Geocaching
Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called geocaches or caches, at specific locations marked by coordinates all over the world. The first geocache was placed in 2000, and by 2023 there were over three million active caches worldwide.
Geocaching can be considered a real-world, outdoor treasure-hunting game. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and sometimes a pen or pencil. The geocacher signs the log with their established code name/username and dates it, to prove that they found the cache. After signing the log, the cache must be placed back exactly where the person found it. Larger containers such as plastic storage containers or ammo boxes can also contain items for trading, such as toys or trinkets, usually of more sentimental worth than financial. Geocaching shares many aspects with benchmarking, trigpointing, orienteering, treasure hunting, letterboxing, trail blazing, and another type of location-based game called Munzee.
History
Geocaching is similar to the game letterboxing, which uses clues and references to landmarks embedded in stories. Geocaching was conceived shortly after the removal of selective availability from the Global Positioning System on May 2, 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 in Beavercreek, Oregon. The location was posted on the Usenet newsgroup sci.geo.satellite-nav at. Within three days, the cache had been found twice, first by Mike Teague. According to Dave Ulmer's message, this cache was a black plastic bucket that was partially buried and contained various items, such as software, videos, books, money, a can of beans, and a slingshot. The geocache and most of its contents were eventually destroyed by a lawn mower, but the can of beans was the only item salvaged and was later turned into a trackable item known as the "Original Can of Beans". Another geocache and plaque, called the Original Stash Tribute Plaque, now sits at the site.
Geocaching company Groundspeak allows extraterrestrial caches, e.g. the Moon or Mars, although presently, the website provides only earthbound coordinates. The first published extraterrestrial geocache was GC1BE91, which was placed on the International Space Station by Richard Garriott in 2008. It used the Baikonur launch area in Kazakhstan as its position. The original cache contained a Travel Bug, which stayed on the station until it was brought back to earth in 2013. Due to fire restrictions on board the station, the geocache contained no official paper logbook. As of June 2024, only one confirmed geocacher has actually found the geocache, although others have claimed to have found it providing varying amounts of evidence. To commemorate the occasion, Groundspeak allowed specialized geocaching events to be published across the world, allowing attendees to obtain a virtual souvenir on their profile.
The second geocaching trackable in space is TB5EFXK which is attached to the SHERLOC calibration target on board the Mars Perseverance Rover, which landed on Mars on February 18, 2021. Geocachers were given the opportunity to virtually discover the trackable after the WATSON camera sent back its first photographs of the calibration target that contained the tracking code number. The code is printed on a prototype helmet visor material that will be used to test how well it can withstand the Martian environment. This will help scientists in creating a viable Martian spacesuit for future crewed missions to Mars.
The activity was originally referred to as the GPS stash hunt or gpsstashing. This was changed shortly after the original hide when it was suggested in the gpsstash eGroup that "stash" could have negative connotations and the term geocaching was adopted.
Over time a variety of different hide-and-seek-type activities have been created or abandoned, so that "Geocaching" may now refer to hiding and seeking containers, or locations or information without containers.
An independent accounting of the early history documents several controversial actions taken by Jeremy Irish and Grounded, Inc., a predecessor to Groundspeak, to increase "commercialization and monopolistic control over the hobby". More recently, other similar hobbies such as Munzee have attracted some geocachers by rapidly adopting smart-phone technology, which has caused "some resistance from geocaching organizers about placing caches along with Munzees".
Geocaches
For the traditional geocache, a geocacher will place a waterproof container containing a log book, often also a pen and/or pencil and trade items or trackables, then record the cache's coordinates. These coordinates, along with other details of the location, are posted on a listing site. Other geocachers obtain the coordinates from that listing site and seek out the cache using their handheld GPS receivers. The finding geocachers record their exploits in the logbook and online, but then must return the cache to the same coordinates so that other geocachers may find it. Geocachers are free to take objects from the cache in exchange for leaving something of similar or higher value.Typical cache "treasures", also known in the geocaching world as SWAG, 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. Although not required, many geocachers decide to leave behind signature items, such as personal geocoins, pins, or craft items, to mark their presence at the cache location. Disposable cameras are popular as they allow for anyone who found the cache to take a picture which can be developed and uploaded to a geocaching web site listed below. Also common are objects that are moved from cache to cache called "hitchhikers", such as Travel Bugs or geocoins, whose travels may be logged and followed online. Cachers who initially place a Travel Bug or Geocoin often assign specific goals for their trackable items. Examples of goals are to be placed in a certain cache a long distance from home, or to travel to a certain country, or to travel faster and farther than other hitchhikers in a race. Less common trends are site-specific information pages about the historic significance of the site, types of trees, birds in the area or other such information. Higher-value items are occasionally included in geocaches as a reward for the First to Find, or in locations which are harder to reach.
Dangerous or illegal items, including weapons and drugs, are not allowed and are specifically against the rules of most geocache listing sites. Food is also disallowed, even if sealed, as it is considered unhygienic and can attract animals.
If a geocache has been vandalized or stolen by a person who is not familiar with geocaching, it is said to have been "muggled". The term plays off the fact that those not familiar with geocaching are called "muggles", a word borrowed from the Harry Potter series of books which were rising in popularity at the same time geocaching started.
Variations
Geocaches vary in size, difficulty, and location. Simple caches that are placed near a roadside are often called "drive-bys", "park 'n grabs", or "cache and dash". Geocaches may also be complex, involving lengthy searches, significant travel, or use of specialist equipment such as SCUBA diving, kayaking, or abseiling. Different geocaching websites list different variations per their own policies.File:Geocache containers range.jpg|thumb|Geocaches come in a range of sizes. Top: a magnetic nano geocache in the City of London.
Bottom: a large bucket geocache in the Czech Republic.
Container sizes range from nano, particularly magnetic nanos, which can be smaller than the tip of a finger and have only enough room to store the log sheet, to 20-liter buckets or even larger containers, such as entire trucks. The most common cache containers in rural areas are lunch-box-sized plastic storage containers or surplus military ammunition cans. Ammo cans are considered the gold standard of containers because they are very sturdy, waterproof, animal- and fire-resistant, and relatively cheap, and have plenty of room for trade items. Smaller containers are more common in urban areas because they can be more easily hidden.
Geocache types
Over time many variations of geocaches have developed. Different platforms often have their own rules on which types are allowed or how they are classified. The following cache types are supported by geocaching.com.Traditional cache
The simplest form of a geocache. It consists of a container with a log sheet, and is located at the posted coordinates. Cache containers come in many different sizes.Night cache
These caches are intended to be found at night, usually by use of a UV torch.Multi-cache
These caches include at least one stage in addition to the physical final container with a log sheet. The posted coordinates for a multi-cache are the first stage. At each stage, the geocacher gathers information that leads them to the next stage or to the final container. Multi-caches can consist of physical stages or virtual stages.Mystery cache
Also called a 'puzzle cache', players might need to solve a puzzle or bring a special tool to reveal the next waypoint or final coordinates. Most often, the final container is not at the posted coordinates which is noted in the cache description. Some puzzles can be easy and involve basic math operations or they can be quite difficult, with some of the more challenging ones requiring a firm understanding of computer programming. Geocaching Toolbox, a website dedicated to create and solve puzzle geocaches, provides a comprehensive list of common puzzle cache ciphers.There are also some subcategories of the mystery cache, which are normally listed as a Mystery Type, which are listed below.