Geocaching In The Winter?

2k · June 14, 2004

This question is for the people the geocache were is snow's.

Do you geocache in the winter?

Is it harder to hide or go to a cache without leaving tracks in the snow for everyone (cachers and mugglers) to see?

Has finding a cache been easier in the winter with snow on the ground for you because you could follow the tracks in the snow to the cache?

Maybe kind of early for these questions :lol: but I was wondering.....

1.3k · June 14, 2004

I stop after the snow gets above my waistline.

1.8k · June 14, 2004

This question is for the people the geocache were is snow's.

Do you geocache in the winter?

Is it harder to hide or go to a cache without leaving tracks in the snow for everyone (cachers and mugglers) to see?

Has finding a cache been easier in the winter with snow on the ground for you because you could follow the tracks in the snow to the cache?

Maybe kind of early for these questions but I was wondering.....

Yes, we cached all the time during the winter in Southern California. Didn't seem to slow us down one bit. :lol:

2.2k · June 14, 2004

love to cache in the snow. here i am near Checkpoint Charlie in gaylord, mi. the snow got about 2 foot deeper than this in march.

24.7k · June 14, 2004

Snowshoes are on the list. Wading through the stuff gets old. Next time I"ll remmeber my shovel as well.

2k · June 14, 2004

Yes, we cached all the time during the winter in Southern California. Didn't seem to slow us down one bit.

Wise guy... :lol:

June 14, 2004

Wading through the stuff gets old. Next time I"ll remmeber my shovel as well.

That shovel is also handy for the forums. :lol:

2k · June 14, 2004

Good and bad - Good news is that new, regularly visited caches are easier to find but the old ones are a real PITA.

3.8k · June 14, 2004

Is it harder to hide or go to a cache without leaving tracks in the snow for everyone (cachers and mugglers) to see?

I like caches that are hid up off the ground in the winter. That way you don't have to trample down a half acre of snow to find the cache.

5.6k · June 14, 2004

In January the Sn-Olympia Cache Machine continued even though it dropped several inches of snow on us. We just made sure to add some extra tracks/paths so the cache site wasn't too obvious.

In the Cascade Mtn's there are several winter-only caches, without the snow the cache is out of reach. And there was one (I'm not sure if it's still there) that was painted white to make it more difficult in the snow!

If the cache isn't in a popular winter rec area I don't think muggles are much of a concern - they aren't going out there anyways.

June 14, 2004

As The Jester mentioned, if snow tracks will give it away, many cachers simply take a few minutes to add a few more false loops/paths.

Two additional winter advantages: the lack of foliage can make bush whacking a simpler task and other than tropical climates, the mosquitoes are a non-issue.

Edited June 14, 2004 by Teach2Learn

3.8k · June 14, 2004

Living in Indiana, we get moderate amounts of snow.

I have cached in 6 inches of snow.

That's not much compared to some areas,

like our neighbors in Michigan.

I can't identify the hearty soles in the photo below (my bad),

but the photo came from the Groundspeak cache log files

from a cache in Michigan.

Maybe someone can name these cool geocachers.

:lol: :lol:

June 14, 2004

I love caching in the winter. It's has become my favorite time of year to cache, especially right after a few inches of snow. It's so peaceful and quiet. I'd rather rummage thru the fresh snow than fight off mosquitoes and nasty foilage any day.

This year has been really bad for mosquitoes already with all the rain we have had in the Chicacgo area this year. My enthusiasm for caching has waned some because of the pesky little critters. Gimme snow caching anyday!

Edited June 14, 2004 by Sox Fan

2.6k · June 14, 2004

Do you geocache in the winter?

Is it harder to hide or go to a cache without leaving tracks in the snow for everyone (cachers and mugglers) to see?

Has finding a cache been easier in the winter with snow on the ground for you because you could follow the tracks in the snow to the cache?

Yes, I cache throughout the year. :lol: Usually, when searching in the snow, I try to leave lots of fake tracks around the cache site, so at least there will be several possibilities for next hunters or muggles to find the cache immediately. Sometimes previous hunters' tracks have helped me a bit at the cache site, but the fake track diversion is quite common hereabouts, and very seldom people find the cache straight away anyway, so there will automatically be lots of tracks in different places after the cache is found.

It was cool (literally!) to wade through this kind of landscape last winter in total darkness:

1.5k · June 14, 2004

Digging for caches in the snow is for amateurs.

My firestick can do the job for me in minutes! :lol: Oh, and it burns weeds pretty well, too.

2.2k · June 14, 2004

Living in Indiana, we get moderate amounts of snow.
I have cached in 6 inches of snow.

That's not much compared to some areas,

like our neighbors in Michigan.

I can't identify the hearty soles in the photo below (my bad),

but the photo came from the Groundspeak cache log files

from a cache in Michigan.

Maybe someone can name these cool geocachers.

the guy in the hat is victorymike. the girl with the dog is his sister gvnagei. not sure who the third person is.

2.3k · June 14, 2004

I do most of my caching in the winter, when it cools off to the 70's....

June 14, 2004

This question is for the people the geocache were is snow's.

