Forum software has been updated!
- If you subscribed to Digests, click your name on the top right, then User Control Panel, then Digests tab and resubscribe.
2015 CAM Information Page
-
cooley1103
- Former MGS Officer
- Posts: 1269
- Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2009 11:51 pm
- 14
2015 CAM Information Page
Subscribe to this thread to receive the most current information about CAM 2015 as it progresses from planning to completion!
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
CAM 2015 merchandise can now be purchased at the MGS store.
You can use the following link MGS Store
You can use the following link MGS Store
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
CAM FAQ
Following is a list of frequently asked questions about CAM. Most of these questions have been accumulated from previous FAQs posted to the forum with a couple new ones added this year.
What is CAM?
CAM (Cache Across Maryland) is an annual event hosted by the Maryland Geocaching Society. 10 members are chosen by the MGS CAM Committee to place a total of 10 CAM caches in various locations all over Maryland. Your mission is to find all 10 of those caches and have a wonderful time travelling around this fine State. If you find all 10 and gather the special code from each one, the location of the annual CAM celebratory picnic will be revealed and you're invited to attend.
When is CAM?
It varies from year to year, but the hunt typically begins on a Saturday in mid-March, and the picnic is typically the 1st weekend in May. This year CAM start Saturday March 21st and the picnic will be on Saturday May 2nd.
Where is the picnic?
You need to find all the caches and get the information from each one. A special decoder is published each year shortly before the picnic that will reveal the location when paired with the information you discovered (and wrote down, right?) in each cache. The picnic is held in a different location each year, and finding out where is part of the fun!
Who can participate?
Any geocacher can participate, regardless of experience. You must have a valid account on geocaching.com and your geocaching.com username will appear on your Certificate of Completion. If you're not a member of the MGS that's OK, but you're encouraged to join.
Do I need to find all the CAM Caches to attend the picnic?
Yes! The picnic is a special event for those that find all of the caches and you need to visit each cache to get the information needed to find the picnic.
Boy, there is a lot of driving needed to get all the caches! Can I join a group and carpool?
Of course! Just seek out other participants and form a group. You can even post in the forums and ask. There is typically a forum thread dedicated to carpooling as well.
What can I expect the caches to be like? How hard are they?
The CAM caches are usually (but not always) up to a 2.5 Difficulty, 2.5 Terrain rating and a Traditional. Size is at least a regular. You might run into a Multi-Cache or an on-site Puzzle cache occasionally.
What happens to the CAM caches after CAM each year?
The CAM caches are often transferred to the hider of the cache or otherwise adopted out and maintained like any other cache. In some cases the hides are archived, for instance if hide permission is granted by the land manager specifically just for CAM.
Where is the cache information for each of the caches?
On the morning of opening day the cache pages get published in the forums as .pdf files for viewing, and are also included in a special .gpx file you can load on your GPSr. They are NOT published on geocaching.com until after the picnic. The CAM caches will be published on the forums at sunrise which is 7:09AM on March 21st. A word of warning though: You MUST adhere to any restrictions on access times for the land the cache is placed on. Violating legal land access times will not be tolerated, is illegal, and puts future CAMs in jeopardy. The MGS won't bail you out of the Stoney Lonesome either. We try to put accurate hours on the cache listings, but it is your responsibility to comply with local laws.
If the CAM caches aren't published on geocaching.com until after the CAM Picnic, what do I do about logging them in the meantime?
At the start of CAM, a topic will be opened here on the forums for each cache. You may log your experience in that topic and when the caches are published on geocaching.com after the picnic, you can cut and paste your logs. Of course, you can just keep your own notes somewhere until they are available for logging on geocaching.com.
I care what order my caches get logged on geocaching.com and I log using the real found date. If the CAM caches aren't available for logging on geocaching.com until after the picnic, how can I keep them in order along with all my other finds during CAM?
The simple answer is that you can't unless you wait till after CAM to log everything you found during CAM on geocaching.com. If you only worry about find milestone order, then you can use the milestone features on geocaching.com to keep milestones accurate in your account. You are strongly encouraged to backdate your logs on geocaching.com with the actual date during CAM that you found them.
I've got this really cool Travel Bug or other Trackable. Can I put it in a CAM Cache?
Please don't. Since the caches aren't published on geocaching.com during CAM, it isn't possible to log them into or out of the cache, and that's not fair to the owner of the trackable. So, please don't place any in a CAM cache during CAM. If you find one, please take it with you and put it in a cache that's listed on geocaching.com.
Is there any sort of reward for finishing?
Each person with a geocaching.com handle will receive a certificate for completing CAM. In addition, those geocachers that are able to make the CAM picnic will receive a CAM geocoin trackable at geocaching.com.
If I cannot make the picnic, will I be able to get a certificate and a coin?
