Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game 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. As most of you
would know. Well for those of you who haven’t resaerched the sport
that well here is a breif overview. By the time you have read this
you should be ready to find a geacache!
The first documented placement of a GPS-located cache took place
on May 3, 2000, by Dave Ulmer of Beavercreek, Oregon.
The location was posted on the Usenet newsgroup
sci.geo.satellite-nav . By May 6, 2000, it had been found twice and
logged once (by Mike Teague of Vancouver, Washington).
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."
Today, well over 450,000 geocaches are registered on various
websites devoted to the sport.
Geocaches are currently placed in 222 countries around the world
and on all seven continents, including Antarctica.
However, geocaching was not possible until the removal of
Selective Availability from GPS on May 1, 2000 (May 2, 04 UTC
(http://pnt.gov/public/sa/diagram.shtml shows the
improvement)).
Along with other details, the coordinates are posted on a
website. Other geocachers obtain the coordinates from the Internet
and seek out the cache using their GPS handheld receivers
Cachers can obtain geocache information (also known as
waypoints) from various websites and load the data into their
GPSr
Different geocaching websites choose to list different
variations as per their own policies (e.g., Geocaching.com does not
list new Webcam, Virtual, Locationless, or Moving geocaches)
Enter the latitude and longitude for the Goecache site into your
GPS. Then select set your GPS to find (GOTO) that location. Your
GPS will be able to tell you how far away and in what direction you
have to travel to find the geocache site.
Some cachers use the paperless geocaching. Paperless geocaching
is the process of using PDAs or other electronic devices to
geocache without having to print out geocache pages.
It also gives cachers the capability of doing some impromptu
caching if they have some free time and already have cache data on
hand for a particular area.
Data is generally formatted for use as filetype GPX, which uses
XML and contains information describing the geocache and also
information about recent visitors to the cache.
A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a
logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets of little
value.
Aside from the logbook, common cache contents are unusual coins
or currency, small toys, ornamental buttons, CDs, or books.
Cache treasures typicaly are not high in monetary value but may
hold intrinsic value to the finder
Sometimes, higher value items are included in geocaches,
normally reserved for the "first finder", or in locations which are
harder to reach.
Explosives, ammo, knives, drugs, and alcohol shouldn't be placed
in a cache. Respect the local laws. All ages of people hide and
seek caches, so use some thought before placing an item into a
cache. Use your common sense in most cases.
Some common are objects that are moved from cache to cache, such
as Travel Bugs or Geocoins, whose travels may be logged and
followed online.
The finding geocachers record their exploits in the logbook and
online. Geocachers are free to take objects from the cache in
exchange for leaving something of similar or higher value, so there
is treasure for the next person to find.
Responsible cache owners often check on their caches and would
be alarmed to discover that it is missing. Don't move the
cache!
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 "geo-muggles" or
just muggles, a term borrowed from the Harry Potter series of
books.
If a cacher discovers that a cache has been muggled, it can be
logged as needing maintenance, which sends an e-mail to the cache
owner so it can be repaired, replaced, or archived
(deactivated).
There are many types of caches. Some are easy enough to be
called "drive-bys," "park 'n' grabs" ("PNGs"), or "cache and
dash.”
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 handheld
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.
Event Cache: This is a gathering organised and attended by
geocachers. Physical caches placed at events are often temporarily
placed for the event date only.
Night Cache: These traditional caches can only be found at night
and involve following a series of reflectors with a flashlight to
the final cache location.
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.
Cache-In Trash-Out (CITO) Events: This is a variation on event
caching. Geocachers gather to clean up the trash in the area to
improve the environment as a coordinated activity.
Others are very difficult, including staged multi-caches; there
are even examples of caches underwater, 50 feet (15 m) up a tree,
after long offroad drives, on high mountain peaks, on the Antarctic
continent, and above the Arctic Circle.
Earthcache: Organized and maintained by the Geological Society
of America, the EarthCache program is a subset of geocaching in
which the "treasure" a cacher finds is not a physical container
with trinkets, but an educational lesson of the Earth. The
important requirement for an EarthCache to be approved and
published is that the cache listing must contain educational
information about the earth science of the cache area, and an
interactive educational task which directly engages the cacher in
that geology.
EarthCache site is a special place that people can visit to
learn about a unique geoscience feature or aspect of our Earth.
Visitors to EarthCache sites can see how our planet has been shaped
by geological processes, how we manage the resources and how
scientists gather evidence to learn about the Earth.
EarthCaches are submitted at www.earthcache.org, and transferred
to Groundspeak’s geocaching.com during the review process. The
EarthCache program is funded by Groundspeak, National Geographic,
Subaru, and the National Park Service.
Have a buddy with you! Never go off into the woods or remote
locations without a partner, especially when Geocaching. We don’t
want you focusing on your GPS unit and walking off a cliff. It’s
great fun, so think about planning a camping trip around the stash
hunt with your family or friends. Let someone know where you’re
going and when you’re coming back. Let someone know where you’re
going and when you’re coming back.
Happy geocaching!