1. What is CARW?
Cache and Release Winter is Edmonton’s (Northern Alberta’s) main caching event held every winter, where cachers hide winter friendly caches and the community rallies together for one great caching spree in the winter.
2. When is CARW this year?
CARW2024 is scheduled for March 2 to March 3, 2024 for the Finders Wrap-Up and then continues to Saturday March 9, 2024 for the Hiders Wrap-Up and awarding of prizes.
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4. What is the difference between “the event”, “CARW” and “CARW wrap-up”?
The “CARW event” is the description of the 3 months between an
event being published and the close for the wrap-up event, including everything
in-between; like hiding caches, the publishing of caches, the kick-off event,
the Saturday evening coffee event, a breakfast event, cache finding, and finally
the wrap-up. CARW is the same as “the event”. The wrap-up event cache is the way
that “CARW” is advertised, and is the culmination of “the CARW event”. However,
as a geocaching event cache cannot be held to find caches, the wrap-up event
cache is for discussing winter caching and awarding prizes for great winter caches.
5. Why CARW?
To showcase winter caching and that winter caching is fun. Historically this is what Edmonton has called its event, so the title remains. CARW stands for Cache And Release Winter. To create more quality winter friendly caches for all to enjoy, not only for the CARW event, but all year round.
6. Where?
The radius of caches placed varies each year to try and allow for more caches in less populated places. See this site's Home Page for a graphic showing the cache placement area in and around Edmonton.
7. Can I place a cache for CARW?
Yes, anyone can, but please ensure it is in-place and submitted by the cache submission deadline.
8. What are the rules?
Click here to find the rules on the bottom of the hiding page.
9. Why are there rules?
The rules are in-place to give everyone the same opportunity, and to provide some guidance.
10. What if I don’t follow the rules?
You are the lead candidate to organize next year’s event!
11. Can I find a spot, and hide the cache later?
Yes, find the spot, create cache page with location, submit for review. Ensure you ask for a coordinate check in the reviewer notes (calling dibs on final location) and the cache will be placed later. Later on when your cache page is all set and cache is in place, submit for review, and ask not to publish yet, but to put in the Queue (line) for CARW publishing later. Once the cache is in Queue, no changes to the cache page can be made, until it is published.
12. Why are the event’s caches published on Thursday, but the event doesn’t start until Saturday?
To allow people to plan their finding strategies, to solve puzzles, and to find caching partners at the kick-off.
13. What if I find a CARW cache before it’s published?
After it’s published but before Saturday 9am? Some CARW caches have been found prior to publishing, please claim your actual FTF when published, however it does NOT count towards your event total FTFs. Finding a cache between publishing and the event start time is just plain cheating with respect to the event, however legal within Geocaching rules. Please DO NOT do this and give everyone an equal chance. It is highly frowned upon by the community to find caches before the Saturday, March 2, 2024 09:00 hours start time.
14. What is theme, focus, etc?
This year's theme is “Leap”. The theme changes every year, if you have an idea, please submit it to the organizers.
The focus never changes, we want to be known for quality! EVENT MOTTO "Have fun at your level”.
15. Why are there prizes?
To add a small bit of incentive for cache builders, cache finders, and some small form of competitiveness. It also provides cache supply franchises a chance to showcase and support local caching.
16. Can I try for a prize, or even all the prizes?
Anyone can try for a prize, however at the time of announcement a winner of a second category will be mentioned as winning but will not receive a second prize. I.e. if “Super hider” wins “best overall cache", they get the trophy and pick of a prize, second and third place also get to pick a prize. If “super hider” then wins “best park and grab” they are mentioned as the category prize winner, but the second place hider gets the trophy (and a prize if they have not already picked a prize). The intent is for everyone to be able to get a prize not all the same person.
17. How do I make a new prize category?
Suggest to the CARW organizer.
18. How do I vote for my favourite cache?
Voting will be on line. Use the voting link to be provided soon. See the Categories page for more information.
19. Are there prizes for cache finders?
Some, but these are not as important for prizes; they are more to acknowledge accomplishments during the event. Cache finders get another smiley and whatever the Cache Owner leaves in the cache for the FTF.
20. Why is there no prize for “most likely to be muggled”?
This goes against the intent of placing a cache, it will be voted on, but should absolutely not be tried for.
21. Where do the prizes come from, can I donate?
Our great sponsors, and people like you, bring something in and donate it to the prize table, prizes accepted right up until closing! Contact the CARW organizer, or bring it to the wra-up.
22. Are the event and wrap-up family friendly?
Absolutely see MOTTO.
23. What happens if the weather is horrible?
Cache on! Remember 2014’s “POLAR VORTEX”. Proceed at your own risk. There might not be white out conditions now, but this is Alberta. If you wait 5 minutes the weather is likely to change. Whatever you choose to do, stay safe!
24. I want to place a nano cache for the event, can I?
Yes, but contact the CARW organizer and ensure it is winter friendly!
Regular sizes are best to hide in winter. CARW is a family friendly event and the kids love to trade items. For the fun of the kids please keep your cache as a regular or larger size, large enough for trade items.
24. What if the volunteer reviewer says there is a conflict with another CARW cache or a puzzle cache?
Work with the reviewer to see if there is a resolution, but do not use this as a method to solve a puzzle cache. Regular geocaching rules apply to cache placements.
25. I want to host an event during the weekend, can I?
Yes, however, Geocaching.com frowns on back to back events, ie: no “event power trails”. We have some vacancies for events and hosts, and need help with other things. Check out the volunteer page to find out more about volunteering.
26. I placed a cache for the event but can not attend the wrap-up. Can I claim attending the event?
Sorry, no. You must attend the physical wrap-up event to log it as a find. CARW is the weekend long event, and has no GC number. Only actual events have GC numbers.
27. I found a cache during the event, but did not attend the wrap-up. Can I claim attending the event?
Sorry, no. See Number 26 above.
28. Several cachers have tried to find a CARW cache and it seems to be missing, what do we do?
Try harder, and contact the Cache Owner, sometimes caches can go AWOL just prior to the event. Cache Owner should be ready to replace, update or disable a cache during the event. Sometimes coordinates get entered incorrectly when the cache page is created. Pull out your smartphone or laptop and check the coordinates online. Sometimes these errors happen and get fixed midway through the event, although if your list was downloaded before the correction was made then you would be working off the old coordinates. Check online or with Cache Owner to get updated coordinates.
29. The Volunteer Reviewer says there is a conflict, and I cannot get out and fix it?
Contact the CARW organizer to see if they can get someone to assist you. You can also try asking for assistance on the Geocaching Edmonton Facebook page.
Click here to find the rules on the bottom of the hiding page.