Geocaching off Passaconaway?

[MichaelJ]

Oh, and I certainly wasn't trying to blame you! Any fault here lies in the hands of whoever originally put them there and published that they were there. They ought to be removed, and who knows, a ranger might take care of that, or at the very least if the site where they're published takes comments, a posting.

 

[TCD]

Interesting. NH Geochachers lobby must not be as strong as NY Geochachers lobby. DEC in NY has made a "special exception" to the Wilderness rules in the Adirondacks, that makes Geocaches "OK," even though everything else you might leave behind is "Not OK." Somebody at the top here must be into Geocaching.

 

[erugs]

Not to change the subject, but was the viewpoint on the Range trail easy to find on your way down?

 

[RoySwkr]

Yes, they are in Wilderness - and should not be there according to WMNF Wilderness rules:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/recreation/wilderness/

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/recreation/wilderness/geocaching.htm

More specifically, go to the Glossary of the actual Forest Plan:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/whi...pdf_documents/PLAN_PDF/0450_PLAN_glossary.pdf

"Geocaching: A sport where individuals and organizations set up caches using Geographic
Positioning System (GPS) coordinates and shares the locations of these caches
on the Internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the
caches."

While I have known that _placement_ of geocaches is forbidden within Wilderness, apparently _looking_ for geocaches is also illegal. Even travelling through a Wilderness to a non-Wilderness cache could cost you $75 if the ranger is in a bad mood.

 

[erugs]

Wondering if this thread has caught the attention of a geo-cache VFTT type group yet? And if so, what their thoughts are. Not that it matters, really, as illegal is illegal.

 

[psmart]

apparently _looking_ for geocaches is also illegal. Even travelling through a Wilderness to a non-Wilderness cache could cost you $75 if the ranger is in a bad mood.

Are you reading between the lines, or did you find those specifics somewhere else?

 

[RoySwkr]

I wouldn't worry about it. I didn't notice the geocaches. I think the rule is dumb, but I don't make the rules.

Geocaches are legal in Wilderness in the GMNF in VT. But in the latest WMNF plan, environmental groups snuck in a lot of stuff that wasn't true when the Wilderness areas were designated. Most Wilderness areas in the WMNF are not that environmentally sensitive and will not be harmed by the minimal additional traffic from geocachers - the Hibbard cache for example had been found by only 15 groups since it was placed in November 2006.

Are you reading between the lines, or did you find those specifics somewhere else?

I'm trying to imagine why the plan was written that way

If you read the FS definition in the Glossary, "geocaching" includes both hiding and hunting caches - which I think agrees with the common definition of the sport

And it is not "geocaches" but "geocaching" that is forbidden in Wilderness so they apparently deliberately included hunting them

Suppose you are in an area where hunting deer isn't allowed, but you have a rifle and are folowing deer tracks so you can shoot it when it leaves the preserve. Will the warden give you a hunting citation or is it OK because you won't shoot it in the preserve?

So if you are heading to a geocache waypoint you might be assumed to be geocaching which is illegal in Wilderness. And many geocachers carry spare containers to replace broken ones or in case they see a good hiding spot - will the ranger assume you mean to use it in Wilderness and issue a citation?

Rules makers are getting wackier all the time. Five years ago, if you had told me that the FS would remove the Wilderness Trail suspension bridge as non-conforming and the NH Trails Bureau would declare it illegal to make a trail map of an area with a recreational easement, I would have said you were nuts.

 

[erugs]

Rules makers are getting wackier all the time. Five years ago, if you had told me that the FS would remove the Wilderness Trail suspension bridge as non-conforming and the NH Trails Bureau would declare it illegal to make a trail map of an area with a recreational easement, I would have said you were nuts.

That's for sure...

 

[hikes-with-him]

Not to change the subject, but was the viewpoint on the Range trail easy to find on your way down?

Geesh...I always seem to have a way of making controversy with my questions...

Anyway, I assuem you mean the Wonalancet Range trail from the top of Passaconaway? Yup...very easy to follow and REALLY NICE!! The view point is RIGHT THERE...I actually looked for a "confusing herd path" and didn't really see one.

As for the whole geocaching in a wilderness area...if that is the type of "rule" that keeps a forest looking like this one did...than I'm absolutely fine with it. Hubby and I were discussing on the way down how absolutely beautiful!! such BIG, OLD, GEORGEOUS hard wood trees...you just don't see that in most forest areas.