Geocaching

Geocaching

One of the most widely used symbols for Geocaching
First played	May 3, 2000
Clubs	Yes
Characteristics
Contact	No
Team members	1+
Mixed gender	Yes
Categorization	Outdoor
Equipment	GPS receiver, pen or pencil
Olympic	No

Geocaching is an outdoor activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook. Larger containers such as plastic storage containers (tupperware or similar) or ammo boxes can also contain items for trading, usually toys or trinkets of little value. Geocaching is most often described as a "game of high-tech hide and seek," sharing many aspects with benchmarking, trigpointing, orienteering, treasure-hunting, Letterboxing, and waymarking.

Geocaches are currently placed in over 100 countries around the world and on all seven continents, including Antarctica.^[1] After 10 years of activity there are over 1.1 million active geocaches published on various websites devoted to the activity.

History

Geocaching is similar to the 150-year-old game letterboxing, which uses clues and references to landmarks embedded in stories. Geocaching was conceived shortly after the removal of Selective Availability from GPS on May 1, 2000, because the improved accuracy^[2] of the system allowed for a small container to be specifically placed and located. The first documented placement of a GPS-located cache took place on May 3, 2000, by Dave Ulmer of Beavercreek, Oregon.^[3] The location was posted on the Usenet newsgroup sci.geo.satellite-nav^[4] as . By May 6, 2000, it had been found twice and logged once (by Mike Teague of Vancouver, Washington). According to Dave Ulmer's message, the original stash was a black plastic bucket buried most of the way in the ground and contained software, videos, books, food, money, and a slingshot.^[4]

The Oregon Public Broadcasting program Oregon Field Guide covered the topic of geocaching in a February 2010 episode, paying a visit to the original site. A memorial plaque now sits at the actual site, the Original Stash Tribute Plaque (GCGVOP) is the #1 Most Found Geocache in the world.

Origin of the name

The activity was originally referred to as GPS stash hunt or gpsstashing. This was changed after a discussion in the gpsstash discussion group at eGroups (now Yahoo!). On May 30, 2000, Matt Stum suggested that "stash" could have negative connotations, and suggested instead "geocaching."^[5]

Geocaches

A Travel Bug from Hong Kong.

For the traditional geocache, a geocacher will place a waterproof container containing a log book (with pen or pencil) and trade items then record the cache's coordinates. These coordinates, along with other details of the location, are posted on a listing site (see list of some sites below). Other geocachers obtain the coordinates from that listing site and seek out the cache using their GPS handheld receivers. The finding geocachers record their exploits in the logbook and online. Geocachers are free to take objects (except the logbook, pencil, or stamp) from the cache in exchange for leaving something of similar or higher value.

A Geocoin.

Typical cache "treasures" are not high in monetary value but may hold personal value to the finder. Aside from the logbook, common cache contents are unusual coins or currency, small toys, ornamental buttons, CDs, or books. Also common are objects that are moved from cache to cache called "hitchhikers", such as Travel Bugs or Geocoins, whose travels may be logged and followed online. Cachers who initially place a Travel Bug or Geocoin often assign specific goals for their trackable items. Examples of goals are to be placed in a certain cache a long distance from home, or to travel to a certain country, or to travel faster and farther than other hitchhikers in a race. Higher value items are occasionally included in geocaches as a reward for the First to Find (called "FTF"), or in locations which are harder to reach. Dangerous or illegal items, weapons, and pornography are generally not allowed and are specifically against the rules of most geocache listing sites.

A Travel Bug

Geocache container sizes range from containers as small as the tip of the little finger ("nanos") that are too small to hold anything more than a tiny paper log to 20 liter buckets or even larger containers.^[6]. The most common cache containers in rural areas are lunch-box sized plastic storage containers or surplus military ammunition cans. Ammo cans are considered the gold standard of containers because they are very sturdy, waterproof, animal and fire resistant, relatively cheap, and have plenty of room for trade items. Smaller containers are more common in urban areas because they can be more easily hidden.

If a geocache has been vandalized or stolen it is said to have been "muggled" or "plundered." The former term plays off the fact that those not familiar with geocaching are called muggles, a term borrowed from the Harry Potter series of books which was rising in popularity at the same time Geocaching got its start.^[7]

Putting food in a cache, or even anything else with an odour, is not advised and not suggested. Animals can smell food through the container and will find a way to get into the container or just take it. That will ruin the cache and the owner will have to replace it.

