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Is Fall Easier for Geocaching?


1NatureMom

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I'm asuming fall would be easier since the tree tops are clear, however, does the falling leaves & debrie make it harder to find a casche? And what about the snow? Just curious. I've been recovering from pneomia, and am eager to get back out. What can I expect this late fall & early winter? Do we hold off till spring?

Thx

icon_smile.gif Leslie

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I haven't noticed much difference here in Florida, except that there's a lot of lightweight wussies who won't go geocaching in the summer because it's (supposedly) too hot, too humid, or there are too many bugs. Boo hoo. icon_smile.gif

Up in the chilly arctic North (i.e. anything past the FL/GA border) I think the bare trees definitely help with GPS reception but may make it harder to find the cache buried under all that stuff.

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We're here in the Wisconsin/Minnesota area. We've found that the lack of leaves on the trees hasn't really improved GPS reception. But we think if it put us right on top of the cache, it would take away some of the fun anyway. I'm sure bushwacking is easier in the fall. You can actually see all the thorned bushes that are trying to tear your jacket. There have been times when we thought all the leaves on the ground would make it impossible to find a cache, but so far, we havn't had any no finds because of it. Another advantage to fall, is the parks are less crowded. icon_biggrin.gif

 

worried.gif Children are natural mimics who act like their parents despite every effort to teach them good manners.

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The real advantage in Florida is that the sweat dripping from your brow doesn't smudge the log book, the alligators,rattlesnakes and water moccasins are a little more subdued and it is a little more pleasant thunderstorm and hurricane wise. The downside is that there are way more Nyawkers here than there are in the summer. So it's kind of like a push. icon_wink.gif J/K

 

BTW Infosponge...thanks for the tile. It's on my fridge. I can't bring myself to trade it yet.

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Yes, I've definitely noticed an improvement in GPS reception over the past couple of weeks. My last trip out, I never lost a satellite lock once, even while crawling around on the ground hunting for the cache (the one that was hanging up in the tree).

 

So I guess that's why, just to keep things challenging at this time of year, there are drunken people with guns in the woods who might shoot at you.

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitos?

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Yes! No! I mean Yes!

Better reception, trails are covered and harder to see. Woods are opened up and can see further into them, cache spots are covered with leaves, great camo. Weather is more pleasant for a little while then it's not so pleasant. Rainy windy cold, Indian summer. It is a confusing time of year, do I cache, do I not? This is why a love New England. The change of seasons keeps geocaching challenging. This summer was so hot that it's definitley easier hiking now. The hardest part is climbing slopes when it's raining and the leaves are really slippery. I hope you are recovering from your pneumonia completely, that's a tough one.

 

Hey, by the way I HIT 50!!!!!!!

 

Cache you later,

Planet

 

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

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The fall is a great time to go Geocaching. The GPS reception is better (but that's no help if the placer's reception was poor when the cache was hidden). It seems that Geocaching activity really picks up here in the northeast during the fall.

 

The leaves are a minor problem. They can make the footing difficult on the trails, esp. if they are wet. They can also make the cache a bit harder to find.

 

Winter is also a great time to Geocache, unless there is 3 feet of snow on the ground.

 

"You can't make a man by standing a sheep on its hind legs, but by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" -Max Beerbohm

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Improved visibility to the Satellite Constellation.

The leaves on the ground will ''pile'' over a cache, sometime accentuating where the cache really is.

 

Unless the cache is small or semi buried (recessed into the ground), it's not a problem for me.

 

Cache Sense ...tingling...

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I like not having to deal with mosquitoes. (and pesky biting flies in South Jersey) Also, the NJ turnpike and parkway (and Routes 42, 47, 55 etc) are a lot less congested this time of the year. Easy driving.

 

Biggest problem is time. The sun sets a lot earlier now so if you don't watch out, you'll be searching for the cache in the dark.

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This is my first fall for geocaching. It has been a neat change from the norm. I'm loving all the colorful leaves, but the fallen leaves have made it harder to see the trail and caches seem to be a little harder to find since there's more things to look under. I was at one cache where the wet leaves added would have a star to the terrain rating as the cache was on a pretty good slope!

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To 1NatureMom,

 

Caching in a four season area is GREAT. Each new season brings its own joys and beauties. They also bring in advantages and disadvantages. While each cache is different, and have their own challenges, most caches are easier to find in fall, when you have better GPS reception. This is particularly good for rookie geocachers.

 

Advantages of late fall – Better GPS reception, cooler better temperatures for serious hiking, less activity by insects and poisonous snakes.

 

Disadvantages – Shorter daylight hours, leaf on ground may be slippery. It is rare that leafs will hide a cache.

 

Now I will dream of the first snowfall of the season. In February I will dream of long spring hikes/backpacks combined with geocaching. Come June I will look at caches that have good swimming holes nearby.

 

Please enjoy the late fall.

 

Added note for 1NatureMom. I spent about 1 month this summer inside with lyme disease, and understand some of your feeling about getting out.

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quote:
Originally posted by Markwell:

I can't believe no one said it yet.

 

No ticks!

 

http://www.markwell.us

http://www.chicagogeocaching.com

 

Bulldoots! I found a tick IN a cache the other day. We had some come home from the Hudson Highlands last weekend, there's ticks. Matter of fact you'd better do a tick check right now!!

 

Cache you later,

Planet

 

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

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