Who Started Geocaching?

Geocaching, first coined by

Matt Stum

on the “GPS Stash Hunt” mailing list on May 30, 2000, was the joining of two familiar words. The prefix geo, for Earth, was used to describe the global nature of the activity, but also for its use in familiar topics in gps such as geography.

Who came up with geocaching?

This phenomenon began May 3, 2000 with

Dave Ulmer

, a computer consultant hiding a bucket in Oregon and putting the GPS coordinates on the internet. This was found by 2 others and geocaching was born.

When did geocaching become a thing?

The outdoor hobby was first established on

May 3, 2000

. Geocaching can be thought of as an outdoor treasure hunt using GPS devices.

How was geocaching developed?

Geocaching was

started by a group of people who were interested in technology and geography

. They used GPS devices and the Internet to re-invent the older hobby of letterboxing. Letterboxing is a lot like geocaching, but the clues are provided in booklets or other printed material.

Where is the first geocache?

Back in May of 2000, when Dave Ulmer hid the world’s first geocache (stash) in

the woods just outside of Estacada

with instructions that finders “Take some stuff, leave some stuff,” little did he know that he was creating a new worldwide hobby.

Who was FTF on the very first geocache?

geocaching. Thirteen years ago today

Mike Teague

became the first person to find the first geocache (at the time called a “stash”).

What are the three main rules of geocaching?

• Take something from the cache.
• Leave something in the cache.
• Write about it in the logbook.

Is geocaching still popular 2021?

Whether you’re a seasoned geocacher or you’re new to the activity, you’ll be happy to know that,

yep, geocaching is still a thing

. According to the folks at the official Geocaching headquarters, there are more than 3 million active geocaches located around the world.

How popular is geocaching?

Geocaching by the numbers

There are

more than 3 million active geocaches worldwide

. Geocaches are hidden in 191 different countries on all seven continents (even Antarctica)! More than 642 million “Found it” and “Event Attended” logs have been recorded since the game started in 2000.

Can you keep geocaches?

While some caches host trackables or unique SWAG items,

some geocaches aren’t so lucky

. The etiquette around geocaching SWAG is simple. If you take something, leave something behind of equal or greater value.

Does it cost money to geocaching?

Never!

The traditional Geocaching game will always be free

. Subscriptions will be for new enhancements and new games added to Groundspeak.

What geocache has been found the most often How many times has it been found?

The ‘most found traditional geocache’ in the world is a distinction that’s currently neck and neck.

Two traditional geocaches both have more than 12,400 finds

. That’s more than twice as many finds as the Geocaching HQ geocache in Seattle and more than any other traditional geocache in the world.

What are two things you should do when you locate a cache?

Once you find the cache,

sign the logbook, exchange one item and put everything back like you found it

. Follow the most basic rule of geocaching: Leave No Trace during your hunt.

What are some dangers of geocaching?

At the top of the dangers is that

you might not find the cache

. While this might not sound so bad, if you have an intense desire to find the certain item, you might be out in the forest or street for many hours. Sometimes caches are taken from their GPS location by people (children) or by groundskeepers.

What is the oldest geocache in Michigan?

• Brown Bridge Pond Peek-a-Boo Cache: 44.652200, -85.492480.
• Bell Creek Park Cache Stash: 42.399850, -83.311400.
• Crooked: 42.321730, -84.118680.
• Midland: 43.727680, -84.424930.
• Chief Noonday: 42.625430, -85.476170.
• Atsa Biggie: 42.683820, -84.520350.
• Pine Bowl : 42.866080, -86.199780.

How many geocaches are there in Australia?

Of those

just shy of 80,000

geocaches are hidden across Australia, with just a little over 14,000 hidden and active in South Australia.

What is blue switch day?

Blue Switch Day is held on May 2 each year and

recognises when the US Government ‘flipped the switch’ and made high-accuracy GPS (Global Positioning System) available to everyone

.

Are there any geocaches in space?

As you can imagine, the vast majority of geocaches are on the Earth, but did you know that

there’s a geocache on the International Space Station

? In 2008, Richard Garriott, one of the first space tourists, hid a geocache in locker #218 in the Russian segment.

What does TFTH mean in geocaching?

This how you say “thank you” to the cache owner for creating and placing the geocache. TFTH. “

Thanks For The Hide

“.

Why should you never bury a cache?

You should never alter the environment when you hide a cache, nor should you place the cache in such a spot that seekers will have to affect the environment when they look for it. Never bury a geocache or place it in thick brush that

others will have to clear

.

How do I geocache for free?

It’s no surprise that one of the better free geocaching apps is

the official app, called Geocaching

. You can use it to search for geocaches, log that you did or did not find any particular cache, and more. However, because there’s also a premium version available, the free app is limited in some ways.

Is geocaching still a thing in 2022?

We all know the game of geocaching cannot exist without geocaches. Some are older (almost historic) and beloved, but the game could not continue to flourish without new and refreshed cache hides. That is why Geocaching HQ invites you to celebrate 2022 as the Year of the Hide!

What technology makes geocaching possible?

Geocaching is a hide-and-seek, treasure-hunting game that is played worldwide and uses

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology

to find hidden caches.

Who has the most geocache hides?