2025 ENDINGS and 2026 BEGINNINGS!
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- Written by Terri Nealon
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The 2025 holiday season was an active one for our SLAGA community. The first weekend in December kicked off the season with the spirit of giving at the 2025 Community Christmas Celebration Event (GCATM25) hosted by nan-d1955/Nan. This memorable and very fun event included, not only great food and conversation, but also the generosity of the 42 members in attendance, through food, toiletry and toy donations. These were collected for the local food pantry and Birthday Club of ‘Circle of Concern’ in Valley Park. Over 250 pounds of food and nearly 70 toys were donated. This yearly event is always a great way to start the season.
CO Nan said that spending time with her fellow geocachers at this family time of year warms her heart. “I get so much joy out of being with my friends at this event that I stop and wonder how many others there feel the same joy. If even one, that makes me happy."
Next came Santa Cachemas (GeoKid12) and his many elves hiding caches all around SLAGAland for 12 straight days, while geocachers practically dropped everything in their personal lives to try for a coveted First-to-Find honor and ornament. This past season the caches were all letterbox hybrid type with cute stamps that ended up being the clues for the bonus day. Having participated every day of 2025 Cachemas, this writer can attest to the great quality and variety of caches in this whole series! While the excitement of the hunt has always been a Cachemas high, the gathering of geofriends throughout and the tailgate festivities sure add to the joy of the Cachemas season!
GeoKid12/Robert/Santa always does an amazing job organizing the series and hiding some caches himself. The other hider elves definitely put effort into their choice of locations and caches too this year. Then there's toy-maker elf, LFrank, who provided all the FTF ornaments. Over the years, this 2-week long Cachemas experience has turned into a holiday social favorite for many who not only get outdoors and earn a smiley, but really enjoy holiday time with friends too.
There were other fun events held in the month of December, including happy hours and game nights and Christmas Day lunch. But the Holiday season and 2025 came to an end and the new year began with the official SLAGA New Year's Day Hike on January 1st!
The 2026 hike, hosted by Treasure Isle/Susan, took place at 1 pm in the beautiful Laumeier Sculpture Park, which happens to be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. "Laumeier is a place where art and nature come together to spark curiosity, creativity, and connection." More than 50 SLAGA members gathered on the back patio of the office building to enjoy a warm beverage and holiday chats during the 30-minute meet-n-greet portion of the event. Then all cachers were invited to hike with the larger group or break off themselves to enjoy the many areas of the park. There were several old and new geocaches that could be found, so many hikers departed not only with smiles but smilies too. CO Susan hosted a terrific event and thanked all who attended as stated in her Attended Log. "Thanks to everyone who made this a successful start to the new year. Special thanks to cootie_man who provided drinks, cookies, and cups, etc. Also special thanks to Geokid12 for the huge variety of cookies and to Strider for placing a cache in the last available spot in Laumeier. Here's to another amazing year of geocaching!" 
SLAGA's 2025 was magnificent with new members joining, new geocaches hidden, numerous events and CITOS conducted, as well as activities like Cachemas and the year-long Adventure Awaits Challenges! On that topic, the December challenge winner will be announced and honored in their own article soon.
But this is a great opportunity to announce the 2025 GRAND PRIZE WINNER, drawn from all participants from each month. Drum Roll please...
...The Adventure Awaits Grand Prize Winner for 2025 is SWASEEKER/BILL! Congratulations and enjoy your $25 gift card prize! 
As 2026 begins, you can already see new changes, like our SLAGA board's new Adventure Awaits Challenge plans that are in play for this year. As for geocacher 'resolutions' ideas, consider planning new caching adventures, setting some caching goals, exploring interesting new places, or committing to attending more SLAGA events or volunteering at one. And there's no better time or place to start that last idea, than at the upcoming SLAGA Winter Potluck and Cabin Fever-2026 Event (GCBEWXB), hosted by L Frank and Denmother on January 31, 2026.
Cheers to a great 2025 and
to an adventurous, happy
and healthy 2026!
Best of SLAGA 2025
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- Written by John Layman
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Best of SLAGA, Favorite Caches Placed in 2025
Of the ~287 new caches published in the 100 mile radius SLAGA territory in 2025, these are the top caches, as determined by % of favorite points awarded.
