Geocaching Glossary (by Steve Nix)

Basic Geocaching Glossary

Cache (traditional): (pronounced - cash) A hidden container that with a corresponding waypoint or GIS location coordinate (latitude & longitude). The usual cache has a pen and log book and often times treasure.

Benchmark: Permanently located control markers affixed by the National Geodetic Survey at various locations all over the United States to enable land surveying, civil engineering and mapping to be done efficiently. These are often hunted like a cache.

CITO: Cache In Trash Out. In the spirit of giving thanks for allowing geocachers on parks and other property, participants often collect trash and remove for proper disposal.

FTF: First To Find.

GPS (GPSr): (GPSr is the receiver that GPSes) The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a worldwide radio-navigation system formed from a constellation of 24 satellites and their ground stations. It is the basic source for all geocache.

GPX: GPS eXchange Format or GPX, is a light-weight XML data format for the interchange of GPS data (waypoints, routes, and tracks) between applications and Web services on the Internet.

Geocache: Geocaching is an outdoor sport that involves the use of a Global Positioning System ("GPS") receiver to find a "geocache" (see "cache") placed anywhere in the world and where the Internet is used to provide the datum and coordinates.

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 (definition from Geocaching.com).

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 (definition from Geocaching.com).

Log Book: A pad with pen or pencil that can be found in most traditional caches. Cachers usually write the date found, a brief description of their experience finding cache, and sometimes either 'stamp' or personalize their log page.

Muggle: (or muggler) A non-geocacher. The discovery of a cache by a non-geocacher is a very real problem and a cache needs to have an identified purpose included in the container. When someone refers to a cache as having been muggled, it almost always means it was stolen or vandalized.

Micro (cache): Normally you would find a cache container. A smaller container called a "micro cache" is too small to contain items except for a log book. If you are visiting a micro cache you need to bring your own pen or pencil.

Schwag: (or swag) A trade item(s) that you carry with you to caches to exchange for other schwag or trade items that you find.

Spoiler: Any extra hint given in a log, through email or in an online description to a cache's whereabouts that makes it too easy for someone to find. The improper spoiler can really take the challenge out of a good player's ability to play the game.

TELN: (Took Everything - Left Nothing) This is a real breach in geocaching manners. A lot of work and thought goes into locating a cache. To find out someone has "looted" a cache is the sport's unpardonable sin.

TNLN: (Took Nothing - Left Nothing) This is the appropriate thing to do when you find a cache and either don't want any of the items or don't have any item to trade. You still need to sign the log book with a TNLN.

Travel Bug: (See hitchhiker).

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 (definition from Geocache.com).

Geocaching - A New Sport for Families (by Kimberly L. Keith)

Haven't you looked at those handheld GPS units and tried to think of a reason to get one? They just look so cool and useful, but I couldn't think of anything I really could do with one. Well, now we have it - a new sport that is perfect for family adventures, geocaching.

Geocaching, Sports, What Is This?

Geocaching began as and still is a high-tech adventure game that has caught on around the world. Wikipedia describes geocaching as 'an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure", usually toys or trinkets of little monetary value.' (Wikipedia, geocaching, accessed on January 20, 2007)

The geocaching concept began in 2000 by Dave Ulmer.

Because of his concerns about environmental damage due to its growing popularity, Ulmer disavowed the game at one point; but according to Wikipedia, he is now a celebrity among geocachers. (Wikipedia, Dave Ulmer, accessed on January 20, 2007) Geocaching, using the credo of 'Leave No Trace' to protect the environment, is now an activity of Boy Scouts of America, school groups, families, and responsible geocachers.

How to Play

Geocachers use the Internet to find the coordinates for caches. When a cache is found, the player records his find in the cache's log book; and may take a trinket, leaving one of his own for the next player to find. You can search by zip code to find caches in your area or in a region you will visit.