Do you geocache in the winter?

Is it harder to hide or go to a cache without leaving tracks in the snow for everyone (cachers and mugglers) to see?

Has finding a cache been easier in the winter with snow on the ground for you because you could follow the tracks in the snow to the cache?

Maybe kind of early for these questions but I was wondering.....

I geocache in the winter. As a matter of fact, my first cache was on one of the coldest days in the last decade. (I think it was about -20 F)

Batteries don't last long in the cold, so I always bring 2-3 sets with. Also - keep your GPS warm, as the LCD screens get r-e-a-l s-l-o-w with cold weather.

Tracks often lead to the cache, but sometimes not. Most winter cachers will walk the long way around or make many different trails in the snow.

Personally, I enjoy caching in the snow very much. There are rarely people out in the parks, and the added difficulty of finding things buried under snow is a lot of fun. One of the hardest caches was one at the base of a fallen tree. All the water from melting snow and ice came down right on top of the cache. When I got to it, I could only expose the corner of it - the rest was in 5-6 inches of ice. I didn't really have much with me to dig with, but I managed to get it unburied after about 45 minutes so I could sign the log book.

June 14, 2004

I try to go geocaching throughout the year. Here in Wisconsin it can be kinda tough during the winter. That's one reason I like the idea of keeping virtuals around -- we need 'em in the winter!

But we have found a couple in the snow. Have to be a little resourceful when it comes time to find the actual box at ground zero -- but it can be done. And yes, you really want to take the time to make lots of extra tracks to throw off muggles, etc.

Of course, if you're a creative cacher, you can also USE the snowcover to make an interesting cache. I actually did THIS CACEHE in the summer, but if you read its description, it is made so it can be hunted with snow cover. Quite a clever idea!!

2k · June 14, 2004

I've done some winter caching when it's not TOO cold.

I've discovered I like caching more in the Fall and Winter just because this time of year even after bathing myself in DEET the skeeters around the Midwest like to attack in swarms!

June 14, 2004

Only about three feet deep. Coords were off and we found the cache 80ft away w/ 0 snow cover!

Edit: Oh yeah......it was April!

Edited June 14, 2004 by Two Geeks and a GPS

2.3k · July 14, 2004

BUMP

July 14, 2004

This question is for the people the geocache were is snow's.

Do you geocache in the winter?

Is it harder to hide or go to a cache without leaving tracks in the snow for everyone (cachers and mugglers) to see?

Has finding a cache been easier in the winter with snow on the ground for you because you could follow the tracks in the snow to the cache?

Maybe kind of early for these questions but I was wondering.....

Yes, we cached all the time during the winter in Southern California. Didn't seem to slow us down one bit.

I agree. Quite nice geocaching in the cold SoCal winter.

38.2k · July 14, 2004

3.5k · July 14, 2004

This is one of those topics that come up from time to time:

Top Ten Things I Like About Winter Geocaching

Winter Hiding Frustration, no trees, no vegetation

Winter Attenuation

Winter Caching?

Just to name a few.

Personally, winter might be my favorite time of year to cache. No bugs, no spiderwebs, very few other people in the parks to bug you, and very good satellite reception.

Oh yeah...and you get to see stuff like this too:

Bret

1.8k · July 14, 2004

We seldom get 6" in Ohio, but I own a couple of caches for which I post a log about winter caching - "don't hunt if ice or snow is heavy," and it's because they would be a booger to find.

I have one cache I'll get out to after a (rare) find in snow, to make sure of the tracks, and plant a few extra ones.

I have one cache that catches so much sun that the area melts off very quickly. But this winter I have several new ones....???

Early and late winter you can cache wonderfully on nice days with no bugs, etc. I've even been at 10 degrees...well, if you can walk your dog, you can cache.

I hear the Denver area melts off in about 30 hours, even 2 feet. Film canister micros in snow banks get very wet.

8.9k · July 14, 2004

Smudge on the lens is from when the camera fell out of my pocket and got snow on it...

Back in Feb 2003 with my wife on a COLD day after a good snow. Nothing makes you sweat like wearing layers and traversing brown topo lines on a cold day...

Good news: no bugs, no canopy.

Edited July 14, 2004 by Markwell

1.6k · July 14, 2004

I do as much geocaching in the winter as I do in the summer because here in western Washington you can't even expect snow.

July 14, 2004

This question is for the people the geocache were is snow's.

Do you geocache in the winter?

Is it harder to hide or go to a cache without leaving tracks in the snow for everyone (cachers and mugglers) to see?

Has finding a cache been easier in the winter with snow on the ground for you because you could follow the tracks in the snow to the cache?

Maybe kind of early for these questions but I was wondering.....

Yep, did my first cache ever on Sunday, Feb 2nd 2003, an 80 deg F afternoon in West Texas, ducks swimming on the pond, some of the more tropical trees had shed their leaves - LOL.

Not quite like Southern California or South Florida - it DOES get cold on occasion.

Easier to find many really difficult summer caches when everything is brown rather than green <grin>. But same thing happens in summer during a drought.

Great for night caches because it gets dark at 6 PM, so one can start right after work.