By cache type
| Earthcache | ?? Missouri’s Rosy Heart: The Granite Shut-In EC | LosVagabundos | GCBE76P |
| Traditional | Strange Things in the Woods-Toadstool in the Woods | SlamminElla | GCBCF95 |
| Letterbox | Day 4 - 2025 Cachemas in STL | HiddenCrazy | GCBEZK4 |
| Unknown | Afowl of Perche Creek - Snipe (Bonus) | Unitzoid | GCBCK3W |
| Multicache | Buddy's Projection | Strider | GCBCKEY |
| Virtual | Historic Daniel Boone Home | vorlon40 | GCAJJ8J |
| Lab Bonus | Tombstone Tourist Adventure Lab Bonus Cache | Denmother and L Frank | GCB7GNW |
By overall % of favorite points awarded
| 80 | Traditional | Strange Things in the Woods-Toadstool in the Woods | SlamminElla | GCBCF95 |
| 71 | Traditional | The Saber in the Stump | ice_mermaid & HiddenCrazy | GCB7XXG |
| 69 | Traditional | What Do You See? | HiddenCrazy | GCB13BJ |
| 67 | Traditional | LesMar's Little Library on Lansdowne | LEchterWhite CardsFan4 | GCB7972 |
| 67 | Traditional | Time To Branch Out | ClumsyJudo | GCBAZXH |
| 67 | Traditional | Strange Things in the Woods - A Rock in the Woods | SlamminElla | GCBCEKP |
| 67 | Traditional | MKT Memories | Delbadore | GCBCK9X |
| 67 | Traditional | Paint it, Cache | kawiaj | GCBEN77 |
| 65 | Traditional | Stumped in Tower Grove Park | ToeFur9er | GCB6QHA |
| 63 | Traditional | My First Find (Now Archived) | stevendede | GCB7GAR |
Congrats and thanks to the Cache Owners and everyone else who continues to create and support quality caches in the St. Louis area!
Smiling Again at a November Win
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- Written by Terri Nealon
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Repeat Adventure Awaits Winner MrsSpongy (Carolyn) is smiling again with her November 2025 win! Carolyn has been a loyal challenge cacher since the beginning of SLAGA's Adventure Awaits initiative. She first won in May 2024 and some of her caching history was noted in that May article. But since then, Carolyn has continued to accomplish more personal goals in her caching career, one being her continued monthly caching to participate in Adventure Awaits. For the month of November, Carolyn chose the following caches to fulfill the challenge of finding four geocaches each with a different size, plus one event.
Cache 1: Small-GCBEM7D Here's Barb
Cache 2: Regular-GCAMBWO Walker's Rest
Cache 3: Micro GCBDYQQ Stay in Love
Cache 4: Other-GCB9HXJ Found It!
Event: GCBEK4H SW STL Happy Hour
Carolyn still says, "Geocaching is my therapy, and my geocaching 'family' remains a big support as I continue playing this fun game." Since her past win, Carolyn has found caches in 5 new states, bringing her total to 35 USA states (including DC). Speaking of totals, Carolyn is at an amazing 18,281 geocache finds since she started in 2009. One of her current goals is to achieve her fifth Fizzy grid filler. She only needs two more D/Ts to complete that goal.
Carolyn's fondest geocaching memories are made while out with friends. "I really enjoy getting smileys with my friends, especially at events, either locally or travelling out of town to big events. This past spring I went with different girlfriends to both the MOGA in Abilene, KS and GeoWoodstock in Morgantown, VA!"
CONGRATULATIONS CAROLYN ON YOUR NOVEMBER 2025 ADVENTURE AWAITS WIN AND $10 GIFT CARD PRIZE!
2025 SLAGA Travel Bug Race November Update
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- Written by Robert Klemme
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Looking for an update on the SLAGA Travel Bug race standings? Well look no further, here they are!
A Charter Member Wins October!
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- Written by Terri Nealon
- Hits: 1064
One of geocaching's charter members. and a SLAGA forefather, has joined the winners circle for SLAGA Adventure Awaits Challenge. Jim Greene, aka Strider, has participated many of the months and enjoys the variety of challenge criteria, but has finally won for the month of October 2025. His qualifying caches to find four geocaches each with a different Cache Owner (CO) and one event, are as follows:
GC2DA4M Fourth Spiral CO / Flic
GCBC70N Fish in a Barrel CO / JoeBum
GC3XDCW Just Jonesburg...again / CO Quailman2
GC53XXN The Great Westbound Treasure Hunt / CO ottieolsen (Dustin & Heather)
GCAYRTR Geocoinfest 2025 - Castle Rock, CO / CO A_Novel_Cache_ Cmte
Most of Jim's qualifying caches were from his recent trip with Sarah (Crowesfeat30) to Colorado for the Geocoinfest Event, which he chose as his event cache. Some caches were from the different states he and Sarah visited on the trip. He commented that, "It was a great 10-day vacation, and we got a lot of caches and Adventure Labs in 30 new Colorado counties and several in Nebraska. We now have 53/64 Colorado counties with only the NW corner left."
