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Home My WebLink About2016 05-25 'Catcthing' in on the fun MAPLEWOOD REVIEW ?ma/ .75,ao((o `Caching' in on the fun '.. „,*.1:4e,;44''' 4fr.:41,,e. ,-,it.,' 4. ,, ,-„,,,,„, ,,,,...„:„.1. , - ,,,,,,,,„.„ .;....„.,„...., . ,-- -.,' '4 - . M „-,,,,-..,1.,t,..„; 1 :„...,: -..2, . --, t f.._ i *...- . -- *,,.....or ., w: .,&...„ , ... -,- .yam ... ., .. ., ,. i .,., _ 1 .0,- - Submitted photo Tyler Schaller hid geocaches in Maplewood parks for his Eagle Scout project in 2010. A new summer hobby gains popularity Aundrea Kinney Review staff Geocaching is on the rise. This hobby involves travel,mystery and discovery.It gets people learning history and practicing forgotten skills while solving see Geocaching on page 3 Review • Geocaching.•1 continued from page 1 puzzles and engaging in self-paced exercise. People of any age can participate independently or with family and friends, and there is a community of over 10 million geocachers worldwide. "It's an outdoor treasure hunt, and you're looking for things that other people leave behind for you to find," says Jenn Slaten, a Maplewood resident and experienced geocacher. "It's a great time to get into it," says Krista Jensen, lead naturalist at Fort Snelling State Park. Because it's early in the season, she says people have the whole summer to explore before the weather turns cold again. Whether you are home for Memorial Day weekend or visiting someplace I new, there is probably a cache hidden nearby. Consider taking the whole family on an all-ages adventure to find unexpected geocaching treasures. Geocaching with kids "Many parents have commented that [geocaching] is a great way for them to get outdoors, exercise and have fun with their families," says Audra Robbins, Maplewood recreation manager. "Putting that [GPS] device in their band can help transition [kids] away from video games,"Jensen adds. Slaten says her son loves geocaching, and that there are even some caches specifically for children; her son once found one where kid-cachers swapped action figures and dolls. "My son is 9 but he's known how to gauge and measure distance since he was 5 because of geocaching," Slaten says. Slaten teaches math and social studies at Humboldt Senior High School and loves bringing geocaching into the classroom. Because geocaches are often at historical sites, Slaten says it was easy to incorporate lessons on worldwide geocaching while teaching social studies. "I had [the students] use the geocaching website to find places they want to visit and then use Google Earth to see them," she says. She also teaches her students how to use a GPS and incorporates latitude and longitude lessons in both her social studies and math classes. Local treasures It was actually a teenager who got the Maplewood Parks and Recreation Department started on its geocaching program. As an Eagle Scout project, Tyler Schaller helped the parks and rec. staff and Maplewood Nature Center create the Maplewood geocache program in the summer of 2010. Schaller thought the timing seemed right, since it was the year before the Boy Scouts introduced a geocaching merit badge. Maplewood Parks and Recreation teamed up with the Maplewood Nature Center to fund the necessities for the project such as the GPS units that people can rent for free from the parks and recreation office. In his project write-up Schaller wrote, "This project took a long time and a lot of effort to complete. It made me love the act of helping because I know that I could not have done this alone." Schaller agreed to maintain the geocaches for two years, but even after that commitment expired he and his dad, Scott, continue check in on them to be sure they are all still there for the community to enjoy. This year there are 29 caches hidden in Maplewood parks, neighborhood preserves and the Maplewood Nature Center. "When we first started the program, not many people knew what geocaching was," Robbin's says. "It's been fun to see how this activity has evolved and grown in popularity. We still have GPS units for the public to borrow but most people now use their smartphones instead." State parks Many Minnesota State Parks also offer geocaching, and some, such as William O'Brian and Fort Snelling, even offer Geocaching 101 classes. "It's an opportunity to get families out on the trail and having a mission for that hike," Jensen says. She adds that the program aims to invite new people into the park as well as provide the regular visitors a new way to experience the space. Like