Planning a winter cache trip or two, though. Best time to travel because all the muggles' kids are in school, and it's not a blast furnace in the day.

July 14, 2004

I do enjoy caching in the snow, for many of the reasons already stated. I'll seek them, but may not find them. I do get lots more DNF's. But then, after the thaw, I go back with my DNF list and try them again. Same thing after the fall; I save the DNF's I had due to dense tree cover and understory, and do them in the winter. Still, a day full of DNF's in the snow beats a day sitting in front of Jerry Springer and Judge Judy, swilling beer with a bad case of cabin fever. Every time.

July 14, 2004

This question is for the people the geocache were is snow's.

Do you geocache in the winter?

Is it harder to hide or go to a cache without leaving tracks in the snow for everyone (cachers and mugglers) to see?

Has finding a cache been easier in the winter with snow on the ground for you because you could follow the tracks in the snow to the cache?

Maybe kind of early for these questions but I was wondering.....

I love caching in the winter! No bugs, snakes, not as many muggles, etc.

Some people that find a cache in the snow that are concerned about leaving tracks will either walk around and around the area so there aren't one set of prints leading right to the cache. Or they will try and cover their tracks by sweeping a branch or something over their path. I have seen both methods used. I myself use the walk in large circles and make an impossible path to follow.

6.5k · July 14, 2004

This question is for the people the geocache were is snow's.

Do you geocache in the winter?

Yes, isn't any time you can go caching a good time to go caching?

I actually kinda like winter caching. Zero Bugs, less tree cover interference, its also kinda neat to have a trail all to yourself. The downside is cold winds, and deep snow, it might also be hard to figure out which pile of snow to dig in .

Is it harder to hide or go to a cache without leaving tracks in the snow for everyone (cachers and mugglers) to see?

Well, I think theres generally a lot less muggles about, so you don't have to worry about hiding yourself. Yes tracks could be problem I either to go way out and around and loop back from the farside (so you can't see the tracks unless your already at the hiding spot), or after I find the cache run around crisscrossing the area. So even if someone does follow the tracks they they aren't just lead to a big 'bullseye' around the hiding spot.

Has finding a cache been easier in the winter with snow on the ground for you because you could follow the tracks in the snow to the cache?

Normally no, im not lucky enough to get there within a day or two of the last person. So any tracks they did leave have been drifted away.

And then even if you are lucky enough to find it you still have to deal with figuring out A. Are these tracks going to the? B. if they are did the person that leave them mean for me to take the scenic route? and C. which of the circled tree stumps is the actual hiding spot?. I did a cache in early Feb. where I could see the tracks of either the cache hider, or someone who doesn't sign logs. And the tree they circled wasn't ever the right one

Maybe kind of early for these questions but I was wondering.....

You were getting tired of poison ivy and bug bites, and wanted to think about chapped lips and windburn?

July 14, 2004

Thanks for the winter pictures. At 521pm, July 14, 2004 it is 95degrees, and with the heat index it is 100. These pictures made me feel better.

95 °F / 35 °C

Scattered Clouds

HeatIndex: 100 °F / 38 °C

pass the (root) beer please

July 27, 2004

Oh Yeah! Especially after JJASKS told me it was beautiful out there, and it was. I will continue to cache in the snow. Last time I was in 25" of snow hiking up the trail, way too cool. Go to Seven Bridges cache for pictures (80907).

Edited July 27, 2004 by KEYPERSN

July 28, 2004

Not much time for caching in the winter. This is Vermont. Free time in the winter is spent shredding down the slopes on my atomic skis. I can't wait for snow! :laughing:

July 29, 2004

We started caching in the winter, and loved it. On our first day, we found an exceptionally good way to prevent the next finders from following our footsteps right to the cache - as a service to them, we left all our footprints and evidence of searching 20 feet away! :tired:

Noobs!

MaisOui

:0)

July 29, 2004

Yes, we cached all the time during the winter in Southern California. Didn't seem to slow us down one bit.

Because We dont have winter in So Cal! Its either summer with tanktops or summer with sweatshirts! :tired:

July 29, 2004

Had a lot of fun (and freezing toes and ears) while trying to find this cache in vain:

hinter hinter her

BS/2

July 29, 2004

I began geocaching last fall, but didn't get a GPS till Christmas, so for all intensive purposes I started caching in the snow. I actually hit my first cache with my new GPS a few days after Christmas. Although I should note that we got about two feet of snow on Christmas. Fourteen of my early caches were found in the snow, so I got adept at winter caching rather quickly. Nothing quite like walking through 3 feet of snow without a bib or snowshoes.

July 30, 2004

Here in Massachusetts, it typically snows/melts, snows/melts, snows/melts, so if there are foot prints, they, well, melt. I've been thinking that I prefer winter caching because the ticks have been making me really nervous lately. We've all had at least one of those big black ones on us this spring and summer. From what I've read, those are not the ones in particular to be worried about for Lyme disease. However, no matter what, it's not fun to find a tick on you! I know you can still get ticks in the fall or winter, but at least the undergrowth has died off during that time, so there's not as much risk.

Geocaching In The Winter?

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