Geocaching

A Geocache in Germany

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 is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets of little monetary value. Today, well over 430,000 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.

History

Similar to the 150-year-old letterboxing, which uses references to landmarks and clues embedded in stories, geocaching was made possible by the removal of Selective Availability from GPS on May 1, 2000. 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).

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."

Geocaches

Geocache Loonse en Drunense Duinen in The Netherlands

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.

Microcache hidden and found beside the Roman Colosseum

Typical cache treasures are not high in monetary value but may hold intrinsic 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. Occasionally, higher value items are included in geocaches, normally reserved for the "first finder", or in locations which are harder to reach.

A Travel Bug

Geocaches can range in size from "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).

Variations

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).

A Geocacher finding a Virtual Cache at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

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 cache located at a gathering attended by geocachers. Caches placed at events are often temporarily placed for the event date only. This term is also used to describe the gathering itself.
  • 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.
• 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: This is a type of virtual cache organized by the Geological Society of America. The locations do not have traditional geocaches but contain information about the geology, fossils, and local environment. Credit (permission to log the cache as "found") is given after a cacher emails the owner with information or posts online information that is found at the site.
• 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.

Ethics

Because of the hide-and-seek nature of the game, without some rules geocachers could be a danger to themselves, other cachers, or society. Geocaching.com has guidelines for hiding a cache through their listing service. Other websites, like Terracaching.com, have their own set of guidelines for acceptable listings. Geocachers interested in enumerating a basic set of generally accepted practices have also developed the Geocacher's Creed and Geocaching Policy website. Land agencies, such as the Arizona Bureau of Land Management, have also established their own guidelines for geocaching to ensure that geocaching does not negatively impact their lands. United States Federal recreation sites have different policies dependent on the agency charged with maintaining the specific sites and the level of impact they choose to allow for geocaching.

When geocaching in busy locations, searching for a cache can require tact and craftiness to avoid the attention of the general public (also known by geocachers as "muggles"). The person hiding a geocache frequently takes this into account so that the hider and those looking for caches will not cause undue alarm. When care is not taken in hiding or finding a geocache, cachers have been approached by police and questioned when they were seen as acting suspiciously. Other times, investigation of a cache location after suspicious activity was reported has resulted in police and bomb squad discovery of the geocache. A number of caches have been destroyed by bomb squads.

Websites for geocaching

There are numerous websites that list geocaches around the world. The first and currently the largest is Geocaching.com, which began operating in 2000. This site has members worldwide and hundreds of thousands of caches available. Caches are published by regional cache reviewers, and the site stresses family-oriented caching. There is the basic, free, membership which allows users to see coordinates for most caches in its database, and the premium, paid-subscription accounts which offer additional features and a few more cache sites.

Geocaching.com no longer lists new caches without a physical object, including locationless/reverse and webcam; however, older caches of these types have been grandfathered in (except for locationless/reverse, which have been completely archived). The exception to this is earthcaches, which have been reestablished as caches eligible for new listings. Approval for new earthcaches must be obtained through the Geological Society of America. Groundspeak, Inc., the site's owner, has created a waymarking website, at Waymarking.com, to handle all other non-physical caches.

An alternative geocaching site is TerraCaching.com, whose goal is to have members place and seek caches that are somewhat higher in quality, either from the difficulty of the hide or from the quality of the location. Cache approval is handled by other members through a sponsorship system. Members peer review the quality of other members' caches. It is another worldwide game with caches numbering in the thousands. TerraCaching.com embraces virtual caches alongside traditional/multi-stage caches and has a large selection of locationless caches integrated into the web site. The Dutch entry to TerraCaching is TerraCachers.nl.

A third site frequently used for geocaching is Geocaching with Navicache.com. Navicache.com has pockets of popularity worldwide and continues to grow. While many of Navicache.com's listings can be found cross-posted to other sites, they also offer many unique listings. Unlike some of the commercial sites, Navicache does not charge to access any of the caches in their database.

In the United States, where most geocaching services are hosted, coordinates are not protected by copyright but cache data are. Some commercial web sites listing geocache data are generally protective of their data. People scraping data from geocaching.com have been threatened with lawsuits by Groundspeak, Inc., owners of the site. In 2001, Ed Hall was threatened with a lawsuit. According to Hall, the threat was because Groundspeak requested that he provide a copyright notice on his website, Buxley's Geocaching Waypoint, attributing Groundspeak as the owner of the cache data. However, Groundspeak claims the dispute occurred after Hall refused to remove a cache listing from his maps at the request of a cache owner. As a result, his site now acknowledges the various sources of cache data he uses, but after a disagreement with Groundspeak, Inc. about licensing, he no longer includes any data from geocaching.com. Navicache.com (and others) take a more 'open-caching' type approach, sharing their database with Buxley's and others.

See also

• Ad loc
• Benchmark (surveying)
• Benchmarking (geolocating)
• Bookcrossing
• Dead drop
• Degree Confluence Project
• Geo (microformat)
• Geocoins
• Geodashing
• Letterboxing
• List of geocaching organizations - by country / area
• Location-based game
• Orienteering
• Paperless geocaching
• Travel Bugs
• Trigpointing
• Waymarking

Further reading

• The Essential Guide to Geocaching by Mike Dyer (ISBN 1-55591-522-1)
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching by Jack W. Peters (ISBN 1-59257-235-9)

External links

Geocache listing sites

• Buxley's Geocaching Waypoint - Compilation of multiple listing sites
• Geocaching.com (Groundspeak) - International listing service for geocaching
• Geocaching.com.au - Listing service for geocaching in Australia and New Zealand; not related to Groundspeak
• Geocaching.su - Listing service for geocaching in Russia and other Post-Soviet states; not related to Groundspeak
• Geocaching.be - Listing service for geocaching in Belgium
• Geocaching.dk - Listing service for geocaches in Denmark
• Geocaching.hu - Listing service for geocaches in Hungary
• Geocaching.nl - Listing service for geocaching in the Netherlands
• Geocaching.pt - Listing service for geocaching in Portugal
• Geocaching.sk - Listing service for geocaches in Slovakia
• Geocaching.se - Listing service for geocaches in Sweden
• GPSGames.org - International listing service for geocaching as well as similar alternative activities
• Navicache - International listing service for geocaching
• Opencaching DE - Listing service for geocaches in Germany
• Opencaching PL - Listing service for geocaches in Poland
• TerraCaching - International listing service for geocaching
• TerraCachers.nl - Listing service for geocaching in the Netherlands based on Terracaching.com

Miscellaneous

• A Beginner’s Guide to Geocaching
• GeoLex - The Lexicon of Geocaching Comprehensive listing of the terms and abbreviations used in the geocaching world, and their meanings.
• TerraCaching 101 Introduction to TerraCaching
• Geocaching Policy website Public land policies regarding Geocaching and related activities
• The Geocachers' Creed A voluntary set of principles for placing and hiding geocaches
• Geocaching Draws Visitors To Colorado State Park cbs4denver.com story with video of a family going on a geocaching trip