Caching in the winter

[+coltillini]

A good reason to get out of the house in the midwest. You have to dress for it.

[+luckycharmer]

You Do????

[+markandsandy]

A good reason to get out of the house in the midwest. You have to dress for it.

 

You Do????

 

Nudecacher wouldn't.

[Keystone]

I am moving this thread from the Geocaching.com Web Site forum to the Geocaching Topics forum.

[+Vater_Araignee]

Snowshoe caching can be just as rewarding.

 

You Do????

You can go 6 months without caching?

[GOF and Bacall]

A good reason to get out of the house in the midwest. You have to dress for it.

 

You Do????

 

Nudecacher wouldn't.

 

I've gone after a cache in snow up to my waist. I doubt that the nude cacher would attempt that. If he did it would be, um, life altering.

[AZcachemeister]

Not a problem here in Southern Arizona.

 

It might get a bit chilly...ohhh, maybe the low 50's.

[+Vater_Araignee]

Not a problem here in Southern Arizona.

 

It might get a bit chilly...ohhh, maybe the low 50's.

You call that chilly?

Man I wish I could call that chilly.

[+Cache O'Plenty]

Try SoCal - we can cache 12 months a year - no snow. We only worry about wildfires.

[+Super_Nate]

Try caching in Tennessee! We cater to the weather personalities from all around the globe.

 

Take the middle of January for instance:

If you like cold weather, then the high temps on the 15th will be 24 degrees!

If you like warm weather, then the high temps on the 16th will be 75 degrees!

If you like caching in the rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain, or penny sized hail.....then we gottcha covered on the 17th!

[+Team_BoIPS]

Here in germany we go in the snow as well...much of the forest caches are easier to find as the leaves are all gone and makes for an easier hike through the woods!..LOVE IT!

[+rallyejo]

I'm with Cache O'Plenty, what do you mean Winter caching? Isn't that the same as Summer caching? And 50 IS chilly... brrr! Y'all that cache in the snow, my hat is off to you, that's crazy!

 

Today I did a 16 part puzzle cache with a slight hike at the end. It was a nice 60 degree day, not even a need for a jacket for those of you that are brave like that. Jealous?

 

Team Rallye goes out night caching once a month. The months that it's 45 degrees and a bit windy are sometimes my favorite. Why? NO muggles out!

[+Parabola]

16 degree's out tonight as I climbed back into the car and turning on the heat as high as it would go. We have a couple of inches of snow but not enough to curb caching yet. I'm hoping we don't get two feet or what ever it was last year. Last year we had an ice storm and then a snow storm right after that. It made caching in the winter cause you can move the snow out of the way but then have to chilse the ice off and try to get the container out of the ice to get to the log book. A lot of caches where so frozen in ice there was no way to get to the container's without breaking them. So I personally walked away from quite a few last year to come back at a later time to get my sig in the log book.

 

I did have one decon container that It was so close to coming out of it's hiding spot and I worked on it for an hour. I ended up destroying the container. I had a decon and replaced the whole container before I left.

 

It sure made for a funny log and I had e-mail the owner to let him know the container was replaced with the same kind just one without a hole punched in it. He told me after I posted the picture's of the container, wow you could use that as some sort of trophy.

 

So the snow isn't the worst, it's ice that's really causes problem's.

[+Bubbles&Bonkers]

So the snow isn't the worst, it's ice that's really causes problem's.

 

It got down to 64 degrees here in So FL the other day. Brrrr....! I'm so spoiled here! We are perhaps moving to the midwest and my first thought was, "Oh, no! How can I go without geocaching for several months!" And now I see all of your responses, geocaching in the snow???? I can't. I'm a wuss.

[Skippermark]

So the snow isn't the worst, it's ice that's really causes problem's.

When we hiked up this trail in the morning, the southerly sun had softened the snow making it easier to hike. On the return trip, the trail was in the shade and solid ice. Hard to see from the picture, but off to the left, a short distance from the trail was a 250' drop.

 

It got down to 64 degrees here in So FL the other day. Brrrr....! I'm so spoiled here! We are perhaps moving to the midwest and my first thought was, "Oh, no! How can I go without geocaching for several months!" And now I see all of your responses, geocaching in the snow???? I can't. I'm a wuss.

