Mac5115
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 76
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
|
Post by Mac5115 on Nov 19, 2013 20:38:08 GMT -9
Now that the snow has begun to stick and the cold has set in, I have been thinking about being successful in my winter cache hunts. I have never cached an Alaskan winter and would like some tips and suggestions for successful caching in the winter environment from our experienced members. Any TOTT that helps when seeking caches in the snow and cold? Thanks for any tips and suggestions.
|
|
|
Post by akgh519 on Nov 20, 2013 2:46:01 GMT -9
Handwarmers and mittens! A warm hat that covers your ears Shovel Snowshoes A probe to find those buried ammo cans...a ski pole without a basket works well...but probe gently so you don't break that frozen plastic container! Flashlight/headlamp with extra batteries I always carry an extra set of warm clothes just in case... And don't forget to take a waypoint where you leave your vehicle...especially if out during dark hours...
|
|
|
Post by SSO JOAT on Nov 20, 2013 5:32:00 GMT -9
First and foremost... GSAK! Filter your PQ downloads to select only caches that have the winter accessible attribute set. Yes, there might be other caches that can be found in the winter, but if the cache owner can't take 10 seconds to select attributes for their cache, I'm not interested in looking for it under less than ideal conditions. Winter filter will save you a lot of time and headache.
Beyond that, I second the lightweight probe. Rather than randomly digging around at the base of various trees (for the caches that are not suspended above ground), just do a pattern of gentle probings into the snow until you hear that metallic clink of the ammo can. Plastic containers are very poor choices for winter containers. Not only are they fragile, but they tend to be to stiff to regain a good seal after opening.
When you open a cache in the winter, be very meticulous about not getting any snow into the container. A few snow flakes sealed in the box is all it takes to damp the log during the Spring melt.
You'll also want to check out the night caches. Most of them are setup for winter use and are listed as either multi or puzzle. Right now would be a good time to start working on those as the snow depth isn't enough to make difficult travels and it's getting dark early enough to use the reflectors.
Ask around at the end of tomorrow's event.
|
|
|
Post by fuzzybelly on Nov 20, 2013 9:05:38 GMT -9
All great ideas but JOAT and LBK have some type of stock in the GSAK gig, I'm sure of it It's always their first suggestion to everything It really isn't necessary to have that, plus think of all the caches you miss when someone doesn't put up an attribute, or, if someone places a "Needs maintenance" on it when it doesn't need it. You may miss a great winter smiley. There really isn't a funner time for caching if you ask me. I just plan my adventure of caches by looking at each cache page along the path I plan to take, seeing if it's been found recently or if the page reveals some how that it's winter friendly, ie; ammo can, hangs in a tree, dates when others have found it. Then I get all bundled up, grab my walking stick(probe) and head out for a walk in the winter wonderland. Just remember a few things, winter caching aint as easy, but there aren't any bears, which is nice. Never clear out a whole area so you have more caches to find the next time you return. And please please please wander around aimlessly for a while after you find your smiley as to not leave an obvious geo trail to the hide for other cachers behind you
|
|
|
Post by SSO JOAT on Nov 20, 2013 10:46:19 GMT -9
Agree with making lazy bee tracks to hide the approach.
I know Mac has GSAK, so that's why I suggest it. You can easily filter winter attributes via Pocket Query, so GSAK is not mandatory, just more powerful.
The point is to avoid undesirable caches by not looking at the ones without attributes. Will you miss an occasional "good" cache? Sure. Will that matter in the grand cosmos? Nope.
After you've found a bunch of winter friendly regulars without a NM or DNF's and with recent finds, then you can start expanding into those without the snowflake.
|
|
|
Post by NeverSummer on Nov 20, 2013 13:38:55 GMT -9
I thought I'd have something to add, but all I can come up with is, "What they said!"
|
|
|
Post by akgh519 on Nov 20, 2013 13:55:54 GMT -9
All caches are winter friendly...some just more so than others!!!! ColoReido and I have had a lot of fun making some geocheological digs in the snow!!
Make sure you take some snacks and water too. Being thirsty and hungry can contribute to you getting cold.
