Maintenance Madness 2023 Event Cache

Summer is coming to an end -- time once again to get your Geocaches prepared for winter! Geocaching is much more fun when the containers are in good shape and well-stocked. Do you remember the fun you had when you found your first well-maintained caches? You've spent time creating and placing caches, and hopefully they've withstood the elements - why not give them a visit and be sure they are ready for winter visitors?

This is an outdoor event, rain or shine -- join us, GEOregon and verano, at this location, chosen for its proximity to both Vancouver and Portland-area cachers! Share stories with other cachers, have some snacks, and peruse tables full of geocaching supplies. Columbia Springs itself has created two Adventure Labs onsite, and The SuperKnotts a third, and there are a few traditional geocaches to be found here also. And we always have some prizes to give away. Lastly, when the event is over, we hope this event will have reminded you to always carry some maintenance supplies to make geocaches more fun for others to find.

• Peer motivation!
• Cache maintenance supplies
• Snacks
• Guidelines for maintaining Geocaches
• An event smilie

What to bring:

• Your own cache maintenance supplies, like pens, gloves, rags, swag, baggies, plant clippers and extraction tools, CITO bags, GPS receiver, hand sanitizer.

After the event, what do I do?

• Go forth into the world and perform cache maintenance! (see checklist below)

What if I don't own any geocaches?

• There's plenty you can do to help maintain geocaches you do not own. You can dry the container, add swag and replace baggies, add an additional log sheet or a pen, and CITO the area. Just be sure not to move or replace the container without the cache owner's permission. If someone else's cache needs to be moved or replaced, send an email or geocaching.com message to the cache owner, and/or log a "Needs Maintenance" on the cache page.

What to do at the end of the day:

• Relax and reward yourself for all your amazing work!

We know you cannot visit all of your caches today, but even if you only visit a few, your fellow cachers will have a much better time visiting them after they are spruced up! And don't forget CITO!!! No one wants to walk over trash to find your cache!

Geocache reviewers are placing renewed emphasis that it is the Cache Owner's responsibility to keep their cache in good shape, so some of the following guidelines are perhaps different from what you have heard or done in the past.

Cache maintenance checklist (be prepared!):

• Cracked lids - if you are not the cache owner, log a "Needs Maintenance"
• Rusted containers - if you are not the cache owner, log a "Needs Maintenance"
• No swag - add some if you like
• Inappropriate swag - remove and dispose if appropriate
• Full or soaking wet logs - if you are not the cache owner, log a "Needs Maintenance". Non-owners can add a dry log if you wish
• Torn baggies - replace if you like
• Wet containers - dry it out or log a "Needs Maintenance"
• Wet contents - dry it out or log a "Needs Maintenance"
• Caches where the cache owner needs to check that the location is correct or still appropriate, or that the container is still there (non-cache-owners should NOT replace or move the cache. Simply log a "needs maintenance" on these, stating the reason)
• Bison tubes that need new o-rings - if you are not the cache owner, log a "Needs Maintenance"
• Sites that desperately need cleanup - CITO if you can
• Containers in need of glue or magnets - if you are not the cache owner, log a "Needs Maintenance"