Any geocacher that does not attend the CAM picnic will still receive a certificate which can be picked up at a future event, but the geocacher will not earn a geocoin.
Can I have someone else pick up my coin?
Sorry, you must be present to receive your coin.
Can I have someone buy a coin for me at the picnic?
Yes, once all coins have been handed out at the picnic, the remaining coins will be sold by the MGS officers. You can have someone buy a coin for you.
Each member of my family has their own geocaching.com handle, including our newborn, will they each get a geocoin for completing CAM.
Every member of your family which has a geocaching.com handle and found all 10 CAM caches will receive a CAM coin. Though we do not require it, we encourage families which earn several geocoins, to make a donation to the MGS. Selling the remaining CAM geocoins are a way for the MGS to raise money to cover the cost of holding CAM and other events through the year. Many of the MGS members with families give a donation at the CAM picnic to cover some of the cost of the geocoins their family earn. If you wish to give a donation, there will be a donation jar located near the sign in.
How will you know I've found all the caches and I'm finished?
Details on how to tell us you've finished can vary from year to year. Check out that year's CAM Information post in the forums for details. It is VERY IMPORTANT to let us know you've finished so we can make the picnic as enjoyable as possible for everyone and to be sure you receive your Certificate of Completion, etc.
Is there anything else to do during CAM but find the caches?
There are often some other contests going on, such as the Best Photo contest, vote for your Favorite Hide, etc. and there are a ton of competitions and awards at the picnic. Suggestions are always welcome!
What if I can't find one of the caches, it's missing, or damaged?
You can contact any of the MGS Officers at any time to report any issue with a CAM hide during CAM. We'll coordinate repair or replacement of a hide as quickly as possible so you can make another attempt, but you must find all of them to complete CAM. After the picnic, please contact the cache owner.
I'm really hungry after all that caching. What's to eat at the picnic?
The picnic is a grand pot luck and barbeque. A few weeks before the picnic a forum topic will be started where you can tell us what you're planning to bring.
Who pays for all this?
You do, through your generous donation of time, goods, or money to the MGS. You can offer monetary support through various ways, including the purchase of MGS and special CAM merchandise from the MGS Store, direct donations, purchase of an MGS Maryland License Plate, donations of items for MGS Silent Auctions, and participating in other fundraising activities throughout the year. Everything goes back to the community in accordance with our by-laws.
I noticed last year that CAM did not go fully into the Eastern Shore with two CAM caches right on the Chesapeake Bay. As much as it made it easy for us to do CAM in a shorter trip, I missed heading out to Somerset/Worcester/Dorchester County for CAM. Was that intentional to shorten the CAM trip? Will there be a CAM cache in one of those counties this year?
When the 2014 CAM locations were chosen by the MGS Core, the distance to travel to all 10 locations played an important part. With rising gas prices, the decision was made to shorten the trip. While this led to no caches being placed on the farthest eastern locations of Maryland, the shorter distance was popular with geocachers. We had many geocachers finished CAM within the first few days, and many of them were first time CAM participants. The MGS Core this year took this into consideration when selecting locations for CAM 2015, so there may be a shift in where the CAM caches are located this year. And if there is a section of Maryland missing a CAM cache or two, there will likely be a CAM cache next year.
I usually get a hotel on the Friday before the start of CAM in (Ocean City, Elkton, St. Mary’s County, Grantsville). Can you let me know if I shouldn’t get a hotel room in one of those locations because there is not a CAM cache near there?
When will the CAM Teaser Map be released?
I will answer these two questions together. Part of the excitement of CAM is the secrecy of where the CAM locations are. So we will not make a statement, “Don’t get a hotel in Southern Maryland, because we didn’t put any caches there this year.” But a way to get around this is that we will release the CAM Teaser Map about 10 days before the start of CAM which should give anyone enough time to adjust their travel plans.
Following is a list of frequently asked questions about CAM. Most of these questions have been accumulated from previous FAQs posted to the forum with a couple new ones added this year.
What is CAM?
CAM (Cache Across Maryland) is an annual event hosted by the Maryland Geocaching Society. 10 members are chosen by the MGS CAM Committee to place a total of 10 CAM caches in various locations all over Maryland. Your mission is to find all 10 of those caches and have a wonderful time travelling around this fine State. If you find all 10 and gather the special code from each one, the location of the annual CAM celebratory picnic will be revealed and you're invited to attend.
When is CAM?
It varies from year to year, but the hunt typically begins on a Saturday in mid-March, and the picnic is typically the 1st weekend in May. This year CAM start Saturday March 21st and the picnic will be on Saturday May 2nd.
Where is the picnic?
You need to find all the caches and get the information from each one. A special decoder is published each year shortly before the picnic that will reveal the location when paired with the information you discovered (and wrote down, right?) in each cache. The picnic is held in a different location each year, and finding out where is part of the fun!
