Geocahing at Baitcon

[skreeky]

Putting out feelers for who's interested in a geocaching expidition from Baitcon. (cross-posted to my personal journal, so some folks may answer there)

Please comment:

If you're interested in going, and what terrain difficulty is your max.

If you could drive some people to a trailhead.

If you're willing to lead a group (more than 4 persons or so in a group tends to be too many) and up to what terrain difficulty you can lead.

About what time during the weekend would you be most interested in this activity.

If you're not interested in caching but would join an ordinary hike, let me know that too.

I will not hold you to your answers, but I do want an accurate guage of interest and feasibility before I put in much effort. Thanks!

Comments

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I'd be interested in a caching run. The kids I'm with might be interested too (aged 9, 8 and 5).

I've never understood the terrain difficulty rankings. Based on your description I'd probably be up for the 2.5 but the kids would probably have to stay at 2 or below.

I'm not prepared to lead a group.

[blackanvil.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing she's referring to the general hiking 5-level scale:

Easy - difficulty 1
These trips offer an easy pace and an average-to-sedentary level of fitness. Activities may be optional. You should be in good health and fit enough for full day of normal sightseeing and walking.

Easy to Moderate - difficulty 2
An average level of fitness or some experience with the featured activity is recommended. While some activities may be optional, you may still have to walk, hike, bike or paddle for two to three hours daily. Includes less demanding sea kayaking and river rafting trips (Class I-II rapids).

Moderate - difficulty 3
These active trips require you to have performed the featured activity regularly, with some periods on challenging terrain. Activities are mandatory and you may be traveling at high elevations. Includes more demanding sea kayaking trips and river rafting trips with Class III-IV rapids. Your lodging and camping accommodations may be primitive and in remote locations. You need to be in good health and physical condition to enjoy these trips, with adequate muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance.

Demanding - difficulty 4
On these trips, you must be extremely physically fit and are expected to hike or ride four to six hours over steep or more rugged terrain or in elevations exceeding 3,000 m (10,000 feet), often in remote locations far from medical facilities. Includes more demanding sea kayaking trips (5-6 hours paddling a day) and river rafting trips with Class IV+ rapids. Porter/vehicle support for difficult terrain, but may involve carrying your own gear.

Strenuous- difficulty 5
Prolonged hiking/riding on moderate to difficult terrain (five to nine hours a day). May include:
- high altitude: elevations exceeding 4,500 m (15,000 feet) that may create discomfort and symptoms of illness that you do not experience while exercising at lower elevations, such as shortness of breath, restlessness or sleeplessness at night, and headaches.
- rugged terrain: up and down mountain trails that are steep and rocky.
- carrying your own gear may be asked in some of the trips.
- sea kayaking (5-7 hours paddling a day) and river rafting trips with Class IV-V rapids, and otherwise challenging conditions.
Previous experience may be required. You should be in excellent health and top physical condition to enjoy such an experience.

[Some people continue this scale until you get to things like climbing Mount Everest (8), crossing the Antartic on snowmobile (9), or dog-sledding across the artic polar cap (10).]

[skreeky]

Actually, the terrain ratings on geocaches seem a lot less specific. The only guideline I've ever seen says that a 1 should be at least somewhat wheelchair accessible, and a 5 may require scuba, climbing harness, or other specialized gear. There's no summary of in between.

For geocaching, though, I would expect any hike of more than an hour, no matter how easy, to rate at least a 2, and anything that would take more than one day to be an automatic 5 since you wouldn't normally be taking camping equipment.