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Hibernating for the winter! Who's with me?


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Having almost 1500 finds, I have never found a geocache in the snow or with snow around me. :anicute: of course this has to do with the area I live in (next to Catalan mediterranean beaches :P ). But this winter we have plans to make a trip to the Pyrenees and do some caching in the snow.

 

But my main problem in december is not the cold -which in fact I like- but the January exams. Moreover this year I'm doing a very demanding masters degree and I won't have a lot of time for going outdoors... :mad:

 

It's a shame you missed this one! I found it!

 

384709cb-2ab7-42e6-894f-01b19bfc2dd6.jpg

 

I found it in warmer weather!

 

Bwahahahaha! I didn't see the "found it in warmer weather" note at first. I thought you dug all through that snow! Or it was at Macys. Mmmmmmacys!

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I live in SE Pennsylvania and it doesn't get all that cold or snowy (compared to you northeners).

 

However- I absolutely HATE the cold weather. But yes, with the clocks turned back and it gets dark at 5pm....I want to hibernate!!!

 

We don't cache in the snow...but we have been known to slap on a pair of waders and walk thru a creek when its 25 degrees out. It just depends on our MISSION ...

 

I'm not too fond of the uber cold either. :( I've never slapped on a pair of waders! But now I WANT to!! And by golly, I'm going to have a MISSION so maybe it'll make winter caching more bearable. I'll feel like I have a purpose.

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Here on the NSW South Coast we don't get snow. Actually we haven't had a frost in the 20 years I've lived here. Winter caching weather is usually perfect.

 

However, it sometimes gets up to 43°C in Summer, just a few days a year, and I don't go anywhere then.

 

Oh that sounds lovely! And I'll bet you have some awesome scenery there, too. Can't even imagine...

Scenery

 

Yes. A lot of beaches backed, in the main, by State or National Forest. No real mountains - our local Pigeon House Mountain is all of 665m high. Here's a picture with Pigeon House in the background.

 

I've just come back from Alaska and Western Canada and it is much more spectacular there. Ours is softer and gentler.

 

WOW! That's amazing!! I never see anything like that while caching. :P Yet. I can't wait to get to Alaska someday!!

ERM, that's not Alaska, it is off the NSW South Coast. The pimple in the background is Pigeon House Mountain.

 

Oh, OOPS! I'd like to go to NSW, tooooo! My parents have been there and LOVED it!!

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In my first three years of caching I had about 30 caches in late December through the start of February, and most were one two days. I finished my caching calender, and hated wandering in the snow.

 

I want everyone to continue to post happy winter photos of themselves caching. I will, of course, live through you vicariously.

 

Finally, a hibernator! Haha! We'll see, I might be joining you, though there are some pretty decent arguments out there for this here now winter caching...

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I live in SE Pennsylvania and it doesn't get all that cold or snowy (compared to you northeners).

 

However- I absolutely HATE the cold weather. But yes, with the clocks turned back and it gets dark at 5pm....I want to hibernate!!!

 

We don't cache in the snow...but we have been known to slap on a pair of waders and walk thru a creek when its 25 degrees out. It just depends on our MISSION ...

 

Wow, that's the first time I've ever been called a northerner by anyone anywhere in Pennsylvania. :P

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Also, another misconception, though ticks are dormant in freezing weather, anything above freezing with Sun shining will find 'em back in business.

If you have ticks in your area and the weather's warm enough to melt snow, they're out.

 

Yup - saw my first ticks of the season this year in March in Chicagoland. Still had a fair amount of snow on the ground at that time, too.

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We become more active in the fall/winter after summer days at the beach/lakes. In fact, it has become tradition for us to cache on Christmas and New Year's Days. We are in the Pacific Northwest (Victoria, BC) so if there is any precipitation, it is usually rain. In winter of 1996 though, it was a very different story.....................

 

February of 2011 wasn't so great either, sigh. This is from a post I made in another thread that spring:

 

Posted 25 March 2011 - 11:08 AM

I feel your pain! I went to Victoria on a fast weekend trip the end of Feb...planned on finding some caches while there. Should be safe in Victoria, right? Not. Got there the day after they got about a foot of snow dumped, not fun walking around in that wet slop in the wind. sigh. Did manage to find one, the rest I delayed til my next trip in better weather.

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I usually slow down in December, particularly when I am close to my goal of 1000 finds/year. But then pick it right back up and hit it hard in January.

 

WHAT?!! 1000 finds a year?! That's crazy talk. I'd be lucky to hit 1000 after 7 years of caching. Though I don't have a jet setting, trust fund lifestyle like you. :D :D :D Wait, do you have that???

 

Here's a cache log from a high-numbers cacher from last winter:

 

#24163

 

Only needed to dig around the snow in one spot to find it. Thanks.

