Reviewer advice on proximity

CacheViewer is a volunteer geocache reviewer.  A geocache reviewer is someone who reviews listings against the geocaching guidelines and regional laws before publishing them.  Reviewers also keep an eye on the health of geocaches in your area by monitoring logs posted on geocache pages.  The following advice from CacheViewer was originally posted in the ANSG facebook page on ay 31, 2024:

Proximity is an issue that has been popping up lately and is common with newer cachers, but happens to the old timers too.

When you submit a listing for publication, if you are told you are within proximity of a cache, it would be wise to check the issue. If it is a traditional and you push through to submission, it is very likely to be sent back to you and told to move it. So, to speed that process up, clear the proximity to other tradtionals before submitting.

What the proximity circle on submission does not show you is unknown final locations of puzzles, multis, wherigos and letterboxes. A reviewer will alert you to proximities to those caches but will not tell you where that cache is located. They will generally let you know which cache is the issue. At that point, you can remember you solved it years ago and forgot (yes that happens), do the cache and find the location, or contact the cache owner and see if they would help you out ( it is up to them, they do not have to help you) Out of respect to the work put into those caches, the finals will not be shared by the reviewer.

When you are working on a puzzle, multi, letterbox, wherigo it is a good idea to ask for a proximity check before placing items. This could save you lots of trouble, like hiking or reworking of puzzles.

Dealing with proximity is not an issue to me, I do not expect you to know what you do not know (like puzzle finals) However I have seen an influx of new cachers not aware of unknown locations. To those, I suggest you take time and attempt some cache types other than traditional. Figure out how they work, and how to solve. The reviewers will always alert when needed.

Above all I encourage people to go to events; socialize with other cachers, ask questions, ask for assistance, make a geocaching buddy and plan a cache day to explore these different types of caches with people who may have more experience within you, or are as curious as you.

You can read the guidelines on saturation here: http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx#cachesaturation

Help center info on proximity here: https://www.geocaching.com/help/index.php?pg=kb.chapter&id=22&pgid=199