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Introduction to
Geocaching
What is Geocaching?
What is a cache?
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Introduction
to Geocaching
Page
1
of 5
What Is Geocaching?
In a dozen or so words, Geocaching is using a
handheld GPS to find hidden caches (containers with trinkets). Many times
caches are hidden along rolling streams, Oceanside vistas, mountain peaks
and trails and other scenic locations. When you add geocaching to your
family vacations or day hikes, it adds a treasure-hunt like component to
your travels.
This activity got it's start when consumers
gained access to handheld GPS technology. The Global Positioning System, a series of satellites first used for military purposes, provides
an invisible mesh of coordinates (latitude and longitude) that you can tap into if you own a GPS unit. �Power up� a GPS, stand outside on a clear day, and in moments the unit will tell you the
precise coordinates for your position on planet Earth. Obstacles such as trees, tall buildings, and thick cloud cover can limit the accuracy of the GPS coordinates. With open sightlines to a clear sky, a GPS can be get you within 10 or 20 feet of a set coordinate.
OK so let�s say you have a handheld GPS unit (prices range from a low of $80 to a couple hundred dollars). Next you think, you know it would be fun to hide a treasure
(cache), record the GPS coordinates, and have your kids or a friend try to
locate the cache. Then you think even better, I wonder if someone else has hidden a treasure that I can find? Enter the hobby of geocaching.
Continue to page 2 - What is a "Cache?"
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Go Northwest!
Bookstore
Best selection of books on the
Northwest.
Click here!
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching (The Complete Idiot's Guide) by
Jack W. Peters. Paperback: 336 pages, June 1, 2004.
 The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching is a comprehensive yet easy to
understand guide for getting started and having fun with geocaching. Jack W.
Peters, a nationally recognized leader in GPS navigation training, has been
an active participant and promoter of geocaching since its inception.
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