Who can participate?
Any geocacher can participate, regardless of experience. You must have a valid account on geocaching.com and your geocaching.com username will appear on your Certificate of Completion. If you're not a member of the MGS that's OK, but you're encouraged to join.
Do I need to find all the CAM Caches to attend the picnic?
Yes! The picnic is a special event for those that find all of the caches and you need to visit each cache to get the information needed to find the picnic.
Boy, there is a lot of driving needed to get all the caches! Can I join a group and carpool?
Of course! Just seek out other participants and form a group. You can even post in the forums and ask. There is typically a forum thread dedicated to carpooling as well.
What can I expect the caches to be like? How hard are they?
The CAM caches are usually (but not always) up to a 2.5 Difficulty, 2.5 Terrain rating and a Traditional. Size is at least a regular. You might run into a Multi-Cache or an on-site Puzzle cache occasionally.
What happens to the CAM caches after CAM each year?
The CAM caches are often transferred to the hider of the cache or otherwise adopted out and maintained like any other cache. In some cases the hides are archived, for instance if hide permission is granted by the land manager specifically just for CAM.
Where is the cache information for each of the caches?
On the morning of opening day the cache pages get published in the forums as .pdf files for viewing, and are also included in a special .gpx file you can load on your GPSr. They are NOT published on geocaching.com until after the picnic. The CAM caches will be published on the forums at sunrise which is 7:09AM on March 21st. A word of warning though: You MUST adhere to any restrictions on access times for the land the cache is placed on. Violating legal land access times will not be tolerated, is illegal, and puts future CAMs in jeopardy. The MGS won't bail you out of the Stoney Lonesome either. We try to put accurate hours on the cache listings, but it is your responsibility to comply with local laws.
If the CAM caches aren't published on geocaching.com until after the CAM Picnic, what do I do about logging them in the meantime?
At the start of CAM, a topic will be opened here on the forums for each cache. You may log your experience in that topic and when the caches are published on geocaching.com after the picnic, you can cut and paste your logs. Of course, you can just keep your own notes somewhere until they are available for logging on geocaching.com.
I care what order my caches get logged on geocaching.com and I log using the real found date. If the CAM caches aren't available for logging on geocaching.com until after the picnic, how can I keep them in order along with all my other finds during CAM?
The simple answer is that you can't unless you wait till after CAM to log everything you found during CAM on geocaching.com. If you only worry about find milestone order, then you can use the milestone features on geocaching.com to keep milestones accurate in your account. You are strongly encouraged to backdate your logs on geocaching.com with the actual date during CAM that you found them.
I've got this really cool Travel Bug or other Trackable. Can I put it in a CAM Cache?
Please don't. Since the caches aren't published on geocaching.com during CAM, it isn't possible to log them into or out of the cache, and that's not fair to the owner of the trackable. So, please don't place any in a CAM cache during CAM. If you find one, please take it with you and put it in a cache that's listed on geocaching.com.
Is there any sort of reward for finishing?
Each person with a geocaching.com handle will receive a certificate for completing CAM. In addition, those geocachers that are able to make the CAM picnic will receive a CAM geocoin trackable at geocaching.com.
If I cannot make the picnic, will I be able to get a certificate and a coin?
Any geocacher that does not attend the CAM picnic will still receive a certificate which can be picked up at a future event, but the geocacher will not earn a geocoin.
Can I have someone else pick up my coin?
Sorry, you must be present to receive your coin.
Can I have someone buy a coin for me at the picnic?
Yes, once all coins have been handed out at the picnic, the remaining coins will be sold by the MGS officers. You can have someone buy a coin for you.
Each member of my family has their own geocaching.com handle, including our newborn, will they each get a geocoin for completing CAM.
Every member of your family which has a geocaching.com handle and found all 10 CAM caches will receive a CAM coin. Though we do not require it, we encourage families which earn several geocoins, to make a donation to the MGS. Selling the remaining CAM geocoins are a way for the MGS to raise money to cover the cost of holding CAM and other events through the year. Many of the MGS members with families give a donation at the CAM picnic to cover some of the cost of the geocoins their family earn. If you wish to give a donation, there will be a donation jar located near the sign in.
How will you know I've found all the caches and I'm finished?
Details on how to tell us you've finished can vary from year to year. Check out that year's CAM Information post in the forums for details. It is VERY IMPORTANT to let us know you've finished so we can make the picnic as enjoyable as possible for everyone and to be sure you receive your Certificate of Completion, etc.
Is there anything else to do during CAM but find the caches?
There are often some other contests going on, such as the Best Photo contest, vote for your Favorite Hide, etc. and there are a ton of competitions and awards at the picnic. Suggestions are always welcome!
What if I can't find one of the caches, it's missing, or damaged?
