❅❅ Before the Snow Flies 20 ❅❅

It's time for the 20th installment of the Vermont Geocaching Community's annual gathering to celebrate the current year's activities, recognize outstanding cachers in three categories, generally have a good time getting together to share a meal, chat about all things geocaching, and celebrate our community.

This year's event will be at the Barre Town Recreational Area from 10:00am to 2:00pm (or so) on Saturday, October 18, 2025 in the town of Barre, Vermont. The event's posted coordinates and the parking coordinates below will guide you to the Rec. Area Pavilion. The event will take place come rain or shine or (gasp) snow. Kids and leashed geo-pups are welcome.

Be sure to log your Will Attend now to receive update announcements!  I will provide updates to the cache page using the announcement feature and posts to Vermont Geocaching on FaceBook. 

Schedule:

Lunch Menu:

The menu largely depends on what you bring!  I will update this as I learn what people will bring to share.  See below.  Don't feel like you have to bring enough for the whole group.  Something for 10-15 will be plenty if everyone brings something.  We always have leftovers, please take anything left of yours with you.

As in previous years, we plan a potluck. Please bring a dish, dessert, or beverage and let us know via e-mail to btsf.vt.info@gmail.com or include your dish in your Will Attend log. Please do not bring glass containers. The pavilion has electric outlets and a large grill. We will have a charcoal fire going. The pavilion has many picnic tables, but you may want to bring your own chairs if they are more comfortable than wooden picnic table benches or if chairs give you more flexibility for socializing.

littleblkdog - I will provide hamburgers, buns, cheese and condiments including ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and relish and charcoal to cook them on.  

Shameless plug for things I like to eat:

A good meat and bean chili (just plain hot is not a flavor)

Hot dogs and Hot Italian Sausage

Homemade Key Lime Pie

Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Homemade White Chocolate Macadamia cookies

Homemade Brownies with and without walnuts

Salsa and chips

Hummus and vegetables

We will also need sturdy paper plates, napkins, disposable cutlery, and cups.

Caching Highlights:

If you have particular caching highlights or milestones since the last event that you'd like to share with the group, please let us know by sending an e-mail to btsf.vt.info@gmail.com.

Raffle / Prize Table:

When you arrive and sign the event log, we will hand out tickets for a prize raffle. In order for the prize table to work, please bring a caching-related item to donate to the prize table.

Awards:

BTSF has a tradition of recognizing cachers in three categories:

1. Most Devious Hide

   This is just one particular cache located in Vermont that either drove you nuts or was super clever or creative. Please vote for a cache hidden since the last BTSF event - October 12, 2024.

2. Best Puzzler/Series/Challenge
   This doesn't necessarily have to be the most prolific puzzler, just the Cacher who you thought put out the most fun or ingenious puzzle or interesting series or challenge. All caches in this category need to be placed in Vermont and hidden since the last BTSF event - October 12, 2024.

3. All-Star Geocacher
   This cacher/team exemplifies good sportsmanship, is willing to help others, and acts to promote the positive aspects of geocaching. The winner gets custody of the GOLDEN AMMO CAN until next year's event. Please limit your vote to a Vermont-based cacher/team that has not already held the Golden Ammo Can.

   How to Vote:
   Each geocacher gets a vote! That means that if you are a part of a team that uses a single geocaching name, each team member gets an individual vote. Be sure to express your opinion!

   Feel free to send in your votes as soon as possible to btsf.vt.info@gmail.com. You do not have to vote on every category if you don't want to. (e.g. some people choose not to do puzzles and therefore would have no opinion on that category).
   
   I will accept votes up until 6:00pm on Friday, October 17th so I have time to prepare awards.

   Last Year's Winners:

   • Most Devious/Best Hide of the Year - x_0
     for the imposter.

   • Best Puzzler/Series/Challenge - Lynnsanity1
     for the TV Tag Series (such as TV TAG SERIES - JATP)

   • All-Star Geocacher - littleblkdog
     the host for this year's event.
     
     Previous GOLDEN AMMO CAN Winners:

     Golden Ammo Can Awardee(s)	BTSF #	Year
     DJ and CAL	1	2006
     QSeekers	2	2007
     Roostersting	3	2008
     Zebra Girl	4	2009
     lonestarr & mwein	5	2010
     Cornflakes	6	2011
     CacheThePlanet	7	2012
     crashco	8	2013
     ski-guide	9	2014
     yogacrone & bren1467	10	2015
     BevanQ	11	2016
     salts&marbles	12	2017
     Snarfmon23	13	2018
     cwgray	14	2019
     celing99 (now 99celing)	15	2020
     TKDscouter	16	2021
     BrownDog09	17	2022
     82HammFam	18	2023
     littleblkdog	19	2024

Trackables:

Trackables are cool and fun but I generally want nothing to do with them.  We will not have a designated trackable table, leave your trackables unattended at your own risk.  Please make sure any trackables you trade are with geocachers who will physically take and log them.  Please do not leave any trackables in the event, they will be marked missing by default when the event is archived.

I hope to see you on Saturday, October 18, 2025! I expect that some new caches will be published that morning (if anyone would like to help with that, let me know)!

Community Celebration Events - 2025

This Event is part of a limited release of Community Celebration Events to celebrate 25 years of geocaching. Geocachers hosted events between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025. Learn more about Community Celebration Events on the Geocaching Blog.