The temperature was 8 degrees with 20 MPH winds with higher gusts when we started this hike. By the end of the day it had warmed up to a toasty 15 degrees. My son loves hikes like this. He would rather do a 5 mile hike in the winter than sit at home playing video games. Add some thermal underwear, toss on a couple layers, bring plenty of water (you don't feel yourself sweat in the winter), some food (you burn more calories in the cold) and have a grand old time.

Edited December 8, 2008 by Skippermark

[+Ockette]

You're all better sports than me. It's 43 and gray today, so the furthest from home I plan to venture is out to my hedge to check on the cache there.

[+markandsandy]

You're all better sports than me. It's 43 and gray today, so the furthest from home I plan to venture is out to my hedge to check on the cache there.

If 43 and gray slows you down, you are in for a loooooong winter around here.

[+SkellyCA]

You're all better sports than me. It's 43 and gray today, so the furthest from home I plan to venture is out to my hedge to check on the cache there.

If 43 and gray slows you down, you are in for a loooooong winter around here.

 

I live in CA, near San Francisco, so dressing for geocaching MIGHT mean long pants.

[+Sioneva]

Try caching in Tennessee! We cater to the weather personalities from all around the globe.

 

Take the middle of January for instance:

If you like cold weather, then the high temps on the 15th will be 24 degrees!

If you like warm weather, then the high temps on the 16th will be 75 degrees!

If you like caching in the rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain, or penny sized hail.....then we gottcha covered on the 17th!

 

What happens on the 18th?

[+bigdogsrule]

YES! NO bugs, NO humidity, NO snakes, NO poison ivy...You can get warm from the cold but you can't avoid the above. I love winter caching!

But then , I love figure skating and snow and winter

 

Frances

[+Cache O'Plenty]

Global Warming on the 18th. Chaos

Edited December 9, 2008 by Cache O'Plenty

[+Ockette]

You're all better sports than me. It's 43 and gray today, so the furthest from home I plan to venture is out to my hedge to check on the cache there.

If 43 and gray slows you down, you are in for a loooooong winter around here.

 

Don't I know it.

[+zanadian]

I find winter caching in the snow to be just as much fun, too bad most of the caches are buried under snow.

Built my first snowman of this winter while out geocaching, he's holding a GPS in his hand.

 

Also - don't eat the yellow snow

Edited December 9, 2008 by zanadian

[GPS-Hermit]

I pick and choose in the winter - I don't go in the snow. I figure disturbing the snow would cause a muggle to find the cache. I go when there is no wind and a pretty winter day. For sure on those warm up days that just show up on weekends. It is a good time for trail clearing and snipping. You can see better for bushwacking and the under growth is out of the way.

 

I do love to snow hike - just not caching while the snow can lead the way to the cache.

[knowschad]

I don't go in the snow. I figure disturbing the snow would cause a muggle to find the cache.

 

By the time I find a cache in the snow I usually have so many tracks around that it wouldn't even help the next cacher, much less a muggle. And in those rare cases where I get lucky and find it right away, I'll just put a bunch of fake tracks all around. That part can actually be a lot of fun.

[knowschad]

I don't go in the snow. I figure disturbing the snow would cause a muggle to find the cache.

 

By the time I find a cache in the snow I usually have so many tracks around that it wouldn't even help the next cacher, much less a muggle. And in those rare cases where I get lucky and find it right away, I'll just put a bunch of fake tracks all around. That part can actually be a lot of fun.

[XC_Tracker]

Had some awesome hikes in the mountains where no one ever ventures - had to take a shovel to dig for the cache though - talk about precision guessing.

[+Parabola]

So the snow isn't the worst, it's ice that's really causes problem's.

 

It got down to 64 degrees here in So FL the other day. Brrrr....! I'm so spoiled here! We are perhaps moving to the midwest and my first thought was, "Oh, no! How can I go without geocaching for several months!" And now I see all of your responses, geocaching in the snow???? I can't. I'm a wuss.

 

Really just the snow isn't bad very bad. It cushions your fall if you fall down. It's the inch of ice that we just got today that will be a problem after it snow's again. Digging out a cache is no fun though. Expecially when you have to walk away and come back some other time to sign the log book cause it's froze in a block of ice.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Try SoCal - we can cache 12 months a year - no snow. We only worry about wildfires.