You can contact any of the MGS Officers at any time to report any issue with a CAM hide during CAM. We'll coordinate repair or replacement of a hide as quickly as possible so you can make another attempt, but you must find all of them to complete CAM. After the picnic, please contact the cache owner.
I'm really hungry after all that caching. What's to eat at the picnic?
The picnic is a grand pot luck and barbeque. A few weeks before the picnic a forum topic will be started where you can tell us what you're planning to bring.
Who pays for all this?
You do, through your generous donation of time, goods, or money to the MGS. You can offer monetary support through various ways, including the purchase of MGS and special CAM merchandise from the MGS Store, direct donations, purchase of an MGS Maryland License Plate, donations of items for MGS Silent Auctions, and participating in other fundraising activities throughout the year. Everything goes back to the community in accordance with our by-laws.
I noticed last year that CAM did not go fully into the Eastern Shore with two CAM caches right on the Chesapeake Bay. As much as it made it easy for us to do CAM in a shorter trip, I missed heading out to Somerset/Worcester/Dorchester County for CAM. Was that intentional to shorten the CAM trip? Will there be a CAM cache in one of those counties this year?
When the 2014 CAM locations were chosen by the MGS Core, the distance to travel to all 10 locations played an important part. With rising gas prices, the decision was made to shorten the trip. While this led to no caches being placed on the farthest eastern locations of Maryland, the shorter distance was popular with geocachers. We had many geocachers finished CAM within the first few days, and many of them were first time CAM participants. The MGS Core this year took this into consideration when selecting locations for CAM 2015, so there may be a shift in where the CAM caches are located this year. And if there is a section of Maryland missing a CAM cache or two, there will likely be a CAM cache next year.
I usually get a hotel on the Friday before the start of CAM in (Ocean City, Elkton, St. Mary’s County, Grantsville). Can you let me know if I shouldn’t get a hotel room in one of those locations because there is not a CAM cache near there?
When will the CAM Teaser Map be released?
I will answer these two questions together. Part of the excitement of CAM is the secrecy of where the CAM locations are. So we will not make a statement, “Don’t get a hotel in Southern Maryland, because we didn’t put any caches there this year.” But a way to get around this is that we will release the CAM Teaser Map about 10 days before the start of CAM which should give anyone enough time to adjust their travel plans.
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
I arrived at my desk this morning with a nondescript manilla envelope onto top of it. All that was written on the envelope was the message - For MGS Eyes Only. I opened it up to find a satellite image of state of Maryland with some weird shapes on it. I will post it here since you guys probably know what this means. Enjoy.
Teaser Map
Teaser Map
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
A student from Frostburg University, Andrew, is creating a documentary about geocaching for one of his classes at Frostburg. He was at WVTim's event this past weekend interviewing geocachers. He will be at one of the CAM locations early in the morning on Saturday. If you are willing to take a couple minutes to share your geocaching experience with him, he will more than gladly interview you.
-
BethanyInWonderland
- Former MGS Officer
- Posts: 106
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:44 pm
- 12
-
BethanyInWonderland
- Former MGS Officer
- Posts: 106
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:44 pm
- 12
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
Look for at least 8 bonus caches that will be published on the morning of March 21st. The bonus caches are located at at least 4 of the CAM 2015 sites. A bookmark list has been created and the link will be available in the CAM 2015 kick off message Saturday morning. There are lots of other great published caches near the CAM caches and mentioned in the cache pages, too!
-
BethanyInWonderland
- Former MGS Officer
- Posts: 106
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:44 pm
- 12
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
***REMEMBER THAT THESE PARKS ARE NOT OPEN UNTIL DAWN, SO PLEASE DO NOT ENTER AFTER HOURS, NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING***
Be safe, have a good time, and enjoy the state. Hope to see you at the event.
Welcome to the 2015 CACHE ACROSS MARYLAND!
Below you will find all of the information needed to complete CAM. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. You can post your questions in the CAM forums here on the site.
In the download locations, you will find:
1. PDF files of the ten (10) CAM caches
2. The GPX file of the 10 CAM caches
3. CAM Passport
4. The Overview Map of the 10 CAM caches
BE SURE TO NOTE THE CLUE ON/IN EACH CAM CACHE! You can write this on your CAM Passport, in a notebook, etc. There is also a QR Code attached to each CAM cache containing the code letter, its use is of course optional, but could make your decoding faster later. THIS CLUE IS VERY IMPORTANT!! About a week or so prior to the event, we will publish a decoder to use the letters you recorded that will determine the coordinates for the event.
CAM caches will not be published until the day of the event, Saturday, May 2nd, so you CANNOT log them FOUND until then (even if you do not find all 10, you can still log the ones you actually found). You may use the appropriate thread in the CAM forums to temporarily log it. When the cache is live, you can merely copy/paste your log. NO SPOILERS PLEASE.
