Cache ownership can be transfered by the cache owner going to www.geocaching.com/adopt and entering the GC???? number of the cache and the geonick of the new owner. That's what's called a voluntary adoption.

The cache reviewers have been informed this week that groundspeak will no longer process involuntary adoptions. The cache reviewers never had the power to transfer a cache from one account to another, but the folks in Seattle would do it for us if we asked on behalf of someone offering to take over an abandoned cache.

However groundspeak is only a listing service listing cache locations. Based on legal advice, they've concluded they do not have the right to take a cache from one player and give it to another without consent, as it's not groundspeak's cache to give away.

Some have argued that in many cases it's the listing that is being transfered, not the cache, but groundspeak is quite adamant that they will no longer do involuntary adoptions, not even those already in the works. The only exception would be in the case of the death of a geocacher, in which case the next of kin would have to grant permission.

Feel free to ask any questions, but I did want to get this out there before people found out the hard way.

Again, voluntary adoptions are still possible, only the involuntary ones are not.

~erik~

This is interesting news. I can totally understand gaining permission from the next of kin in the case of a death, but that begs the question about how that is verified, etc, etc....

In the case of one that has been abandoned with no death involved, regardless of the official "status" on the cache page, could that cache theoretically just take up that spot indefinately, or could someone else just remove it at some point and replace it with another in the area - of course being subject to personal repercussions? Where would that line be?

If it is just abandoned, the physical location will eventually be purged if someone requests it be archived (for a problem with the cache) due to lack of maintenance and the owner does not respond. What ˆ don't like is that the cache's GC number will forever be off limits. I remember awhile back some discussion of running out of numbers eventually. They got that part figured out, but I would hate to see old classic caches die without the opportunity for someone to keep them going.
If GC just needs an email from 'Next Of Kin' to give permission - just have them give Next of Kin an email.

Phat.Bak

That "Next of Kin" solution is a clever one, indeed.

One solution is to archive the old cache and create a "new" cache using the same, abandoned container and the same description. It's the same cache only with a new number. I'd hate to do that with a really old cache with a low number (I hate to see those go), but if there is no alternative. . . .