Winter Caching I side more than three years with geocaching, it is my beloved to a Habit, give me the presents on Christmas eve to have some fresh air and to end after the holidays and the year, with one or the other geocache. In recent years, as a rule came out pretty decent mud-slinging. 2006, I found, for example, the (now archived)
Rumpumpelwald (GCZ6CA), but not necessarily provided in the following order: After about two hours of fruitless searching, I trudged finally just blindly through the woods and finally found the first cache, then the last stop , then the second to last ... New Year's Eve was still
Rzhev / Volga (GCNMVHR) on the series, to which I encounter because of the with the not particularly sympathetic to come over and above all anything but helpful owner still look back with mixed feelings.
In 2007, I was not directly on Christmas Eve, but geocaching just a day before, was allowed to it, however one of the most dramatic experience of my caches recent "career":
Eating Katernberg: Zollverein (GCVK5T). Even today, two years later, I'm always happy to return here - not least since I was in Mietz had a partner who shares not only the hobby of geocaching, but also my Lost-place enthusiasm with me. The mud-factor came in 2007, but a little too short, even at New Year's Eve, where I could track down some difficulties in the cache
Beyond the bridge (GC15FBQ) on Schildescher viaduct. Although my mother, who was then traveling with me was still too muddy. But now times Geocaching is an outdoor sport.
On Christmas Eve 2008, I had somehow found a matching multi, cleared away the mess before so "only" four Tradis were followed by unspeakable Mystery dhahms
High mountains (GC18GE4). How many times I had it already around puzzled for hours! After the hundredth attempt (or so), I jokingly (or are they frustrated?) Once with the mouse pointer over the suspected target area shown by me recorded and at this point the coordinates, with the intent to one day just to start there and from here the cache after the brute force method to search the premises. After I felt a further 100 experiments but later the mystery was solved yet, I found the cache at almost exactly the same coordinates, which I had previously advised. There's stuff ...!
After Christmas I was in the year 2008 not more geocaching, probably so, because I had to do most of the time "between the years" to prepare my tax return and prepare even New Year's Eve to about ten minutes before midnight my VAT return ( the stupid
Elster not even accept wanted because it was ten minutes too early). Oh, and besides, I had at the time a shit mood, because a recently lined up a new project was found to be quite hell: The project needed that is not really a support, but merely someone he yelled from morning to evening and could make his own mistakes and shortcomings responsible. Perhaps I would have done in that situation some mud-caching for a change quite well.
A year later, and quite a few strange events, most of which were not really relevant to the Geocaching, approached again the time of the Year, which brings you in general with peace and quiet here. Meanwhile I had completed an almost two month project with daily 10-hour days and needed urgent action spout. At the end of the year I had (and now we had
us - or maybe more ...?)
I made us so, pass around the Christmas to the one or other multi. The expected after the experience of previous battles mud "had to" we sacrificing but "unfortunately", because that was known to burst into this year just before Christmas, the winter (and was caught to date is still not back).
So we came this year exception (but plenty for) benefits of an experience, which in our latitudes is expected to be increasingly rare in the face of climate change: Winter caching. Apart from the (unfortunately shortly thereafter archived)
Ostoroschno and some tunnels in the Harz caches I had previously made only very rare experience to find geocaches in snow and ice. Certainly not every cache is appropriate, especially those in which references easily be buried under snow and ice to freeze, or otherwise, caused by winter weather conditions can be found. But the most likely under these conditions more difficult to find than in summer. And even if not, It is one this season because of the cold still mostly like it.
Okay, my personal, small mud I had of course been a week earlier when the two caches
had a song of love and death (GC11AV9) and
Berghof 39 (GC1ZD98) in Halle (Westfalen). While my dear dear with a heavy cold at my house in bed was, I struck me particularly in the latter cache is already quite icy temperatures well into the dark through the dark woods to coated whole haystack, climbed around on trees and failed last almost the end because the last stop obviously only a short time before by forestry workers had been cut. But winter is on that third weekend of Advent, of course, was not. And at this time also my project was still in full swing.
