From what I can see, from my own limitations and a friend of mine who has substantial difficulties walking, there are three issues with handicapped accessibility: distance, terrain and reaching for the cache itself. How about a ratings system that people can add to their cache pages, called for example the Sonoran Physical Ability Scale with a number for distance/terrain/cache. The number for my abilities, based on a good day is 5-3-2. One of my caches, Rx: GPS prn would be rated 2-1-1. You could post the ratings system on your website, and cachers could post it on their cache pages in the cache description. I think this would help handicapped people judge the accessibility of a cache. Maybe other cachers in other states could pick it up. Comments?

 

 

Physical Ability Rating Scale

 

Distance to cache from parking

1- less than 0.1 mile one way

2-less than 0.25 mile one way

3-less than 0.5 mile one way

4- less than 1 mile one way

5-greater than the above ratings

 

Terrain to cache:

1-The terrain to cache from vehicle is very flat smooth surface. Wheelchair can make it.

2- Level surface but terrain is not wheelchair accessible (unmaintained or no path)

3-minor climbing (in and out of washes)

4- small hill climbing, no scrambling, may be rocky

5-  take your chances, it’s greater than the previous ratings

 

Cache

1- easy reach from chair height, no stretching or bending.

2- May require bending, kneeling or stretching

3- Crawling may be required,

4- Get the pain meds, it’s going to hurt.