You can localize the game for kids as the Boy Scouts and school groups do. Hide a cache for your kids to find. Record the coordinates and then accompany them on the search. This is a great group activity for older kids, so gather your child and his buddies for a memorable weekend adventure that will surely hook them on the outdoors in a positive family activity.

If you've never used a GPS system before, there will be a learning curve. Do your research before you purchase a unit and pick up a book to learn the basics. You also need to learn map and compass skills to really get into geocaching. It's a great learning experience for the whole family.

Geocaching Etiquette

Whether you are doing an unofficial geocaching activity with kids or heading out to find an official geocache, you need to be familiar with the etiquette that has evolved to protect the environment and public and private property.

In most state parks, you must apply for a permit to place a cache. Though official policy is not available; generally, cache placement is not allowed in U.S. National Parks. However other federal lands owned by the U.S. Forest Service and Army Corp of Engineers may allow geocaching. You should verify permission and procedures with your local offices. Check the GeocachingPolicy.org web site for guidance to your state's geocaching policies. Never place a cache on private property without first obtaining permission from the landowner. You risk a trespassing violation and it's just not safe for kids.

A good guide for geocaching rules and etiquette with kids comes from the Boy Scouts. They emphasize 1) safety; 2) respect for the environment; and 3) respect for private property. Some rules to follow are:

• Stay far away from road traffic and railroad crossings
• Don’t place a cache higher than 6 feet or require any dangerous climbing to reach it.
• Never bury a cache in the ground. You can place a pile of sticks or rocks over it, however.
• Avoid sensitive ecosystems. Remember that kids will make a beeline for the cache and might trample vegetation in the vicinity. Place caches so that they can be reached by existing trail access.
• Practice Cache In and Trash Out (CITO) – always carry a trash bag and remove litter along your route.
• Follow Leave No Trace guidelines in the natural environment.

(Geocaching to Promote Scouting, PDF)

Another good resource is Responsible Geocaching at TreadLightly.org. Print this document and follow it absolutely.

Waterfall

On a warm spring day we found this little jewel. Been by this area on the highway many times but never new a waterfall was just up the creek from the road. This is one of the reasons geocaching is so fun, finding new places this cool and pretty.

Our Most Unique Cache find so far !!

Our most unique cache box find to date. I loved this cache with all it's circuit boards. Even the logbook had boards on it, very cool. Geeks around the world would be proud of this. Hopefully Homeland security doesn't stumble across it and think its a radio beacon calling all U.F.O.'s.

Insider Secrets To Geocaching With Your 4x4 Vehicle Offroad (part 5 by Jim Walczak)

Tips From The Experts

Here are some more tips and insider secrets for a successful Geocaching adventure:

• For car Geocaches (ones you can drive to and walk a short distance), refer to MapBlast or Mapquest before leaving home. These programs enable you to zoom in on the location see how near the road the cache is located.
• Keep in mind that distances can be deceiving. When using a GPS unit to find a cache, the unit only knows how close the site is in a direct line. Therefore, while you may only be a mile from the cache, there could be a river in the way or a difficult hill to climb. To avoid any surprises, look at a topo map of the area first.
• Before you leave home, be sure that you're wearing a good pair of hiking boots.
• When you leave your vehicle to search for the cache, take a moment to input the waypoint of your vehicle's location so you will be able to easily find your way back. It's easy to get disoriented when you're caught up in the hunt for the cache.
• Keep in mind, the final 30-100 feet are the hardest. It can be difficult to hone in on the exact location where the cache has been hidden. Use as much information as you've been given in the notes about this particular cache. For example, it helps to know the type of container the cache is in.
• It's best to have Lithium batteries in your GPS unit.

When you leave your vehicle to get to the cache, resist the urge to travel light. Just because your GPS unit says you're less than 500 feet from the cache, for example, chances are it will be harder to find than you think, and/or you might take the wrong trail or have to climb a big hill or something. Better to be safe than sorry - take along the necessities that might seem burdensome but could actually save your life. The lesson: No matter how close the GPS unit says you are to the cache, always take along things like water and and a cell phone or radio.

