Geocaching 101 Guide

Geocaching is quickly becoming one of the most popular new outdoor activities since camping! Since long distance travel is becoming more and more expensive, not to mention dangerous in some places, this new past time is catching the eye of treasure hunting enthusiasts around the whole world.

What exactly is Geocaching you ask? Well let me explain: Around the world, in literally hundreds and thousands of different locations enthusiasts have hidden small containers which contain a few key items. These small containers are called Geocaches. The coordinates of said Geocache is then recorded, added to a database online and made available to treasure hunters globally. They will then download the clues to their own GPS device and try to find your cache! It's hide and seek for the 21st century!

Geocaching sounds easy enough doesn't it? Don't be so sure! There's a reason this is called an adventure sport! Geocaches are graded by how difficult they can be to find and reach. Some are in some pretty wild places! Plus your GPS device is generally only accurate to 20 feet or so. This means you will have to hunt in the area you think the cache is, and let me tell you some people have hidden theirs in some VERY hard to find places!

Imagine spending a day with your friends and family in the sunny forests of Yosemite National Park in California following a trail and climbing over rock strewn paths hot on the tail of a blinking blip on your GPS device. Not only do you get exercise and a super fun (and cheap!) activity, you also get to spend some quality time with your loved ones that we all so deeply need. Finally you find yourselves on top of the coordinates and everybody scurries into action digging around in the bushes, searching under rocks, and looking in every nook and cranny to find the cache. Finally you discover an altoid container in the nook of a tree. You've found your cache!

What is in one of these caches? Well generally you could expect to find a couple necessary items: a logbook (to record the fact that you found the spot), a trophy which is usually a small trinket called a Travel Bug or Geocoin. These trinkets are often dog tags or refrigerator magnets or some small little toy. These Geocoins or Travel Bugs are small little souvenirs that are traceable as they move from cache to cache. You record what you found and what you left online and you get to track your bugs as they travel around the world!

When you find the cache you are entitled to take one of the trophies inside, but always leave something in return. This way the next person can have the same pleasure of finding the treasure cache and the whole community benefits. Be sure to leave a record that you were there and when you came in the logbook so there will be a record of your achievement! You can go online and make a note on the website that you found the cache and what trinket you left for the next person to find. If you discover that the geocache is gone or damaged in come way be sure to report that to the owner as well so it can be fixed!

It's exciting to look at the history of your trophy, often you will find something in California that started half way across the world in Hawaii or Somewhere in Europe! Who knows, maybe one day you will discover that your geocoin has traveled the world and made it back home to you! Kind of like that gnome on those Travelzoo commercials.

Be sure to follow the rules and etiquette when playing so that everybody benefits and this wonderful hobby continues to spread. You can find the caches on www.geocaching.com. Never ever move the cache, and if you take something then leave something behind. Don't hang on to your trophy for long, it deserves to travel the world too! Leave it somewhere for somebody else to find one day. Pick an easy cache first to get you started, then see if you have what it takes to score the truly difficult Geo Caches!

When picking a GPS device for your hunt you have two main factors to consider: How much does it cost? And how good of a signal does it get?

You will find that these two factors are directly related. So if you are planning on staying close to town and not venturing too far into the wilds during your hunts, you can probably go with something on the cheaper side. But if you plan on venturing far out into the wilderness than you are going to want something much more robust! You don't want to find yourself completely lost with no satellite signal. The goal is NOT to use all those Survivor Man techniques you've seen on TV!!

I'd say that 99% of all Geocachers use a Garmin Handheld GPS of some kind.

So boys and girls this has been your Geocaching 101 guide! You have everything you need now to get started in the wonderful world of Globetrotting and Treasure Hunting!

The most important rule in Geocaching is this: Have fun Geocaching! Be safe, be nice, and always spread the love! Happy hunting!