And lastly...cotton kills...be sure to leave it at home. Wear layers ie a base layer, an insulating layer and an outer shell ie polypro or smart wool long undies, fleece top and bottom and a nylon shell and ski type pants.
|
|
|
Post by NeverSummer on Nov 20, 2013 14:45:46 GMT -9
All caches are winter friendly...some just more so than others!!!! ColoReido and I have had a lot of fun making some geocheological digs in the snow!! Make sure you take some snacks and water too. Being thirsty and hungry can contribute to you getting cold. And lastly...cotton kills...be sure to leave it at home. Wear layers ie a base layer, an insulating layer and an outer shell ie polypro or smart wool long undies, fleece top and bottom and a nylon shell and ski type pants. And a beard. Grow a beard.
|
|
|
Post by TheFirefly on Nov 20, 2013 14:50:54 GMT -9
Hhmm....I've got to agree with most everything, but I can't say as I'm going to grow a beard anytime soon. My biggest recommendation is probably not to leave your gloves at home, like I did last night. The car read 5*F when I reached GZ, but that didn't stop me from grabbing the FTF bare-handed. It took a long time to warm my fingers up again!
|
|
|
Post by fuzzybelly on Nov 20, 2013 15:03:51 GMT -9
Ya GSAK works for a lot of stuff, most of which I just don't understand, nor care to learn. I know there are a lot of people who use it though.
Oh ya And don't forget to wear something to cover the back of your neck, there's going to be a lot of snow falling off trees and into your nape.
And if you haven't found a night cache yet, they are great fun. It's like a little twinkly smiley every time you find a tack.
|
|
|
Post by fuzzybelly on Nov 20, 2013 15:05:59 GMT -9
Hhmm....I've got to agree with most everything, but I can't say as I'm going to grow a beard anytime soon. Now that would be funny to see, thefirefly with a big fluffy beard
|
|
Mac5115
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 76
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
|
Post by Mac5115 on Nov 20, 2013 19:54:23 GMT -9
Thanks everyone! Awesome tips!
|
|
|
Post by SSO JOAT on Nov 21, 2013 14:32:48 GMT -9
Yep. I wish more folks would come into these forums and ask questions like this. Getting answers to such questions from a bunch of folks who really like to share their experiences is exactly what forums are designed for.
|
|
|
Post by NeverSummer on Nov 21, 2013 16:45:55 GMT -9
And we're not nearly as snarky as it gets on the groundspeak forums! (ouch)
|
|
Mac5115
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 76
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
|
Post by Mac5115 on Nov 21, 2013 21:03:45 GMT -9
Yea, I have noticed that on the groundspeak forums. Wonder why it is like that on there?
|
|
|
Post by akgh519 on Nov 22, 2013 5:32:25 GMT -9
...because they aren't Alaskan...
|
|
|
Post by NeverSummer on Nov 22, 2013 8:35:09 GMT -9
...because they aren't Alaskan... Wait, am I Alaskan yet? I guess I'm Minnesotan, which means I bring Minnesota Nice to this production...
|
|
|
Post by akgh519 on Nov 22, 2013 12:59:05 GMT -9
As far as I am concerned....you are an Alaskan...
|
|
|
Post by NorthWes on Nov 25, 2013 14:53:33 GMT -9
From a prior post on a similar thread:
"You're right - you'll leave tracks. Most of us just leave LOTS of tracks! I do, because I seem to never walk right up to the find, but in any case I wander about the area a bit to leave several trails behind. No choice otherwise.
Another seriously effective technique is to bring along a dog - the larger, the better. My standard poodles (the geo-mega-poodle pack, also known as 'spoos') are guaranteed to thoroughly crisscross an area with tracks in mere moments after we arrive on scene. On occasion they've been known to find the cache ahead of me too.
I will admit, in the deep woods some folks stain the snow yellow to camo their real reason for leaving the trail.... me? I just blame the poodles..."
