"special equiptment"

[ar_kayaker]

I just placed a new cache that requires wading to get to. Depending on the water level on any given day it might be shin deep or it might be chest deep, but in either case you don't have to have special equipment to get to it...at least not during the summer.

When it is winter though I can't see a sane person going after this cache without at least waders. Does this make it terrain 5?

AK

[dlyle]

That would get my vote for a 5. And while you probably did include it in the description, I always like to know what I'm in for before I go after one.

[BackpacknJack]

My $.02 as to what > I < consider to be standard and specialized geocaching equipment or skills but here is a link to the GC page.
> difficulty ratings <
No special skills or equipment: If a pair of shoes, a hiking/walking staff, a GPS, a compass and 1 bottle of water will get you there then it is not a 5.
Special equipment or skills: rope, boat, 4X4, more then 1 bottle of water, boots, waders, a trained attack dog, or anything sharper then a Mother-N-Law's Tongue.
So whether you are crossing water by 4X4, boat, waders, swimming (not everyone can swim so that is a specialized skill) or just wading across water where you would need boots or for safety's sake, knowledge of changing water conditions (the upper White River is a good example also) I would call it a 5. If you read a lot of logs like I do you will find people aren't all that happy about expending a lot more time or energy then they expected because of the rating you put on a cache but most cachers like finding it a lot easier then expected.
I find that trying to figure out "one size fits all" difficulty levels is the hardest part of placing a cache. Good luck with yours.

[ar_kayaker]

So whether you are crossing water by 4X4, boat, waders, swimming (not everyone can swim so that is a specialized skill) or just wading across water where you would need boots or for safety's sake, knowledge of changing water conditions (the upper White River is a good example also) I would call it a 5.

The clayjar system rates the cache as terrain 4 unless I check the special equiptment buttom. The question really hinges on how you define "required." I guess I can treat it like I do the one on the far side of the river where I raise and lower the terrain depending on the season.

I just can't see swimming as a specialized skill (and swimming isn't required anyway unless you are under 4' tall)

AK

[BackpacknJack]

I just can't see swimming as a specialized skill (and swimming isn't required anyway unless you are under 4' tall) AK

That would make Mark Spitz soooo sad