Geocaching Glossary

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).