Fireguy106

Sounds like your ISP is blocking .zip files. Get a gmail account and it will work fine. Thanks jholly, I'll try that!

I created some pocket queries for a quick hunt today. There were only 33 caches in the query. When I received it on my email account I could not save the file! I sent it to my alternate email and it too could not download it. It just kept searching for the dowload info. I sent it to my work account and was able to download from there . Anyone know what the problem might be? I've never had issue before!

I was out today in the North end of Simcoe County (Township of Tiny - 1 1/2 hrs North of Toronto) and have found a few caches that were burried over the winter. Having said that, there are still some burried caches out here i still cannot get to.

As a cache reviewer, I have zero interest in adding more subjective determinations to the review process. Trying to decide from my desk whether a cache is "winter friendly" is similar to deciding whether a virtual cache had "wow factor," and is even more difficult than deciding whether a bunch of closely spaced caches constitute a "power trail." At present, reviewers do not enforce anything when it comes to cache attributes. Most of us do point out that one star terrain caches should be wheelchair accessible, and to use the attribute for this, but that advice is non-binding and cannot delay publication of a cache. It is also a very easy thing to spot because that one star pops out at me when I look at the cache page. I don't want to have to study all the attributes and get into debates about whether it's winter friendly, kid friendly, dog friendly or hamster friendly. "More rules" should be avoided unless absolutely necessary, like the addition of schoolyards to the list of Off Limits locations. That issue was having a negative impact on our relationships with the community and law enforcement. A snowflake icon doesn't rise to that level. The above is just my opinion as one volunteer cache reviewer and is not an official position on behalf of Groundspeak, Signal the Frog, or any of mtn-man's countless sock puppets. Thanks for your input. Hadn't heard anything from reviewers yet and I'm interested in everyones input. Ok maybe not rules, but as a reviewer, if the term "available in winter" was defined as something specific, would it help you or not? Now I realize that may only be possible if you are given the right info regarding the cache and so even a definition might not help. I'm getting the impression that the majority, at least the ones that have replied to my various posting on the subject, are assuming that "available in winter" means you have a reasonable chance of finding a cache during the winter. Is four feet of snow reasonable? I don't know!

True, but some of the caches I've done recently haven't been visited since November. At that time, we had no snow here. I guess I could have gone back farther in the logs to see. Again, this year we've had lots of snow compared to the last, 10 years or so. Many call it unusually more but this is more of a traditional winter. Anyway, that's why I've posted, to get a take on the situation from others. thanks!

That would make me happy. If everyone would do that, than life is grand. I just think that there should be, pardon the pun, ground rules when applying or not applying the snowflake icon. I know we all don't want more rules but I if we all knew what was expected than there would be uniformity in the use.

Many people are literalists. If you say "available in winter" then that's what they will go with. They don't reason or consider intent. I can see why certain people would be confused, but if anybody really thinks it through an "available in winter" attribute taken literally would be as useful as an "available in daytime" attribute. Wouldn't this just be another reason why GC should give "guidance" by explaining what is expected by the term? I doesn't matter to me which way their definition of the icon goes just so long as I know what is meant by available in winter. Simply looking for clarification. I think thats all everyone cares about.

Again, there seems to be varying opinions on this matter and I believe it is something that needs clarification for both sides not that one is right and the other is wrong. I think there just needs to be something in place to define the icon "available in winter". I've made a "request for description review" on the Geocaching.com Web Site Group so if you have any suggestions, please add them to the post. The only way to get clarification is to get GC to lay down some parameters or to simply define the icon so that it is clear for everyone.

Again, there seems to be varying opinions on this matter and I believe it is something that needs clarification for both sides not that one is right and the other is wrong. I think there just needs to be something in place to define the icon "available in winter". I've made a "request for description review" on the Geocaching.com Web Site Group so if you have any suggestions, please add them to the post. The only way to get clarification is to get GC to lay down some parameters or to simply define the icon so that it is clear for everyone.

I've submitted the above topic for discussion on a couple of groups and forum and given the discussion, there appears to be no clear cut definition on what constitutes a "available in winter" cache. Just going by my postings most people interpret this as being something that can, not necessarily be easily found but not burried under several feet of ice and or snow and can actually be found however many disagree. My request, and I think this is reasonable, to review the "available in winter" icon and possibly set parameters on what attributes should apply to this type of cache. Either guidelines for those setting and reviewing these caches or an additional icon to identify ground based caches or.... Not sure of what would be an acceptable solution but as I said in a previous group discussion, this definition should be nailed down to avoid misintepretation.