Our two first real winter cache should therefore
Isenburg Hattingen - are Reloaded (GC1M9P0). What I had not anticipated was that the temperature would drop suddenly, this fourth Advent Saturday despite bright sunshine down to -12 degrees Celsius Siberian. Even the blades of the snow-free car, I was glad that I had just bought the night before at the level of
fur-Dieck on Dortmund's Christmas market is a warm, white rabbit fur hat. Although the Mietz probably still think, is that these colors did not not suit me. (Well, at least they can be prima differ from my own hair.)
Unlike my old beaver fur hat, where you only can the right and left flip only two moderately warm-holding fabric flaps over the ears, the new good piece almost a complete protection against the cold, only the neck has to make do it elsewhere. I also appreciate that this hat just in case of snow emergency has beautiful camouflage is different but the white coat color only in shades of white splendor that falls from the sky now. And the latest, though the black jacket is really snowed, and the striking contrast between two articles of clothing should be omitted. I was lucky this time and thought in time to take the winter gloves from the closet (and not to forget at home), so I felt for a proper winter walk really well equipped.
Unfortunately Mietz had her cold still not completely overcome, and was therefore limited in shape. A lot of exercise in the fresh air is to supposedly help against the flu. But unfortunately is not written on it, those measures before, during, or after to the flu. However, in any case have We completed the cache at the Isenburg in the most beautiful winter weather. All stages of the round could be found well and fairly quickly, although the billboard was to read at the last stop, had to be freed only once a thick layer of snow. There is also the road to be resolved, stone staircase straight out in this weather as an almost insurmountable obstacle to the Mietz, since it is their fear of heights is probably not conducive, with also feel to not have any firm support under your feet.
still significantly less funny I found the two brats that we were annoying on the road and thrown snowballs for provided, that I the snow that had collected on the canopies of the middle of the castle between the upper and lower castle country house located Custodis, rushed to the head. I actually thought I was right the first time made it clear that I went to the laces, but obviously this was not the case. Why we must always be actually in the Ruhr is rough and with threatening use of force, so that one is left alone? Do the people there now any other language more? Bring to them there at a very early age at, to listen to anything else? Another argument for wanting to stay in the area longer than necessary! Of "life" I would like to speak in this context does not even ...
I said, we were in this beautiful, snowy winter landscape all stations meet the multi-cache relatively easily. Only the search for the finale turned out in snowy woods a little more difficult, especially since the coordinates were different but not less than 12 feet, the terrain is relatively steep at the finals and to top it all confusing and even just the sun went down. But ultimately, Mietz with the last ray of sun was still find it. For the return trip, we then chose the safe side, slightly below street opposite to which we are however still a real holly-forest had penetrated. Fresh from the now darkening forest to escape a bit, we remembered to have brought in a thermos, hot tea were amazed, but not bad, as quickly after pouring this frosty at the temperatures was already cold.
lasted until our next one, but only a relatively short winter hike, then until Christmas Eve. However, we were looking this time not in the true sense a cache, but took only one cache maintenance on my own geocache
Franciscan (GCXWBT) before. This is the ruins of an old monastery church, located in the Teutoburg forest on the old mountain road to the west in the direction of Bielefeld Hall (Westphalia), Münster and Osnabrück is located. In the summer of my cache had to be relocated due to archaeological excavations at the ruins of something that had graciously agreed a local geocachers, at the beginning of the work happened to be passing by here. The new hiding place I had not even seen. Meanwhile, the work was completed, and after that was the bargain of the already missed several years of my predecessors container caches turned up again, so that it was high time for a cache maintenance.