There will also be a photo gallery set up on the MGS website for you to upload photos.
Speaking of photos, this year we will be doing another CAM PHOTO CONTEST, with the winners to be judged at the event. See this thread for more info.
There are several bonus caches being released this morning in conjunction with CAM. Here is a bookmark list: List of Bonus Caches. If these caches have not already been published this morning, they will be published shortly. Make sure these caches are loaded into your GPS'r.
We also plan to have a vote for "Favorite CAM cache" so keep that in mind when you are seeking them. We tried to keep everything uniform and bring you to each area, so rather than doing "scenic" or "creative", we'll just lump it into one favorite, which can be for any reason!
Also, since the caches will not be listed until the event, DO NOT LEAVE TRAVEL BUGS in the caches. If you want to use your own TB/geocoin for mileage that's fine (you'll need to log it after May 3rd) but with no way to keep track of TBs, the CAM caches aren't a good place to drop them until the caches are actually live.
AFTER you have completed CAM, send an email to [email=CAM2015Completion@mdgps.org?subject=CAM Completion&body=My geocaching.com username is:]CAM2015Completion@mdgps.org[/email] with the subject "CAM Completion" and containing your geocaching.com name, this information will be used to create the CAM Certificates and also determine how many will be attending the picnic. If you don't put "CAM Completion" in the title, there is a chance that your email will be overlooked.
The event will be Saturday, MAY 2nd and will be potluck, please bring a dish to share. For those that have not attended an MGS event, there is always plenty of food so do not feel the need to feed a small army. At some point when it looks like you're finished with CAM, please post a note on the event page with what you intend to bring so we don't end up with too many of the same items.
PLEASE OBEY ALL PARK HOURS. The caches are NOT night accessible. The CAM planners realize this is a large undertaking but please budget your time wisely so you're not tempted to go in after dark. You risk being prosecuted or at the very least having your car locked in after hours. A couple of the parks open at a specific time and not at sunrise. Please respect those hours.
With all the snow we have had this winter, there is a possibility that there may be snow on the trails which could increase the terrain rating by 1/1.5 points. Even if the snow has melted, with all the precipitation we have received this winter, expect many of the trails to be very muddy. Expect the worse, hope for the best, and be careful on the trails.
Have fun, enjoy yourselves, enjoy the scenery of this beautiful state, enjoy the caches, enjoy the company of your family and friends, and we hope to see you all on May 2nd.
The following links contain all the information needed to participate in CAM. Good Luck and have a Safe and Happy CAM!
All files individually (right-click and "Save As" or "Download"):
CAM 2015-wpts.gpx
CAM 2015.gpx
CAM 2015 map
CAM caches pages and passport (updated to include Thomas Stone as of 9:07 am, 3/21/15 - see below)
CAM passport
Alternate location (right-click and "Save As" or "Download"):
CAM 2015-wpts.gpx
CAM 2015.gpx
CAM 2015 map
CAM caches pages and passport(updated to include Thomas Stone as of 9:07 am, 3/21/15 - see below)
CAM passport
For all files in one Zip:
zip version 1
Alternate location:
zip version 2
Be safe, have a good time, and enjoy the state. Hope to see you at the event.
Welcome to the 2015 CACHE ACROSS MARYLAND!
Below you will find all of the information needed to complete CAM. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. You can post your questions in the CAM forums here on the site.
In the download locations, you will find:
1. PDF files of the ten (10) CAM caches
2. The GPX file of the 10 CAM caches
3. CAM Passport
4. The Overview Map of the 10 CAM caches
BE SURE TO NOTE THE CLUE ON/IN EACH CAM CACHE! You can write this on your CAM Passport, in a notebook, etc. There is also a QR Code attached to each CAM cache containing the code letter, its use is of course optional, but could make your decoding faster later. THIS CLUE IS VERY IMPORTANT!! About a week or so prior to the event, we will publish a decoder to use the letters you recorded that will determine the coordinates for the event.
CAM caches will not be published until the day of the event, Saturday, May 2nd, so you CANNOT log them FOUND until then (even if you do not find all 10, you can still log the ones you actually found). You may use the appropriate thread in the CAM forums to temporarily log it. When the cache is live, you can merely copy/paste your log. NO SPOILERS PLEASE.
There will also be a photo gallery set up on the MGS website for you to upload photos.Speaking of photos, this year we will be doing another CAM PHOTO CONTEST, with the winners to be judged at the event. See this thread for more info.
There are several bonus caches being released this morning in conjunction with CAM. Here is a bookmark list: List of Bonus Caches. If these caches have not already been published this morning, they will be published shortly. Make sure these caches are loaded into your GPS'r.