Variations

Geocaches vary in size, difficulty, and location. Simple caches are often called "drive-bys," "park 'n grabs" (PNGs), or "cache and dash." Geocaches may also be complex, involving lengthy searches or significant travel. Examples include staged multi-caches;^[8] underwater caches,^[9][10] caches located 50 feet (15 m) up a tree,^[11] caches found only after long offroad drives,^[12] caches on high mountain peaks,^[13] caches located in challenging environments (such as Antarctica ^[14] or north of the Arctic Circle^[15]), and magnetic caches attached to metal structures and/or objects. Different geocaching websites list different variations per their own policies (e.g. Geocaching.com does not list new Webcam, Virtual, Locationless, or Moving geocaches). The traditional Geocaching gave birth to GeoCaching – one of active urban games of Encounter project. The game is quite similar to Geocaching but has time limitations and hints in it.

A small traditional geocache in the Czech Republic.

Variations of geocaches include:

• Traditional: The basic cache type, a traditional cache must include a log book of some sort. It may or may not include trade or traceable items. A traditional cache is distinguished from other cache variations in that the geocache is found at the coordinates given and involves only one stage.^[16]

• Multi-cache: This variation consists of multiple discoveries of one or more intermediate points containing the coordinates for the next stage; the final stage contains the log book and trade items.^[16]

• Offset: This cache is similar to the multi-cache except that the initial coordinates are for a location containing information that encodes the final cache coordinates. An example would be to direct the finder to a plaque where the digits of a date on the plaque correspond to coordinates of the final cache.^[16]

• Night Cache: These multi-stage caches are designed to be found at night and generally involve following a series of reflectors with a flashlight to the final cache location.

• Mystery/puzzle: This cache requires one to discover information or solve a puzzle to find the cache. Some mystery caches provide a false set of coordinates with a puzzle that must be solved to determine the final cache location. In other cases, the given location is accurate, but the name of the location or other features are themselves a puzzle leading to the final cache. Alternatively, additional information is necessary to complete the find, such as a padlock combination to access the cache.^[16]

• Letterbox Hybrid: A letterbox hybrid cache is a combination of a geocache and a letterbox in the same container. A letterbox has a rubber stamp and a logbook instead of tradable items. Letterboxers carry their own stamp with them, to stamp the letterbox's log book and inversely stamp their personal log book with the letterbox stamp. The hybrid cache contains the important materials for this and may or may not include trade items. Whether the letterbox hybrid contains trade items is up to the owner.^[16]

• Locationless/Reverse: This variation is similar to a scavenger hunt. A description is given for something to find, such as a one-room schoolhouse, and the finder locates an example of this object. The finder records the location using their GPS hand-held receiver and often takes a picture at the location showing the named object and his or her GPS receiver. Typically others are not allowed to log that same location as a find.^[16]

• Moving/Travelling: Similar to a traditional geocache, this variation is found at a listed set of coordinates. The finder uses the log book, trades trinkets, and then hides the cache in a different location. By updating this new location on the listing, the finder essentially becomes the hider, and the next finder continues the cycle. The hitchhiker concept (see above) has superseded this cache type on geocaching.com.

A Geocacher finding a Virtual Cache at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

• Virtual: Caches of this nature are coordinates for a location that does not contain the traditional box, log book, or trade items. Instead, the location contains some other described object. Validation for finding a virtual cache generally requires you to email the cache hider with information such as a date or a name on a plaque, or to post a picture of yourself at the site with GPS receiver in hand.^[16]

• Earthcache: A type of virtual-cache which is maintained by the Geological Society of America. The cacher usually has to perform a task which teaches him/her an educational lesson about the earth science of the cache area.^[16]

• Webcam: Similar to a virtual cache; there is no container, log book, or trade items for this cache type. Instead, the coordinates are for a location with a public webcam. Instead of signing a log book, the finder is often required to capture their image from the webcam for verification of the find.^[16]

• Event Cache: This is a gathering organized and attended by geocachers. Physical caches placed at events are often active only for the event date.^[16]

• Cache-In Trash-Out (CITO) Events: This variation on event caching is a coordinated activity of trash pickup and other maintenance to improve the environment.^[16]

