beta testing in acadia....

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10-25-2006, 10:13 AM
photogo

beta testing in acadia....

Hi everyone,

The NPS folks at Acadia are developing a cache, and hope it will be a prototype for geocaches in the NPS more generally. They are testing it with park staff now, but are hoping that actual geocachers will come and try it out so that they can be sure it's the kind of cache we like and that they've done a good job. If anyone is interested in giving it a whirl BEFORE December 1 (when the loop road in the park closes for the winter), let me know and i'll get you all the data. The park folks realize that they've had a somewhat adversarial relationship with geocachers in the past but now they really are trying to meet us half-way. The cache they've developed is a multi, and the version i saw, the alpha-test, i guess you could say, was pretty nice.
10-25-2006, 11:28 AM
firefighterjake

Quote:

Originally Posted by photogo

Hi everyone,

The NPS folks at Acadia are developing a cache, and hope it will be a prototype for geocaches in the NPS more generally. They are testing it with park staff now, but are hoping that actual geocachers will come and try it out so that they can be sure it's the kind of cache we like and that they've done a good job. If anyone is interested in giving it a whirl BEFORE December 1 (when the loop road in the park closes for the winter), let me know and i'll get you all the data. The park folks realize that they've had a somewhat adversarial relationship with geocachers in the past but now they really are trying to meet us half-way. The cache they've developed is a multi, and the version i saw, the alpha-test, i guess you could say, was pretty nice.

I'd be interested since my sister and brother-in-law from Alaska are coming to visit me in another week or so and I thought a visit to Acadia/Bar Harbor is a must-do . . . and introducing them to geocaching would just put some icing on the proverbial cake.
10-25-2006, 11:53 AM
becket

i want to do it! i want to do it!
10-25-2006, 02:36 PM
Rabbit&Turtle

I'd love to do it, I'm in/around Acadia every day during the week, and would love a cache hunt after work. Thanks
10-25-2006, 03:35 PM
Haffy

Thanks for the post Margot and I hope that through this site we will be able to beta-test the cache and that everything will go as planned. I am hoping that there will be a lot of interest in this test and I'm sure that each one who does do the cache will give some great feedback to the NPS and hopefully they will be allowing more caching in all parks throughout the country. We can only hope that things work out in the geocachers favor. I know you have been involved with working this out with the NPS for some time now and wish the best of luck with this test. Keep up the good work and keep taking those awesome photos as well.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Margot Kelly here is a site that might help to familiarize yourself with her. I met her last year at Colby where she did a seminar on geocaching through her eyes and with her photography and it was very informative.

http://www.margotannekelley.com/loca...es_thebook.htm
10-25-2006, 05:42 PM
Zoltarus

Count me in!!! I could spare a Trackable Limited Edition Acadia National Park Geocoin for the Cache if they want one.

Do you need my National Park Pass Number? it cost $10 to drive down the park loop road (beyond the toll booths).
10-25-2006, 06:28 PM
hollora

Sister from AK visitng

Quote:

Originally Posted by firefighterjake

I'd be interested since my sister and brother-in-law from Alaska are coming to visit me in another week or so and I thought a visit to Acadia/Bar Harbor is a must-do . . . and introducing them to geocaching would just put some icing on the proverbial cake.

Oh Jake, Oh Jake I have a TB that wants to go to AK..........can I give it to you to give to your sister to put in a cache in AK???? Please, Please, Please - TGIF;)
10-25-2006, 06:29 PM
hollora

yup, I am on to doing this one too - will you be PMing the coords?
10-25-2006, 06:45 PM
becket

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollora

yup, I am on to doing this one too - will you be PMing the coords?

the tgif gang can talk about this cache when we meet on friday - maybe we can all do it together!
10-26-2006, 05:31 AM
firefighterjake

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollora

Oh Jake, Oh Jake I have a TB that wants to go to AK..........can I give it to you to give to your sister to put in a cache in AK???? Please, Please, Please - TGIF;)

I can give it to her, but I don't think they have a GPSr so placing one in a cache might be a bit tricky unless they can decipher where one is based solely on the clues.
10-26-2006, 12:59 PM
Smitty & Co.

Just recieved this email..........Re: Arcadia's cache

Jim "Zol", and Randy "Smitty & Co.",

It is OUTSTANDING to hear from you two! Yesterday was our first trial run
with a park employee who has not been involved in the program's creation.
I immediately noted a problem in some wording at two locations. Later
today after I make some corrections, I will send to you a .pdf file that
you can print off. It will be similar to what will be available off the
net this spring. In order to get school kids involved in caching, our idea
was to allow the participant to log onto the park website, enter a password
and get a printed certificate of completion. That part of the beta-test is
not available to the public yet, but it's awesome! We also don't have a
cancellation stamp made yet.

The important information I need from you will be:
1) How long did the course take you? I am estimating 4-6 hours, during
which you will get to see a very large portion of the park.
2) Do I need to work on any clues to make locating the areas easier or more
difficult?
3) Was the course fun and interesting?

Please be brutally honest with your answers. We want to make this a very
cool experience. If for some reason one of my clues really is poor (which
I don't believe will happen), you can contact me at the number below.

Please keep in mind that this is a pilot program aimed to strike a balance
between the desires of traditional geocachers and the regulations,
mandates, policies of the National Park Service. For that reason, there is
no traditional cache. What you will be experiencing is a puzzle or mystery
cache with multiple offset caches. At the end there will eventually be a
log book and cancellation stamp. I haven't carved the cancellation stamp
yet. If you know of someone who is especially talented as a stamp carver,
I'd love to make contact with them.

Thanks again!

Stuart West
Branch Chief -- Remote Areas
Acadia National Park
P.O. Box 177
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
(207) 288-8773
(207) 288-8792 (fax)
10-26-2006, 03:07 PM
Smitty & Co.

2 Attachment(s)

Newest update and info on Beta test

For those that are interested, here is the latest. :)

Smitty, Zol, Firefighter Jake, Rich,

The program has been updated today, so the program is all yours to test
out. Feel free to share this with other cachers visiting the area. I ask
the same of them as I ask of you, though. Please respond to the following
questions and provide any other input to help me make this the best it can
be.

1) How long did the course take you? I am estimating 4-6 hours and could
be way off.
2) Do I need to work on any clues to make locating the areas easier or more
difficult?
3) Was the course fun and interesting?

I'll be excited to hear what you think. What you may or may not know is
that this is a pilot program for the National Park Service and other
federal land management agencies. This program is actually shaping the
future of caching on federal lands. That is one reason why your input is
so important.

(See attached file: Intro.pdf)(See attached file: StoryOfGlaciers.pdf)

Best Regards,

Stuart West
Branch Chief -- Remote Areas
Acadia National Park
P.O. Box 177
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
(207) 288-8773
(207) 288-8792 (fax)
10-27-2006, 12:20 AM
Zoltarus

I will be checking out the cache this weekend.

If you are in the area I recommend visiting "Picnic on Somes Sound" it is a really nice out of the way little park with picnic tables right on the shore.

Fjord or Fjard it is still one of the most beautiful places in the country.