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So I have 3 caches hidden. Two are under my new username, and one is under my old username that I had when I hid it. I changed it because it was… weird to say the least so I changed it. So can I really do anything about it?

I like hiding creative caches and I find I am pushed to be my most creative when I find a good location, but almost all blocked by other caches. So that last little area limits what can be done, but that means thinking outside the box and using camo and different containers to make it work.

So the challenge is to find a small opening in the map and place a cache there, but the cache has to be much better than average, or even great. No nanos or tiny things just tucked into something on one visit -- it has to be creative and fit the site.

It takes a lot of visiting the site and thinking creatively about options. It is amazing how many options you can come up with that are passable but not great. Then building a crafty container to fit that location is another fun challenge. A lot of veteran cachers will appreciate the work and realize it is just a small hole that you fit it in.

P.S. I don't see this as a "challenge cache" type of hide, but perhaps somone can word an official "challenge" around it.

1 - in America I feel like that needs to be said. Currently using the app geocaching. Is there another?

2 - there’s a lot near us that are on the paid version. Is it worth it or just like 50 more micros (don’t get me wrong these are fun to find but my kids like the prizes lol)

3. They want to make a cache. I’m going to read the rules but anything I should know first off? Thanks!

Welcome

Welcome to the 2024 edition of the r/geocaching Secret Santa gift exchange. I took over running this exchange in 2017, and now we are on to year number 8.  If you’ve joined us in the past, everything remains largely the same. If you haven’t participated in years past, please consider joining us. Be sure to read the information summarized below before proceeding to the sign up form. 

Who can join?

Anyone! Well, almost anyone. The two requirements to join are you’re a Redditor and a Geocacher! We are inclusive of cachers around the world and from caches that have been at it a month to cachers that started in 2000. The only way you can be excluded from the Secret Santa is if you’ve been blacklisted from a prior r/geocaching Secret Santa exchange OR if your Geocaching.com account was created after 10/1/2024. 

Any changes?

The last few years have been going quite smooth and I don’t feel that there are any strong reasons to implement any changes.

How does it work? 

Signups open on 11/8 this year and remain open for 4 weeks. I collect all the necessary data for all interested parties, then match each person up with a Secret Santa. Your Secret Santa will send you a geocaching-related present valued at around $25 USD, and you will do the same thing for a (most likely) different person. Signups are open and will close on Saturday, December 7th. On Sunday, December 8th, you will receive a very important email with all the information about your Secret Santa match. That email will come directly from my personal email account, so please be on the lookout for it!

**What happens after I sign up?**Randomized** matchmaking will happen via random number generator on the weekend of December 7th. Matchmaking will take your country of residence into account first. US senders will receive US matches, Canadian senders will receive a Canadian match, etc. If you are not from the US or Canada, I would strongly encourage you to mark "yes" to the question about international mailings. In the past, we have typically welcomed a half dozen or so international players, mostly from the EU. Those players generally have to send their gift outside their home country. If you mark "no", and a match is not made in your country, you will not be matched with a Secret Santa sender to send you a gift, nor will you have a recipient to send a gift to. (If this happens, you’ll be notified).

And then? Utilize your match’s provided information to curate a geocaching gift for them. I encourage everyone to glean whatever info available from their Reddit and/or Geocaching profile to help make the gift tailored to them specifically. Please make a note of the tracking number of your shipment and have it available if necessary. Then, wait for your Secret Santa gift to arrive! You have the option of curating the package yourself, or you can curate a gift using a third party vendor (official HQ shop, Space Coast, Cache Advance, etc.)

Be creative people! We have had some amazing stories come out of this! Recipients have received cryptic packages of numbered parcels with instructions, we've seen custom containers, even first-to-finds have been placed for recipients to find!

Be aware that we've had complaints over the years about gift valuation. If you can't afford to send a $25 gift, please don't sign up. You will certainly spend a few more dollars shipping your items. We’re not necessarily asking you to spend $25 on your gift, the items can be home-crafted, from an existing collection, etc. but please do everything possible to ensure that you’re within the ballpark of the valuation estimate. We’ve had a few folks who feel like they’ve put in more effort, time, and money than they’ve received.