Maplewood's city parks, Fort Snelling State Park offers GPS units for people to borrow for free, though most people choose to use their smartphones. Jensen says that park staff will show first-timers how to use the GPS units it they are unable to make the 101 class. "We have plenty of people who come on the weekend who have never done it before," Jensen says. She says that the Fort Snelling geocache is an easy multi-cache that is perfect for beginners. A multi- cache is a geocache series where the first cache contains the coordinates for the next one. There are four stops total in the Fort Snelling geocache. "Most of our park is on really flat ground and the cache we have set up is on a hard surface trail," Jensen says. Because of this, the Fort Snelling geocache is accessible for families with strollers, wheelchairs or walkers. Summer is the time for adventure. Classes are winding down, the family vacation season begins Memorial Day weekend and warm weather brings people out of their homes and into their local parks. Wherever you like to spend summer days, an adventure awaits. Make sure to `cache' in on the fun. Aundrea Kinne j can be reached at 651-748-7822 or akinney@lillienews.com. • Wednesday, May 25,2016 Page 3 t � r yip a : , x / ;...: .�.: Asa N� • 1A 4,0 s; . . /9 /� aq� q, ' e/� 99`��t a ry Hy�� /ti �i��.s_ � / � a�,ay ..err: i. ....-// i � s i/ r �Qeys u f4f 58, MP ,1 y 4, � , / / ,..„.,,,.,,,„,,,,i,,,,,,,,„ �,C.a g s s H $ %rGa'r/r/'///3 4l"ty"! <4'4£y3'a Fr/y�i s y. �'�y Ylf/fs�" t z q s �� r r "Yid . ti^!'n' tkis a ",, `•ry / AE// ; / �7r f4'% /y� : y r -;s%;'.;;;i� f � �� ' �`° ,, // %//fi g� Q/iii a'r i,t,tt,t.t,/ ii,-Aiti;„-otoiititi.;;Ifft' t ,, 'i14%-- „, f, ' / �" Y X4,4 W ,�'' 3 ' r .�ni. "-' tt :'f f iii ;' e i�iiq��/r „o• ,t s"//, lo s ti � ( u son - �'.F 9(/✓ xisF� ✓Jr g s yeq� �a/a/i.✓ou,✓cycmrr.°. , �ps f /6 - -.i i. . vg " yr �/ ��y�I a ? -,notos courtesy-of geoc cic.'cg.com. Above left,Geocachers typically sign a log book to IV t �r, prove they found the cache.The log book is hidden aft WV yrL V 8r c7c in a capsule that can vary in size and design.Above right, Maplewood resident Jenn Slaten says that her Acr°ordiarg to the gerlicaaching vVi hsitr r "A`. getteacher hides favorite geocache was hidden in a hollow guard rail a geercache. lists it on geo{aiclliint,corii and challenges ()tiler bolt.She says that at the time she found it,she was gerlc,achers its find it." not used to completely camouflaged containers, There are Se\'Crill rich's. that Iiinit the size, hiding place so she was especially proud when she was able to and contents iif a ('ac-he, hut there are more than 2,5 million locate it. geocaches located all oc.-ea' the rr'far'lcl, and it is free to participate. cocat liter, use laititi.tle a"iti€1 Ititagittide etaairtlintates and a .al ahalPositioning: Ss stein to track dothti the cache theta are interested in. "Ilii e -ftliicallt- sigic a log hook to prove their were there, rtaid siortae°titlics they add a signature items to the cache like a ,'tiiri minted in a specific, )-ear or a playing card with their initials written on it. "I love that 54)u don't know where year will end up,- says ,lenn Sloven. a Maplewood resident and e.xfrcrieiicetl geoi fiehct 7011 nail 5:i atrywiaere and find them.,, Staten first began geocachirig ssvhile on stacatiten in Louisiana, lith now she geocaches for fun esearvwhlcre she can, ;Tact has planned yiacations around geocachi.ug rand has made a goal of finding caches at all the historical sites she vi ,i,s me In r trips. She also ge_tiracthcs in her tit n community, "1 geocache cc ',tier one signature fir ins morn, ins soil ant.l myself, and we usually do a hike and bring our dogs," Slaten says. Sonic of the most irfipicessive geocaches she has found include a fake mushroom ill a field of real mushrooms and a hollowed out holt in a guard rail, Sinter) sac's that sonic caches are obvious like ai canister hanging from a tree branch but others are completely caliaouflaged. 'I'lie geo acliirig itivelisite indicates how difficult a part-initial cache is, and Slaten doesn't recommend treinga challenging:cadre. a'thorn yLarst<1 exile Iietlee. Simple cashes can be completed fairly quickly with a GPS device or call phone with GPS capabilities,but when Slater limits difficult caches she is sure to bring her backpack of get teach ii iiad`+ cstiich includes a rod ssith a magnetic tip, a pen to fill otic tliflog, a flashlight, to sc:rcnc•chiser, a pctcgtetknif , Sc c'ti Decd;sprat', silltscree€i acid a scaler hotele,`.