Geocaching

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A Geocache in Germany

Geocaching is an outdoor sport that involves the use of a Global Positioning System ("GPS") receiver or traditional navigational techniques to find a "geocache" (or "cache") placed anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small, waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure", usually trinkets of little value. Participants are called geocachers.

Geocaching is similar to a much older activity called letterboxing. The major difference is its use of the GPS and the Internet.

History

Geocaching was made possible by the "turning off" of the selective availability of the Global Positioning System on May 1, 2000. The first documented placement of a cache with GPS assistance took place on May 3, 2000, by Dave Ulmer of Beaver Creek, Oregon. The location was posted on the Usenet newsgroup sci.geo.satellite-nav. By May 6, 2000, it had been found twice and logged once (by Mike Teague of Vancouver, Washington).

There are hundreds of thousands of geocaches around the world, registered on various Web sites devoted to geocaching. See the External Links section.

Geocaches

Geocache Loonse en Drunense Duinen in The Netherlands

For the traditional geocache, a geocacher will place a waterproof container, containing a log book (with pen or pencil) and treasures, then note the cache's coordinates. These coordinates, along with other details of the location are posted online. Other geocachers obtain the coordinates from the Internet and, using handheld GPS receivers, seek out the cache. The finding geocachers record their exploits in the logbook. Geocachers are free to take objects from the cache in exchange for leaving something of similar or higher value, so there's treasure for the next person to find.

Typical cache treasures aren't high in intrinsic value. Aside from the logbook, common cache contents are Two dollar bills or other unusual coins or currency; small toys; ornamental buttons; and CDs or books. Also common are "hitchhikers" (a.k.a. travelers or Travel Bugs), which are objects moved from cache to cache, and whose travels may be logged online.

A Travel Bug

Geocaches can range in size from "microcaches," too small to hold anything more than a log book, to those placed in five-gallon buckets or even larger containers.

Variations of geocaches include:

  • Moving/traveling cache: The finder logs the cache, trades trinkets, then hides the cache in a different place.
  • Multi-cache: requires a visit to one or more intermediate points to determine the coordinates of the cache
  • Mystery/puzzle cache: Coordinates listed are not the coordinates for the cache, the seeker must solve a puzzle to find the actual coordinates.
  • Event cache: a meeting for geocachers, found by date, hour and coordinates
  • Cache-In Trash-Out (CITO) Events: A variation on the event cache, where geocachers get together at a particular location and clean up the trash in the area.
  • Webcam: a location with a public web cam. You must have someone watching the camera on a computer to "capture" your image.
  • Virtual: a location to visit simply for what is already there. To prove you visited the site, you are generally required to either email the cache owner with information such as a date or a name on a plaque, or post a picture of yourself at the site with GPS receiver in hand.
  • Letterbox hybrid: This is a hybrid between geocaching and the much older activity of letterboxing. In addition to a logbook and trade items, it contains a rubber stamp to stamp your log book. Letterboxers carry their own stamp with them, to stamp the letterbox's log book.
  • Locationless or reverse cache: the opposite of a traditional cache, as the game is to find a specific type of object, like a one-room schoolhouse, then log its coordinates and post a picture holding your GPS in front of the cache site.
  • Earthcache: A type of "cache-less cache" sponsored and approved by the Geological Society of America. The locations do not have items, but contain information about the geology, fossils and local environment.

Geocaching a sport?

There is some debate, even among geocachers, about whether to categorize geocaching as a sport, hunt, game, activity or simply a reason to get out of the house. Some geocaches are easy enough to be called "drive-bys" in the U.S.; and "Park 'n' Grabs", "PNG's" or "cache and dash" in the U.K. Others are very difficult: under water, many staged multi-caches, challenging cryptography, 50 feet up a tree, on high mountain peaks, on the Antarctic continent or above the Arctic Circle.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Geocaching.

Associations

Listings

Worldwide

Countries

Travelers

Miscellaneous

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