/ Eric Schudiske /

Geocaching on a National Level (for a Grade)

Jim Bishop, jcacher15

Talking about geocaching doesn’t often result in a whirlwind trip and a chance for national recognition, unless perhaps you’re Jim Bishop. Jim is known in the geocaching world as jcacher15. He’s a High School student in Washington State, USA.

Jim won competitions with a presentation on geocaching at the local and state levels to compete this weekend in a national DECA competition. DECA is a student organization for emerging leaders in business, marketing, finance, and hospitality. Jim will travel hundreds of miles to stand in front of judges and talk about a business plan for Geocaching.com.

Jim’s knows his topic well. He’s accumulated more than 3500 finds across three countries since he started geocaching in 2009.

He says, “I first learned about geocaching when I saw a TV advertisement for the GPS Adventures Maze exhibit at the Pacific Science Center [in Seattle, Washington] in early 2009.  A few months later I was surfing the web and ended up on Geocaching.com.  I got a membership and my first GPS device and was instantly hooked.”

Other geocaching experiences helped Jim choose his topic for the DECA presentation, including one of the more memorable trips of this life, ” I went with a few geocaching friends up to Canada for the weekend to do a 200 cache trail. It was a great weekend, we hiked many miles through the forests and hills of British Columbia and slept in a cabin each night.  The trip was like nothing I had ever done before.”

Jim geocaching

Jim not only had to talk about geocaching to make it to DECA Nationals, he has to write about it. Jim developed a 30-page Geocaching.com customer loyalty plan. Presenting his plan for geocaching at DECA nationals requires Jim to step into a business setting. He says, “I will be discussing the implementation of a new customer loyalty plan addressing a situation related to the geocaching membership program.  The presentation is 15 minutes and takes place in an office type environment.  The presenter sits on one side of a table across from one or more judges.”

Whether Jim wins first place or not, he’ll will walk away with a powerful experience. He says, ” I hope to learn how to present effectively as well as how to make good business decisions.  I also hope that this competition will help prepare me for the business world after I finish college.”

Leave Jim a message below to wish him good luck this weekend talking about geocaching for a grade.

 

/ Adela B /

Announcing the March Featured Geocacher of the Month

March Featured Geocacher of the Month, Alexschweigert

Many people know March’s Featured Geocacher of the Month for his ability to organize and lead incredible geocaching adventures. Congratulations to Alexschweigert for pulling in an incredible 232 votes to be named March’s Featured Geocacher of the Month.

Alexschweigert is recognized for sharing his love for geocaching and the sea with others by inviting them to experience a geocaching adventure like no other. Alex chartered a ship for nearly 300 geocachers and led the Allerhalligen-Cruises on March 24th.

That’s the fifth event of its kind led by Alex and his team involving chartered ships and a geocaching adventure across the North Sea. Alex also shares his joy of geocaching and life on the coast through his popular geocaching blog.

According to one geocacher, Alex “is tremendously engaged and so much into geocaching that he is putting up great caches in his surroundings and besides that, he has the capability of putting on outrageous events.”

Alexschweigert will receive a collector’s edition Featured Geocacher of the Month Geocoin, along with a Geocacher of the Month hat and certificate acknowledging his contributions signed by two of the founders of Geocaching.com.

Thank you to the fellow March nominees and all those who supported them. Those nominees not chosen as the featured Geocacher of the Month receive a gift of appreciation from Groundspeak. See a list of all the featured Geocachers of the Month here.

The geocaching community is encouraged to re-nominate those who have yet to be honored as featured Geocacher of the Month.

Featured Geocacher of the Month Geocoin

If you know an outstanding geocacher who should be considered for Geocacher of the Month, send an email to geocacherofthemonth@groundspeak.com.

Every nomination must meet the following requirements: Please include your name, the name of your nominee, their username, at least one picture of the nominee and description (in 500 or fewer words) explaining why he or she deserves to be the Geocacher of the Month. Please inform your nominee that you’ve submitted them for the award. Nominations for the April featured Geocacher of the Month must be received by May 8th.