 

In the 8 monthe or so since, he's added 3,000 more finds, passing 27,000 total.

 

One of his secrets is found in the log - to be willing to dig in the snow! ;)

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As I've said before, I have a hard enough time finding caches without snow, I'm certainly not going to frustrate myself by trying to find something covered in it. I also tend to hibernate in the cold and in the snow, being out in it for too long and looking for a cache makes me cranky.

 

For the most part, the only caching I do in the dead of winter is on our anniversary in December. During our anniversary, we rotate between going up to Vancouver/Victoria B.C., the Oregon coast, or the Washington coast. This year will be the Oregon coast. I get geocaching out of my system during that time, in the mild(er) places.

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I usually slow down in December, particularly when I am close to my goal of 1000 finds/year. But then pick it right back up and hit it hard in January.

 

WHAT?!! 1000 finds a year?! That's crazy talk. I'd be lucky to hit 1000 after 7 years of caching. Though I don't have a jet setting, trust fund lifestyle like you. :D :D :D Wait, do you have that???

 

Ah, you must have me confused with some other cacher. I am a 99%-er like just about everyone else. And while I get around, I do so on wheels and unless on PTO from work, do so on the weekends.

 

BTW, a 1000 finds a year is nothing nowadays.

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I usually slow down in December, particularly when I am close to my goal of 1000 finds/year. But then pick it right back up and hit it hard in January.

 

WHAT?!! 1000 finds a year?! That's crazy talk. I'd be lucky to hit 1000 after 7 years of caching. Though I don't have a jet setting, trust fund lifestyle like you. :D :D :D Wait, do you have that???

 

Here's a cache log from a high-numbers cacher from last winter:

 

#24163

 

Only needed to dig around the snow in one spot to find it. Thanks.

 

In the 8 monthe or so since, he's added 3,000 more finds, passing 27,000 total.

 

One of his secrets is found in the log - to be willing to dig in the snow! ;)

 

Well clearly I'll be adding a shovel to my geobag. :lol:

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As I've said before, I have a hard enough time finding caches without snow, I'm certainly not going to frustrate myself by trying to find something covered in it. I also tend to hibernate in the cold and in the snow, being out in it for too long and looking for a cache makes me cranky.

 

For the most part, the only caching I do in the dead of winter is on our anniversary in December. During our anniversary, we rotate between going up to Vancouver/Victoria B.C., the Oregon coast, or the Washington coast. This year will be the Oregon coast. I get geocaching out of my system during that time, in the mild(er) places.

 

Same here! Hard enough time finding caches, that is. Though I'd also be perfectly willing to cache in OR & WA in December.

:D :D :D :D :D :D

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I usually slow down in December, particularly when I am close to my goal of 1000 finds/year. But then pick it right back up and hit it hard in January.

 

WHAT?!! 1000 finds a year?! That's crazy talk. I'd be lucky to hit 1000 after 7 years of caching. Though I don't have a jet setting, trust fund lifestyle like you. :D :D :D Wait, do you have that???

 

Ah, you must have me confused with some other cacher. I am a 99%-er like just about everyone else. And while I get around, I do so on wheels and unless on PTO from work, do so on the weekends.

 

BTW, a 1000 finds a year is nothing nowadays.

 

"BTW, a 1000 finds a year is nothing nowadays."

:blink:

I'm just a mere novice compared to your uber-ness then!

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I usually slow down in December, particularly when I am close to my goal of 1000 finds/year. But then pick it right back up and hit it hard in January.

 

WHAT?!! 1000 finds a year?! That's crazy talk. I'd be lucky to hit 1000 after 7 years of caching. Though I don't have a jet setting, trust fund lifestyle like you. :D :D :D Wait, do you have that???

 

Ah, you must have me confused with some other cacher. I am a 99%-er like just about everyone else. And while I get around, I do so on wheels and unless on PTO from work, do so on the weekends.

 

BTW, a 1000 finds a year is nothing nowadays.

 

"BTW, a 1000 finds a year is nothing nowadays."

:blink:

I'm just a mere novice compared to your uber-ness then!

 

Me? No, not uber. Just refuse to let the weather run my life.

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We are pretty new to the sport/game. (Only 100+ finds so far) But being in central Texas, I'm enjoying the winter caching more than summer for sure. It's amazing how many more caches we can go for when we aren't sweating gallons the first five minutes!

 

I may be singing a different tune mid February! :shocked:

 

TX Stephens

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fish...maybe. Camp? No way jose. I would be frozen in the morning! haha.

 

It all comes down to a small tent, a good heater, and a good sleeping bag but for some reason the wife does not come with me.

