geocaching.com, be sure to give it a 5 star rating for difficulty (from their site: "requires specialized knowledge and equipment") if it requires technical tree climbing skills. You want to make sure that others understand the skill-set required to get to it.

After you post it, consider submitting your cache to http://extreme-caching.com. This is an index to geocaches on geocaching.com that require specific technical skills. They actually have a tree climbing category! Others include caving, "urban structure climbing", water, etc.

This might be a way to get people into tree climbing, as well as a way of marking some "desirable climbing tree" in a nearby national forest ...

2chops wrote:

The subject of tree-o-chacheing was discussed in a previous thread a while ago. I think it's a pretty cool idea.

Thanks 2chops. I tried to search this forum and canopy chatter for geocaching related posts/threads but came up empty. There must be something I don't understand about searching. Could you please reply with a link to the tree-o-caching (great term by the way ) thread you remember?
Thanks!

rbutera wrote:

Such caches exist. For a list, see:

http://extreme-caching.com/index.php?p=1_22

When posting it on geocaching.com, be sure to give it a 5 star rating for difficulty (from their site: "requires specialized knowledge and equipment") if it requires technical tree climbing skills. You want to make sure that others understand the skill-set required to get to it. ...

Great point about terrain 5 ratings. I'll be sure to do that. I hadn't heard of extreme-caching.com. What a cool site! Thanks for sharing.

Found one of the threads on Treeocaching...

http://treeclimbing.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=49&func=view&catid=276&id=128838

Thanks!

Found one more: http://treeclimbing.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=49&func=view&catid=274&id=127376

Reading these posts gives me some pause about placing a tree o cache. I would definitely choose a tree that can't be free climbed so as to not encourage someone without gear to try to reach the cache and endanger themselves. One remaining comcern is that people with rock climbing gear will go for the cache not knowing how to adequately protect the tree (i.e. use a cambium saver).

I decided to place two new tree-o-caches in one of my favorite climbing places - the Carolina North Forest owned and maintained by UNC Chapel Hill.

Here are the links:

http://coord.info/GC351FA
http://coord.info/GC351GN

Let me know if you're ever in town

Here is TreeoCache2 that I placed about 4 years ago:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=f4f39d8a-b5b1-4b16-8520-bc1641c8551e

People have just now started accessing it...the park was shut down about 2 years due to the severe flooding in 2009.

Wow that looks like a fun one. I added it to my watch list so I can enjoy it from afar.

Patrick

Knowing many rock climbers, I can definitely say they are not fans of cambium savers and would tend to use SRT when climbing trees.

If you check out the extreme geocaching videos on youtube (there's a channel now) you can see some examples.

We have some trees in Hawaii that are "set up" for rock climbers. Literally, you can climb up 90ft on aerial roots without SRT or DRT techniques. I would not want an unprepared geocacher to attempt anything near that!

I'd love to see the TCI tree rating system in the description of a treeocache!