Geocaching- Essential Things You Need to Know About

Posted On September 30, 2019

If you are fond of outdoor adventure, you definitely have heard of geocaching. Actually, it is a real-world adventure that is happening all the time around the world. If you want to play, you need to download the geocaching app or have a GPS drive to locate the geocaches that is the hidden objects. Do you love playing hidden objects game? Such games require enough concentration and calmness of mind along with logical thinking. Playing geocaching requires all these virtues and thus, you can do well in this game. There are numerous geocaches are hidden throughout the 190 countries of the world, and you may get surprised as some of them are hidden near you only. This game is too much exciting and people around the world take part in this immensely adventurous game of treasure hunting. So, if you are new to this game and still want to feel the thrill of finding out the hidden objects, you need to dig into different geocache types along with other detailing of this game. 

What Is Geocaching?

In simple words, it is a real-life adventure game where you need to find hidden objects, based on clues. But, things are not so simple as it seems. Basically, geocaching is the basic-level treasure hunting game on the basis of location. Once you participate in this game, you hide something in public places and often inside the private properties, only after taking permissions. Now, other players need to find those objects, based on the clues that other players have left. Often such object can be a trinket or just a logbook.

Types of Equipment One Need for Geocaching

As it is a real-life adventure game, there are certain things that a player need while geocaching. At the beginning of the game, you need to find out the location of the object and that can only be possible once you know the latitude and the longitude of that place. These are geographic coordinators that will help you to find the object.

You will also need a pen to sign the logbook. But, the most important thing you need is a GPS tracker that will help you to navigate the coordinates perfectly.

How can you get a GPS device? It is your smart phone only! Today, the advanced smart phones contain GPS system in it. So, you can use it easily. Besides, there are several advanced and modified geocaching apps that can help you further.

How Do You Recognise a Cache?

You must have seen the Tupperware containers. Caches are kind of those types of containers and these are waterproof. These caches can be big boxes, or as small as a mint box only. While hiding caches, players need to remember that they should hide them in a way so that those are kept away from the non-players. You can’t bury them under the ground but hide under the tree leaves, inside fake rocks, or above from the ground level, etc. You may often find trinkets inside the cache box. These are the small prizes for the cache finders. The rule is to leave your trinket if you take one from the ground you find it.

The Origin of the Geocaching Game

Geocaching game came into the existence in May 2000 when the GPS system was made public and the experiment was going on how the system would help people in navigation and finding location. Invented by David Ulmer, this game took no time to get popularity. He started this game as ‘Great American GPS Stash Hunt’ where he hides a container in the woods of Beavercreek, Oregon. He gave clues to the finders and also set rules for the game. Soon it became appealing to people and they started hiding their treasure and those became the ‘caches’.

At the early days, players used to communicate with each other through Usenet, but soon, within a year, a central website was formed and it is known as Geocaching.com. This software was founded by a software developer in Seattle. Today, the site is maintained by Groundspeak. Inc.

How to Play Geocaching

In the beginning, you need to register for your account at Geocaching.com. Sign in with your username each time you log in the site and here, you don’t need to use your real name.

Basic Gameplay

• Your main objective is to find the cache/s near you. For that, you can use the app of geocaching or log in to Geocaching.com to get the map that will show you the nearby caches.
• You will find a brief description of each cache along with the location. You will get to know about the size and shape of the cache and also there are clues more than the coordinates.
• You should start navigating once you are within the walking distance of the cache. Geocaching map will help you there. Remember, GPS system doesn’t work like it used to work in cars. It won’t tell you when to turn and all. What you will get is the location on the map and you will be pinged each time you go nearer to the cache.
• Once you reach the coordinates, start looking manually for the cache.
• As soon as you find the cache, sign the logbook and leave. If there is a trinket, you can take it also.
• Don’t forget to log into the Geocaching.com to record your findings. If you fail to find any cache, you can tell that too.

Advanced Gameplay

You already know how interesting geocaching is. Sometimes players increase the difficulty of the game by incorporating lots of turns and twists into the game. Often, it becomes quite difficult to find the geocaches also as you need to crack puzzles, riddles, and answer questions to reach the next level. There are players who like to add steps in the game. In that case, there will be the first clue to find the first cache and then you will get clues till you reach the final one. The more it becomes interesting, the more people will fall for this game.

Types of Geocaching

So far, you get certain ideas about geocaching. Now, you need to know about geocaches. Apparently, geocaches are the objects that the players need to find during the game. Basically, geocaches are the containers of different sizes and shapes which contain a logbook, pen, pencil, non-valuable items, like trinkets, chips, coins, and lots of other objects that you can exchange with someone. Based on these objects, there are different types of geocaching around the world. Here, you will know about those types. Read on to know more-

• Traditional Cache

If you are a newbie and this is the first time you are taking part in geocaching, you can go for traditional caches as they are the most common of all types. Usually, these are geocaches that have containers at the mentioned coordinates. The size may not be the same, but almost all geocaches will have a logbook to be signed by the finders. If there is any large container, it may have tradeable objects that may travel from cache to cache at different places around the world.

• Mystery Cache

If you love to solve the puzzle, you will find mystery caches interesting. Actually, here you need to solve puzzles at every step to reach the final container. As per the experienced players, these caches are quite interesting to the people who live in colder climate zone. Actually, when it becomes difficult to go outside because of snow and find caches, you can still kill time by solving puzzles while sitting indoor. Once you solve the puzzle, you can go to find the container when the weather is favourable. The puzzles can be like solving Sudoku, or counting streetlights near your house, giving answers to quantum physics, and so on. 

• Multi-cache

A multi-cache always indicates towards two final locations one of which will have the container with the materials inside it. Here also you have to proceed step by step by following the clues. Once you cross the first stage, you will have the clue for the second location and thus you proceed. The cache page will show the number of stages you need to cross so that you can calculate the time you need to reach the final stage and find the cache. 

• Earth Cache

This one is quite interesting as it gives people the chance of visiting various places to find the cache. Basically, you can travel to different geographical locations and learn about interesting facts about the earth. The pages of earth cache include the coordinates along with a set of educational notes on the features of the earth. This type of cache will also provide educational instructions and you can take kids also in this journey.

• Letterbox Hybrid

In this type of geocaching, treasure hunting includes clues instead of coordinates. In such geocaching, people use their container/s in the form of the letterbox. If there is any object inside it with stamp, that means it is not for trade. 

• Event Cache

This is one of the most popular caches in the game of geocaching. Actually, this type of cache is the gathering of geocaching organizations and the local geocachers. The time and location of coordinates are mentioned for the events. Such events are great where geocachers meet, share their experience, and also get advice from the experienced players. There is also mega-event caches which are attended by more than 500 people. Usually, large mega-event caches are organized annually and people around the world tend to attend it. There are also giga-event caches which are organized on a bigger scale.

Therefore, these are the types of geocache containers or caches that you need to find while playing geocaching. Here, you get to know a lot about geocaching and its types. Now, if you feel excited enough, download the app and start playing.