Frozen in Winter

[+ByronForestPreserve]

What with one thing and another, I've had a cache out since last summer and haven't enabled the listing yet. I have checked on it (popular fishing area) a few times, and went out again today. It was completely encased in ice, and I couldn't budge it.

 

It's a very cool area...natural spring, lots of local history, right on the river...and unfortunately there are very limited spots to hide a container. It's off of the side of the spring in a hole between some rocks (I did not dig the hole!), and I placed another rock over the opening so it's not visible. The other rocks are very securely in the landscape, so there's little threat that cachers would tear apart the area looking. Hiding it elsewhere would force cachers to climb up the steep incline where erosion is already a visible problem, so the rocks by the spring are the only "good" location. Oh, and the park requests that all containers be made of clear material, so cammo is not an option.

 

And here I thought for sure muggles would be the issue...

 

Part of me wants to give up on it...and yet, I DNF'd a few caches this winter that were simply under the snow and not reachable. I saw pictures in the winter caching thread of containers in ice in tree stumps. I could certainly use the "not winter friendly" attribute. But...I dunno. It was fine a couple of months ago, when it was actually winter...

 

If it makes a difference, to get to the path one has to start by walking down 200 steep steps...something that maybe people wouldn't want to do in winter, anyway.

 

So--if you knew your cache would get locked in ice for part of the year, would you keep it or ditch it?

[+The A-Team]

I'd just mention that it may be harder to retrieve in the winter. Maybe also add the Special Tool Required attribute: the tool being an ice pick.

[+T.D.M.22]

Don't feel bad-I went "caching" for three days in northern Alberta. It was winter-3-5 feet of snow in some places. There where some caches I couldn't find-or didn't even try because of the winter, actually I only found one cache in those three days...It's part of the game. Only thing to remember is that the freeze and thaw may harm the container, and require more maintenance.

[Mr.Yuck]

Keep it!! I just got a frozen cache log a couple weeks ago on an ammo box of mine. Actually, it was kind of funny, I got a "Tftc" smartphone find log, and the next day from the same person a needs maintenance log that it was frozen, and they couldn't free it. No, I'm not that mean, I didn't delete the log. But I didn't "perform maintenance" either.

 

I've had pretty good luck freeing frozen containers (without breaking them as a bonus). The only time I can ever remember seeing one completely encased in ice, I didn't log the find, and came back a couple weeks later in warmer weather.

[+ByronForestPreserve]

Ah, excellent. It was very, very frozen! But it's a Pelican box, so if someone took a screwdriver to it or something, I think it would hold up. I hope.

[GPS-Hermit]

You might want to give this one up - the container is likely to get damaged since clear containers are not usually strong like an ammo box. You can't control what extreme effort will be used by a careless cacher. Ice is a tuff thing to deal with and not a welcome obsticle. Freezing water will most likely damage anything in time! cachers are supposed to replace as found and that is also difficult in this case. You might consider a seasonal cache and only make it available in the non freezing times. Not so many cachers in the winter months anyway. Good luck with it!

[+briansnat]

Keep it, there is always spring, summer and fall.

[+L0ne.R]

We have 3 caches with the not-winter-friendly attribute. One (a lock n lock container in a stump) is currently encased in ice. I disabled that one because I don't want anyone trying to free it. Every once in a while I check and leave a note saying it's still encased - so that the Reviewer knows I'm watching the situation.

 

The other 2 not-winter-friendly attribute caches are being found fairly regularly this winter - the snow hasn't been very deep and the one in the tree noook hasn't had ice build up.

 

I figure if I add the attribute people are at least warned that it may be not be accessible.

Edited March 30, 2013 by L0ne R

[+-CJ-]

-if you knew your cache would get locked in ice for part of the year...

 

...I would consider moving it to a better hiding place.

[+Brooklyn51]

Definitely keep it! You mentioned that it was in a very cool spot so one of your objectives was obviously to share that with others. Even if someone has to DNF it, you've still brought them to this cool area and more than likely they'll be back to try again because of that. I wish that could be true for all caches. Winter is just one of the facts of geocahing. Not all caches will be available during that season nor do they have to be. Take heart, Spring just around the corner!

[+Ruddles1325]

If it's not available in winter then tough. I hunted a cache this year that was under about 4 foot of snow. I was really chancing it. I gave up when the snow was up to my waist. Will just have to go back in summer. On the other hand there is a cache near me which is only available in winter, as due to some clever printing the tags can only be read whn the temperature is below freezing.

[+CdAGeoGeeks]

There are a few seasonal caches in our area. The owners work hard with the reviewers on when to activate and temporarily disable them. Communication is the key!

[+cerberus1]

On the other hand there is a cache near me which is only available in winter, as due to some clever printing the tags can only be read whn the temperature is below freezing.

Or hit the back of it in the Summer with a keyboard air can (turned sideways or upside down).

Gets cold quick.

[+worstcaster]

I would add the not winter friendly attribute like you suggested. If you cache in the winter month you know it can be harder to find caches (unless your following the last cacher's foot prints). If someone goes out looking for your cache in the winter they take their chances with finding it. There are still 3 seasons without snow (maybe).

[+cerberus1]

I'd keep it if the container will hold up to the extremes and place the "not available..." attribte on it.

 

BTW, it wouldn't be waist high or lower would it?

We had more than one state they thawed out an ammo can we had in a tree clump.

[+ByronForestPreserve]

I'd keep it if the container will hold up to the extremes and place the "not available..." attribte on it.

 

BTW, it wouldn't be waist high or lower would it?

We had more than one state they thawed out an ammo can we had in a tree clump.

I placed it fairly carefully--it's about 5 feet off the ground, waist high if you are standing on the limestone foundation at the edge of the path. I think the slope behind it is the problem; AFAICT, the actual spring is lower by a couple of feet, and the cache is in a natural crevasse about where the man in tophat's elbow is.

 

The spring 120 years ago:

 

 

Our most famous local landmark is a huge concrete statue at the top of the bluff, and hundreds of people drive to it every year. Some walk down the stairs, but hardly anyone walks the path to the spring; one of those things that not many people other than local fishermen know is there.

[+ShaunEM]

You can ask that people not rip it out of the ice in winter, or you can disable it every winter.

 

We get flooding here in the spring and whole areas are temp. disabled during that time.

 

I had someone send me an email, this past winter, saying they found my cache but it was frozen in place. They offered to send picks. I told them it was OK.

 

In fact I would have given them bonus points if I could.. don't break-a my cache-a!

 

Shaun