Once we have received all of the nominations, we will choose the top candidates and post them on the Latitude 47 blog. You will then get a chance to champion your favorite. Our goal is to involve the entire geocaching community in this process so we might learn from each other.

/ Eric Schudiske /

New ‘Submit a Cache Listing’ Wizard

Banner from "Submit a New Cache Listing" Wizard

The new “Submit a Cache Listing” page walks geocachers through an easy six-step process to list a geocache. Creating a cache listing has never been more streamlined or easier to understand. You’re able to focus on what’s important – submitting a well-crafted cache listing.

The “Submit a New Cache Listing” process is now easier than ever before. An online tool or wizard walks you through each step. The steps flow from “Cache Basics” to “Location,” then “Additional Waypoints,” “Description,” “Container & Ratings,” and finish with “Submit Cache.” There are fundamental steps that cannot be skipped – such as a name for the cache and coordinates for the location – as well as optional steps. There are helpful tips and information throughout the process.

Before beginning the process you should read the Geocache Listing Requirements and Guidelines. Knowing the guidelines helps ensure submitting a new cache goes smoothly.

Here are some quick notes on the new process –

  • Attaching and editing images will need to be completed after a cache page is created.
  • Editing a completed cache page – published or unpublished – will revert to the old form for now.
  • At the end of the new process, you will have the option to save your work and come back to it OR preview it and then submit the cache listing.
  • The development process included months of testing with the volunteer reviewer team, to whom we are grateful for their input and feedback.

We want to hear your feedback about the Submit a New Cache Listing wizard. Leave a message below.

Click here for additional release notes.

/ Eric Schudiske /

Chimney Top Cache GCVTH7 GEOCACHE OF THE WEEK – April 23, 2012

View from near the cache location

A four hour hike through the rugged West Virginia mountains reveals a 360 degree view of untamed wilderness and one of the most popular geocaches in the state. Chimney Top Cache (GCVTH7) is rated a difficulty 4, terrain 4.5. SenecaRocks hid the traditional cache at the scenic location in 2006. More than 70 geocachers have logged smileys on the cache – including groups of celebrating major milestones.

A group of geocachers joined jbgrug for Chimney Top cache that pushed him to another milestone. He logged, “5,000th cache find for me. This cache is one I will never forget. I was invited to go for this one as a milestone by some of the best cachers and friends a person could have…I want to thank the cache owner for putting this great cache in an area with such a great view.”

Celebrating find 5000 at Chimney Top Cache

The cache owner writes the reason why he chose this location to place a geocache, “This cache is along the North Fork Mountain Trail, which has been considered the most scenic trail in West Virginia by OUTSIDE magazine and others. If this trail is the best for scenery in the state (I think it is), then Chimney Top would be the golden crown upon this king of trails.” Other geocachers agree. Nearly 80% of the Premium Members who logged this geocache rewarded it with a Favorite Point.

"Chimney Top" rock

Continue to explore some of the most engaging geocaches around the globe. Check out all the Geocaches of the Week on the Latitude 47 blog or view the Bookmark List on Geocaching.com.

If you’ d like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, send an email with your name, comments, the name of the geocache, and the GC code to pr@groundspeak.com.

 

/ Eric Schudiske /

This is My Hobby: Geocaching & Hiking

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Check out and share the latest Geocaching.com Presents video. This is My Hobby: Geocaching & Hiking takes you along on a geocaching adventure hiking up a picturesque mountain trail, accompanied by a four-legged geo-companion. Show your friends how geocaching adds adventure to a hike in the hills, or a mountain trail climb with the family dog.

Click on the image to view and share the video

Subscribe to the official Geocaching.com YouTube channel to be one of the first to see new videos about the evolving world of geocaching. Watch the more than 50 videos produced by Geocaching.com on our video page.