 

And earthquakes. I live 10 miles from the epicenter of the 1989 Loma Prieta quake and had several friends that lived much closer.

[+Dread_Pirate_Bruce]

Winter caching can be tough. Right now, I'm nursing a very nasty sunburn.

[+Grigorii Rasputin]

Snowshoe caching can be just as rewarding.

 

You Do????

You can go 6 months without caching?

 

Yeah, I was thinking about putting together a string of caches at one of our local Metro Parks specifically for cross country skier (like me) and snowshoers.

 

Grigorii Rasputin

http://grigoriirasputin.wordpress.com

[+Parabola]

Winter caching can be tough. Right now, I'm nursing a very nasty sunburn.

Must be ruff!!!! This time of year it is windburn.

[+Sparticus06]

I think caching in the winter is just awesome. Only special equipment I use is snow boots and a snow suit. Makes it more of a challenge sometimes, especially when looking for a cache in 3ft of snow. Talk about a work out.

[+edscott]

You're all better sports than me. It's 43 and gray today, so the furthest from home I plan to venture is out to my hedge to check on the cache there.

 

I remember 43 and gray... That was 20 years ago. Now I'm 63 and white and certainly can cache year round.

[+Parabola]

I think caching in the winter is just awesome. Only special equipment I use is snow boots and a snow suit. Makes it more of a challenge sometimes, especially when looking for a cache in 3ft of snow. Talk about a work out.

Except when your walking along and fall into a snow drift up to your waist and have to get out of that. But yup it sure can be a work out. But I enjoy caching in the winter. I like after finding a cache to make a bunch of extra set's of footprint's all around and all over the place from the cache. I try not to leave a direct trail to a cache hide. So no one in their right mind would try to follow my track's.

[+Vater_Araignee]

Snowshoe caching can be just as rewarding.

 

You Do????

You can go 6 months without caching?

 

Yeah, I was thinking about putting together a string of caches at one of our local Metro Parks specifically for cross country skier (like me) and snowshoers.

 

Grigorii Rasputin

http://grigoriirasputin.wordpress.com

Tell me it will be one of the western ones, say Huron Meadows. We have 10 there That I haven't done add a few more (if allowed by the park) and I'll make the 5 and a half mile walk.

[+The red-haired witch]

I'm hoping we don't get two feet or what ever it was last year.

 

 

Two feet? For the whole winter?

 

We've had that much already this season. We got about 10 feet last winter. Snowshoes were not optional.

 

But I agree that ice storms are much worst than snow. The Ice Storm would have kept me from caching, if caching had existed when it fell on us, making me hate freezing rain forever

[Skippermark]

Had some awesome hikes in the mountains where no one ever ventures - had to take a shovel to dig for the cache though - talk about precision guessing.

If the cache is an ammo can, a hiking pole makes an excellent cache finder. They usually make an unmistakable clanky sound that can only be one thing.

 

Must be ruff!!!! This time of year it is windburn.

And chapped hands from having to remove your gloves to move snow and other things out of the way.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Had some awesome hikes in the mountains where no one ever ventures - had to take a shovel to dig for the cache though - talk about precision guessing.

 

That is awesome! You're officially my new hero!

[+Ockette]

You're all better sports than me. It's 43 and gray today, so the furthest from home I plan to venture is out to my hedge to check on the cache there.

 

I remember 43 and gray... That was 20 years ago. Now I'm 63 and white and certainly can cache year round.

 

Then you should come cache with me, because the only thing worth going out in the rain for is good company.

[+Vater_Araignee]

Had some awesome hikes in the mountains where no one ever ventures - had to take a shovel to dig for the cache though - talk about precision guessing.

If the cache is an ammo can, a hiking pole makes an excellent cache finder. They usually make an unmistakable clanky sound that can only be one thing.

I hear there is also a way to hack your GPSr so it will do double duty and also function as a metal detector.

But lock & locks also make a distinct thump, as my wife likes to remind me every time I walk past one.

[+Sparticus06]

Winter caching....yep been there done that. First year caching we trudged back through the woods in about 3ft of snow, only to find the nice little road about 450yrds from the cache. Was not that deep on the road. Then we had to dig through that 3ft just to find the cache. Got a DNF on that one. Came back in the spring only to find that I was about 3 ft away from the cache.

