Author: Chris

Hopelessly addicted cacher and Geocaching HQ's public relations manager.
/ Chris /

Geocaching HQ Announces Historic Expansion of Search

Geocaching is all about having fun. So naturally, we love April Fools.

Last Friday, April 1st, we introduced a new feature called Galaxy Search, a tool to start planning your greatest geocaching adventure yet — in space. (Boy, do we wish this feature were real…maybe one day!)

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Our favorite astronaut Rick Mastracchio even played along by “hiding” his first-ever geocache, also in space.

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In addition to Astronaut Mastracchio’s geocache, 65 other geocaches were “hidden” in space, forming some stellar geo-art.

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[April 4,2016] Note: All ‘Found It’ logs on the space geocaches are now notes and associated souvenirs will be removed. The caches were archived, but you can still view them on this Bookmark List.

Introducing Galaxy Search

Buoyed by the knowledge that someone has found every geocache on Earth, Geocaching HQ has taken the next logical step to keep pace with the game’s growth. With today’s website release and introduction of Galaxy Search, players can now search for geocaches in space.

This historic development is nearly eight years in the making. The HQ team first began investigating the possibility of an all-encompassing Search tool when Richard Garriott (Username: LordBritish) placed his International Space Station geocache in 2008. Astronaut Rick Mastracchio (Username: AstroRM) was FTF on that cache in 2013. Shortly thereafter, Mastracchio informed Geocaching HQ of his desire to place another space cache during his time in orbit. At that point, it became clear that work on Galaxy Search must begin immediately.

Upon completing and implementing Galaxy Search, our developers made a stunning discovery. Search results yielded not only the International Space Station geocache and Astronaut Mastracchio’s new geocache, but also a previously unknown geo-art collection of more than 60 cache listings! These amazing geocaches were placed by such luminaries as James T. Kirk, Luke Skywalker, Ziggy Stardust and others.

We’re thrilled to now share these far-out geocaches with the community. Simply visit the Geocaching.com Search and check out the latest featured search.

Alternatively, players can download the public Bookmark List of space geocaches. With the recent addition of Offline Lists to the Geocaching® app, players can easily save these new caches to mobile devices, making it easier than ever to go geocaching in space!

/ Chris /

Reach new geocaching heights!

Given that my college alma mater’s mascot is a bird (albeit a mythical one—the Jayhawk), perhaps it’s no surprise that some of my favorite geocaches are ones that get me in the air. I love climbing caches!

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Climbing for a cache in Florida

Some climbing caches are more accessible than others. Those that require ropes, harnesses and other gear can be fantastic, but may be beyond the reach of non-technical climbers. However, geocaches in trees are often suitable for a wide variety of ages and abilities. So what makes for a great tree climbing geocache experience?

  • The right tree: It should be sturdy enough for an adult to climb. If the limbs are too thin, it can be hazardous for the geocacher and the tree. (Never damage a tree or other wildlife while attempting to find a geocache.)
  • The right equipment: Even if you don’t need ropes or harnesses, you must wear the correct footwear and other apparel. Flip-flops are a no-no!
  • The right day: Don’t attempt to climb in wet, icy or otherwise dangerous conditions. And be sure to bring a friend. Not just to keep an eye on you, but to take great pictures!
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Climbing in Iowa

Tree climbing geocaches are a blast. For me, it’s a combination of adrenaline rush and natural beauty that’s hard to beat. Just last week, I was signing a log and thought, “What a spectacular view!” followed quickly by, “Okay, now how exactly am I gonna get down from here?” On that note, I can’t stress enough the importance of safety in your pursuit. If at any point you feel you’re taking an unnecessary risk, just stop and return to terra firma.

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Ascending in Nebraska

I could talk all day about my personal favorite tree climbing experiences, but just a few that come to mind are “Bird House” (Fort Myers, FL) and Free Bird (Parkville, MO). Sadly, my tree climbing experience doesn’t yet extend beyond North America. But I hope to change that someday.

Have you ever climbed high for a smiley?

/ Chris /

Geocaching and Law Enforcement Agency Partnership

You have the right to remain….geocaching!

Raise your hand if, like me, you’ve met up with a friendly police officer while geocaching. Like the time I returned to my car to find an officer waiting for me after I searched for a cache near a baseball field. You can’t blame the officer for wondering what I was doing at a baseball field…after dark…in winter!

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At Geocaching HQ, we strive to work with law enforcement agencies to enhance the awareness, understanding and enjoyment of geocaching. We offer law enforcement representatives complimentary and ongoing Premium Membership for the purpose of monitoring geocaching activity in their jurisdictions.That’s why we were thrilled to hear about a new geocaching initiative in Portland, Ore. The Portland Police Bureau recently hosted a coin challenge to introduce six new geocaches at Bureau locations throughout the city.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX3x9kY8F9E

The geocaching program is the latest community outreach brainchild of the PPB’s Sgt. Hank Hays. He worked to place the caches and make his fellow officers aware of them. “The idea for the program came from a desire to connect with the community around common interests,” Sgt. Hays says. “And then as we get to know each other, and the trust level builds, then we’re able to talk about some of the more complex community issues.”

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A young geocacher finds one of the PPB’s caches

The inaugural event offered cachers the opportunity to chat with police officers and learn more about how to make sure geocaching doesn’t cause undue stress for law enforcement. If you see an officer while you’re out caching (say, at a dark baseball field in winter), Sgt. Hays suggests initiating a conversation rather than waiting for the officer to approach you. “That’s gonna make the officer’s suspicion level go down,” Sgt. Hays says. “Because then the officer will think ,’OK they don’t mind talking to me. There’s something (geocaching) going on and maybe I don’t get it. But maybe I’m not as suspicious as I was.” Sgt. Hays also suggests making sure the officer can see your hands. “Officer safety is a big thing. We want to make sure we’re safe. We want to make sure the people we’re interacting with are safe. So being able to see your hands is a big part of that.”

https://youtu.be/1jx6iW8__Fs

Geocaches can unwittingly cause suspicion due to their appearance and/or location. Sgt. Hays reiterated HQ’s longstanding guidance to label your geocache container. He also stresses that a clear plastic container can go a long way towards reassuring officers who may stumble upon a cache. “I know people like to camouflage their caches, and I’ve seen some very unique caches in the little bit of time I’ve been doing this. Huge points for ingenuity and creativity! But if it’s clear plastic and we can see the contents of it, and it has the geocaching logo on it, then it’s pretty easy for us to know it’s not something we need to be worried about.”

Cachers at one of the bureau caches
Cachers at one of the bureau caches

The Portland Police Bureau hopes to host at least a few geocaching events each year. Do you know of a law enforcement agency that’s gotten involved with geocaching? We’d love to hear about it!

(Note: If you’re a Law Enforcement representative or Parks Personnel we offer a complimentary and ongoing Premium Membership for the purpose of monitoring geocaching activity in your jurisdiction. Learn more here at the Law Enforcement & Parks Professional resource page. Simply create a free basic account on Geocaching.com, choose a username that reflects your organization, and email us at geocaching.com/help for your upgrade.)