Since we just came from the store (during which the Christmas tree was peaceful in the car), we had my mother also, which is certainly not harm has something to get to fresh air. In this weather, she does so alone, barely out of the house, off (well not entirely unjustified) fear of slipping, falling, and are (like once my great-aunt) of breaking several bones. With two companions, she managed to climb to the monastery ruins, however, without problems. Locally we had to look for both versions of the cache actually still short (may we credit for it now actually a fund?) Before we were able to replace the cache with a new plastic box. Sameness was recently moved to the archive cache Mietzen series "Lost Places in Wanne-Eickel" left over and was thus unexpectedly quickly a new Use.
Since about Christmas because of the idiosyncracies of my mother prevailed at home, unfortunately, every now and then thick air, spent Mietz and I most of the subsequent days until the end of each of the larger part of the light hours outside in the wild, even if this venture partially designed but quite tiring. The cache
A Edelweiss in Teuto (GC1FX3M) we could on the first day of Christmas yet to find relatively quickly - despite icy winds and nasty, cold rain, which we spent in particular the last few hundred meters of the climb like icy needles in the face. The Teutoburg Forest in winter can be very nice, but not necessarily in these weather conditions! Since it would be better than 10 degrees colder and it was dry as a week earlier in Hattingen.
When
Kuensebeck mining then we had to give up on the first attempt. This lousy lousy weather we first looked for a hour for a viable feeder path to the target area because the owner has unfortunately not even bother to provide a suitable parking space for its cache. Some roads and streets were mainly local residents in the area so icy and slippery that it would be better on skates can move forward. Finally, we took the direct route across a field and came out still our mud game. Then we stood at a loss at the specified starting point, as the old tunnel was announced with the best will see anywhere. After we had dug up about another half hour the forest, not to find even a trace of a hint, we finally gave up exhausted and wet through.
At this point I had already Mietz to promise solemnly, to chase them the rest of the year no one step out the door. But when the winter the next morning, contrary to our expectations once again showed its sunny side, the day before the episode was quickly forgotten. So we tried again on Kuensebeck Mining and finally found a completely unacceptable deviation of 62 meters, somewhere in the woods actually still the two old tunnels. From there to search for a film canister with a note but there was no trace. So we tried to guess the position of the next station in the area. The two tunnels had finally worked out well, because the situation had been involved with the coordinates given in the listing so not too much.
as to meet us after a few hundred meters distance phone users a young lady with outdoor pants, Mietz said spontaneously: "Let's ask just the woman with the GPS device around your neck!" This actually turned out to be Nelli_OWL, straight from the finals of the cache back and we could confirm our hypothesis about the approximate location of the intermediate station. From there it was a fairly arduous climb up to the finale, where one was actually rewarded by a nice outlook for the strain. Although the snow had melted away here already, it was due to inaccurate coordinates and no longer applicable Hints for a while, until we found the can. All in all, this cache is created at the beginning once very beautiful, and presented an interesting and nice area. In the current, abysmal state it is maintained in the summer but not recommended in the winter.
On the way back we are still trying on the multi-cache near the Protestant elite in
Ascheloh (GC1A5FG), where I had during my confirmation once at a time something from the errant night walk to participate. Unfortunately, however, was somehow unaware that the starting point of this cache had been moved in the meantime, so we searched for nearly an hour in the wrong place and therefore had to bring the multi later in the dark to an end. This turned out to be, in principle, absolutely suitable for winter use - only at night then it should probably make it better not, because lurking at the end but a few nasty traps on the ground at one. Nevertheless, overall a nice thing, and as the weather in The following days was still to some extent, we were hungry for more.
So we tried other tags still on Cache
peasants and barbarians (GC1ZVRP) above Werther. In the lower part of the northern slope of the Teutoburg Forest threatened this round due to the slight thaw still to be a mud fight, but above all was still snowy and icy. Unfortunately, not all roads were really suitable for winter, also began after two hours, once again the already known from the first holiday, icy drizzling rain. A station was (instead of a reasonable camouflage) only just buried under snow, but probably not in fact provided hiding, so that we own a telephone Joker initially quite long sought in vain. Then, it contained also a pretty stupid mystery that we could solve only using the mobile Internet - something not to be, no matter what time of year!
