Article written by: Gary [USMA77]

A blog in geocaching.com titled “The Jasmer Challenge” calls it “[o]ne of the oldest and most popular geocaching challenges … To complete the challenge , you must fill your Jasmer grid by finding caches placed in every month since geocaching began in May 2000.”  This blog is an excellent summary of the Jasmer Challenge and goes into detail about how you can identify needed caches to compete missing months in your Jasmer Grid.  Check the blog out at HQ Blog: 2018-10, The Jasmer Challenge.

Here’s just a couple of observations about what makes the Jasmer Challenge so fun, interesting, … and challenging.

• As time marches on, there are fewer and fewer “oldies” or aged caches, placed between 2000 – 2004, still available to find.  These oldies are slowly being archived; never to be replaced.  For example, world-wide there are currently only SEVEN caches that were placed  in May 2000 still active (5 in the United States, 1 in New Zealand, 1 in Australia).  Similarly, there are only SEVEN remaining caches placed in June 2000 (6 in the United States, 1 in Belgium).  There are even fewer opportunities for caches placed in August 2000 — only FOUR caches remaining world-wide (3 in the United States, 1 in Sweden).
• Another novel feature is that every month that passes adds another month to the challenge.  PERSONAL NOTE:  After logging “Marooned”, GC20 (placed 2000-07-17) and “Lake Lanier”, GC21 (placed 2000-08-16), I thought I had finally competed my Jasmer Grid, only to learn through Project-GC that I DID NOT QULIFY because I hadn’t found a cache in the current month.  What a let down … but only temporarily!

If you haven’t completed your Jasmer Grid and don’t yet qualify for the many Jasmer Challenge Caches out on the geocaching trail, add it to your “To Do” list.  You’ll feel proud when you accomplish it.  

NOTE:  Another fun challenge to work on in conjunction with doing the Jasmer Challenge is attempting to find the oldest cache in each state (plus the District of Columbia), as well as other countries.

One last closing point:  Don’t confuse the Jasmer Grid (months cached in) with the Fizzy Grid (Difficulty/Terrain rating combinations cached).  Completing the Fizzy Challenge is another fun and challenging objective!