Which Offroad Vehicles Are Most Suitable For Geocaching Offroad? (part 4 by Jim Walczak)

Best 4x4 Trucks and 4WD Vehicles To Drive When Geocaching

You'll want a vehicle that is somewhat compact to handle narrow, steep, rocky conditions. Small enough for the trails and big enough for some passengers. You'll need good ground clearance, short overhangs, protection for vulnerable parts underneath, low gearing for crawling and compression breaking, some sort of limited slip or locking differential, and good all-terrain truck tires (but not the mud type with huge lugs that dig holes in the sand). Jeeps are ideal, though many other 4x4's can maneuver through the cache locations just as easily.

With regard to pickups vs. enclosed trucks, it's basically a personal choice. However, pickup beds (even with a cover) are a poor place for gear because of dust, rain, and all that bouncing around. An enclosed cabin is cleaner, more comfortable, and provides more options, including passengers.

It's also hard to find a pickup with a short rear overhang. On the other hand, having a truck with an open bed allows you to take along a dirt bike, ATV, or snowmobile -- which may be just the thing you need to go the extra mile when you run out of road or into too much snow or mud.

In sum, anything with a good engine and drive train will work on a 4x4 Geocaching expedition. No need to worry much about looks or brand.

What To Take On Your Search For A Hidden Cache (part 3 by Jim Walczak)

Items To Pack For Your First Geocaching Trip

You might be torn between the Boy Scout motto of "Be Prepared" and the Motorcyclist's view of "Minimalist is Better". When it comes to heading off-road in search of a cache, which is it?... "Take along enough supplies for a hike." or "Just toss in your GPS, cell phone, and a few cache items to trade." Most Geocachers fall somewhere in between.

In addition to the long list of "typical" items that people are likely to take along on a geocaching expedition, some of the often overlooked, yet highly valuable items to take along include the following:

• Printed Cache Pages From Website - Otherwise, you'll likely find yourself asking, "Hmmm, I wonder if I entered the right coordinates."
• Pen & Notebook - When logging several caches, it's a good idea to keep a journal to keep track of each cache visit. If you find several in one day, it very difficult to keep track of what was traded from each cache. Some people make observation notes directly on the cache printout sheets and then later add them to the log.
• Quality Backpack/Vest - Good hiking backpacks distribute weight evenly and have a number of padded pockets. Backpacks made for photographers are ideal, as they have a number of customizable dividers and pockets. In fact, some geocachers don't use a backpack at all; instead they wear a photojournalist vest. A photo vest will allow you to carry all the gear you really need and is more maneuverable in tight quarters than a bulky backpack.
• Small Shovel & Gloves - You never know what you'll have to dig in and around to find the buried treasure.
• Mini Voice Recorder - It's a lot quicker and easier than a notebook when you want to make personal notes about a hunt or a cache that you're hiding. You can then transcribe what you need later at your own leisure.
• Neon Colored Placemarkers - Those "hunter orange" stocking caps can be useful in the Fall. They can also be used as markers when you are zeroing in on a cache. Colored ribbons also work well for placemarkers.
• Extendable Mirror - It looks like a dentist's mirror, but it's a bit larger and telescopes from 6" to 24". It's great for looking behind and under things.

In sum, it's important to plan ahead. When deciding what to take out there with you in your search for a cache, consider the descriptions of the terrain and the amount of time you'll likely be spending out there. Remember, whenever you're in the backcountry, prepare as though you have to spend the night in the woods. You never know what could happen.

Finding Hidden Caches When Geocaching Offroad (part 2 by Jim Walczak)

How To Find A Hidden Cache
Hidden caches are located in cities all across the United States (and beyond!), both above and below ground, inside and outside buildings. At the time of this writing, there were more than 103,000 active caches in over 200 countries!