After this station still had to master, however, was followed at the next stop on the final knockout, as would arise for any of us tried out of possible solutions to the hidden there, the next puzzle useful coordinates. Also began precisely at this time, the ice-cold drizzle that drove us home as well as the fact that just this afternoon, my aunt's coffee Drinking had announced to the Godfather (oh no, but probably the other way round ...) and we were already too late. After had been kind enough to find one of a hint to the puzzle, we went the next day again to complete the round. In the end we needed the tip but did not because I was able to identify the new way to stop the evil, the next station in the area.
then were the last stop (which I fingered the day before on the way back once before on mere suspicion, yet missed by only a millimeter had) and the final (where we were also walked by now) just a breeze. Really excited we were strange because of the cache, however, the puzzles do not. Meanwhile he has been locked for the winter, probably because supposedly frozen one or the other station (???) is. But even though the terrain in the summer would make a total of more fun, I think the problem with two more stations to be excluded. Very nice, however, was the shortcut through the woods and fields, which we took at the second attempt on a direct route from the car to stop. We have also seen a lot of deer here. Also very nice. On the way back then we did a few Tradis in Werther, which all were not worth it to lose even more words.
Next Day, we dedicated ourselves to becoming slowly worse weather the multi-cache
Berghagen (GC1NDCM) west of Werther, practical "over" by Ascheloh. As the penultimate cache of 2009, we were able to hold this for about three hours and log in successfully. Overall, there were a lot of light on this round, but unfortunately also some deep shadows. The first stop was found quickly, although I had initially overlooked here that we still had to read out the coordinates of a further crucial information. In this regard, I was unfortunately only at Station 3 at a light, but fortunately it was not a major problem later on the way to another station at this location stop by again.
was nice at the station 2, the unconverted Mietz very quickly the right angle, while I could then let off steam at station 3 then something physical. At Station 4, we had to wait a long time before we could look right because only a few meters from two older men were busy trying to split in slow motion with a machine logs. Eventually, the two disappeared for a short walk in the woods, so we still got to find, but first a long time in vain, until I came quite by accident on the right hopper. Why was this notice is now hidden here and not just to the object where it would never guess that everyone is the secret of the Owner. Anyway, it was good that here at this time was no snow! The following
Station 5, however I personally found really did great. Here is a (well written show values) Location is well utilized and chosen a rather difficult indeed to-find, but absolutely fair hiding place for the hint. A station in a class, the appetite would have made for more - well, if it were gone for Sun Instead, at Station 6 was one of the low points of my last year geocaching experience. Regardless of the level of difficulty: A note should in principle somehow be recognizable as such! Self the group of us eventually tried phone Jokers had looked around at that time to eight people at a loss over an hour at this station until someone happened to the so-called "reference" came across.
Station 7 was released again very nice, and Station 8 did a nice technical implementation to please. However, I would have liked perhaps a somewhat clearer routing between these two stations, because of the direct way through the undergrowth was just at this season not so sparkling. Unfortunately, this restricts the winter performance of this cache something. Somewhere the way in which one comes later come out, yes - but unfortunately he is not once on the topographical map. Perhaps we would have between these two stations, one station can still install more appropriate somewhere at a crossroads. The well-hidden cache and reasonably could not ultimately escape despite the oncoming twilight of our eyes.
I found really corrosive, however, that we observe on the road between the penultimate and last stop a large group of dog owners were "allowed" to let their free-running dog chasing deer with loud howling through the wintry forest. This anti-social behavior may well lead the animals through the inevitable loss of energy during the winter Irgenwann miserably . Die Corresponding to cheers and whether and why would they kill the deer, these so-called people responded at all. We should expose such people as punishment naked in the taiga! And as for the dogs, I really do not wonder about that here a few days later once a hunter who shot stray dog. But enough of these morons have fortunately nothing to do with Geocaching ...