• Mega Event: An event that is attended by over 500 people. Mega Events are typically annual events, usually attracting geocachers from all over the world.^[16]

• GPS Adventures Maze Exhibit: An exhibit at various museums and science centers in which participants in the maze learn about geocaching. These "events" have their own cache type on Geocaching.com and include many non-geocachers.^[16]

• Wherigo cache: A Wherigo cache is similar to a multi-stage cache hunt that uses a Wherigo cartridge to guide the player. The player plays the cartridge and finds a physical cache sometime during cartridge play, usually at the end. Not all Wherigo cartridges incorporate geocaches into game play. Wherigo caches are unique to the geocaching.com website.^[16]

Project A.P.E. Cache Type.

In 2001, 20th Century Fox in conjunction with Geocaching.com released a series of caches intended to promote the movie Planet of the Apes. The containers were all 60mm ammo cans with the phrase Project A.P.E. stenciled on the side. Clues were given to the location of the cache each week, getting more and more specific. Eventually, the cache would be published. Inside each container was an item from the movie.^[17] In 2003, 20th Century Fox separated themselves from the promotion completely and most of the caches were adopted by their respective owners. Many were soon archived, and only two caches of the Project A.P.E. type remain active today (one near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and one near Seattle, Washington). At least one former Project A.P.E. cache has been re-listed as a traditional using the same coordinates and the original container.^[17]

Obtaining data

GPX files contain information such as a cache description and information about recent visitors to the cache. Geocachers may upload geocache data (also known as waypoints) from various websites in various formats, most commonly in file-type GPX, which uses XML ^[18]. Some websites allow geocachers to search (build queries) for multiple caches within a geographic area based on criteria such as Zip Code or coordinates, downloading the results as an email attachment on a schedule. In the recent years, Android and iPhone users have been able to download apps such as GeoBeagle that allow them to use their 3G/Gps enabled devices to actively search for and download new caches.

Converting and filtering data

A variety of geocaching applications are available for geocache data management, file-type translation, and personalization. Geocaching software can assign special icons or search (filter) for caches based on certain criteria (e.g. distance from an assigned point, difficulty, date last found).

Paperless geocaching employs PDAs or other electronic devices to carry geocache information instead of paper. Various applications are able to directly upload and read GPX files without further conversion. Newer GPS devices released by Garmin, DeLorme and Magellan have the ability to read GPX files directly, thus eliminating the need for a PDA.^[19] The release of numerous cellphones which have a GPS chip built in, has enabled another platform for paperless geocaching.

Terminology

There are various acronyms and words commonly used when discussing geocaching.

General:

• Cache – A box or container that contains, at the very least, a logbook
• Geoswag – The items that can be found in some larger caches.
• Muggle – A non geocacher that is in some way preventing you from finding a cache.
• Muggled - Being caught by a non-geocacher while retrieving/replacing a cache; also, a muggled cache has been removed or vandalized by a non-geocacher, usually out of misunderstanding or ignorance.
• Smiley - A cache find. Refers to the "smiley-face" icon attached to "Found It" logs on some listing sites.
• BYOP – (Bring Your Own Pen/Pencil) The cache in question lacks a writing device for the logbook.
• CITO - (Cache In Trash Out) and refers to picking up trash on the hunt.
• CO - (Cache Owner) The person who is responsible for maintaining a cache, usually the person who hid it.
• DNF – (Did Not Find) Did not find the cache container being searched for.
• FTF – (First To Find) The first person to find a cache container.
• GPS - Short for Global Positioning System, also occasionally refers to the receiver itself
• GPSr - Short for GPS receiver

Logging a hunt:

• TFTC - (Thanks For The Cache) This is often used at the end of logs to thank the cache owner.
• TFTH - (Thanks For The Hunt or Hide or Hike) It shares the same purpose as TFTC, but can also be used when the cache was not found.
• TN - (Took Nothing) no trade or traveling item was removed from the cache.
• LN - (Left Nothing) no trade or traveling item was added to the cache.
• XN - (eXchanged Nothing) combines the previous two acronyms; nothing was removed or added.
• SL - (Signed Log) used when the participant visited the cache and signed its logbook.

Note: the various acronyms in this section are often combined in various ways, such as "TNLNSL, TFTC!"