 

One good thing about Geocaching in the winter. I was looking under something for a Geocache yesterday and I thought I grabbed it but instead I pulled a bee hive out. I about flipped out. I am SO GLAD it was winter!

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Heck no, most my caching is in the winter/early spring as I am a wuss with the snakes LOL I grew up in Western Wa where the worst snake we had was a garter snake, I have zero interest in running into one of the copperheads out here LOL

 

Well.... I wouldn't stop in the winter in NC either! Lol! I'm in MN. Brrrr. "My face hurts. Why do I live where my face hurts?"

But I hear ya on the snakes. I would wig.out if I ever ran across one.

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fish...maybe. Camp? No way jose. I would be frozen in the morning! haha.

 

It all comes down to a small tent, a good heater, and a good sleeping bag but for some reason the wife does not come with me.

 

One good thing about Geocaching in the winter. I was looking under something for a Geocache yesterday and I thought I grabbed it but instead I pulled a bee hive out. I about flipped out. I am SO GLAD it was winter!

 

Oh, no fishing or camping for me any time. Hahaha! Yup, yup, very good thing you found that beehive in the winter!!

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We are pretty new to the sport/game. (Only 100+ finds so far) But being in central Texas, I'm enjoying the winter caching more than summer for sure. It's amazing how many more caches we can go for when we aren't sweating gallons the first five minutes!

 

I may be singing a different tune mid February! :shocked:

 

TX Stephens

 

I agree! I used to live in FL and caching in the summer was brutal. Like jungle brutal. But I'm in MN and brrrrrr....

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I was heading out last night to go to a couple New Years eve parties, and saw that there was a new p&g cache that I'd be driving right by. I thought about this thread, and thought about finding it. But seriously, it was dark, in the teens, cold as heck...why would I want to make myself miserable for a micro by the side of the road? :blink:

 

I'll wait until spring, when the world is warmer and full of hope. :cry:

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I was heading out last night to go to a couple New Years eve parties, and saw that there was a new p&g cache that I'd be driving right by. I thought about this thread, and thought about finding it. But seriously, it was dark, in the teens, cold as heck...why would I want to make myself miserable for a micro by the side of the road? :blink:

 

I'll wait until spring, when the world is warmer and full of hope. :cry:

 

Full of hope TOTALLY made me laugh!!!! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Only 4 more months for me!!

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We always cache on Christmas and and New Years' Days, whatever the weather now. As it gets warmer, we do less caching and Popoki Nui swims and kayaks in the lake while I guard our stuff on the beach with a book in hand. We have cached on very hot days, but don't enjoy it so much now.....

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Some winter caching is not that extreme. I was only out of the car for 15 minutes to find one near Lake Placid at Whiteface Mt. Temp:15°F.

 

2e390c46-bccc-4c50-8b98-7488eed135ff.jpg

 

Brrrr! But that looks like a beautiful place so it was worth it!!

 

AND BY THE WAY, I WENT CACHING TODAY! Sort of. I went to a quick OUTDOOR event. WooT!

 

Lake Placid *is* a wonderful place, especially in winter. The cross-country ski area, sledding center (where you can ride in a bobsled), and skating rinks are great. It's been a long time since the winter olympics were held in lake placid but they've maintained many of the venues for public use.

 

 

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I was heading out last night to go to a couple New Years eve parties, and saw that there was a new p&g cache that I'd be driving right by. I thought about this thread, and thought about finding it. But seriously, it was dark, in the teens, cold as heck...why would I want to make myself miserable for a micro by the side of the road? :blink:

 

I'll wait until spring, when the world is warmer and full of hope. :cry:

 

Full of hope TOTALLY made me laugh!!!! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Only 4 more months for me!!

 

Of course, it's also a lot warmer in the southern hemisphere and other locations closer to the equator.

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I was heading out last night to go to a couple New Years eve parties, and saw that there was a new p&g cache that I'd be driving right by. I thought about this thread, and thought about finding it. But seriously, it was dark, in the teens, cold as heck...why would I want to make myself miserable for a micro by the side of the road? :blink:

 

I'll wait until spring, when the world is warmer and full of hope. :cry:

 

Full of hope TOTALLY made me laugh!!!! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Only 4 more months for me!!

 

Of course, it's also a lot warmer in the southern hemisphere and other locations closer to the equator.

Passed up a shot at FTF?? You must *really* dislike cold weather! :D

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I was heading out last night to go to a couple New Years eve parties, and saw that there was a new p&g cache that I'd be driving right by. I thought about this thread, and thought about finding it. But seriously, it was dark, in the teens, cold as heck...why would I want to make myself miserable for a micro by the side of the road? :blink:

 

I'll wait until spring, when the world is warmer and full of hope. :cry:

 

Full of hope TOTALLY made me laugh!!!! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Only 4 more months for me!!