Finding the location of a cache can be extremely entertaining, as well as challenging... For both the hider and the seeker. For example, some caches are placed in areas accessible only by those with specific equipment on hand -- like on the side of a rocky cliff (accessible by those with rock climbing equipment) or under water (accessible by those with scuba equipment).

Some caches are barely off the beaten path, making them easy to find by GPS coordinates alone. Other caches require traversing miles of rough terrain (best done in a 4x4) or long and difficult hiking (best tackled by those with adequate hiking and survival gear).

You can even create your very own cache! Just pack it up and hide it somewhere offroad, list the location of the cache here for others to try and find it, then sit back and reap the rewards of Geocaching!

How To Have Fun With GPS And 4x4 Offroad (part 1 by Jim Walczak)

Tips for Participating in This Free Off-Road Treasure Hunt

Geocaching is the hottest new offroad game around! It's enjoyed daily by outdoor enthusiasts in all states across the USA, and beyond. Participating in this outdoor treasure hunt is deceptively easy. First, you obtain the GPS coordinates for a hidden cache at the sport's online global headquarters. Then, you make your way to find the hidden treasure. Once you find it, you must take something from the cache, leave something new in the cache, and write about it in the logbook that accompanies the cache. This creates an ever-changing cache and a revealing log of Geocachers' experiences from places far and wide.

Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards.

It's one thing to see where an item is. But it's a totally different story actually getting there! A cache can be quite challenging to find, even with the accuracy of a GPS. Following are some helpful tips for Geocaching with your 4x4.

(...Before you go thinking that there won't be any hidden caches in your remote little town, and wondering if anyone in your neck of the woods even knows what Geocaching is, check this out... Just enter your zip code here and with just one click, you'll see a long list of hidden caches in your very city! How cool is that?!)

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. Cachers can obtain geocache information (also known as waypoints) from various websites in various formats and load the data into their PDAs to take along with them. 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. Other formats exist for storage on various devices, but GPX is the most popular. A variety of programs can translate between the various formats if data is obtained in another program's format.

Obtaining data
Cachers can build their own GPX files with different client software tools, but this task could be very time consuming and prone to data entry error. Some sites allow geocachers to build queries for caches they wish to hunt. They can obtain caches where they want to hunt based on criteria such as Zip Code or coordinates and have it emailed to them as an attachment on a schedule. Other sites allow users to download GPX files directly. By using geocaching software, geocachers can combine and filter cache listings from many sites.

Converting and filtering data
Some cachers convert GPX files to other formats that can be read by their PDA. Others run their GPX files through geocaching Software to change the data for special icons on their GPSr or to filter out caches based on certain criteria. Some applications, especially on Microsoft PocketPC based PDAs, read GPX files directly.

Variations of Geocaches

There are many types of caches. Some are easy enough to be called "drive-bys," "park 'n' grabs" ("PNGs"), or "cache and dash." 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. 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).

Variations of geocaches include:

Traditional: This is the basic cache type. It is a container with a log book (at minimum) found at its listed set of coordinates and usually trade items.
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.
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. The Geocaching events category contains some famous annual Geocaching events.
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.
Letterbox Hybrid: A letterbox hybrid cache is a combination of a geocache and a letterbox in the same container. A letterbox has a rubber stamp and a logbook instead of tradable items. Letterboxers carry their own stamp with them, to stamp the letterbox's log book and inversely stamp their personal log book with the letterbox stamp. The hybrid cache contains the important materials for this and may or may not include trade items. Whether the letterbox hybrid contains trade items is up to the owner.
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. (This is now part of Waymarking.)
Moving/Traveling: Similar to a traditional geocache, this variation is found at a listed set of coordinates. The finder uses the log book, trades trinkets, and then hides the cache in a different location. By updating this new location on the listing, the finder essentially becomes the hider, and the next finder continues the cycle.
Multi-cache: This cache consists of multiple caches. These caches are one or more intermediate points containing the coordinates for the next or final cache, that contains the log book and trade items.
Mystery/puzzle-based: This cache requires one to discover information in order to find the cache. Generally it includes a false set of coordinates within a mile or a couple of kilometers of the cache, and a puzzle must be solved in order to determine the final cache location. In other cases the given location is correct, but the name of the location or other features found there are themselves a puzzle leading to the final cache. Alternatively, additional information is necessary to access the cache (such as a padlock combination) or there are special requirements for logging the find on-line.
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.
Virtual: Caches of this nature are coordinates for a location that does not contain the traditional box, log book, or trade items. Instead, the location contains some other described object. Validation for finding a virtual cache generally requires you to email the cache hider with information such as a date or a name on a plaque, or to post a picture of yourself at the site with GPS receiver in hand.
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. 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.
Webcam: Similar to a virtual cache; there is no container, log book, or trade items for this cache type. Instead, the coordinates are for a location with a public webcam. Instead of signing a log book, the finder is often required to capture their image from the webcam for verification of the find.