JD you are right in saying that we should expect DNFs at this time of the year and I accept that. I guess the whole point I was trying to get at is that there may be some need for a different icon or some more detail about the cache location just so that someone driving half a day or more to do some caching can't find it because it's ground based. Everyone interpretation of the winter available icon is different and I think that is where the problem lies. The winter available definition needs to be nailed down! I have done several of your caches here (you must be the Don of caches in Huronia and surrounding area) which I really enjoy cause you pick really nice spots to put them in and have found most of them but not all and I can honestly say there was only one that I could not find due to snow loading. (That one on the Rotary trail is killing me!!!! I don't know if that one is due to snow or if it was muggled.)

Yes, I totally agree that there should be something else indicating that the cache may be buried under ice or snow. I've put this topic on a few other groups and I'm pretty much getting the same response. I think a few have, I don't like to use the word offended and this was not intended to offend anyone putting in the time and energy to set up a cache, but I guess for some I hit a nerve and they disagree which I have no problem with and yes chances are you may have to log a DNF because of certain circumstances especially during the winter months in snow regions, but I believe that there should be an indicator of some sort to this fact that there is a chance that the cache may be burried. Driving a great distance because of the vagueness of a cache description isn't my idea of enjoyment. At least indicate that it's found on the ground. I take more care in trying to determine if it is a ground based cache, they don't all indicate this and some clues are vague, prior to going out. Given the amount of snow we've had this year, sounds like most of the Northern US and Canada is in the same boat, any hint of a ground cache and I won't even look at it. On the plus side, it will given me more to look for in the spring.

I do agree that most of these caches were accessible in previous winters however, weather trends are changing and based on the information I receive through the work I do is that these varying weather trends are what we are to look forward to in the future. We have been experiencing warmer winters over the last decade which may continue but will will see more and more freezing rain and probably dumpings of snow like this year. That said, the environment experts may been mistaken eh!

Having only started caching this past December, winter caching has given me the opportunity to see some good caches and provide me with some thoughts on how to place my first one so that it is "available". To me "available" should be, and I think most people I spoken or chatted with, should be something that can be found without digging. The past few winters, we've been spoiled with little snow. This year reminded me of the winters back in my childhood. I can't remember seeing so much snow in our forests. I'm sure that some of the caches I tried to find this year were probably easily found last year and then maybe not. I will be sure to place my winter available cache at least eye level. I would hate to disappoint anyone hiking, skiing or snowshoeing a great distance just to end up logging a DNF.

I started this topic in the Geocaching Groups by Country section of the forums and thought I'd post some concerns here. It seems, unless I just totally missed it, that the cache page icon "available in winter" doesn't necessarilly mean that one can find it during the winter months. Several persons commented that they assumed that this icon meant that one can actually find the cache. The problem lies that in many parts of our region, especially this year, there are areas burried under several metres of snow. Would it be of any value to lobby for changes to have specific criteria for winter accessible (findable) caches which may include only caches hidden above a certain level or possibly a different icon to indicate if the cache may be affected by ground cover (snow)? Any thoughts or experiences on the subject?

So generally, most people assumed the same as I did. How do we lobby Groundspeak to make such changes?

That's just it, maybe there should be something like a winter friendly icon!

What is the snow situation in Southern Ontario? I was thinking of heading out there for a few pints (my uncle owns a pub in Burlington) and some caching but after this weekend I think everyone is up to their ear in the white stuff!

April 20th is the Barrie CITO http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...09-4cb064aad468

Yeah, there are a few in Tiny for sure. I've done a couple in January that I doubt very much you could find today, especially after this past weekend. (Wait till this weekend, +6C and rain thurs and fri). We've had a more traditional winter this year as far a snow fall than we've had in a long time.

Well I've been set straight, given my inexperience caching please forgive me but I had assumed that the snowflake icon on a cache page attributes indicated that the listed cache was winter accessible. I interpreted that as meaning not only accessible but in fact (don't think its a word) findable. Since I've recently been educated on this topic, I wondered how many also thought the same. Would it not make sense that these caches be listed only if they were in fact something that could be found without digging, using metal detectors or by other means Maybe an alternate cache page icon to indicate that these are "winter friendly" for the purpose of finding. Reading the cache description isn't always an indicator to where the cache is be it on the ground, in a tree or hanging. Any thoughts..... anyone?

Thank you for the help. The lost marbles comment seems to be occuring to me more and more these days

I'm new to this and find that I'm struggling to figure things out. I've joined the premium membership and am playing around with bookmark in the "manage your bookmark" section. Now I have tried to find my answer in the forums but simply gave up reading the endless entries after getting dizzy and hitting my head on the keyboard Can someone tell me how too delete a booklist? Seems simple enough, just can't do it. I find that managing the bookmark isn't that manageable!

Merry Christmas from the Newb from the North!

Thanks for the welcome and the reply. I just wasn't sure. I've seen some caches posted in some of the parks i travel to and wondered how they felt about it. I do search and rescue training in one park and they're really touchy about where we can go. Thanks again!