Placing a Night Cache

Okay, I'm going to be stealing a bit from an article I wrote on my personal blog at the beginning of 2009.  This is only because I've laid out how to build a night cache already.  However, I will add a few things here before I send you over to look at that article.

So why am I doing this?  This past weekend, while at the 6th Annual Kearney Picnic in Kearney, NE, a group of us went after a night cache.  Since it has been a week since my last post, I felt that this is a good time to update a bit of information about night caches.  Especially since I am working on building some night caches for one of my own upcoming events. Let's take a look at what supplies you need to build a night cache:

• Cache container (try to use at least a small since you'll be in the woods)
  
• Logbook
• Flashlight
• Reflective tacks

The most critical part of building a night cache are the reflective tacks, often called "Fire Tacks".  You can find basic sets of these at most outdoor stores, like Bass Pro or Cabela's.  I've started to see them in outdoor departments at more common stores like Target and Wal-mart.  Usually, you'll find them amongst the hunting equipment.  Why is this?  Well, this product is a common product for hunters to use to find their way to their favorite hunting spots at night.

You can also look online.  Wildtech Corporation deals in fire tacks of various designs.  It is one of there products that I finally got to see in action this last weekend.  They sell tacks in 3D (pyramid shaped), 4D (cube shaped), and they even sell "Fire tape".  Their products also come in different colors, including a Stealth color designed specifically for geocachers.  I've seen the stealth color before and boy does it blend in during the daytime.  This weekend, I saw the 4D design.  Wildtech's tacks are smaller than the round tacks you'll find in stores, but they are bright and quite visible even at a distance.

As I talked with some fellow cachers, I will update one thing about the post I'm going to send you to.  Placing the tacks at night is an effective way to verify that standing at each tack allows you to see the next one.  On the other hand, you can also effectively place the tacks during the day.  While it is harder to see the tacks at a distance, you can definitely see what you placed it on.  The only thing to remember is that if you do place the tacks during the day, MAKE SURE you go back out at night at least once before you submit the cache to Geocaching.com so that you can make sure that others will be able to follow the path.

One last warning.  This article was written both to explain what a night cache is, but also how to both find one and build one.  The article is lengthier as a result of all of that information included.  With the number of times I've heard geocachers say they enjoy night caches, it's hopefully enough information for you to build your own.  I have three in the works myself.

Go to "What Are Night Caches?" to read the article.

Next, we'll talk about building Log Caches.

TripCyclone