Archive for the ‘Geocaching.com Tip’ Category

I know this might seem like an overly simple topic, but trust me, there are plenty of newbie geocachers out there who ask me questions like this. And, once you actually go to geocaching.com to LOG a cache, you realize that it might not be that simple of a question after all!

The first time I logged into my account on geocaching.com to log a cache, I was really surprised that I had a ton of options for recording a cache hunt. I figured that it would be the straight forward:

Found or Did Not Find

And that was the end of the story.

Boy! Was I ever wrong!

Here are the steps to logging a cache.

1. Log into geocaching.com.
2. Go to the upper right hand side, below the GC code. Click on “log your visit”. (Depending on if you’re a premium or basic member, you’ll have slightly different options, but “log your visit” will be there as long as you’re logged in.)
3. From the first drop down menu, you’ll select the “Type of log” See the types of logs below
4. Then, select the date that you visited the cache site. Most cache owners prefer if you log your visit within a day or two of going for the cache. But, they understand if it is weeks later as well!
5. Leave comments about your adventure. As the owner of multiple caches, I LOVE it when I get descriptions of the adventure to find my cache. But, even if you just want to type in a quick acronym, that’s okay too. To find a list of the most common log acronyms, please see the post: ‘Log Abbreviations: Decoded!‘
6. Below the box for comments, you see additional options for your log. You can encrypt your entry (usually when the entry contains spoilers) or add additional coordinates. I never encrypt my entries and I haven’t had any pressing needs for coordinates either.
7. Below that, you can indicate if you placed any trackable items that you might currently be holding on to.
8. And finally, at the bottom, you find the “Submit Log Entry” button.

Once you’ve submitted a log, you DO have the ability to go back and edit it and upload photos. But, that will be the topic of another article since this is more than enough to get you started.

Types of Logs

• Found It – ONLY use this when you have successfully found the cache AND signed the log in the cache.
• Didn’t Find It – ONLY use this when you have actually made it to the cache site, have looked for it and then couldn’t find it. Don’t log a DNF if you just thought about going after it.
• Write Note – I use a note for a variety of reasons: returning to a cache with a newbie; logging maintenance or a travel item drop; when I thought about going for the cache but didn’t; leaving a message for the cache owner
• Needs Archived – I would recommend against using this designation. Unless you are a cache reviewer or the cache owner, you can’t really decide if the cache needs to be archived.
• Needs Maintenance – this is used when the cache itself is damaged: wet log, broken container, full log sheet, etc. Don’t think that it s a “black mark” against the cache or cache owner; it isn’t. I don’t post a “Needs Maintenance” when I feel the cache has been muggled; I always give the cache owner the benefit of being cleverer in the hide than I am in the find.

Readers Weigh In:

• How often do you log your cache visits? Right away? When you get around to it?
• Do you ever use the “Needs Archived” or “Needs Maintenance” posts?

Any geocacher worth their salt has a bunch of DNF (did not find) caches under their belt. (And those that don’t are either brand new or lying!) Often times, those DNF will just nag and nag at a cacher until they go back and find the cache.

Like my most famous ‘did not find’: ‘Summer Lovin” Not only did I not find the geocache, I lost a $40 piece of equipment, the whole adventure is on YouTube! That cache will bother me and keep me awake at night until I go back and get it.

But once I go find it, what is the etiquette around changing the DNF into a found?

A Piece of Caching History

When a cacher logs a DNF on a cache, that log becomes part of the cache’s history. It can signal to the cache owner and future cachers that the cache might have been muggled. In some cases, the ‘did not find’ log entry shows that the cache owner is one-cool-dude for placing such a hard to find cache.

For example, Crooks Grand TB Hotel is an example of a cache that had logged 7 DFN by the time I found it in December 2009. It had nothing to do with a cache being missing or muggled, just a well-hid cache.

A Piece of YOUR Caching History

Don’t look at a DNF as a failure, but look at it as a badge of honor. Every time you can’t find a cache and log it, you’re joining the ranks of distinguished cachers who aren’t afraid to say that the cache got the best of them. This time!

If you don’t log the DNF you’re doing yourself and other cachers a disservice by not being honest that either the cache is really hard to find OR that it just isn’t there!

Did Not Find Tells A Lot About The Cache

If I’m heading after a cache and I see 100 finds and 30 DNF entries, it’s a clue to me that this is a tough hide. It might take a few tries, a lot of time, and I may need to read the logs for clues.

Taking a look at the DNF to find “ratio” is especially important because difficulty ratings are often inaccurate. Plus, the number of ‘did not find’ entries on a cache can let the cache owner know that they need to change the difficulty rating of their cache OR go out and look to make sure it’s still there!

Now I’ve Found It!

Once you go back and find the geocache, for heaven’s sake don’t edit the DNF listing! (See caching history, above)

Besides skewing the data for finds to DNF logs, when you edit an entry, the cache owner doesn’t get a message that says the cache has now been found. This is especially important when it is back-to-back DNF, I found it logs because the cache owner might be planning a trip to check on the cache and wouldn’t know that it’s now been found without checking the cache page.

If you convert a DNF into a found then post a new log on the cache.

DNF on Extreme Caches

As somebody who occasionally DOES go after extreme caches, I really hate the type of logs that say:

Well I thought about it but decided not to.

That log really doesn’t tell me anything and it is really frustrating having to sort through 5 or six of those logs before I get to one that actually lets me know more about the cache. If you are thinking of going after an extreme cache but decide against it, post a Note on the cache rather than logging a DNF.