Now - seriously - I'm a big fan of waterproof boots for caching off-pavement, winter and summer. Seems many of these cachers locate their woodsy hides where's there's a water seep on the approach. Except jackcat14 - he likes ponded approaches. And - you never know if my spoos have pioneered the approach and left there own mark behind (at least they're ladies, and don't lift their leg to mark the cache itself!)
Fuzzy suggests a probe, but then he tells you there's no bears out in the woods in the wintertime. Ummm... where do you think they go in the winter? Maui? Nope - they're out there sleeping away. Whaddya think's gonna happen when you gently manipulate Mr Sleeping Bear with that basketless probe? Hmmm??? Just don't poke around in holes that look like something's down in there breathing. More to the point - watch for moose, even more so now that it's winter. You should avoid stressing them by getting too close. Stressed-out moose do strange things, like dancing on people who get too close.
My final advice for winter caching - dress in layers! Cotton kills, so stick to polypro and fleece, with a wind block layer...
|
|
|
Post by fuzzybelly on Nov 26, 2013 8:16:59 GMT -9
Northwes, that had me rolling. Maui? Well wouldn't you. And as far as poking around where I shouldn't...... I thought about that after a few pokes one winter and turned and left the area
|
|
akhillbillies
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 13
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
|
Post by akhillbillies on Dec 8, 2013 11:04:46 GMT -9
Couple things already covered but worth mentioning again, waypoint your vehicle or start point, bring extre batteries, and as Fuzzy said, cover the back of your neck, I use a hoodie from a jacket to cover up just before going into thick trees or brush, having snow go down your back aint fun at all. Ive tried the GSAK thing but keep coming back to using an app called Locus, personal opinion is that its the best thing since peanut butter for geocaching.
|
|
|
Post by fuzzybelly on Dec 9, 2013 20:45:22 GMT -9
Hey, I like peanut butter.
Locus? available on android?
Why would I use it rather than the geocaching.com app I already have?
Does it cost?
|
|
Mac5115
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 76
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
|
Post by Mac5115 on Dec 18, 2013 21:37:09 GMT -9
I have an iPhone and I use Geo Bucket. I am not sure if this app is available on Android but it loads my Pocket Queries directly from geocaching.com. It awesome and easy to do. I don't think that it is better then the geocaching.com app but very comparable. The reason I got it was because a cheaper option at 2.99 compared to 9.99 for the geocaching.com app.
|
|
|
Post by fuzzybelly on Dec 18, 2013 22:08:42 GMT -9
I just saw hillbillies LOCUS app on his phone. Looks good. I need to try it now. I don't really like the geocaching.com one.
|
|
akhillbillies
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 13
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
|
Post by akhillbillies on Dec 23, 2013 19:30:56 GMT -9
I think it comes down to personal preference, i've tried all the aforementioned programs/apps and I personally prefer Locus. I dont have a computer or a laptop of my own, all my geocaching is done on my phone, which, along with Mr Colt, are always by my side, I keep my GPSr in the car and my phone in my pocket. A lot of times on urban caches I dont need the GPSr. Within minutes of a new cache being published I have identified its location on a street map, i've zoomed in from space on mapquest satellite map, i've looked at google street view, and i've confirmed where i think the cache is by zooming way in on google earth, if the coordinates are good I can tell which light pole the cache is under the skirt of, sometimes I can identify the specific tree that holds the cache by its shadow on a satellites winter pass, and I have this within minutes of a cache publishing. If we are using the live tracking than I see all caches in the area in relationship to the map, i click on a specific cache and i already have downloaded to my phone the complete cache listing to include the last 10 logs. I can filter too, my found caches are in a separate folder, if I want to fill my d/t grad for spot 4/4.5 I filter for that, and send the caches to their own folder, now on my live tracking map im looking at only caches that are 4/4.5, I see that one's last 3 logs were dnf's, 1 is too far off the road, 2 are puzzles (aarrgghh), so Im off to look for the one cache to fill that grid space that I feel like doing. Theres so much more, but alas, its been cloudy lately and the days are short, i dont have enough solar energy stored to continue this conversation, time to turn off the internet and turn on the radio and feed the fire, its -7 out there...
|
|