Geocaches

For the traditional geocache, a geocacher will place a waterproof container, containing a log book (with pen or pencil) and trinkets or some sort of treasures, then note the cache's coordinates. These coordinates, along with other details of the location, are posted on a website. Other geocachers obtain the coordinates from the internet and seek out the cache using their GPS handheld receivers. 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.

Typical cache treasures are not high in monetary value but may hold personal value to the finder. Aside from the logbook, common cache contents are unusual coins or currency, small toys, ornamental buttons, CDs, or books. Also common are objects that are moved from cache to cache, such as Travel Bugs or Geocoins, whose travels may be logged and followed online at http://www.geocaching.com/. Occasionally, higher value items are included in geocaches, normally reserved for the "first finder", or in locations which are harder to reach.

Geocaches can range in size from film canisters often called "microcaches," too small to hold anything more than a tiny paper log, to those placed in five-gallon buckets or even larger containers.

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).

Definition of Geocaching

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. A typical cache (pronounced /kæʃ/, or "cash") is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure", usually toys or trinkets of little monetary value. Today, well over 540,000 geocaches are registered on various websites devoted to the pastime. Geocaches are currently placed in over 100 countries around the world and on all seven continents, including Antarctica.

The Origins of Geocaching

History
Geocaching is similar to the 150-year-old letterboxing, which uses references to landmarks and clues embedded in stories. However, geocaching was imagined shortly after the removal of Selective Availability from GPS on May 1, 2000 because the improved accuracy of the system allowed for a small container to be specifically placed and located. 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). According to Dave Ulmer's message, the original stash was a black plastic bucket buried most of the way in the ground and contained software, videos, books, food, money, and a slingshot.

Origin of the name
The activity was 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." The prefix geo, for Earth, was used to describe the global nature of the activity, but also for its use in familiar topics in gps such as geography.

Caching, from the word cache, has two different meanings, which makes it very appropriate for the activity. A french word invented in 1797, the original definition referred to a hiding place someone would use to temporarily store items. The word cache stirs up visions of pioneers, gold miners, and even pirates. Today the word is still even used in the news to describe hidden weapons locations.

The second use of cache has more recently been used in technology. Memory cache is computer storage that is used to quickly retrieve frequently used information. Your web browser, for example, stores images on disk so you don't have to retrieve the same image every time you visit similar pages.

The combination of Earth, hiding, and technology made geocaching an excellent term for the activity. However the "GPS Stash Hunt" was the original and most widely used term until Mike Teague passed the torch to Jeremy Irish in September 2000. --borrowed from http://www.geocaching.com/

Adventure for the whole family

As geocachers know it can be fun for the whole family. Get everyone involved, make a search party with the kids. Our 5 year old's eyes light up when we find the cache, she thinks it's like Christmas everytime we open one up. She even picks out her own toys to put in our own cache containers we make and place. Geocaching is great exercise and everyone benefits from getting off the couch and outside in the fresh air. Make it an adventure for the kids and when you want to go Geocaching they will want to go as much as you do.
Check back soon more the next post. All about Geocaching.