Newbie Requests Winter Caching Advice

[+n2AZ]

I am a newbie who just stumbled across geocaching less than 48 hours ago. I am waiting for my first GPS, a Lawrence iFinder Hunt to arrive, then I’ll be off. I am excited about looking for the local caches but I’m already thinking of where to place my own.

 

My specific question is what about Midwest winters? The first place I thought of is almost good enough to be a virtual cache but only May-Sept even though it would be accessible all winter, there’d really be no point in coming in winter. The other more traditional ideas I have the opposite problem with - if I hike off a trail and drop the thing in the woods or a meadow, won’t everyone easily be able to find it just from the obvious tracks in the snow? I can’t see anyway around that last one. Every location I think up seems it’d be either good in winter or summer but not both. I have some awesome ideas on places to put them in winter that would actually be much harder to get to in summer! I wish I could just do seasonal caches.

 

Any advice from the more experienced?

 

Lastly, I am thinking of drainpipe with caps for the containers but will the caps fit well enough just pressed on? I’ve gotten together swag and have it all bagged up but it seems like it’d still get moist and icky from the temperature changes alone.

 

Thanks for any help you can give me. I am really looking forward to it! - Lauren

[+kingquad]

What most people do for winter caches is that once they found it, they just take the extra time to make a few false trails and false stops all around the area. and most of the time anyway, those false tracks will be done anyway since you are searching for the cache too, and making tracks all over the place. for the container's choice, the only thing I could recommend would be to make it fully waterproof, (like able to be underwater and not leak), that will save you a lot of time on the long run for cache maintenance.

 

hope this helps a bit

 

Kingquad

[+Thot]

The first place I thought of is almost good enough to be a virtual cache but . . .

They aren't approving virtual (or locationless) caches anymore.

[+IV_Warrior]

First on the container. No, most likely, pipe isn't going to seal well enough (and still be openable) for a cache. I adopted one, and wanted to keep it as close to original as possible. I tried several methods for sealing up the pipe, and none worked. The "test plug" I tired didn't work, AND became almost impossible to remove. I ended up breaking and prying it off when I finally decided to just give up and replace it with a good old sturdy ammo can.

 

Second, don't worry about winter. Hide the cache the day before, or during a snowstorm....no tracks left to follow. Trust me, finders will make enough "false trails and searches" just finding the cache that their tracks won't be an issue, either.

[+Faith the Aquariaqueen]

I am looking forward to winter caching....I can get to caches I was afraid to get to during the summer due to poison ivy and thick brush!!!

Hide it, and they will come............

 

Ammo Box for the container.

 

In your area, is it snowcovered all winter???

[+JC_Geo]

Use an ammo can type container. There are many different sizes available. You don't want the cache to look like a pipe bomb.

[+briansnat]

Every location I think up seems it’d be either good in winter or summer but not both. I have some awesome ideas on places to put them in winter that would actually be much harder to get to in summer! I wish I could just do seasonal caches.

 

There are many potential spots that work just as well in the summer as the winter. In a tree comes to mind, perhaps in a hole, or between a split in the branches. Also some small caves and crevices among rocks tend to stay snow free.

 

If its a nice spot in the winter go for it. If its harder in the summer all the more fun for the searchers. I have a few caches that are pieces of cake in the winter, but murder in the summer.

 

Don't worry too much about tracks in the snow. Most cachers will make confusing tracks in the area so they don't lead right to the cache. I've also heard of cachers who take water with yellow food coloring and spread it around to make it look like they stepped off trail to do you know what. And the next snowfall will cover everything right up anyway.

 

Lastly, I am thinking of drainpipe with caps for the containers but will the caps fit well enough just pressed on? I’ve gotten together swag and have it all bagged up but it seems like it’d still get moist and icky from the temperature changes alone.

 

Unless you have the parts these can get quite expensive. I priced one at Home Depot and was up near $15 with all the parts. There are several other reasons they don't work well. They leak unless you tighten the cap, but if its too tight people won't be able to get it off. Same if dirt gets stick in the threads. Also, they look like pipe bombs to the uninitiated, so you have to be very careful where you place them. JC_Geo gives good advice, get an ammo can. 6 for $19 at Cabelas.com (plus shipping). Even with shipping it comes to less than $5 each.