 

Of course, it's also a lot warmer in the southern hemisphere and other locations closer to the equator.

Passed up a shot at FTF?? You must *really* dislike cold weather! :D

 

I may have passed up the shot at the FTF because it was a P&G, not because it was cold out but that's just me...

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It's a shame you missed this one! I found it!

 

384709cb-2ab7-42e6-894f-01b19bfc2dd6.jpg

 

I found it in warmer weather!

 

Last March I took a bus trip across Canada and back through the States with a goal of logging a bunch of new States and Provinces. After being skunked in Brandon Manitoba due to 5 feet of snow we got to the Winnipeg airport with a scheduled 90 minute layover, problem, we were and hour late.

 

Luckily there was a taxi there and while doing research on my iPad on the bus I found and easy LPC only 2 km from the airport so off we went but when I got to GZ this is exactly how it looked. I was in a t-shirt, it was -15 C and had no gloves but manned up, dug down and got my first and only Manitoba cache.

 

Pfffftttt: winter caching!

Edited by Roman!
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So far, this has been one of my busiest caching winters, but the lack of snow is the big factor in that. Whatever snow we have received since November has pretty much all melted away. I was a little shocked on New Years day as where I went caching had an inch or two on the ground. Where I live and the surrounding countryside is pretty much all brown and barren of snow...it's been a very unusual winter so far in northeastern Wisconsin. May it continue the rest of the season this way :D

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Of course, it's also a lot warmer in the southern hemisphere and other locations closer to the equator.

 

That doesn't necessarily mean it's better for geocaching!

The last two days our maximum temperature has been 44C (111F) - if you stand outside in the sun it HURTS!

And if you forget to cover up your steering wheel when the car is left in the sun - see picture for what's needed.

 

a36a9fe1-6904-4788-85a9-9c5cd2e829dd_l.jpg

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It's a shame you missed this one! I found it!

 

384709cb-2ab7-42e6-894f-01b19bfc2dd6.jpg

 

I found it in warmer weather!

 

Last March I took a bus trip across Canada and back through the States with a goal of logging a bunch of new States and Provinces. After being skunked in Brandon Manitoba due to 5 feet of snow we got to the Winnipeg airport with a scheduled 90 minute layover, problem, we were and hour late.

 

Luckily there was a taxi there and while doing research on my iPad on the bus I found and easy LPC only 2 km from the airport so off we went but when I got to GZ this is exactly how it looked. I was in a t-shirt, it was -15 C and had no gloves but manned up, dug down and got my first and only Manitoba cache.

 

Pfffftttt: winter caching!

Any interesting comments from the taxi driver or from other people in the parking lot while the digging was going on??

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It's a shame you missed this one! I found it!

 

384709cb-2ab7-42e6-894f-01b19bfc2dd6.jpg

 

I found it in warmer weather!

 

Last March I took a bus trip across Canada and back through the States with a goal of logging a bunch of new States and Provinces. After being skunked in Brandon Manitoba due to 5 feet of snow we got to the Winnipeg airport with a scheduled 90 minute layover, problem, we were and hour late.

 

Luckily there was a taxi there and while doing research on my iPad on the bus I found and easy LPC only 2 km from the airport so off we went but when I got to GZ this is exactly how it looked. I was in a t-shirt, it was -15 C and had no gloves but manned up, dug down and got my first and only Manitoba cache.

 

Pfffftttt: winter caching!

Any interesting comments from the taxi driver or from other people in the parking lot while the digging was going on??

 

It was I think 11:30 at night so no people but I'm sure the taxi driver thought I was nuts. Took only about 30 seconds to get to the skirt.

Edited by Roman!
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I prefer the cooler months over the grueling hot summer months. Living in Denver we are fortunate to have mostly mild days in the winter. But then again, we've had several inches of snow the past few days and the temperature has been unseasonably cold. I did manage to chip the ice away from a few lamp post skirts today before the next round of snow hits.

 

Jerry

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It's a shame you missed this one! I found it!

 

384709cb-2ab7-42e6-894f-01b19bfc2dd6.jpg

 

I found it in warmer weather!

 

Last March I took a bus trip across Canada and back through the States with a goal of logging a bunch of new States and Provinces. After being skunked in Brandon Manitoba due to 5 feet of snow we got to the Winnipeg airport with a scheduled 90 minute layover, problem, we were and hour late.

 

Luckily there was a taxi there and while doing research on my iPad on the bus I found and easy LPC only 2 km from the airport so off we went but when I got to GZ this is exactly how it looked. I was in a t-shirt, it was -15 C and had no gloves but manned up, dug down and got my first and only Manitoba cache.

 

Pfffftttt: winter caching!

 

Awesome story!! :D:D:D And you have totally put me to shame. Lol!!

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