[THERE IS A MORE UP-TO-DATE VERSIONS OF THIS PAGE FOR 2023. CLICK HERE.]
Cache of the Year – From the moment you read the cache listing through making the find – and then telling all of your caching friends about how great the cache is, this is the cache that made the year the most memorable for you.
Best Theme/Series (three or more caches in a series or that share a common theme) – The whole of the series was even greater than the sum of the parts. Which series did you absolutely have to finish and kept you waiting for the next cache to be published?
Best Kids Cache – Perhaps it was the story on the cache page, or the location, or the hide, or the container, or the trade items. Ask the mini-cachers which cache they would most like to visit again.
Most Outstanding Location/Scenery – Everybody has different criteria for a great location, although the amazing smoothness of the parking lot paving is probably not it. Which cache took you to your best location – and why was it the best?
Most Creative Cache – It was new, it was different, it was unique – it was probably inspirational. Which cache made you say, “I would have never thought of that?”
Most Physically Challenging to Find – Which cache made you push your limits to complete it?
Best Historical/Educational Cache – Many caches offer more than the satisfaction of the find by sharing some history of the area in the cache description, along the journey, or at ground zero. Some caches can teach you something you didn’t know. Which cache provided the best history or educational lesson last year?
Best Camouflage – Whether an evil micro or an in-plain-sight regular, which cache made you do a double-take?
Best Multi-Stage Cache – That’s right, multiple finds and only one smiley! Was it the story, the hides, the field work, or the scenery that put a multi-cache on your Favorites list?
Best Mystery/Puzzle Cache – Whether the puzzle or the mystery was creative, innovative, obscure, devious, difficult, head-banging hard, unbelievably easy in hindsight – or all of those, which mystery or puzzle cache are you still talking about?
Best Traditional – The familiar green box on the map, which one made an impression on you?
Best Letterbox Hybrid – Which cache with a stamp left its mark on you.
Best Other (Earthcache, Whereigo, Event) – Other than events, these cache types do not see as many placements each year. Pick one or more to honor!
Best CITO Cleanups are a great way to give back to the community in which we cache. Who set up a nice effort to pick up trash?
Best Log – “TFTC” is not going to be enough. Which log entered during the past year for which cache entertained you the most, educated you the most, or just kept coming back to you? (Although the log has to be from last year, the cache doesn’t.)
Rookie of the Year – Every year thousands of people start geocaching and many of them are in NoVAGO’s area. What new name caught your attention in the logs or with their caches? Check the profile to see if the caching career started during the previous year, plus six months. For example, For the 2018 Rookie of the Year, this person must have logged their first cache no earlier than July 1, 2016.
Volunteer of the Year – Which great NoVAGO volunteer (non-officer) gave the best effort in furthering our cause?
Cacher of the Year – Great finder, great hider, great log-writer…any or all of these could be the foundation for cacher of the year. Who stood out to you as the epitome of “Cacher” this year?