Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.
If this beautiful fall weather makes you want to spend extra time outdoors, and you happen to be a fan of treasure hunts, then Geocaching might be just the activity for you! Geocaching is a type of global treasure hunt where participants and enthusiasts search approved areas of the world for treasures hidden by other participants. Like a worldwide game of hide and seek, this popular activity has caught the attention of outdoor-lovers everywhere.
How it works: After registering online, geocachers look for caches, or hidden treasures, which are listed by their longitude and latitude coordinates. Participants may use global positioning system (or GPS) devices to pinpoint the coordinates and find the hidden treasure located there. Caches usually consist of a waterproof container, a logbook for visitors to sign, and a low-cost trinket or geocoin. A geocoin is a metal medallion that has been made by an individual geocacher or an organization. Items hidden in these caches are intended to be low-cost only. Valuable items, food and easily damaged items are not allowed in geocaching.
Some items you can expect to find while participating are foreign currency, keychains, ornaments, booklets or small knick knacks. Although caches may be hidden, they are not buried. Clues can be given online as to the whereabouts of the hidden treasure. This hobby is an adaptation of an older hobby called Letterboxing, where clues were hidden in letters, like you might expect in more traditional “scavenger hunt style” games. In letterboxing, it is these clues, and not exact GPS coordinates, that lead you to your hidden treasure. Another similar hobby, called Waymarking, uses clues to lead participants to interesting hikes, trails or locations, rather than items.
Geocaching is a great way to learn about the environment and help clean it up. It is a common practice that treasure hunters, on their way to locate a hidden item, will collect any trash they see along their path. It is an activity commonly called, “Cache in, Trash out.”
It is very important for participants in these activities to be familiar with the outdoors and to pick geocaches, letterboxes and way-marking hunts that can be found in areas that are within the player's area of expertise. Also, before you play, be sure to familiarize yourself with the rules, and, for your safety, only participate in caches that are listed on the official website.
According to the official geocaching website, https://www.geocaching.com/play, there are currently more than two million active caches hidden around the globe. That's a lot of treasure just waiting to be found! Happy hunting!