Location description or hint:

• GRC - (GuardRail Cache) used in the description on where a cache may be hidden.
• GZ - (Ground Zero or Geo-zone) refers to the general area in which a cache is hidden.
• ICT - (Ivy Covered Tree) used in the description on where a cache may be hidden.
• LPC - (Light Post Cache) used in the description on where a cache may be hidden.
• PLC - (Parking Lot Cache) used in the description on where a cache may be hidden.
• POR - (Pile Of Rocks) used in the description on where a cache may be hidden.
• POS - (Pile Of Sticks or Stones) used in the description on where a cache may be hidden.
• UFO - (Unnatural Formation of Objects) a pile of material that obviously did not form naturally and is a likely cache hiding spot.

^[20]

Ethics

Individual geocaching websites have developed their own guidelines for acceptable geocache publications. Though not universally required, the Geocacher's Creed provides ethical search guidelines. Government agencies and others responsible for public use of land often publish guidelines for geocaching.^[21][22] Generally accepted rules are to not endanger others, to minimize the impact on nature, to respect private property, and to avoid public alarm.

Controversy and issues

Cachers have been approached by police and questioned when they were seen as acting suspiciously.^[23][24] Other times, investigation of a cache location after suspicious activity was reported has resulted in police and bomb squad discovery of the geocache. Schools have been occasionally evacuated when a cache has been seen by teachers or police, as in the case of Fairview High School in 2009.^[25][26][27] A number of caches have been destroyed by bomb squads.^[28][29]

The placement of geocaches has critics among some government personnel and the public at large who consider it littering. Some geocachers try to mitigate this perception by picking up litter while they search for geocaches. Geocaching is not illegal in the United States, and is usually positively received when explained to law enforcement officials (e.g. police officers). However, certain types of placements can be problematic. Although disallowed, hiders could place caches on private property without adequate permission (intentionally or otherwise), which encourages cache finders to trespass. Caches might also be hidden in places where the act of searching can make a finder look suspicious (e.g. near schools, children's playgrounds, banks, courthouses, or in residential neighborhoods), or where the container placement could be mistaken for a drug stash or a bomb (especially in urban settings, under bridges, near banks, courthouses, or embassies). Hides in these areas are discouraged^[26], and cache listing websites enforce guidelines that disallow certain types of placements. However, as cache reviewers typically cannot see exactly where and how every particular cache is hidden, problematic hides can slip through. Ultimately it is also up to cache finders to use discretion when attempting to search for a cache, and report any problems.

The South Carolina House of Representatives passed Bill 3777^[30] in 2005, stating, "It is unlawful for a person to engage in the activity of geocaching or letterboxing in a cemetery or in an historic or archeological site or property publicly identified by an historical marker without the express written consent of the owner or entity which oversees that cemetery site or property." The bill was referred to committee on first reading in the Senate and has been there ever since.^[31]

Websites

Numerous websites list geocaches around the world. In the United States, where most geocaching services are hosted, only a cache's coordinates are in public domain. Other cache information, including the description, is protected by copyright law. Geocaching websites vary in active protection of cache data.

First page

The first website to list geocaches was announced by Mike Teague on May 8, 2000. On September 2, 2000, Jeremy Irish emailed the gpsstash mailing list that he had registered the domain name geocaching.com and had setup his own Web site. He copied the caches from Mike Teague's database into his own. On September 7, Mike Teague announced that Jeremy Irish was taking over cache listings.

Geocaching.com

Typical GPS receivers as used to locate the co-ordinates of a Geocache.

The largest site is Geocaching.com, owned by Groundspeak Inc., which began operating on September 2, 2000. With a worldwide membership the website lists hundreds of thousands of caches. Each cache is reviewed by regional cache reviewers before publication with an emphasis on family-oriented caching. Free basic membership allows users to see coordinates for most caches in its database; premium membership includes a fee for additional features, including advanced search tools and caches designed for premium members. The website includes over 1,000,000 caches in over 200 countries around the world, as of March, 2010.^[32]

The website no longer lists new caches without a physical container, including virtual and webcam caches; however, older caches of these types have been grandfathered in (except for locationless/reverse, which are completely archived). Earthcaches are the exception to the no-container rule; they are caches in which players must answer geological questions to complete the cache. Groundspeak created a waymarking website to handle all other non-physical caches.

