Category: News

All the latest news from the world of geocaching.

/ Eric Schudiske /

“The Geocaching Triad” Geocaching.com’s Lost & Found Video

The Original Stash plaque

This video follows Ohio, USA geocachers Keith Lemons (keithlemons) and Nancy Steyer (27jack) as they visit the three caches required to complete the Triad.  Beware, the video containers spoilers.

The Triad is one of the crowning achievements of geocaching. Geocachers must log three specific geocaches: the APE Cache Mission 9: Tunnel of Light, Groundspeak Headquarters and the Original Stash Cache. Each find is rich in geocaching tradition. The geocaches do not need to be logged in any particular order.

The Original Stash Tribute Plaque hides outside of Portland, Oregon.  The plaque there commemorates the placement of the first geocache in 2000.

Project APE cache

Geocachers  must also log The Mission 9: Tunnel of Light Project APE Cache, hidden outside of Seattle, WA. Twelve APE caches were originally placed around the world in 2001 to generate publicity for the remake of the movie Planet of the Apes. Mission 9: Tunnel of Light is one of only two APE caches still active in the world.  The other, Mission 4: Southern Bowl is in Brazil.

The geocache at Groundspeak HQ

Geocachers need to also visit the geocache at Groundspeak Headquarters.  Groundspeak HQ is also known as the Lily Pad.  It is home to the offices of Geocaching.com.

Geocachers who complete The Triad says the accomplishment not only earns them  personal satisfaction and but also bragging rights.

Have you ever completed The Triad?  Do you have plans to do so?

/ Eric Schudiske /

“Richard Garriott’s Haunted Geocache” Geocaching.com’s Lost & Found Video

Geocaching pioneer and video game designer Richard Garriott, aka Lord British, pushes the envelope again with the creation of the Mystery Cache Necropolis of Britannia Manor III (GC2B034).

A resident at Necropolis of Britannia Manor III

The journey leads geocachers through what Lord British describes as eight chapters on “The Guardian’s Quest.”

Part of the graveyard at Necropolis of Britannia Manor III

The first seven chapters are waypoints or benchmarks.  The chapters are a twisted maze of cryptic clues and mind-bending puzzles.  Solving each chapter provides a clues to find and unlock the geocache at the end of the final chapter.

The treasure hunters that reach the final chapter will find a geocache with all too realistic professional movie props and haunted house techniques.  It took months to plan and build.

Garriott holds the record for the highest and lowest geocaches in existence.  Garriott rode aboard a Russian rocket to place a geocache aboard the International Space Station (GC1BE91) in 2008.  He also placed a geocache, Rainbow Hydrothermal Vents (GCG822), 2300 meters below the surface of the ocean far off the coast of Portugal in 2002. You can view a Lost & Found video about Lord British’s highest and lowest geocaches.

Lost & Found videos explore the fascinating adventure geocaching.  View more than a dozen stories, including one about an Army Sgt. who credits geocaching with helping keep him safe.

/ Eric Schudiske /

“Geocaching has Kept Me Safer” Geocaching.com’s Lost & Found Video

Sgt. Kent "Doc" Byrd in Iraq
Sgt. Kent "Doc" Byrd in Iraq

Kent “Doc” Byrd is known as JrByrdMan162 in the geocaching world. In the United States Army he’s know as Sergeant Byrd.

He’s a member of an Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit. He defused bombs, including improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as part of the Army bomb squad.  He just returned from a one year tour of duty in Iraq.

Sgt. Byrd has been geocaching since 2005. He says the skills that geocaching instills — situational awareness, an eye for the unusual and quick detective work — help keep him safe when he’s finding and defusing bombs.  Sgt. Byrd believes that other  members of the bomb disposal community can learn to sharpen their awareness and stay safer through geocaching.

See his story above. Click  here to watch more Lost & Found videos highlighting unique geocachers and the worldwide adventure of geocaching.

/ Eric Schudiske /

Geocachers Care – August 2010

A GIFT FOR CONNOR

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Bret (CYBret) and Connor

EDITOR’S NOTE: Geocachers Care highlights the often untold good deeds of the geocaching community.

Bret Hammond’s eight year old son Connor is quick to say “hi” and “bye.” Like other eight-year-olds, Connor makes choices, requests and almost every night around bedtime he asks his dad for a ride in their Jeep.  But Connor has never spoken a word.  Connor has a form of autism.

He communicates through a specialized touchscreen device that speaks for him.  Connor’s father Bret (geocaching user name CYBret) says the device works well in therapy. It costs $7,000.  The cost is not covered by insurance.

Connor

A few months ago, Bret says, one of Connor’s therapists at the Illinois Autism Project suggested using the iPad.  New software for the iPad accomplishes most of the functions of the $7,000 touch screen device for about $200. But the price tag for the iPad and software was still more than he could afford.

The therapist contacted a local charity.  Bret and Connor waited for a decision. However that decision left them shaking their heads.  Bret writes, “When it finally came we were very disappointed. They decided to pass because the iPad could be used by someone else in the family.”

Dismayed, Bret posted a comment on Facebook. Bret’s fellow geocachers responded with the same confusion and disappointment.  They also responded with something else.

Bret explains, “… I got an email from a geocacher in Indianapolis (Matt from LakeDawgs) asking me to call him ASAP. I did and Matt said that several of them had been talking and decided that they wanted to do something about it. They put together a Paypal account to funnel funds in and–as of last Friday–Connor has an iPad, Proloquo2Go software and an awesome Otterbox case.”

Nearly 50 geocachers from donated to the account.  Bret writes that the geocachers provided them, “…with this amazing tool that lets Connor communicate with us, eases his frustrations and gives him a voice.”

Bret writes, “I can’t tell you how blessed I am by this community. When I started playing this game over 8 years ago I never even thought I’d meet another geocacher. Now, 8 years later they are among some of my best friends and I don’t know what I would do without these people.”

If you have a story you would like to be considered for the next installment of “Geocachers Care,” please email blogs@groundspeak.com

/ Eric Schudiske /

Geocaching Class – Geocaching.com’s Lost & Found Video

Teachers are using geocaching to take their lesson plans out of the classroom and into the real world. Students learn about GPS technology, navigation, spatial concepts, math and more through geocaching. Watch how one teacher from McKinney, Texas, USA employees geocaching to educate her students about science. The Lost & Found video takes you along during a typical school day as Mrs. Burford’s elementary school class learns through geocaching.

You can find even more resources for educators in our GPS in Education Forum.

Watch all the Lost & Found videos highlighting unique geocachers and the worldwide adventure of geocaching.