We also plan to have a vote for "Favorite CAM cache" so keep that in mind when you are seeking them. We tried to keep everything uniform and bring you to each area, so rather than doing "scenic" or "creative", we'll just lump it into one favorite, which can be for any reason!
Also, since the caches will not be listed until the event, DO NOT LEAVE TRAVEL BUGS in the caches. If you want to use your own TB/geocoin for mileage that's fine (you'll need to log it after May 3rd) but with no way to keep track of TBs, the CAM caches aren't a good place to drop them until the caches are actually live.
AFTER you have completed CAM, send an email to [email=CAM2015Completion@mdgps.org?subject=CAM Completion&body=My geocaching.com username is:]CAM2015Completion@mdgps.org[/email] with the subject "CAM Completion" and containing your geocaching.com name, this information will be used to create the CAM Certificates and also determine how many will be attending the picnic. If you don't put "CAM Completion" in the title, there is a chance that your email will be overlooked.
The event will be Saturday, MAY 2nd and will be potluck, please bring a dish to share. For those that have not attended an MGS event, there is always plenty of food so do not feel the need to feed a small army. At some point when it looks like you're finished with CAM, please post a note on the event page with what you intend to bring so we don't end up with too many of the same items.
PLEASE OBEY ALL PARK HOURS. The caches are NOT night accessible. The CAM planners realize this is a large undertaking but please budget your time wisely so you're not tempted to go in after dark. You risk being prosecuted or at the very least having your car locked in after hours. A couple of the parks open at a specific time and not at sunrise. Please respect those hours.
With all the snow we have had this winter, there is a possibility that there may be snow on the trails which could increase the terrain rating by 1/1.5 points. Even if the snow has melted, with all the precipitation we have received this winter, expect many of the trails to be very muddy. Expect the worse, hope for the best, and be careful on the trails.
Have fun, enjoy yourselves, enjoy the scenery of this beautiful state, enjoy the caches, enjoy the company of your family and friends, and we hope to see you all on May 2nd.
The following links contain all the information needed to participate in CAM. Good Luck and have a Safe and Happy CAM!
All files individually (right-click and "Save As" or "Download"):
CAM 2015-wpts.gpx
CAM 2015.gpx
CAM 2015 map
CAM caches pages and passport (updated to include Thomas Stone as of 9:07 am, 3/21/15 - see below)
CAM passport
Alternate location (right-click and "Save As" or "Download"):
CAM 2015-wpts.gpx
CAM 2015.gpx
CAM 2015 map
CAM caches pages and passport(updated to include Thomas Stone as of 9:07 am, 3/21/15 - see below)
CAM passport
For all files in one Zip:
zip version 1
Alternate location:
zip version 2
-
BethanyInWonderland
- Former MGS Officer
- Posts: 106
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:44 pm
- 12
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
Until we can get the full file fixed, here's an individual file of the Thomas Stone pdf. The cache info is correct in the gpx files.
- Attachments
-
- (GC5HXWT) CAM 2015 - Thomas Stone by mdgps.pdf
- PDF of Thomas Stone CAM 2015 cache
- (1.11 MiB) Downloaded 601 times
-
BethanyInWonderland
- Former MGS Officer
- Posts: 106
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:44 pm
- 12
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
The pdf file is updated now - thanks for the note, CacheYouTwo, and for fixing, Robert!
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
I apologize to anyone who was turned away from Thomas Stone yesterday afternoon. There was a miscommunication between us and the park ranger at Thomas Stone. We are addressing the issue right now and hope to have a resolution soon. We were told that people are allowed to walk the premises during daylight hours even if the Welcome Center is closed, you just need to park near the front gate. Please adjust you plan accordingly today if needed. If you make it to Thomas Stone near the closing hour, you may want to park at the gate.
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
The issue with Thomas Stone has been resolved. Thomas Stone gate is open from Thursday through Sunday from 10-4. All other times the gate is closed, but during daylight hours, geocachers, hikers, etc are allowed onto the grounds, but need to park at the gate of which the coordinates to the gate are given on the Cache page listing.
You are asked to not park in front of the gate. The hike from the gate to the CAM cache would still be considered average for a CAM cache hike.
We are excited that we were able to place a CAM cache at a National Park Historic Site location and they are excited to be part of Cache Across America as they were to be part of the SSB and CJS Geotrails.
You are asked to not park in front of the gate. The hike from the gate to the CAM cache would still be considered average for a CAM cache hike.
We are excited that we were able to place a CAM cache at a National Park Historic Site location and they are excited to be part of Cache Across America as they were to be part of the SSB and CJS Geotrails.
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
I was hoping to make it through dinner before posting this, but I see the password was figured out. I need to work on better passwords. So as to not to have anyone with an unfair advantage I will post while eating dinner.