What about my personal information?

Only two people will be privy to your personal information. Me, and the person I match you to. All the information requested is either related to the shipping of your item or information to help your match give you a great geocaching-related gift. I’ve been doing this long enough that if you don’t trust me by now, you must really be a DOOZY at the office Christmas party.

Other info:

By signing up for the 2024 r/geocaching Secret Santa, you agree that you will complete the requirements of the exchange. If you do not complete your requirements, you will be banned from any future r/geocaching Secret Santa exchanges. Please do not sign up if you cannot meet the requirements (spending $25) or the timeline. If you know you will be traveling during the holidays, decide now if you have the time to complete your end of the bargain now, or if you’re alright with using a caching-related vendor to handle your gift responsibility.

The google form is available here, and should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. If you have questions about the requirements, please reach out to me before you sign up. Once you sign up, unless you contact me before the matchmaking process or I contact you about an issue, you’re in.

TL;DR: Sign up by 12/6. Receive your match on 12/7. Create, build, buy, etc. a $25 USD gift for your match as expeditiously as possible (hopefully by 12/13). Mail to your match, then, receive a similarly-valued gift from another member of our community! Merry Christmas!!

Hey guys I am a small-time developer working on developing a better app for virtual caches, do any off you think this is a good idea? I am not trying to replace geocaches in any way just think the implementation of the current virtual geocaches suck tbh. Do you have any thoughts?

I've never done a true Whereigo, only RWIGs. I'm thinking of giving it a try, but I'm not sure what app to use. Suggestions?

GCAZ16N

I could have sworn that I saw them in the official store months ago, but now nothing is coming up when I search. Pretty bummed.

Really not sure what to prioritize next as a cacher. Have recently completed my Fizzy. Am working on completing local challenges like 60 Earthcaches as well as puzzles. Jasmer is out of reach, as is the Delorme.

Don't get me wrong, I still love caching! It's just my main driver was finishing my Fizzy and now that that's done I'm not sure what to do.

Stats attached.

I’ve been geocaching for 12 years now and this has got to be the coolest thing I’ve ever found in a cache before…

A 1898 Indian Head Penny

Are cache owners checking to see if the caches are intact after Milton and Helene? I'm on the Gulf Coast temporarily, and I can't always tell whether the cache is missing or I'm missing the cache.

For one cache, I could see where it is supposed to be, but there so many cut and broken branches piled alongside the road that it was impossible to reach. I'm thinking about skipping caches without log activity after 10/7/2024.

What is the most creative, simple hide you’ve found? I like the fancy gadget caches, but I’m always the most impressed with a very simple, yet different and well throughout hide. I’m looking for some ideas, as I’d like to place some new caches!

There are only two in this county and I have a really nice, remote, and scenic place picked out. I'm putting some nice items in the container like a gift card, an old coin, a new SD card, etc. so I was curious if listing some of the initial contents in the cache description would be harmful or helpful?

Trying to make a cache with hex codes to get the coordinates but the codes aren’t the same when you get the pictures from the geocache page any idea how to get around this ?

I found some guy posting pictures of his junk and leaving really nasty logs, can’t figure out how to report him 😅

I know there are people out there that have at least 2 geocaching profiles, and possibly more. We have cachers in our area that do this. One of them had 3 different accounts representing different personalities, and it was known to his circle of friends but not to the rest of us until years later, when he decided to reveal it and combine all 3. Another one has a female version of himself. Again it was revealed at an unmasking party years later, but even now, only a very small group of people know that they are one and the same.

My question is - if you were to create (or have created) a secondary account, what would your motivation be? Would someone create an account to just log DNF's in an attempt to get an abandoned cache archived? Or to drum up fake finds on their own hides? Or just to have fun with hidden identity hides like the 2 in my area?