The next day, the penultimate of the year, we convinced the increasing cold in conjunction with respectable amounts of fresh snow like this, but better times a day to spend at home in the warmth. Also on New Year's morning it still had some snowed, and later heard the snow on, however. Because we had missed the day before the fresh air a bit, we decided to look for on the accounts nor the multi
Pandora's Box (GC1EDAQ), the however (by the way, as well as the adjacent "Berghagen) found for months no one had. We found him - but in a rather strange and unexpected ways!
It started in so that we would already lead us on arrival at the park in the cache listing specified coordinates in the deep snow and needed a half hour to get the car back to free it. Thank you to this point again at the lady with the Post's car for friendly non-Help! Using my car floor mats, one of which has and unfortunately lost their plastic screw for attaching the footwell of the passenger, constant scratching away from smooth packed snow with our walking sticks, heroic pushing the much too heavy cars by Mietz and a very large dose of stubbornness succeeded we finally pull the cart out of the mud (snowed ground seems to be way much better grip than asphalt snowed!) and park in a location where it was steep enough not to get stuck again.
could after this fright at noon found the first two stops of the cache quite quickly be. However, each containing these riddles, which we could only be solved through mobile Internet. I find that it is not a good style to have to answer the searchers in the woods such questions. Even with the previous reading of all potentially relevant Wikipedia article, which is recommended in the listing, the required responses here, no one could have noticed. Would it be the height of summer have already annoying enough, in the woods every few 100 meters at each station a half hour fuss around long with the Internet phone to have, this makes the middle of the cold winter certainly no fun when a lack of movement not only freeze the fingers threaten.
On next destination, we found a craft themselves with much effort and with great attention to detail-made stop, but did not disclose at the current weather conditions for the life of her secret. The first hand grip was so overcome with more or less, the determining step is not obvious in winter. to do Without revealing too much, I would like to point out that wood in contact with water and cold unfortunately somewhat ungracious behavior and even the most beautiful Drillbohr or fretwork after rainfall great to soak up the water, after which it also and especially in freezing temperatures only taken apart or using heavy equipment can be. Something is definitely not suitable for winter!
Since we do not use force and the station did not want to break down into its component parts, we called Nelli_OWL and Sefan who have confirmed that the reference is right there was where we had him not without major damage can be determined. Unfortunately both had forgotten the location of the nearest station (no wonder, after half a year), but Sefan could give us even an approximate description of the location of the next station. This unfortunately somewhat vague description, we were able, however, in the wintry terrain somehow not implemented, at least we had to search for the hidden reference, but in all likelihood after we had landed in a completely wrong corner of the forest.
by now completely frozen and disillusioned, we decided to eke out the quickest way to the car. This turned out to be a very good idea, because we go that is abruptly stumbled on the cache hiding. In this way, we were able in 2009 to complete but yet a success, although I would have liked given the relatively positive portrayals, especially of later stations in the logs from the summer but very much related to this multi-cache to the actually planned way . Winter-ready, he is certainly not definitive, and although we saw a lovely spot and made a nice winter walk, he was connected because of the stupid puzzles for my taste with too much standing around. The Mietz seemed to end in any case to consist only of a single large frostbite.
Fortunately, we were back to the evening both sufficiently fit to (as in the last post on New Year's Eve
described ) together to experience a great happy new year. And even though we are on the way back from the cache still bogged down once again to try because I wanted to see if we could achieve in these winter conditions, the car park at the small garden "Seven Hills" with the car. Could one not, and if they do, did not get there then gone again, as some taxi drivers had occasion to note at midnight to their sorrow. We were certainly glad to have tried it before and would rather not be in the middle of New Year's Eve itself stuck up there!
