Comments on: Feeback Needed! How to Pack for Geocaching

By: Pam Sheil (Whoo's Cool & Timbo)

Pam Sheil (Whoo's Cool & Timbo) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 04:26:16 +0000

I have a small pack inside my geo-backpack that includes an extra logbook, ziplock baggies and pens… so I can repair caches that need those items. I use the baggies a lot! A small towel or napkins can also help dry off the items in a cache that has gotten wet.

By: paul gillin

paul gillin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:13:15 +0000

Mike and Stephen make great points about hazards. We like Ventura’s so much that we’re going to make it a bylined sidebar. We’d love to have more bylined essays in this book, so please send your ideas.

By: Stephen O'Gara (Ventura Kids)

Stephen O'Gara (Ventura Kids) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:48:48 +0000

The most important thing to pack is knowledge.
You should know what dangers are out there in the area you plan to hike.
This may include Poison bushes and wild animals.
In our area we have Poison Oak, as well as stinging nettles. These plants should be left alone. Be sure you know what they look like in all seasons. Poison Oak looks shiny green in summer, yet sheds ALL it’s leaves in winter. Touching the leaves on the ground can cause as bad a reaction as the live plants.
Rattlesnakes are common in most States, but don’t usually attack hikers. Over 80% of bites are caused by hikers trying to move them, touch them, or pick them up.
Ticks are the most dangerous thing in our area. If they attach themselves you may contract Lime disease. Find out what type live in your area.
Mountain Lions and Bears are rare and seem to move away when they encounter humans.
It won’t matter if you have a backpack of stuff. Spend some time getting familiar with the local fauna and animals.
Many parks and rec departments have classes about these things.

By: Mike Barlow

Mike Barlow — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:58:45 +0000

Hey! Don’t forget your swag!…

Actually this is a pretty thorough list. We live in California and there was one time up in Placerville that I had to carefully step through a maze of poison oak… I was wearing shorts and stepping over ground cover and ducking under hanging leaves. It was right out of a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark… Anyhow, a bottle of Ivy-Block or Technu would have been nice that day.

By: WetPaws

WetPaws — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:58:25 +0000

Garden Shears? Not. Defeats the purpose of eco-friendly…besides, sometime the way in is not what you expect.

By: Paul Gillin

Paul Gillin — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:48:33 +0000

Good idea. We’ll add it.

By: PZ Dude

PZ Dude — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:36:00 +0000

Sounds strange but when I went caching in the snow a fellow cacher had a spatula. That moved a lot of snow very easily. I almost always have one of those 5-1 things with needle nose pliers. If not needle nose you might want to make sure you have tweezers in your swiss knife for those nanos