Winter Caching?

[+Insp Gadget]

What's your definition of a winter friendly cache? I have been hiding several caches and have recently started to place them in plastic bags and hang them from a tree. I call this winter friendly, but you might have to trudge through 3 feet of snow for a mile before finding the spot. Does winter friendly refer only to the cache itself, or the whole expedition? Should the trail leading to the cache be winter friendly as well?

[+Moore9KSUcats]

Winter caching? Come down to Texas.... that's the only decent season to cache in! Also, no snow to show where the cache is, either. Spring and Fall are great, too.... and summer is just TOO darn hot.... 95-100+ degrees out, high humidity....... we do park and grabs during the summer season, and save the longer hikes for the cooler seasons. Sorry if I sound like a wuss, but I don't get along with the really hot weather that well.

[+GoingBald]

Some people may mistake those bags for "poop bags" that I occasionally read about in these forums. They might not check 'em out, unless of course you tell them about the bags in the cache page. You could also add "Snow Shoes Required" for the harder ones.

[+Planet]

Just up every rating when the snow falls, terrain and difficulty. It doesn't have to be changed on the cache page, just do it in your head when you look out the window and see what the weather is doing. 2 inches of snow, no biggie, watch your footing. After that the rating goes up 1 point for every 6 iches of snow. It becomes a 5 after ice storms. Don't make the mistake I made and look for a 6 inch white vitamin bottle in 2 feet of freshly fallen snow on top of a foot of packed snow in a frost heaved swamp. Nice hike with a big ol' DNF! I stuck my hiking stick in the hole under a tree where I thought it would be and the stick went all the way down.

I'm looking forward to taking a friend up on the offer of the use of her old cross country skis to see if it's something I'd like to do. And we have snowshoes, and all the warm clothes. Dress in layers, pack extra dry socks, and be ready for any emergency if you get stuck out there. There is some very excellent advice here from Desert Warrior you should all read and learn.

 

edited to fix an error

Edited December 6, 2003 by Planet

[+PDOP's]

You have the right idea by hiding the cache up off the ground and above the snow. As for access anyone who's caching in the winter should be prepared for the conditions before they hunt. I have a warning on a couple of my caches that there is no close road access in the winter and give the distance from the nearest all weather road.

Edited December 6, 2003 by PDOP's

[+Insp Gadget]

I have a warning on a couple of my caches that there is no close road access in the winter and give the distance form the nearest all weather road.

I like this idea! I'm going to do it starting with my next cache. Thanks for this idea!

[+gallahad]

"What's your definition of a winter friendly cache? "

 

Someone else's find that I read about on geocaching.com while I sit in front of a nice warm fire.

[+briansnat]

I'd say a winter friendly cache is one that can be found in the snow. Whether it's hung from a tree, or otherwise placed above the ground. The hike in just makes it more of a challenge in snow, but a long hike in the snow is part of the fun.

 

I'd ditch the plastic bag though. No need for those. They get shredded after a few finds and fill with nasty, cold and slimy water, or ice in the case of a winter cache.

Edited December 6, 2003 by briansnat

[+javamutt]

I think Winter friendly is dependent on what kind of snowfall is typicall for your area. Here in Updstate NY we have lake effect storms which can leave a few feet. It's tought to find much of anything in that. But, its still fun to look. Most of the time we have 3-6" on the ground. In that kind of snow its easy to see a woodpile, or a hollow in the tree.

 

If you've cached enough to get an "eye" for suspicious hiding places, then I think winter caching only adds the need to brush off the piles you look under.

[+Northern Trekker]

Winter caching here is not the exception ... So maybe I have $0.02 that I can add... Geocaching Photo

 

I have found many effective winter caches attached to a tree, or under a rock overhang, so that the cache could be located without trying to shovel out a 3 meter square area then pecking away at the frozen ground. Actually I have found that is the easy part. The tougher part may be the container.

 

Tupperware or any other thin plastic material shatters in the real cold (-20F)temperatures when one tries to open them.

 

Plastic PVC pipe with threaded connections freeze together and usually need a source of heat to seperate them. You may also have to provide a wrench to get a grip if the cap is large. Another photo

 

Still the best container is the one made made by Uncle Sam - the ammo box.

 

Attaching the cache to teh tree can be tricky too. You want something that can be brought down and then replaced easily, but remember that bungee cords stop being stretchy in the cold. I have found the best way is to use a short section of rope and a snap-link. Then your fellow geocachers don't have to try to untie frozen knots and the cache will get returned to the same place. Picture 3

 

I do a lot of photographing of my caching adventures. Can I suggest that you look at my gallery of photographs under my profile because a picture is worth ... well you know. Also I find tht photos that I place on the caches that I make do not show up on the gallery, so you may also want to look at the pics of the caches that I created - also available under my profile page.

 

Remember, getting there is half the fun! Delivering a new cache

 

Hope this helps and Merry Christmas!

Northern Trekker

North Pole, Alaska

[egpvfd]

Well I have been thinking of this just recently so you folks give me some good ideas of how to go about this. Some of the caches in my area are 8 feet under snow right now. I would like to consider doing winter only caches. has anyone ever heard of doing this? The other option I thought about would to do a winter maintenance of my cache so that in October I would raise them 6 - 8 feet so they could be located in the winter. Any suggestions?

[+Taoiseach]

Well, my one cache should prove to be more winter friendly than summer friendly, due to the absence of leaves and muggles

 

But as for winter caching - Snow shouldn't stop you

[+briansnat]

Well I have been thinking of this just recently so you folks give me some good ideas of how to go about this. Some of the caches in my area are 8 feet under snow right now. I would like to consider doing winter only caches. has anyone ever heard of doing this? The other option I thought about would to do a winter maintenance of my cache so that in October I would raise them 6 - 8 feet so they could be located in the winter. Any suggestions?

 

I'd go out there in the winter and hide them. That way you know they are winter friendly. Some of the hiding places might not be so summer friendly once the snow melts though.