On New Year's Day we could not believe we can somehow not quite out of the house because the weather was at its very best and we sleep also like to, what to tolerate this time of year with long walks in the absence of bright daylight hours is not really good. On 2 January was the Mietz but not necessarily once a breath of fresh air. A bit reluctantly I agreed, knowing that I view to "timely" Entries for the love tax office must have had to set a new logbook. These were, unfortunately, the real, - sold, Schömitz (or whatever may the shop now are called) had already, so we were only at the third attempt in the purchase market find. In a lot of time went by, so that I somehow was clear early on, that we do not walk in the light of the following would be able to finish.
safe side with a thick flashlight in a backpack, we headed to the starting coordinates of the mystery multinationals
Phänomania (GC1A6ZY). Actually, our first cache of the new year was supposed to be a mystery. But in my defense I have to say that lying about the solution to the puzzle since the summer and fall on my desk under a large pile of stuff and I now clean up the New Year practically fell at his feet. Since any questions already answered all the mysteries have already been resolved, was "just" a nice little walk-Multi thereof. The search for the cache did not, moreover, quite as long as the trip to the book ...
The stations 1 to 4 could be found more quickly than I would have given the uncertain expected primarily in the winter for a search designed to hide. Only Station 5 was preparing some problems, especially as it slowly became dark (and here Unfortunately, the coordinates of about 10 meters in the middle of the field were, of course, what the winter may lead to even greater difficulties than in the summer). As an experienced geocachers do you recognize a number of types of possible hiding safely in the winter, at first glance, but of course, makes a closed snow cover the search is not necessarily, especially in hiding on the ground. Unfortunately, we know this, but never before. Also, some containers are prone to freezing, we could also learn at a station, unfortunately.
After some animated (by the way in the woods carrying vests) dog owners by intensive operators Pärchentarnung to move on had, we were at station 5, finally, after some long search but still find it, although I do wonder whether the small and medium damage at this location now on their age, the winter or more likely due to rabid geocachers. By the way, we felt especially in the first half of the trail at every turn to the good old advice "Do not eat yellow snow!" remember - here seems well to each house at least part of a mutt. If I really wonder how much dog piss on you see here probably in the summer when searching for caches, I like to cache in such areas does not somehow so right!
The cache itself was finally found quickly, especially since he had not been particularly well camouflaged by the find. Since half at this point the snow nothing. The contents of the cache, however, was unfortunately a bit disappointing, and I ask myself before all that may bring everything in the world some geocachers well to dispose of their packaging waste in the can. If you are traveling candy nibbles, one must put their packaging still like at home in the yellow bag, where it belongs, rather than simply found the geocache to unload! This time we took the garbage, but I hope strongly that the future must not be a habit.
maximum found interesting Incidentally, we also recognized everywhere traces of a night cache that passes here. Curious, as we are, after all, we have the reflectors ever tracked a little, but without seriously thinking to believe that we could actually find this cache. The trail followed an admittedly very beautiful but also very narrow and in winter is not particularly good at current path through a forest, which unfortunately ended abruptly suddenly on a small cliff several meters over a wider track. In this respect, this cache is unfortunately limited in winter. The Mietz I had in any case carried down the slope more than they could go down himself. Unfortunately I lost
the trace of the reflectors on the street corner then very thoroughly, and I can not tell whether the next reflector snowed, disappeared or just more than the maximum effective beam range of my flashlight (which should so a few 100 meters to be) was removed . Since we are already the reflectors were followed out of curiosity and not with the serious intent to find the cache have now, we have stopped at this point and will come back again when the snow has melted away (and the temperatures are again somewhat more pleasant ). In my opinion, should generally quite many night caches in snow and ice are not particularly easy to find. In conclusion
of two weeks "winter caching" I would like to conclude by saying that there may well be great fun, looking for a good part of geocaching in the winter with snow. However, come in such difficult weather conditions, unfortunately, any errors, inaccuracies and insufficient thought stations far worse to bear than in summer. Can easily be quite a frustrating experience from a hoped-for, nice winter hike. Unfortunately, it is in advance of course, absolutely impossible to distinguish well-designed cache as "Isenburg" or "Ascheloh" from bad, or at least less suitable for winter part of caches. If you do not feel fit or weather-related difficulties and wants to avoid disappointment, you should stay under these circumstances might rather be at home - or to move to southern climes.
