My wife and I, along with our 11-year-old son Dylan and our dog Kali, are 10 miles from our home in Seattle on the trails of Discovery Park. It’s mid-morning and we’ve traveled from the top of a high bluff all the way down toward the sparkling waters of Puget Sound.
According to our GPS (Global Positioning System) device, only 50 feet remain between us and what we came here seeking. Dylan reads aloud the direction and distance indicated on the GPS screen and we all speed up a bit, each hoping to be the first one to find the hidden box.
Dylan peaks behind a boulder while my wife scans the area for signs of a small Tupperware container. But I’m the one who comes across the box hidden just behind a tree adjacent to the trail. Known as a geocache, it’s the second one we’ve found today. Inside is a logbook, a stuffed-dog toy and a rubber ball as well as a few collector’s coins, each bearing a unique geocaching team name and insignia.
We take turns signing the logbook and trading out items we’ve brought with those found in the geocache: Dylan takes the rubber ball and leaves a toy car and I take one of the coins and leave another coin in its place.
Then we reseal the box and place it in the same spot where we found it, continuing on toward the next treasure on our map.
What is Geocaching?
Geocaching, pronounced “geo-cash-ing,” is a modern form of treasure hunting using GPS units. While many people use GPS units for adventure racing, mountaineering and hiking, geocaching is more like a high-tech game of hide and seek.
It was conceived in May 2000 when Dave Ulmer placed a treasure container near Portland, Ore., and posted its coordinates on the Internet. Three days later, the container was found by Mike Teague using a GPS unit – and the sport of geocaching was born.
The basic idea is that a person or group of people will hide a container (called a geocache) and post the coordinates and a description of the container at www.geocaching.com. Then others will use those coordinates to locate the container.
A traditional geocache contains a logbook for visitors to sign and, usually, some toys and trinkets to be used as trade items. Some people create their own trade items such as custom-minted coins to leave in caches.
There are currently more than 160,000 geocaches hidden in 215 different countries. This means that there are probably more than a few geocaches near your house or office. They are located in a variety of places ranging from people’s backyards, to local trails, to remote mountaintops. Some geocaches are accessible via wheelchair; others are accessible only to those with mountaineering gear; the rest fall somewhere in between.
Some geocaches are easy to find and often require just a short hike. Others can be much more difficult, requiring extensive hiking, puzzle solving or even specialized mountaineering or climbing equipment in order to reach the location.
How can I get started?
Step One: Purchase or Borrow a GPS Unit
Most outdoor retail stores carry GPS units and some cost less than $100. Although some models offer additional features, such as advanced mapping, the basic models will provide all the functionality needed for geocaching (see GPS Units Gear Review on page 18-19). Many stores, such as REI, offer GPS navigation classes on a regular basis.
Step Two: Get the Digits
Next, you’ll need to acquire the latitude and longitude coordinates for a certain geocache. Geocaching.com maintains the most extensive listing of geocaches around the world and includes detailed instructions on how to hide and search for geocaches. In addition, both new and experienced members of the geocaching community can ask and answer questions and discuss various geocaching topics through an online discussion forum.
By entering your zip code, you can access a list of geocaches in your area, the date that they were hidden, their difficulty and terrain ratings, the username of hiders and the date each cache was most recently found.
From there, you can select a geocache and read its description, view the location of the geocache on a number of different maps and obtain its latitude and longitude coordinates. In addition, you can read the online logs and view photographs submitted by geocachers who have already found the cache. Combined, this information provides you with a pretty good idea of what to expect on your geocaching adventure.
Step Three: Prepare For the Hunt
Once you have the coordinates, enter them into your GPS unit, make sure you are prepared for the terrain and length of your excursion and head out. But don’t claim that you weren’t forewarned: it can be more addicting than eating S’mores around a campfire.
Bryan Roth is one of three co-founders of Groundspeak Inc.,
the company that owns and operates www.geocaching.com
Geocaching Etiquette:
Once you find a geocache, the rules are simple:
1. Sign the logbook.
2. You may take an item from the geocache.
3. If you take an item, replace it with an item of your own for the next person to find.
4. Put the geocache back where you found it.
Most importantly, while on the trail, don’t forget to ‘Cache In, Trash Out.’ Simply put, leave the location nicer than it was when you found it.
Once you find your first geocache, you may be tempted to create your own. Note that geocaches should never be buried and permission should always be sought from the landowner or managing agency prior to placing a geocache on public or private property.
Before You Go:
www.geocaching.com: Global headquarters for Geocaching
www.geocacher-u.com: Information on equipment, techniques and more
www.gpsinformation.net: Guides and reviews on GPS units (also see P. 18-19 for reviews)
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