The Geocaching.com glossary is always changing. If you have any additions, contact us.

archivex

This is usually seen when you own a cache. Archiving is basically deleting your cache from the listings on the web site. This usually occurs when you are not going to replace a cache after it has been removed. You can temporarily disable it as the cache owner if you plan to activate it again within a month.

benchmark

See benchmark hunting for more details.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, administers 262 million acres of America's public lands, located primarily in 12 Western States. The BLM sustains the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Their web site is www.blm.gov .

CITO

Cache In Trash Out - When out geocaching, take a bag with you and pick up trash along the way! More info can be found on the Cache In Trash Out page .

cache

Pronounced "cash" - In geocaching it is a hidden container filled with a log book and pencil/pen, and possibly prizes. Caches were often used by explorers, miners, etc. to hide foodstuffs and other items for emergency purposes. People still hide caches of supplies today for similar reasons.

Geocaching comes from the terms "geo" and "cache" to explain the sport. Some caches have cash in them, but there is no pun intended :)

datum

A datum is something used as a basis for calculating and measuring. In the case of GPS, datums are different calculations for determining longitude and latitude for a given location.

Currently, Geocaching uses the WGS84 datum for all caches. Many maps still use NAD27, which can cause confusion if your GPS unit is set to NAD27. Always check your GPS to ensure that WGS84 is the datum before entering a cache coordinate into your unit.

FTF

First To Find. Usually found in the forums or written in the online or physical log books.

Geomuggle

A non-geocacher. Based on "Muggle" from the Harry Potter series, which is a nonmagical person. Usually this term is used after a non geocacher looks puzzled at a geocacher making circles with their GPS receiver, or when a non-geocacher accidentally finds a cache. Geomuggles are mostly harmless.

GPS

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is a system of satellites that work with a GPS receiver to determine your location on the planet.

Geocaching uses GPS to help hide and seek caches on the planet. For more information on GPS, visit Trimble's web site .

GPSr

Slang for a GPS receiver. Equipment to receive GPS signals for use in navigation.

hitchhiker

A hitchhiker is an item that is placed in a cache, and has instructions to travel to other caches. Sometimes they have logbooks attached so you can log their travels. A Travel Bug is an example of a hitchhiker.

latitude

Latitude and longitude create a waypoint. Latitude is the angular distance north or south from the earth's equator measured through 90 degrees. (Listen to this mp3 for an entertaining way to learn about longitude and latitude (thanks to ACME ))

letterbox(ing)

Letterboxing is similar to Geocaching, but you use a series of clues to find a container. Once you find the container (or letterbox), you take a carved stamp from the box and stamp your personal logbook. You then take your carved stamp and stamp the letterbox's log book. See Letterboxing North America for more info.

longitude

Latitude and longitude create a waypoint. Longitude is the angular distance measured on a great circle of reference from the intersection of the adopted zero meridian with this reference circle to the similar intersection of the meridian passing through the object. (Listen to this mp3 for an entertaining and non-technical way to learn about longitude and latitude (thanks to ACME ))

Markwelled

When a response to a new post in the forums points you to a similar topic in the past. Based on the user Markwell .

NAD27

Stands for North American Datum 1927. The precursor to WGS84. Many maps still use the NAD27 datum , so always check before using a GPS unit with a map.

spoiler

A spoiler is information that can give details away and ruin the experience of something. For example, telling someone the end of a movie before they see it. In geocaching, a spoiler gives away details of a cache location and can ruin the experience of the hunt.

TFTC

Thanks for the cache!

TFTH

Thanks for the hunt!

TNLN

Took Nothing. Left Nothing. Usually found in cache logbooks for folks that enjoy the thrill of the hunt more than the material contents of the cache.

TNLNSL / TNSL

Took Nothing. Left Nothing. Signed Logbook / Took Nothing. Signed Logbook

Travel Bug

A Travel Bug is a hitchiker. Visit the travel bug page to learn more about it.

USDA Forest Service (USFS)

The U.S. Forest Service, an agency within the Department of Agriculture, administers 191 million acres (77.3 million hectares) of National Forests, Grasslands, and Prairies. These public lands are generally geocaching-friendly, with exceptions of designated Wilderness Areas, and other specially designated botanical, wildlife, and archaeological sites. The phrase "Caring for the land and serving people" captures the Forest Service mission of achieving quality land management under the sustainable multiple-use concept to meet the diverse needs of people. The Information Center in the agency's national headquarters has been a Washington D.C. Virtual Geocache since August 12, 2001.

Virtual (cache)

Adapted from "Virtual Reality," virtual means "nothing there." So a virtual cache means there is no cache container. It's the location that is the cache itself. Nothing is normally traded, except photos and experiences.

WAAS

WAAS stands for Wide Area Augmentation System, but that doesn't really describe what it is. Garmin has an excellent description on WAAS .

watch list

A watch list is a list of users that are watching a specific travel bug or cache. On some cache pages there is a number of users watching the cache. There is no current functionality to see who those people are.

waypoint

Waypoints are named coordinates representing points on the surface of the Earth.

Geocaching uses a suggested waypoint for a cache, created automatically when a cache has been created. We generate a waypoint "GC Code" based on the ID of the cache. It is optional, but makes it easier to locate a cache on the geocaching web site.

WGS84

The most current geodetic datum used for GPS is the World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS84). The significance of WGS84 comes about because GPS receivers rely on WGS84.

Geocaching uses the WGS84 datum by default. We also use the format HDDD MM.MM, which is a standard for GPS receivers (like the eTrex).

HDD means Hemisphere and degrees. MM.MM are minutes in decimal format. If you have any questions, you can either visit the forums or contact us directly .

It is critical that the format is correct, otherwise cachers will be unable to find your cache!