Lets gather and swap caching tales and discover and move along trackables
This Park is very welcoming to the geocaching community. We will meet one of the long tables.
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The date on this event is also for the windup for the Texas Winter Caching Games.
The windup is scheduled to start at the posted coordinates on Saturday, March 1, 2025. We will gather at 10 a.m. and wrap the winner presentations by 10:30 a.m.
Please Note----The time, and location are subject to change. Read below to see if you would like to participate in the 8th Edition of the Texas Winter Caching Games. This year the games are Hosted by South Texas Team.
This is 90 dayish-game ending with an event. The games will be commencing on Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 12:00 am and ending on Friday , February 28, 2025 at midnight..... ALL LOGS FOR ALL TASKS AND BONUS MUST BE POSTED BEFORE THIS TIME. The event wrap up for the games will start MARCH 1, 2025, 10 a.m.
**This year** -- The Games begin on Sunday, December 1, 2024 but we are giving participants until December 11, 2024 to sign-up to participate!
If you want to play you can POST a NOTE to this cache page before the end of the day 11:59 pm Friday, December 11t,h 2024 this lets the South Texas Team that you are participating in the games.
Any photos associated with a TASK have nothing to do with attending the event and are not a requirement for attending the final wind up on March 1, 2025.
Scoreboards - updated as the games go on.
Scoreboard updates will be found in the Image Gallery
If you would like to see what they will look like you can refer to a previous games Image Gallery GCAGK5T
The Winter Caching Games is a fun competition designed to get you caching during the winter months. Designed for all cachers, the objective is to complete any
EIGHTEEEEEEEENN!!! (18)
of the tasks not including the Weekly OR Monthly OR CHALLENGE bonus activities, during the 3 months that the game runs.
Please note that this is not a race. Tasks have higher or lower points assigned to them. Read the Task requirements carefully and choose wisely. You are seeking points, not completing the Games first; although there is danger in waiting too long. Even if you don’t get the high score, a strategic approach may still result in a prize.
****CONTINUING THIS YEAR***
A FRONT HALF TASK LIST
AND
A BACK HALF TASK LIST.
The first 15 tasks "FRONT HALF" will be sent to players with a link when each player posts a note indicating that they are playing and on January 10th the remaining 15 tasks "BACK HALF" link will be sent to each player. With a total of 40 tasks to choose from to complete 18 tasks this becomes a fun CHALLENGE to decide which ones to do.
****NEW THIS YEAR***
A list of 10 tasks will be sent as a link seperate from FRONT HALF tasks and available for the entire timeframe of the games. **The kicker here is that only a maximum of 5 of these can be used. (claiming points for these still have to be claimed within the finishing date of the task). This group of 10 tasks is called WHOLE GAME TASKS. This list will also be available to players posting a note that they are playing to this cache page.
The purpose of this new idea for the game is to mix it up a bit. Not all values of tasks are equal, the same for bi-weekly and monthly bonusand the Challenge bonus.
Prize categories have been in previous games;
Highest point **** THIS YEAR – the High point award must include at least 3 WHOLE GAMES tasks for points to be valid
Lowest Point (this can be achieved by choosing negative points on tasks and weekly bonus’ depending where allowed) **** THIS YEAR – the Low point award must include at least 3 biweekly tasks and 2 monthly and 2 WHOLE GAMES tasks for points to be valid
Closest to Average no requirement to include any of the Bonus activities to be in the running.
We have also had 3 hidden score target prizes awarded the last 2 years.
All of these prize categories will be available at this Games final wrap event.
*** We have enjoyed the donations of prizes from TXGA and new sponsors have joined us which we will announce later in the game… stay tuned
In order to claim a smiley for this event, you must either:
1) Complete 18 Tasks, (see which category for competition for prizes- finishing is for fun and finishers will recieve a Games icon to share on their profile)
2) Attend the windup event, or
3) Both. *** To clarify, you do not have to participate in the games to attend the event***
To qualify, all geocaches to complete tasks are limited to those located within the state of Texas.
If you are one of the prize winners, we will make every effort to accommodate pickup/delivery; however, it is ultimately your responsibility to collect your prize and this might include a bit of postage. In previous games we have been able to connect with players at Texas Challenge which follows the windup of this years game by a few weeks.
If you have questions about whether a cache is acceptable for a Task, please contact us via Geocaching Messages or email. We will do our best to be prompt with replies, but we make no guarantee of speediness (depending on time of day and/or work schedule). Lateral or creative thinking is encouraged for the Games, so we will make every effort to accept sideways logic.
If we require further clarification of any claimed Tasks, we will be contacting you either via the Geocaching Messages or email.
SUMMARY OF THE ABOVE:
1. TO PLAY- POST A NOTE TO THIS CACHE PAGE THAT YOU ARE PLAYING
2. YOU WILL BE SENT LINKS TO
a. FRONT HALF TASKS
b. WHOLE GAMES TASKS
c. BIWEEKLY BONUS
d. MONTHLY CHALLENGE
e. CHALLENGE
f. LINK TO THE NEW THIS YEAR WINTER GAMES TASK/BONUS CHECKER
*** WE RECOMMEND THAT WHEN YOU RECIEVE THESE LINKS YOU SAVE THESE IN THE NOTES SECTION OF THIS CACHE PAGE FOR QUICK EASY REFERENCE.
Rules
Short Version
- Claim a total 18 Tasks over the 3 months (December 2024 to February 28, 2025).
