In September of 2010 the Wisconsin Geocaching Association held their fall picnic in Roche-A-Cri State Park north of Friendship in central Wisconsin. While the event was well-attended and enjoyed by all, no one was allowed to climb the 303-step stairway to the top of the mound at that time because the stairway had been deemed dangerous due to deterioration and had been closed a few months earlier. The newly reconstructed stairway to the top was opened and dedicated in June of 2012, and since then, many visitors have made the trek up the stairs to see the views from the top of the mound.

We figured it was time to officially invite all cachers from far and near to experience Roche-a-Cri State Park from top to bottom! (Going to the top will NOT be required…) There are some newer caches in the park that weren’t here in 2010, including the WGA state parks hide, and there are many, many cachers who weren’t playing the game back in 2010. If you have never been to the park before, now would be the time to enjoy your first visit. If you have been here before but the stairway wasn’t open at that time, now would be the time for a return visit. If you have been here before and have climbed the stairway and have found all the caches in the park, then you most likely live not too far away and would enjoy seeing all of your fellow area cachers again to catch up with all that is going on.

So here’s the scoop: Saturday, September 9, 2017, from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Come at the start, come near the end, stop in briefly or stay the whole time, climb the stairs or take it easy. Bring a picnic lunch or something from a nearby eatery for you and your group or just munch on the provided cookies while you are enjoying the caching fellowship. (There are grills nearby (BYO supplies), and we will have access to the electricity in the shelter.) There is no agenda for the event, no group climb of the stairway is scheduled, no meal is planned, no official photo will be taken, no prizes will be given out, no new caches will be hidden unless we get around to placing one or two new ones, no GC souvenir to earn (you only get your smiley), no FTF, no winners, no losers, no caching necessary… Did we cover everything?

Parking, restrooms, and drinking water are located near the shelter. Extra parking is just beyond the kiosk parking, if necessary. The campground will still be open if anyone wants to stay a night or two (you shouldn’t need reservations unless you want a specific site). We will be glad to discuss any of our puzzle caches with those in attendance, and there is usually someone willing to help any newer cachers learn more about the game and their equipment. We can’t control the weather, so dress accordingly, but we will have plenty of room under a roof.

NOTE: If you are using an auto router to get to the park, use the entrance coordinates (listed as a waypoint below) instead of the event coordinates. When the shelter coordinates are used, because they are for west of the mound, auto routers usually send people to the back of the park where there is no access

Because this event is held in a state park, a parks admission fee is required (hourly, daily, or yearly sticker). There is no cost for the event.