The website also supports the discovery of benchmarks in the USA.^[33]. There are currently no benchmarks outside the USA in their database. The website provides the best known longitude and latitude (sometimes only accurate to within six or more seconds) of the object along with a description. Hunters use the clues to try and find the bench mark; the benchmark can be logged as Found, Not Found, Note, or Destroyed. The "Destroyed" log should only be used if there is evidence that the mark has been permanently destroyed.

NaviCache

Navicache.com started as a regional listing service around February 2001, but quickly gained popularity among those looking for a less restrictive alternative to what was currently available. While many of the websites listings have been posted to other sites, they also offer many unique listings. The website lists nearly any type of geocache (within reason) and does not charge to access any of the caches listed in their database. While all submissions are reviewed and approved, Navicache is more liberal in approving caches believing that the pastime belongs to participants rather than a governing agency.

Opencaching

Opencaching provides independent, non-commercial listing sites based in the cacher's country. Opencaching list most types of cache, is less restrictive than some other sites, and does not charge for the use of the site. Some listings are also listed on other sites, but there are also many that are unique to Opencaching. Currently there are Opencaching sites in the United States ^[34], Germany ^[35], Poland ^[36], Czech Republic ^[37], Sweden ^[38], United Kingdom ^[39], Latvia ^[40], Japan ^[41] and Norway ^[42].

TerraCaching

Terracaching seeks to provide high-quality caches made so by the difficulty of the hide or from the quality of the location. Membership is managed through a sponsorship system, and each cache is under continual peer review from other members. Terracaching.com embraces virtual caches alongside traditional/multi-stage caches and includes many locationless caches among the thousands of caches in its database. It is increasingly attracting members who like the point system. In Europe TerraCaching is supported by Terracaching.eu. This site is translated in different European languages, has an extended FAQ and extra supporting tools for TerraCaching.

GPSgames

GPSgames is a more open geocaching website that allows the geocaching community more flexibility in the types of geocaches placed. The traditional geocaches are more common, but, virtual, locationless, and traveler geocaches are still allowed. Other GPS games are also available. Geodashing, Shutterspot, GeoVexilla, MinuteWar, GeoPoker, and GeoGolf are among the other GPS games available.

Other sites

In many countries there are regional geocaching sites, but these mostly only compile lists of caches in the area from the three main sites. Many of them also accept unique listings of caches for their site, but these listings tend to be less popular than the international sites. There are some exceptions though, e.g. in the former Soviet Union the site Geocaching.su remains popular because it accepts listings in the Cyrillic alphabet. An additional international site is Geocaching.de, a German website.

See also

• Ad loc
• Benchmarking (geolocating)
• Dead drop
• Degree Confluence Project
• Encounter (game)
• Geodashing
• Geohashing
• Letterboxing
• Location-based game
• Minnesota State Park Geocaching Challenge
• Orienteering
• Transmitter hunting
• Waymarking
• Wherigo

Further reading

• The Joy of Geocaching by Paul and Dana Gillin (ISBN 1-88495-699-8)
• The Essential Guide to Geocaching by Mike Dyer (ISBN 1-55591-522-1)
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching by Jack W. Peters (ISBN 1-59257-235-9)
• Geocaching For Dummies by Joel McNamara (ISBN 978-0-7645-7571-6)
• Geocaching: Hike and Seek with Your GPS by Erik Sherman (ISBN 978-1590591222)
• The Geocaching Handbook (Falcon Guide) by Layne Cameron and Dave Ulmer (ISBN 978-076273044)
• Let's Go Geocaching by DK Publishing (ISBN 978-0-7566-3717-0)
• It's a Treasure Hunt! Geocaching & Letterboxing by Cq Products (ISBN 978-1563832680)
• Open Your Heart with Geocaching: Mastering Life Through Love of Exploration by Jeannette Cézanne (ISBN 978-1-60166-004-6)

References

External links

• Geocaching.com
• Geocaching at the Open Directory Project
• GeocachingCE- Geocaching for WINCE GPS
• Navicache.com
• TerraCaching.com
• GPSgames.org

Geocaching Groundspeak Inc. Related activities Waymarking  · Wherigo  · Letterboxing Aspects of Geocaching Travel Bug  · Geocoin  · Cache In Trash Out  · Geotoken Related articles Minnesota State Park Geocaching Challenge  · Northeast Florida Geocachers Association