Last year I cached in a blizzard. There was an actual white out and I was in the middle of the woods, by myself. Did not matter to me, there was a cache out there with my name on it.

Now we have today. There was a heck of a small storm last night. Slushy snow turning to snow by this morning. Looks not so great out there today, but I have a cache adventure planned, and still plan on going...after I plow the drive way which will take a bit with a ATV.

Winter dont really stop me. Just gotta dress warmer and be a little more prepared for defeat.

[Skippermark]

I hear there is also a way to hack your GPSr so it will do double duty and also function as a metal detector.

 

But lock & locks also make a distinct thump, as my wife likes to remind me every time I walk past one.

I've never heard of the metal detector thing, but that would be interesting if it does.

 

Lock and locks are okay to "thump" in the summer, but in the winter, they are very brittle and can crack. We've broken a few simply getting them out of their hiding spot and now carry a few assorted sizes with us in case it happens again.

[+Vater_Araignee]

Lock and locks are okay to "thump" in the summer, but in the winter, they are very brittle and can crack. We've broken a few simply getting them out of their hiding spot and now carry a few assorted sizes with us in case it happens again.

Now I understand what compelled me to buy 32 pares of GRABBERS Toe Warmers. They are the best deal 45¢ each Vs. 50¢ for the hand warmers, but you have to open 2 at a time.

I never had a frozen=breakage problem with way stashing, most where in heavily painted cookie tins and the real problem was rust.

Maybe geocachers should start a letter writing campaign to Heritage Mint, Ltd. requesting a "deep freezer safe" line for us based on the original design. They do have FreezerLock, but they are not the same design and so far only come in 1.8 cup size.

[+Parabola]

I just figured out last night that I made the mistake of putting a bunch of my handwarmer's for some swag into a cache I hide not too long ago. I really could of used them last night. I need to go and stock up on some more.

 

But I'll bet if anyone find's my cache that will be a nice thing to grab from it this time of year.

[Skippermark]

I never had a frozen=breakage problem with way stashing, most where in heavily painted cookie tins and the real problem was rust.

I broke one last year and one the year before. Both times while either trying to get it out or while looking for it. I was tapping around a fallen tree and as soon as my hiking pole hit it, I heard the crack of the plastic.

[+gelfling6]

You're all better sports than me. It's 43 and gray today, so the furthest from home I plan to venture is out to my hedge to check on the cache there.

 

LOL! Well, I've got 2 years on you, and last weekend, I still wonder what the heck was I thinking???

 

Went up to a few places North to North-West of the home GZ, roughly 10-14 miles away, down into the

bed of an old old reservoir, where a few caches have been placed. temp was down to 15 degrees, but

wind gust 30-40MPH. it was downright COLD! Whole walk through varying terrain from grade 1

to 5.5 (yes, just a little worse than a difficult cache.) Lost BOTH yak-trackx (stretch-on "Spring Cleats")

along the trail, (both yanked off my sneakers by the rough terrain) (and I never went back.. Scrap

$30.. better my health!) out of 6, I only found 1. Because I never looked-up the pages, 2 were archived,

1 the benchmark was no-where to be found (covered in snow) (and I lost footing climbing back down.. one

of the cleats was caked with packed snow, I slipped, and slid down the incline), the other 2... DNF.. snow covered.

 

I have premature arthritis in both knees, and the barometric changes were not helping.. But, managed to walk out, and back up the road (only 1.5 miles) back to the car. (through the woods, I think I covered 4 miles.) Just noticed a hole through the side of one sneaker, where it got between a couple of rocks (wonder if that was where I lost the cleat?), and, to top it off, I bent one of my hiking poles, when I slipped off the incline.

 

Okay, so I'm sadistic.. I drive a schoolbus.. What else does that tell you?

[+Cache O'Plenty]

OK, OK. So I won't bore you with stories of nettles in my socks......

[+Parabola]

I got a reminder this afternoon about the one downside of caching in the winter. Hunting Season!!!

[+Vater_Araignee]

I got a reminder this afternoon about the one downside of caching in the winter. Hunting Season!!!

I worry abut hunters only slightly more than exploding caches. If you have true fear about it then all I can say is "Safety orange hat, safety orange gloves and safety orange vest"

I wouldn't recommend a safety orange snowmobile suit, the local PD might jump ya