NorthWest Arkansas Cachers

Several months ago, the frog started allowing power trails. (Caches as close as 528 feet apart designed to increase smiley numbers)

Since that time, There have been at least 4 power trails placed in Arkansas. (Two around Little Rock, One near Hot Springs and one in LA). There is also one near Tulsa that is rumored to be expanding to cover Oklahoma from one side to the other. There also is talk about one being planned in the River Valley area.

What I'm wondering is:

What do you think of power trails? Have you done at least one? Is power-trailing geocaching?

*Slaps self across the face...

Argh, typed out a couple big long paragraphs on my thoughts and then accidentally closed the browser.

In a nut shell, while I used to be opposed to them starting off, I find myself not minding them so much as I've finally got it figured out, like so many others, that: "it's not about the numbers". If they can find enjoyment out of it, go for it. The diversity of geocaching and all it's variants makes this hobby all the more fun.

I have done some power trails. There is some towards Hot Springs that are really well planned. Some were even a challenge to find. I agree that their is a lot of diversity in geocaching and in the cachers themselves. I really don't have an opinion on them. And the good thing about caching is you can do the ones you want to do and pass by the ones that you don't care about doing.

The only difference between a power trail and a bunch of skirt lifter in town is the trail is usually in a straight line outside of town. I agree with Jffok if you don't like them just skip them. To each their own!They are good for a draw to bring other cachers in to the area sometimes even from another state.

I did one near Hot Springs last spring, it was 30 caches long. I think that they are lots of fun, especially when I was trying to pass my sister who lives in CA and who travels a lot.

I've done a few power trails. Most of the ones I did were on bike/hike-only trails in Wisconsin, so although technically they were power trails, you still had to put in a good deal of work to do them. There was also a major power trail near Primm, NV, along which a group of cachers supposedly found like 650 in a single day, but that trail was removed almost immediately due to invalid cache placements.

Well I went with Edieo on Friday and did the Hwy. 70 series down by Little Rock. Can say it was fun but also a lot of work. We replaced logs due to being wet or full about every 3rd. cache ,and could have replaced as many cracked are damaged container as well. Some of the caches had been replace right and some had just been thrown down close to where the cords. said. I know the wind and traffic could have blown some from the proper place as well. Guess since now that I have done a long power trail, would be that I don't see anything wrong with one as long as it is maintained and place properly in regards to safety for the ones hunting it. As always just my opinion!

And that gets to the point that I was trying to make. The Hwy 70 series doesn't seem to have been maintained by the owners since placed. Using all film canisters, there's no way that the logs won't get wet. I hope that anyone who does create a trail like this can and does maintain it and uses waterproof containers to start with.