We were hoping they would arrive before the start of CAM but the CAM 2015 pathtag have finally hit the store shelves!!!!
The pathtag contains parts of the winning CAM 2015 artwork that will be on the geocoin.
Check out its page at:
http://www.geocoinstore.com/index.php?m ... cts_id=919
Password: CAM2015 (case sensitive)
We ordered 800 tags, which are being sold in groups of 20 for $20 plus s&h.
We were hoping they would arrive before the start of CAM but the CAM 2015 pathtag have finally hit the store shelves!!!!
The pathtag contains parts of the winning CAM 2015 artwork that will be on the geocoin.
Check out its page at:
http://www.geocoinstore.com/index.php?m ... cts_id=919
Password: CAM2015 (case sensitive)
We ordered 800 tags, which are being sold in groups of 20 for $20 plus s&h.
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
The thread for voting for your favorite 2015 CAM cache can be found here:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=8983
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=8983
-
robert
- MGS Site Admin
- Posts: 9338
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2003 12:00 am
- 20
- Location: Viva la vida
- Contact:
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
Attached to this post is the CAM 2015 Decoder. Due to the change in the decoder style from previous CAM it has been decided to share it early. If you've got the right clues, it will point you to the final location of the picnic. Please remember this is NOT public information.
Later on tonight, a link will be added to the CAM event cache page with a checker to verify your coordinates are correct. Remember, don't share it!
Have fun!
Later on tonight, a link will be added to the CAM event cache page with a checker to verify your coordinates are correct. Remember, don't share it!
Have fun!
-robert
MGS Site Admin, MGS Director, former Officer
Need to change or edit your username? Send me a PM!
Link to the MGS | Visit us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | robert@mdgps.org
MGS Site Admin, MGS Director, former Officer
Need to change or edit your username? Send me a PM!
Link to the MGS | Visit us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | robert@mdgps.org
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
Just a quick note, if you have not posted on the MGS forums before, you will need to have posted two posts on the forum before you will be able to vote on any poll. There is a chance that your first post will have to be manually approved by a forum moderator. This has to be done because we receive many inappropriate, spam, and/or non-geocaching messages from one-time posters who are not truly members of the MGS, and need to block them.
I know this is an inconvenience but the moderators try to keep up as fast as we can. You should receive an email that your message has been approved and after two message you should be able to vote on a poll.
Hope this helps everyone.
I know this is an inconvenience but the moderators try to keep up as fast as we can. You should receive an email that your message has been approved and after two message you should be able to vote on a poll.
Hope this helps everyone.
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
I want to give you some heads up. The CAM 2015 geocoins will not arrive in time for the picnic tomorrow. I was told by the company making the coins several times including the beginning of this week that the coins would arrive on time for the picnic, but they will not arrive until Monday in the earliest. As I was the contact person with the coin company for the MGS, I accept full responsibility for this.
We will begin working on a plan to get your coins to you in a timely manner. With many events being held in the month of May, including GeoWoodstock, we hope to see many of you and personally give you the CAM Geocoin. In addition, we have talked about holding events around the state to pass out the coins. For those that will not be attending any event in May including GeoWoodstock, we will work to make sure you receive your coin in a timely manner.
We will use the CAM Picnic logbook to determine who attended the picnic tomorrow and is awarded a free CAM 2015 Geocoin. Anyone who does not attend the picnic will still have to pay $10 for their coin.
Once again, I am sorry for this inconvenience and I still hope everyone can enjoy the picnic tomorrow.
And on a side note, the dunk the president booth has been cancelled for tomorrow.
We will begin working on a plan to get your coins to you in a timely manner. With many events being held in the month of May, including GeoWoodstock, we hope to see many of you and personally give you the CAM Geocoin. In addition, we have talked about holding events around the state to pass out the coins. For those that will not be attending any event in May including GeoWoodstock, we will work to make sure you receive your coin in a timely manner.
We will use the CAM Picnic logbook to determine who attended the picnic tomorrow and is awarded a free CAM 2015 Geocoin. Anyone who does not attend the picnic will still have to pay $10 for their coin.
Once again, I am sorry for this inconvenience and I still hope everyone can enjoy the picnic tomorrow.
And on a side note, the dunk the president booth has been cancelled for tomorrow.
-
deepdish23
- MGS Director
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:26 pm
- 13
Re: 2015 CAM Information Page
The CAM 2015 Geocoins finally arrived on Monday. I was able to pass some coins out at hunterKat’s event in Frederick yesterday. Please read carefully to the following. We would like to have you receive your coin in a timely matter, but the method of distributing coins I have given below will be the way to pass out the coins.
First off, I would like to reiterate that to receive a free 2015 CAM geocoin, you needed to have attended the picnic and have a username of geocaching.com. In addition, anyone who hid a 2015 CAM cache receives a CAM coin, and the winner of the CAM Logo Contest receives a CAM coin.