As for his geocaching history, Jim jumped on the game board in February 2001, less than a year after The "Original Stash Geocache" was placed. He found his first cache GC147 "Under the Boardwalk" in Missouri not too far from his current residence by chance, and he wasn't even the first to find but was the sixteenth. He didn't hit the ground running at the start of his caching career, with only two finds his first year, but if you look at his stats now, you'll see a diverse caching history throughout his 19,352 finds and 785 FTFs to date. Jim's completed every caching grid multiple times, has cached in 49 United States plus DC and in a few countries as well. Looks like a trip to Hawaii is next for Jim. His contribution to this game is awesome with 363 hides so far, as the 'bear' is awakened often at Queeny Park so his hide count is always increasing. Jim has also served SLAGA well, not only as a local hider, mentor, and events volunteer, but also served on the board as Treasurer from 2007 to 2009 and as Vice President from 2009 to 2011.
Jim said, "When I started this game, I borrowed a GPS from some friends and got a few caches before they took it away from me. It was an old Magellan and only went to two decimal places, so I got hung up on Super Bowl Stash from that problem. After I got my own GPS I really got into it. I cached with my two dogs, Charlie and Sophie who thought it was great fun. After a while I met Sarah (Crowesfeat30), and we started caching together and have been together for 20 years now. I've made so many great friends along the way and have visited some fantastic places. I sure didn't expect when I started this that it would become such a part of my life."
Celebrating in FALLing Leaves and Rain
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- Written by Terri Nealon
- Hits: 945
As the Autumn leaves fell to the ground, so did the raindrops on the cool October 18th SLAGA Fall Picnic day. However, COs StormRider22 and jray131 along with more than 50 SLAGA members braved the dampness to join together at this Community Celebration Event to enjoy each others' company, some good conversation and caching stories, and delicious food. Turtleladi1020nhubbs, the SLAGA grill masters for the picnic, had their work cut out for them trying to get the charcoal lit in the downpour at the beginning of the picnic, but thankfully the pop-up canopies and a reprieve from heavy rain made it possible for the brats, burgers, and dogs to be grilled to perfection. The other members rounded out the menu with shared salads, dishes, and more than enough desserts.
After lunch, it was time for some SLAGA business. Announcements were made including introducing the newest 'voted-in' board members, President Michael Smith/cootie_man, Vice President Robert Klemme/Geokid12, Secretary Susan Adams/Treasure Isle, Treasurer John Layman/vorlon40, and Vice President of Training Lee Rouse/Rouseabouts. While members saw mostly familiar faces, Lee was new, and John had switched duties on the board. Sadly the one face we will miss is our outgoing treasurer Nan Dabler/nan-d1955. Farewell Nan, and many thanks for your terrific service to SLAGA.
With the new board now in place, it was time to acknowledge those SLAGA premium members that have achieved significant milestones to date. At this picnic, every milestone from 100 finds to 25,000 finds had at least one member who received their commemorative coin.
100 Finds
theWifeof & Jramsay
500 Finds
GISToddT and DriverMom
1000 Finds
SugrSkulz
5000 Finds
3nina
10,000 Finds
BlueBeadMan
Aunt Dot
25,000Finds
GeoWench
Congratulations to the awesome cachers and their well-earned milestones awards! Whether it takes months or many years to reach any particular milestone, they are all grand achievements in this wonderful game of geocaching. For fun at this picnic, any attendee who had achieved 10,000 finds and earned their chair were invited to bring it for a group photo op. And wow did it turn out to be a fun memorable picture.
And mentioning this great game of geocaching, the cool rainy weather during the Fall Picnic didn't deter some picnic-going cachers from enjoying a walk along wet slippery trails in this nice park to earn a smiley or a few. Thanks to everyone for attending, especially on the cold wet picnic day, but geocachers (above all SLAGA cachers) are resilient, fun, and interesting folks who don't let a little rain spoil their chance to get together for an event and a smiley 😃 !
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