Archived
When a cache is no longer active, the person that hid the GeoCache will "archive" the cache. Information will still be available about the cache but the GeoCacher looking for a cache to find will know that the cache is no longer active.

Benchmark
Markers left by the United States Geologic Survey. These markers are placed all over the United States and sometimes use existing landmarks as benchmarks. Click Here to learn more about hunting for benchmarks in your area.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, administers 262 million acres of America's public lands, located primarily in 12 Western States. The BLM sustains the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Their web site is www.blm.gov .

Cache
Pronounced "cash" - In geocaching it is a hidden container filled with a log book and pencil/pen, and possibly prizes. Caches were often used by explorers, miners, etc. to hide foodstuffs and other items for emergency purposes. People still hide caches of supplies today for similar reasons.

CITO
Cache In Trash Out. Sometimes there are Cache In Trash Out events where Geocachers get together to clean up areas. Click Here to learn more.

Datum
A datum is something used as a basis for calculating and measuring. In the case of GPS, datums are different calculations for determining longitude and latitude for a given location.

Currently, Geocaching uses the WGS84 datum for all caches. Many maps still use NAD27, which can cause confusion if your GPS unit is set to NAD27. Always check your GPS to ensure that WGS84 is the datum before entering a cache coordinate into your unit.

Event Cache Event Cache Symbol
Frequently, GeoCaching groups will get together at certain times and locations. The coordinates for the cache will lead you to the meeting. After the meeting, the cache is "archived".

FTF
First to Find. Frequently used in a log by the very first GeoCacher to find the cache.

Hitchhiker
A hitchhiker is an item that is placed in a cache, and has instructions to travel to other caches. Sometimes they have logbooks attached so you can log their travels. A Travel Bug is an example of a hitchhiker.

Latitude
Latitude and longitude create a waypoint. Latitude is the angular distance north or south from the earth's equator measured through 90 degrees.

Longitude
Latitude and longitude create a waypoint. Longitude is the angular distance measured on a great circle of reference from the intersection of the adopted zero meridian with this reference circle to the similar intersection of the meridian passing through the object.

Log Book
Most traditional GeoCaches will contain a log book. When a GeoCacher finds a cache, he/she should make a note of their find in the log book and then leave the log book with the cache.

GPS
Global Positioning System. This system was begun by the United States government for military purposes. The signals from GPS used to be scrambled but the government descrambled the signal from the satellites just a few years ago. Many GPS receivers can lead a person to within 3 or 4 meters of any point on earth.

GPSr
Golbal Positioning System reciever. This is the unit that connects to the twelve satellites that continuously circle the earth.

LetterBox Cache LetterBox Cache Symbol
Letterboxing started in the United Kingdom and it involves using clues instead of longitude/latitude coordinates. Letterboxes traditionally are hidden books in which the finder uses his/her personal stamp to leave their mark. The letterbox will usually have a stamp hidden with it that is personal to the hider. The finder carries a book with him/her and once he/she has stamped the book that was found, they will then stamp their book to add to their collection of letterbox stamps. For more information go Here.

Locationless Cache
Locationless caches could be considered the opposite of a traditional cache. Instead of finding a hidden container, you are given a task to locate a specific object and log its coordinates. A scavenger hunt of sorts, it involves collecting waypoints of various objects around the world. Due to the nature of locationless caches they do not come up on the nearest cache page. You can find them at their own location.

Micro Cache
These are very small caches. Most times there will be no room for anything other than a small log book and they don't have room for exchanging items. Many times, 35mm film cannisters are used for micro caches.

Muggles
Also known as GeoMuggles. A relatively new term used for people who are not geocachers but are in the area of a geocache. Geocachers must be careful not to give away a geocache location to non geocachers who might find the cache after seeing someone find it. Based on "Muggle" from the Harry Potter series, which is a nonmagical person.

Multiple Cache Multiple Cache Symbol
Multiple caches may require the GeoCacher to find one cache to find clues to be able to find another cache. There will be two or more caches involved in the multiple cache with the last cache location being the physical cache. These caches can be challenging and a lot of fun

Mystery Cache Mystery Cache Symbol
The “catch-all” of cache types, this form of cache can involve complicated puzzles you will first need to solve to determine the coordinates. The only commonality of this cache type is that the coordinates listed are not of the actual cache location but a general reference point, such as a nearby parking location. Due to the increasing creativity of geocaching this becomes the staging ground for new and unique challenges.

Spoiler
A spoiler is information that can give details away and ruin the experience of something. For example, telling someone the end of a movie before they see it. In geocaching, a spoiler gives away details of a cache location and can ruin the experience of the hunt.

TNLN
Took Nothing Left Nothing. Some people enjoy finding GeoCaches without actually trading out objects within the GeoCache. You may see this acronym in the log book of a cache.

Traditional Cache Traditional Cache Symbol
This is the typical cache that a GeoCacher will encounter. Traditional caches may be hidden in Tupperware® containers or military ammo boxes.

Travel Bug
Travel Bugs are aluminum "dog tags" that have a six-digit serial number, a bar code and the drawing of a bug. GeoCachers name their travel bug and then place it in a cache. Most of the time, the travel bug will have a "theme" and may have some object attached to it. The object of placing a travel bug will correspond with it's theme. For example, the "Fifty States" travel bug's purpose is to see if it can be placed, by various GeoCacher's, in caches in all fifty states. As a GeoCacher finds a travel bug, he/she log's their find on the GeoCaching.com web site. When the GeoCacher moves the travel bug to another cache, he/she makes another log at GeoCaching.com. As the GeoCacher does this, GeoCaching.com makes a map and keeps a record of the distance travelled by the travel bug. Travel bugs are inexpensive and are available at Groundspeak.com.

USDA Forest Service
The U.S. Forest Service, an agency within the Department of Agriculture, administers 191 million acres (77.3 million hectares) of National Forests, Grasslands, and Prairies. These public lands are generally geocaching-friendly, with exceptions of designated Wilderness Areas, and other specially designated botanical, wildlife, and archaeological sites. The phrase "Caring for the land and serving people" captures the Forest Service mission of achieving quality land management under the sustainable multiple-use concept to meet the diverse needs of people. The Information Center in the agency's national headquarters has been a Washington D.C. Virtual Geocache since August 12, 2001.

WAAS
WAAS stands for Wide Area Augmentation System, but that doesn't really describe what it is. Garmin has an excellent description on WAAS .

Waypoint
Waypoints are named coordinates representing points on the surface of the Earth.

Geocaching uses a suggested waypoint for a cache, created automatically when a cache has been created. Because most GPS units have restricted names to 6 characters or less, we generate a waypoint name based on the ID of the cache. It is optional, but makes it easier to locate a cache on the geocaching web site.

Virtual Cache Virtual Cache Symbol
The virtual cache generally requires the GeoCacher to find a location and then e-mail the owner of the cache, answers to previously asked questions. Virtual caches are used frequently where it is illegal to place traditional caches such as National Parks.

WebCam Cache WebCam Cache Symbol
This type of cache requires two people to pull off. The location for a Web Cam is given and one of the cachers must go to that location and stand in front of the camera while the other cacher captures the photo from the Web Cam. This photo is then logged on the GeoCache's web page.


 

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