Last fall, we added 30 of the most popular attributes to the Search filters in the Geocaching® app. Attributes are a helpful way to personalize your geocaching no matter the time of year but some can be more useful than others depending on the season. Here, we explore five attributes to use this winter. Stay tuned for the Southern Hemisphere summer edition of this article next week!

1. Available in winter
Of course, we had to list this attribute first! If you live in a snowy climate, this attribute should be included in all of your wintertime searches. Filtering by the “available in winter” attribute will help you identify geocaches that were intended specifically for winter caching.

2. Short or medium hike
Hiking in the snow or snowshoeing is much more time-consuming than hiking. Be sure to factor this into your plans and consider searching by distance attributes. From “less than 1 km” to “1 km–10 km,” find the right distance for you. Be sure to also read the geocache details for relevant info on what to expect once you hit the trail.

3. Takes less than one hour
Similar to distance attributes, there is also a time-based attribute of “takes less than one hour.” This is quite helpful if you’re on a time crunch, maintaining a streak, or if the temperatures are chilly. Remember to practice responsible caching and always tell someone where you are going and what time they should expect to hear from you afterward.

4. Scenic view nearby
An attribute that is great for any time of the year, “scenic view nearby” usually doesn’t disappoint. We like using this attribute in winter because those scenic summer views occasionally get even more expansive once the trees lose their leaves.

5. Recommended at night
The shorter daylight hours in winter mean we are living in a lot more darkness. The “recommended at night” attribute can be helpful this time of year when the light starts to fade so early in the day. Make sure to pack a flashlight and warm clothes if caching into the night!

Ready to give attributes a try? Premium members can select the filter icon on the map in the Geocaching® app and expand attributes to filter by. They can also explore more than 70 attributes on Geocaching.com! Learn more about Premium membership.

We’ll leave you with this one last tip for winter geocaching from Moun10Bike, “What helps the most is looking for geocaches that were found in the last day or two, especially if it recently snowed. This tells you that people are having success at these geocaches despite whatever the conditions on the ground may be.”

What are your best tips and tricks for geocaching in the snowy seasons?