Extreme Geocaching with Layne Clark aka Tiger130

By Lacey38655

In today’s geocaching world, you have found a micro, urban ammo can, you may have even found a puzzle cache or two, but have you found an extreme geocache? What is an extreme geocache you ask, well it is not the run of the mill ammo can hidden at the base of a tree. An extreme geocache is listed as a 5 difficulty rating and a 5 terrain rating, making this type of geocache extremely challenging to find. So if you don’t want to sweat in one form or another, stop reading now, because this series is going to be all about Extreme Geocaching.

 What we will cover: Who are the geocacher(s) behind those extreme caches, who finds extreme caches, what it takes to place an extreme geocache, and I’ll even tell you some items you will need to bring along in order to log that ammo can at the final.

Today’s  installment you will meet Layne Clark aka Tiger130

What was your first 5x5 geocache found?

Survival 101.  Met some great caching friends while hunting that one.

What was your first 5x5 geocache hidden?

Purple Heart

How many 5x5 geocaches have you found?

Twenty-three.

Should there be a special geocaching icon for extreme caches?

No.  Extreme caches are extreme for their own individual reasons.  What one person considers extreme may be ordinary to the next cacher who comes along. 

List your extreme geocaching gear? Example, rope, harness, scuba gear,

ladder, sling shot, rappelling experience, machete.

Kayak, bicycle, scuba gear, black light,

When did you start geocaching?

December 2006.

When you go extreme geocaching who goes with you?

Bitbrain, endorider, chimps8mybaby, Abiectio, Hoot Owl, pippin98, GC4EVR, Nelms3, 76Stinger, ProntoPup, -boatman-, JoGPS, Monkeybrad, SalPal (heck, the Mojo 13 crew), and even Lacey & Sniperchicken have been known to come out.  I'm sure I left out someone obvious. I hope they aren't offended...

Any injuries from placing, hiding or finding an extreme geocache?

Painful groin pull on Bitbrain’s Third.  I even had to wear a TENS Unit for a week.  Don’t go reading anything into that.

Longest time it took to find an extreme geocache, tell the name of that cache?

First thing that popped into my mind was JoGPS epic night cache Mojo 13: I Just Wanna Go Home.  20 hours on a primitive island, seven hours of hunting multiple Mojo-class stages in the dark.  Pure awesome.

Have you DNF’d a 5x5?

Never on a 5x5.

Explain why you like extreme geocaching?

The thrill of the hunt and the challenges that are set out there to make you push out of your comfort zone.

Should there be more extreme geocaches, or since the number is relatively still small, this is acceptable?

I think any cache that has enough thought and effort put into it is a worthy cache.  It doesn’t have to be extreme to be something I want to hunt.  It’s all about the journey to me.

Do you have any future plans for more extreme geocaches (hint)?

I want to place a scuba cache. 

How far did you go to find a geocache?

Over 1600 miles while on a business trip.  Had to get out and find a cache on that trip.  However, the more memorable travel was to Bridal Veil Falls at Niagara, NY which was 780 miles.

Do you mind having the cache owner there with you while you hunt for an extreme cache, or would you rather they be accessible by phone?

I’d rather just hunt the darned cache.  Cache-owner support is a luxury to the sport, but it can also take away from the challenge.

While doing an extreme cache, did you have to overcome a fear in order to gain the final?

I had to overcome my fear of heights on Cache Obscura and fear of dark, buggy places in 3 Degrees.

What constitutes an extreme cache?

Any cache that pushes you to your personal limits.

Have you solved more than 15 puzzle caches?

I have over 250 Mystery cache finds.  Most of those are puzzles and many of them are extreme puzzles. 

Do you own a boat, kayak, or canoe? Have you done any extreme water caches?

Oh Yeah! I love to get out on rivers, creeks, lakes, bayous and the ocean for caching. There’s a video of me swamp-wading for a cache soon after I met da Brain.

Have you ever felt your life was in extreme peril while attempting to

find an extreme cache?

I wasn’t really sure I would ever get back out of the icy, frozen canyon at Virgin Falls.  The only thing that kept me going is that I knew there was no option to quit.

Tell me about Diving and how you got involved?

October of 2010 is when I realized I needed to learn to dive as I watched Bit attempt to free dive for Spanish Shanty’s Treasure, staying down far longer than I was comfortable with and knowing that my swim team training wouldn’t help me rescue/recover him from being trapped 20 feet below me in the murky water.  I decided my only choice was to get scuba certified so I could be down there with him next time we went to Florida.

Most cache finds in one day?

Eighty-something.  Finding a lot in one day isn’t my cup of tea.

What type of GPS do you use?

Garmin GPSMap 60Cx

Whats next on the agenda?

Completing the Jasmer Challenge, I suppose.  I really hope to cache with no agenda for a while. 

What geocache is on your to do list as the most extreme, intense, unusual?

Deep Dam Cache.

What has geocaching taught you?

I finally know what Westbound on Poplar means.

Most memorable moment in geocaching that made you stand up and say YES!

Being 70 feet down in 48 degree water and finding the Frozen Flight Scuba Cache not only made me say “Yes!” but also made me say “Damn right, I’m a diver!”

Hardest Puzzle cache?

Key to the Cryptonomicon.  Nothing close to it yet.

Puzzle caches like them or hate them?

Luv ‘em!

Ammo can VS Micro?

AMMO CAN

What caches are off limits for you personally, what will you not go after?

Caving.  Something where I’d have to belly-crawl through a tight space for an extended amount of time.  Dave Cave was OK, but more than that would be off-limits for me.

By Lacey38655

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