If you did not attend the picnic but completed CAM and would like to purchase a CAM geocoin, please email the CAM completion address: [email=CAM2015Completion@mdgps.org?subject=CAM Completion&body=My geocaching.com username is:]CAM2015Completion@mdgps.org[/email] and state that you like to purchase a coin or coins for $10 a piece, so we may reserve a coin for you. If you have already contacted one of the MGS Officers about this, we have your coin or coins already reserved for you.
If you would like to purchase extra CAM Geocoins for yourself or your family for $10, please email the CAM completion address so we may reserve those coins for you. If you are purchasing coins, please have the money when we give you your coins.
I will be at the following event/meetings in the next couple of weeks and will hand out coins there:
GC5QPYM – First Wednesday 2015 – Return of The Burger – Rockville MD - 5/6/2015 7PM
GeoWoodstock meeting
GC5TGW0 – 3rd TIE May 2015 Edition – Eldersburg MD - 5/19/2015 – 6PM.
I am going to try and make the following meeting:
GC5RVWX – Let’s Head to Belize – Hagerstown MD 5/9/2015 7AM.
I will bring the coins for everyone that posted ‘will attend’ to the events I can make.
If you are not able to attend any of these events, we will be handing out the coins at GeoWoodstock. The MGS will have a booth at GeoWoodstock and it will be manned by MGS officers on Friday Night and all day on Saturday. Stop by and we will give you your coin(s). In addition we will be selling extra CAM coins during GeoWoodstock.
If someone from your area of the state is willing to pick up coins for you at one of these events, please contact us through the CAM completion address so we can have the coins ready. For example, someone if currently looking to pick up and hand out coins for the cachers in Northern Delaware.
Any coins that we have not handed out after GeoWoodstock will be mailed on either May 26th or May 27th at the latest. If you are not going to attend GeoWoodstock please email the CAM completion address your home address. If you would like your coin before then, please contact me and we will try and arrange a time and place to meet. I live in Mount Airy and work in Greenbelt, so I drive through Mont and Howard County go to and from work.
We will try and make the distribution of these coins go as smooth as possible. If you have any questions, contact me, deepdish23, through my geocaching.com profile or through my MGS email.
Thank you again for participating in CAM this year.
Deepdish23
First off, I would like to reiterate that to receive a free 2015 CAM geocoin, you needed to have attended the picnic and have a username of geocaching.com. In addition, anyone who hid a 2015 CAM cache receives a CAM coin, and the winner of the CAM Logo Contest receives a CAM coin.
If you did not attend the picnic but completed CAM and would like to purchase a CAM geocoin, please email the CAM completion address: [email=CAM2015Completion@mdgps.org?subject=CAM Completion&body=My geocaching.com username is:]CAM2015Completion@mdgps.org[/email] and state that you like to purchase a coin or coins for $10 a piece, so we may reserve a coin for you. If you have already contacted one of the MGS Officers about this, we have your coin or coins already reserved for you.
If you would like to purchase extra CAM Geocoins for yourself or your family for $10, please email the CAM completion address so we may reserve those coins for you. If you are purchasing coins, please have the money when we give you your coins.
I will be at the following event/meetings in the next couple of weeks and will hand out coins there:
GC5QPYM – First Wednesday 2015 – Return of The Burger – Rockville MD - 5/6/2015 7PM
GeoWoodstock meeting
GC5TGW0 – 3rd TIE May 2015 Edition – Eldersburg MD - 5/19/2015 – 6PM.
I am going to try and make the following meeting:
GC5RVWX – Let’s Head to Belize – Hagerstown MD 5/9/2015 7AM.
I will bring the coins for everyone that posted ‘will attend’ to the events I can make.
If you are not able to attend any of these events, we will be handing out the coins at GeoWoodstock. The MGS will have a booth at GeoWoodstock and it will be manned by MGS officers on Friday Night and all day on Saturday. Stop by and we will give you your coin(s). In addition we will be selling extra CAM coins during GeoWoodstock.
If someone from your area of the state is willing to pick up coins for you at one of these events, please contact us through the CAM completion address so we can have the coins ready. For example, someone if currently looking to pick up and hand out coins for the cachers in Northern Delaware.
Any coins that we have not handed out after GeoWoodstock will be mailed on either May 26th or May 27th at the latest. If you are not going to attend GeoWoodstock please email the CAM completion address your home address. If you would like your coin before then, please contact me and we will try and arrange a time and place to meet. I live in Mount Airy and work in Greenbelt, so I drive through Mont and Howard County go to and from work.
We will try and make the distribution of these coins go as smooth as possible. If you have any questions, contact me, deepdish23, through my geocaching.com profile or through my MGS email.
Thank you again for participating in CAM this year.
Deepdish23