Winter geocaching tips

West Bend is a four-season geocaching destination, so strap on your snowshoes and get out here! Here are a few winter geocaching tips:

• Go in pairs or groups. Let friends know where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
• Come prepared. Pens don’t work well in the cold, so bring your own pencil for signing the cache logs. And bring extra batteries if you’re using a GPS device, since they tend to drain faster in the cold too.
• Dress for the weather. You might have to do some trudging through the snow, so wear gear that will keep you warm and dry.
• Hide your tracks. Remember that if you’re geocaching in snow, your tracks might lead right to the prize, making it too easy for the next cacher! If there are already tracks where you’re headed, use it to your own advantage.
• Make it a workout. Strap on snowshoes or cross-country skis and get some extra exercise while you’re caching!
• Get ready to dig. If a cache is at ground level, you might have to do some digging, so consider bringing along a small, light-weight shovel or trowel and possibly a screwdriver to pry open any frozen containers.
• Wrap it up. Consider a waterproof bag for your phone or GPS, just in case it takes a tumble in the snow (you can even use an ordinary clear zipper bag!).
• Do the GeoTour. These 20 special caches are meant to be accessible in any season, so load up the coordinates and get hunting! Find more info about the West Bend Four Seasons GeoTour here.