Geocaching

My new favorite activity is geocaching. Geocaching is an activity where people look up the coordinates to a cache hidden in a particular location and then go on a "treasure hunt" looking for the cache. The caches are usually camouflaged and well hidden from the general public. They can be found in the middle of nature, a popular tourist attraction, a park, or even in the middle of the city. Some caches contain cool treasure items that you can trade for, but I mostly just like the thrill of the hunt and the opportunity to get outside. 

The first thing you need to do to be a geocacher is create a membership at www.geocaching.com. Once you join the site, you can search for caches anywhere in the world. The site also contains more in depth information about geocaching and the types of caches you can find. The second thing you need to do is obtain a device with GPS capability. You need to be able to put GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude to the decimal) into the device and it needs to be able to read your distance to the coordinates. Many smart phones will do this with a geocaching app. Devices that are purely meant to be a GPS will work better. I use my boyfriend's hunting GPS for this and it works beautifully. You can find GPS devices at outdoors stores, online, and in some big box stores for a varied range of prices based on what you want them to be able to do.

When you find a geocache, you have to sign the log. Then, you have the opportunity to make a trade. Some caches are too small to hold any items (called a microcache), but many are big enough to hold items the size of key chains, bouncy balls, army men, buttons, etc. I've even left PoorWater CDs in a couple! The rule is: if you take something, you have to leave something of equal or greater value. Once you've found the cache, you replace it exactly as you found it and then log it on your geocaching.com account as "found." 

One last thing: you can't tell members of the general public what you are doing. That's part of the fun! You might get some weird looks, so just pretend you're a spy Lol. The reason for this is that you don't want them to mess with the caches or throw them away etc. because they don't understand what's going on

Now, on to the pictures! The first set of pictures is from a day when I went geocaching out in East Mesa.

I'm pretty sure this is a weed, but they're blooming right now and I love their orange blossoms.

Near the geocaching spot. Can't tell you anything else. I have to keep it secret ;) 

This is called a travel bug. It is a special kind of trade item that you can pick up in a cache. It has a serial number that you enter on geocaching.com and then you can see where the travel bug has been and what it's "goal" is. Once you know its "goal," you're supposed to help it along its way. This travel bug's goal is to travel to all 50 United States. It started in the midwest.

Love these :)

The next day, I headed out on a hike/geocaching expedition with my mom. We went to Spook Hill Mountain Preserve. It's this really cool mountain that was leveled on top for a house or some type of building  and then was turned into a hiking area. The neat thing about it being level on top is that you have an opportunity for an awesome 360 panorama (video at the bottom).

The trail used to be a dirt road. Now it's very rocky and eroded. Bill told me that there used to be some kind of tower on the top and all of the dirt roads up to towers on top of mountains are like this. He has to drive on roads like this often for work. I had no idea!

Flowers in the bright sunlight in front of Usery Mountain.

The Superstitions

South Mountain

I'm really fascinated with these. I guess I like their texture.

The view from the top.

360 panorama of the top. Notice that my mom is in here twice...

I went back the next day to get sunset pictures and find one cache we had missed.

Creosote Blossom

Usery Mountain

Usery Mountain during sunset. Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of ticky-tacky...

The shoes :)

The sun setting over the Estrella Mountains.

The Superstitions. Below you'll see a couple more shots of the Superstitions as the sun sets.

In this shot, the camera is looking toward west Mesa, Tempe, downtown Phoenix, and Goodyear/Avondale.

Some flowers silhouetted by sunset.

I loved these. They were so pretty blowing in the wind. I took video of them (below).

Red Mountain in the middle.

Shots of that plant blowing in the breeze followed by a 360 panorama starting in the West and then moving counter-clockwise to the South. Enjoy!

I took this shot a couple of days ago on a rare cloudy day.

I found this geocoin in a cache today. It serves the same purpose as a travel bug.

I hope I've convinced you all to try some geocaching! It's a great excuse to check out some cool scenery!

Hiking in the Desert Winter

In the last couple of weeks, I've been getting out to enjoy the weather. The weather in Phoenix during February is amazing! It ranges between 70 and 80 every day with clear skies. It almost makes the summer worth it ;) 

A couple of weeks ago, my mom and I went geocaching and hiking on Picacho Peak. It's very green right now and the poppies are just starting to bloom. First, we hiked part of the trail on the back side of the mountain, and then we went a little way up the front.

The view from our first geocache.

The poppies in bloom.

A poppy up close.

The view from behind Picacho Peak.

I'm not sure what's going on with this saguaro's arms. There are a lot of interesting ones behind Picacho Peak. Maybe the wind has shaped their arms? Like the trees on the Mogollon Rim?

The barrel cacti on Picacho Peak all have red spines that give them a cool red glow in the sunlight.

Picacho Peak from behind. It looks so much smaller from the back!

A close up of an ocotillo.

There were lots of interesting dead saguaros behind Picacho Peak. I don't think that area gets very much water.

You see this nurse tree scenario a lot in the desert. The tree provides protection to the saguaro while it is small. As the saguaro grows larger, it requires more water and space and eventually kills the nurse tree.

This saguaro would like to say hello!

It's rare to see the ribs on a dead saguaro splayed out like this, but there were quite a few behind Picacho.

Saguaro with down-turned arms :) More about that here.

That is just cool.

Moon rise :)

Picacho from the front.

The view from part of the way up the front. The Peak in the distance is Newman Peak.

Sunset starts

Newman Peak during early sunset. More about that here.

Last week, my mom, my aunt, and I all headed over to Dreamy Draw Park for a quick hike and some geocaching.

Genetic mutation?

My aunt and I with our cache find!

On Saturday, I headed back to Picacho Peak with Bill, my cousin Michael, and my dad. We went up the front half to the saddle, headed down the first set of cables, and then went down the backside instead of continuing to the top.

My dad and Michael. This shot makes me think of Iron Chef lol.

The view of Picacho Peak from part of the way up the mountian.

One of the smaller hills that juts off of Picacho Peak.

The top ridge of Picacho Peak.

Newman Peak.

Michael and Bill. Bill is very elusive and often hides from photographs. I can usually only get him in candid shots when he's not paying attention ;)

Check out that view!

The view from the saddle of the land behind Picacho.

View of the land in front from the saddle.

Another shot from the saddle.

Panorama I put together of the view from the saddle. I love the lines in the land. I think they're low points caused by washes and water flow spots where plants are more likely to grow.

Bill's shot of Michael taking a rest.

Michael and Bill taking in the view.

Michael and I on the saddle.

After climbing down hanging down onto steep, treacherous cables, we reached the fork in the trail. One way (the way most traveled) continues to the top of the mountain, where the other way leads down the back of the mountain. We decided to take the back way, which we soon found out had even more cables on a very steep, nearly vertical trail. I kept feeling like I needed a climbing harness during this part. I was sure glad I wore my Vibrams!

 Michael, on his way down.

 

I took this picture while I was half way down and hanging off some cables. I got Bill to pose! :)

Some wildflowers growing by the trail.

The specs of red are people climbing up to the top.

Some red barrel cacti. Taken by Bill.

Looking back up the mountain. Taken by Bill.

Michael enjoying the desert scenery.

Nice view of the hills and distant mountains. Taken by Bill.

I'm not sure why this saguaro was so skinny at the top.

 Hmmm...I think Bill's came out a lot better...

 The shoes on the trail!