- Using the “Write Note” feature on this event cache page,
- report your claims with Task Number,
- GC Code (multiple if required),
- including D/T rating,
- IN THE INSTANCE THAT THERE IS A CHECKER AVAILABLE FOR THE TASK POST THE RESULTS TO YOUR NOTE
- Points Claimed,
- ***** Tasks must be claimed within 7 days of fulfilling.
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- Your log will look something very similar to this:
- Log it as a Note:
- TASK # ( or Weekly/Monthly Bonus- include week or month)
- GC Code(s)
- DT (if require)
- CHECKER RESULTS WHERE AVAILABLE
- Points Claimed ( Please clarify Positive OR Negative...THERE WILL NOT BE OPPORTUNITY TO CLAIM ZERO POINTS)
- Some Tasks have an outright points value stated, while others are dependent on the cache found. Some offer positive points, negative points, or the geocachers choice between them. (this year there will not be tasks with a zero value as there has in past years) Claimed point values must be stated on the Note, and cannot be edited.
- Watch for Bonuses.
- Photos are encouraged. If required, it will be stated in the Task requirement.
Full Rules
1. Game runs from 12:00am Sunday, December 1st, 2024 through to 11:59 pm Friday, February 28th, 2025.
2. Games participants need to register ** with a NOTE** to let us know you're playing; the sooner the better.
Event attendees can log a will attend up to the day of the windup event.
3. Fulfill any 18 of the Tasks after the start of the Games. To complete the Games, exactly 18 Tasks must be logged. Choose any you like between the front half and back half and WHOLE GAME task lists to account for this total of 18.
4. Caches you claim for the game must be logged on www.geocaching.com during the time frame of the game. No caches found previous to the start date of the games or late finds will be allowed. ALL CACHE FINDS MUST BE WITHIN THE STATE BOUNDARY OF TEXAS.
5. Tasks must be claimed within 7 days of finding the cache and before the conclusion of the Games. The post must clearly state which Task is being claimed, the GC Code of the cache (multiple if necessary), the Points being Claimed, and how the cache meets the requirement. Post your claims as a Note on this event page. New this year you may use a checker for the task and post the checker results along with the task and points claimed.
6. ****Caches found as part of these games must be published before the start of the game on December 1, 2024. Any Task or weekly/monthly bonus that requires new cache(s) to be placed (physical or event) does not fall under this rule. ALL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS
7. Tasks that require caches to be hidden must be published prior to 11:59 pm January 10th, 2025 FOR THE FRONT HALF TIME FRAME and in the BACK HALF TIME FRAME prior to 11:59 pm Feb 28th, 2025 Please plan accordingly, and do not leave this to the last minute. By placing a geocache as part of these Games, you agree to follow all the guidelines set out by www.geocaching.com in owning a geocache.
8. Each Task must be claimed on a cache previously unfound by you or any player on your team.
9. Each Task must be claimed against a different cache, unless the requirement states otherwise. For example claiming points for a Large cache find cannot be used for any other Task.
*****Exceptions: The Challenge.
10. Tasks, Bonuses, and Challenges can only be claimed once per geocaching login (single person or team of cachers). Multiple claims against the same Task, Bonus, and/or Challenge by the same geocacher or team will not be allowed.
******Exception: If the first claim of this Task was rejected, it can be attempted again.
12. Once Tasks, Bonuses, and Challenges are claimed, you may not substitute another.
13. Points vary by Task, Bonus, and Challenge; these are clearly defined below. Some give participants a choice in point value, therefore you must clearly state the point value (including positive or negative or zero where available.) when you are claiming the Task. Once claimed, your point values cannot be changed.
14. There will be multiple prizes available for the players who complete the games. All will be awarded to players who have completed 18 Tasks. See previously mentioned prizes categories.
15. In the event of a tie score, the earliest score will be used as the tiebreaker. This has happened once in the 8 years of the games. Early logging tasks became an advantage…. In this case it was a time stamp difference on the emails on the logs submitted of 20 minutes. ** no pressure…lol
16. No "arm chair" caching is permitted. You can only use caches that you/your team found, signed the log, and logged on www.geocaching.com on the same day (or within reason). Claiming a cache that you found months ago and just got around to logging is not permitted in the Games.
17. Multi-player teams would be more than 1 person using the same name, with the other members present. All members of multi-person teams must meet the qualification of the Task, and must be present when claiming the cache. It is likely OK if the other member(s) of your team are in the vehicle. However, if one member of your team members is in a different country or is “home with the kids”, and others are claiming caches for this game, then that is not allowed. This rule applies to all Tasks, Bonuses, and Challenge.
***Spouses, etc., that occasionally cache with the primary geocacher are exempt from this rule. However, these individuals (let's call them Squibs for the JK Rowling fans out there!) will not be considered Muggles either. If there is any confusion, please let us know.
18. *** CONTINUING this year. Front Half Tasks and Back Half Tasks. The former are available from Day one of the games start date and will go away giving way to the new Back Half Tasks. Please plan on completing any of the Front Half Tasks by January 10th before the Back Half Tasks are made available.
19. BiWeekly Bonus Tasks will be posted either Sunday Evening or Monday of the new week. Monthly Bonus Tasks will be posted on the date that is stated in the previous Months Bonus Task.
We, South Texas Team, will administer the game and our decisions are final. We reserve the right to provide clarifications to the rules at any point during the game.
****Most of ALL Have fun!
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When you post your note that you will be participating we will send you the link to FRONT HALF TASKS & WHOLE GAMES TASKS
A separate link will be shared for weekly/monthly bonus'.
Our suggestion is that you keep this link in the personal notes of this event page for easy access when you need to refer to them.
These links are available to players only.
