Manitoba Geocaching Association

[angelcastaneda]

Yesterday, I tweeted that my first cache hide had been published. Shortly after, a fellow Winnipegger replied to me, and said she had become interested in geocaching about two years ago, but had never done it.

Long story short, I invited her to tag along with Shawnssica, SeptemberLily and yours truly this weekend, so we could show her what it's about.

Now, there are a LOT of caches in Winnipeg that I just love, but I'm having a hard time deciding whether I should take this person to a cache I haven't found yet (so she gets the full experience) or to one that I already know the location of, so I can make sure it's one that will be worth her time.

Question to you: Where do you normally take first time geocachers? Is there a specific area that you would suggest?

Thanks in advance!

[MissionMode]

As somebody still fairly new I'd say go for a cache none of you have been to that's a decent size and winter friendly, perhaps that hasn't been visited in a few days so the geotrails aren't completely fresh.

Consider whether the person wants a hike or a quick grab. I was going to recommend GC2240Q the Frozen Swamps of Almey but I see that Shawnssica has already been there. Of course, you haven't been there and with the warm weather it won't be there much longer.

Maybe GC1RWVC Garbage Hill Memories. It's better to do this one in Winter.

If you want a longer walk and don't mind deep snow (really) then I really enjoyed my walk to GC12DXD Must Be Nuts and once you find the cache you will say "hey cool cache" - mind you the cache itself is a micro I think so the reward is mostly the cool container.

Or pick one of the easier finds near the gate in Birds Hill. Those can be either a quick grab or a long walk depending on which you choose. They are beautiful year round, have decent swag, etc.

Clearly I have favoured the north east because I live there.

[angelcastaneda]

Thanks MissionMode. I'll look into those caches.

[58squared]

I would suggest Assiniboine Forest between Grant and Wilkes or La Barriere Park. We prefer areas like this to the "urban jungle". Have a good time.

[Shawnssica]

[MHz]

The Forks area is another great place to cache.

[MissionMode]

[ohmic]

The Marsh (as in Oak Hammock Marsh) is always a good place for beginners as I can also do a little intro to geocaching workshop in the theatre (as long as I know ahead of time) before going out to find some of the 36 caches available.
A lot of the caches at the marsh are best suited for beginners and faily close to the Centre and easily accessible but a few will require some longer hikes on the trails or some thinking and researching to solve.

[angelcastaneda]

@ohmic I hadn't thought of the marsh. I just took a quick look at the live webcam, and it seems like a nice area. Thanks for your reply!

[Pa_Bottle]

There is also Assiniboine park and the zoo. Alot of nice differents size and style of caches in there.

[1Queenand4Jokers]

In my humble opinion I think rural caching is just a riot, easy with bigger caches. I recommend the Selkirk drive to Lower Fort Garry (just did it), a Morden- Winkler run, Whiteshell caching and I think doing a lovely drive to Morris and caching along the 75 can be fun too (we just have to replace a few post flood yet)! All told though the micros add numbers in Winnipeg and I love them - the truly great caches are LARGE AMMO cans hidden in just outside the city in parks. Another amazing run which might ruin you for Winnipeg caching is doing a Trove run to Portage!

All in all we still believe any cache you FIND is a great cache!!!!!!
The others you have reoccuring nightmares over for years or dismiss as unimportant. That missed AMMO can in the Black Hills @ the Goldmine is still haunting me as everyone before and after had an easy find...