What about the snow?

[+alwayskimmer]

Well this is the first time I've ever posted anything to a forum - kind of nervous about it but I have no idea why! Anyway, I'm still waiting for my first GPS unit to arrive, it's suppose to be here tomorrow, and I'm wondering what happens in the winter time? Do people still hide stuff? If you've left a cache someplace are you suppose to remove it during the winter months?

 

Next question for now - can someone tell me about the geocache coins and where you get them.

 

Thanks!

[+StarBrand]

The vast majority of all caches are left in place during winter months. I have one located at 10,800 feet. It is buried in up to 20 feet of snow for about 10 months a year. Been there for 5 years. I've never moved it. The finders always enjoy it. Or Enjoy a little sledding near it.

Here is a link to the pictures posted for it: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/gallery.asp...42-0255b81c983a

 

Obviously, those that are up off the ground a bit are easier to find in the snow.

Edited November 14, 2007 by StarBrand

[knowschad]

Well this is the first time I've ever posted anything to a forum - kind of nervous about it but I have no idea why! Anyway, I'm still waiting for my first GPS unit to arrive, it's suppose to be here tomorrow, and I'm wondering what happens in the winter time? Do people still hide stuff? If you've left a cache someplace are you suppose to remove it during the winter months?

 

Next question for now - can someone tell me about the geocache coins and where you get them.

 

Thanks!

 

Hi. I'm in Minnesota, where we usually get plenty of snow. Some caches do get shut down (temporarily archived) for the winter for various reasons, but most are still available. I know some cachers that do most of their caching in the winter. No ticks, no mosquitos, no loss of signal from overhead leaves.

 

It isn't uncommon for people to leave false tracks around the cache site so the next cachers aren't just following a set of footprints in the snow.

[Uberquandary]

The Geocaching Colorado site has a list of winter friendly caches, ie caches that can be found in snow. Perhaps there's a local caching group that has a similar list for your area.

[+briansnat]

Caches are usually left out in the snow. Many can still be found. Some are in trees and otherwise off the ground and can easily be found in the snow. Others may be nearly impossible.

 

I've found caches under as many as 3 feet of snow. It takes some experience and some luck but can be done.

[+Belfrypotters]

Welcome to the forums, and to geocaching!

In Canada caching tapers off a bit in the winter, but many of us still like to hunt tupperware in the snow. A hiking pole helps - poke, poke, poke, thunk, yay! Signing the logbook with frozen fingers is part of the fun.

As far as geocoins go, if you want to purchase one there are lots of places to buy them, starting with the forum topic Geocoin Discussions. If you just want to find one and move it on, look for the coin symbols on the list of caches near your search point (home coordinates, for example).

[+Markwell]

A really old post...

Last winter I put an "idiot" warning on my cache pages...

WARNING!!! Please be conscious of the fact that footprints in

the snow will lead others directly to the cache (including non-cachers).

Please don't hunt my caches after a fresh snowfall.

 

Last February, I went on a multistage hunt after a fresh snowfall in an extremely remote area, only to find a cacher's car parked at the same spot and his footprints freshly made. I followed them in and eventually caught up with him at the cache site.

 

On the flip side, we talked about Winter Caching in our Chicago Forum. One cacher had a unique take on it...

Another way to handle this would be to stomp all over a hollow log that's maybe twenty feet from the real cache. That's what I do.

[+alwayskimmer]

Wow, you guys are quick! Thanks for responding so promptly. I'm very excited to get my GPS, now I just have to figure out how to use it.

 

I'm glad to know that geocaching still goes on during the winter months as they're predicting a bit of snow here in NH. Now for those new snowshoe bindings . . . .

[+alwayskimmer]

A really old post...

Last winter I put an "idiot" warning on my cache pages...

WARNING!!! Please be conscious of the fact that footprints in

the snow will lead others directly to the cache (including non-cachers).

Please don't hunt my caches after a fresh snowfall.

 

Last February, I went on a multistage hunt after a fresh snowfall in an extremely remote area, only to find a cacher's car parked at the same spot and his footprints freshly made. I followed them in and eventually caught up with him at the cache site.

 

On the flip side, we talked about Winter Caching in our Chicago Forum. One cacher had a unique take on it...

Another way to handle this would be to stomp all over a hollow log that's maybe twenty feet from the real cache. That's what I do.

[+alwayskimmer]

Thanks for the tip about leaving tracks. I'm sure I'll be all over the place trying to figure out where I'm going that I won't have to worry about my tracks leading right to the cache. And then trying to find my way out will be an entirely different matter. I can read a map okay but I'm sure this will be a whole different experience for me.

 

Thanks for the tip!

[Uberquandary]

Ha, I've found a cache or two sans GPS because there were tracks...

[+Scare Force One]

Bring a shovel, a ladder, and food (in case you don't know how to use the ladder)

 

~.~Scare Force One

[Mr.Yuck]

Welcome to the forums, and to geocaching!

In Canada caching tapers off a bit in the winter, but many of us still like to hunt tupperware in the snow.

 

Too bad you don't have ammo boxes in Canada, or you could just use a metal detector! Just kidding, I've seen a fair share of ammo boxes in Southern Ontario. But Tupperware is definately the container of choice.

 

Markwell brings up a good point, I have seen one person in the Northeast who has kind of a nasty gram on his cache pages about people leaving tracks in the snow to his caches. But I don't think too many cache owners get terribly upset about that.

 

A stick for poking around works good. I've seen plenty of super easy "on the ground" type caches that were extremely difficult (or DNF'd) in the snow. I'd say generally snow isn't a major factor when it's 3" deep or less.