Written By Old Navy
OK, You are enjoying a nice long geocaching hike on a beautiful day. You finally arrive at GZ and start searching for the cache that's been steering you and your GPS through the woods. Well, we all have been here before: we can't locate it. For some the panic comes after about 30 seconds; for others the frustration sets in after a little longer search. You can't believe you can't find the cache, and start to question yourself.
So, you reach into your pack, grab the cache page or open up your PDAs or Garmins for the cache information. Your first thought is "What am I looking for?" as you double-check the size of the little, elusive bugger. Now let's check out the hint. "What, no hint! Can't be! I can't find it without a hint! I have searched everywhere! A micro in the woods without a hint, how evil." You look around again, then blame the cache owner. "Well, maybe their coordinates were off when they placed the cache." "It could be anywhere." You start to get desperate, "If only there was a hint".
So begs the question to cache owners, hint or no hint? How hard do you want to make the search? Do you really want cachers seeking your hides and getting frustrated, cursing you out on that long empty feeling back to the car when they can't find your cache without a hint? Or do you want seekers to find your geocaches? There has to be some even ground: clever, not too easy, and not too hard.
We all want the reward that comes with a finding a cache, the excitement seeing that green "success" that appears in front of our eyes after solving a hard puzzle, as we jump from our chair and give the computer a high five! A slight hint may be all that's needed to make or break the search.
Some simply think a hint is not necessary regardless of the container size. If the seeker can't locate a .50 caliber ammo box without a hint, it makes you wonder. But, a micro in the woods, a nano on an assortment of metal objects, or simple coordinates taped to a bridge may need a hint to help your fellow cachers. It simply depends on the cache owner's perspective on the cache location, container size, how evil the hide or how frustrating the puzzle solving, whether a hint may be necessary.
Yes, locating a cache without any hint is certainty rewarding. We all want a good challenging search. Hints don't take anything away as they are encrypted, so it gives folks the more challenging option not to peek. Also, how may times have we experienced that "GPS bounce" standing at one foot, then the GPS telling us we are 50 feet away, and we start to walk in a circle. A hint would be helpful in that circumstance. Then there is always the last resort and often-used "phone-a-friend" option to get a hint and help us locate the elusive cache or solve a puzzle, all for that wonderful feeling of accomplishment.
Remember to have a fun and safe geocaching experience with or without the hint! Enjoy! Old Navy