After all, you didn’t look for it and not find it; you THOUGHT about looking and decided not to! (Can you tell I’m a bit passionate about this?)

How Can I Keep Track Of Caches I Want To Look For Again?

A lot of caches will keep looking for a DNF until they are successful in locating it. Of course, when you start to rack up the DNF logs it can be a trick to sort through them and decide if they are STILL a ‘did not find’ or if you have found them now.

The easiest thing to do is to add each DNF to your watch list. Once you’ve found the cache, remove it from your watch list. That way you have a running total of the ‘did not find’ caches that you want to go after again.

Readers Weigh In:

• Do you edit or delete your DNF entries once you’ve found the cache?
• How do you keep track of the DNF caches that you’d like to try again?
• Do you keep trying a cache until you find it? Or is it a “one-time-shot” philosophy?

In a couple of weeks, ESP Boss & I will be taking an overnight kayaking trip on the Colorado River. We’ll start at Hoover Dam and head down to Willow Beach.

Like any EatStayPlay.com business trip, we’ve got out fair share of agenda items. One of which was to hide a geocache along the way.

But then I got to thinking:

Isn’t that section of the River in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area?

A quick glance at Google Maps and yep, the whole route is inside a National Recreation Area. (The green area on the map!)

That means that I won’t be able to place my geocache on the trip after all because geocaching is not allowed with in ANY area governed by the National Park Service (NPS).

Unfortunately, that’s kind of a blanket statement that isn’t exactly accurate. So I’m here to clear up any confusion about if geocaching is or isn’t allowed inside America’s National Parks.

What areas are governed by the National Park Service?

Just because an area doesn’t say “national park” in the title doesn’t mean that it might not be managed by NPS.

• National Battlefields
• National Cemeteries
• National Heritage Areas
• National Heritage Corridors
• National Historic Sites
• National Historic Trails
• National Historic Trails
• National Lakeshore
• National Memorial
• National Monuments
• National Parks
• National Parkway
• National Preserves
• National Recreation Areas
• National Recreation Trails
• National Rivers
• National Scenic Trails
• National Seashore

Can you see why just saying “No geocaching in National Parks” doesn’t really begin to cover it?

Why doesn’t the NPS allow geocaching?

Though rugged, unspoiled natural areas may seem to be desirable spots for geocaching, cachers can cause unintentional damage to the areas. Cachers can inadvertently develop social trails when they leave established trails to look for a cache. This can result in serious impacts on a park’s natural, historical, and cultural resources.

Because federal National Park regulations prohibit abandonment of property, disturbance or damage of natural features, and, in some areas, off-trail hiking, that means that most units of National Parks can’t allow geocaching.

In our post-9/11 world, the fear of terrorists and “mystery” objects is high. By prohibiting caches, it cuts down on the potential for bomb scares.

But I did a Google search and a whole bunch of National Parks say they offer geocaching. What does THAT mean?

When the NPS says that they don’t permit geocaching on National Park Land, what they really mean is that they don’t allow TRADITIONAL caches in the parks. That means NO cache with a container, including nanos and micros.

When you see that NPS offers “geocaching” it isn’t really a traditional type of caching. Most parks have Virtual caches or EarthCaches. Sometimes, the park itself even sets it up!

But the confusion sets in when cachers don’t realize that NPS isn’t really using our terminology correctly. When I did the search, I saw headlines like:

‘Petrified Forest National Park – Geocaching’

Yeah, they mean EarthCaching or Virtual Caching. These are both a type of geocache, but unless you have some familiarity with exactly what those terms mean, then I can understand the confusion.

If you’re just getting started in geocaching then you hear ‘geocaching’ and assume ammo cans and film canisters. I know I did!

*** UPDATE 9/30/10 ***

Oh, and I forgot to mention: Virtual geocaches are a grandfathered type of cache. You can still place them, but they’re not available on geocaching.com. Virtual caches are now considered a waymark.

How would they know if I placed a traditional cache anyway?

Come on, now! YOU would know you were placing a cache where you shouldn’t. Be responsible!

Geocaching.com is a whole game built on the honor system. However, there are those critics of the game out there that claim that geocachers are disrespectful and the game should be shut down. And if the geocaching community is placing caches in National Parks, after we’ve been asked not to, then that lends a lot of credibility to the critics claim.

Do I need to ask for permission before I “place” an EarthCache or Waymark?

Technically, you probably should clear it with the Park’s superintendent before you “place” an EarthCache or Waymark cache. It defeats the purpose of having a container-less cache if seekers would still have to travel off-trail to log the find.

If you were requesting that a waymark cacher send you a photo of a sign or landmark that is accessible (visible) from an established trail or parking area, you’re probably okay. But if it were me, I’d get the okay a head of time anyway. I’m thinking of “placing” a waymark cache while I’m out and you can bet I’ll give Lake Mead National Recreation staffers a heads up first!

Readers Weigh In:

• If you were going to “place” a waymark or EarthCache inside an area governed by the National Park Service, would you ask for permission first? Why or why not?
• Do you think we should be allow to place traditional caches in national parks?

I recently got a great comment from Andy on the article “Using Geocaching.com To Find A Spot For A Cache”

I would normally load all the caches in that area to my GPS. When I find a good site I just simply check the GPS for any nearby waypoints in my GPS and it will show up it the new cache is close to an existing one. If this is the case I would try to seek out a new spot using the same method.

But that got me thinking:

How many cachers know how to load caches into their GPS?

I didn’t discover this until MONTHS after I started caching. Loading the coordinates of a cache directly into the GPS solved all the problems of “missing” caches due to a transposed or incorrect number or imputing the parking coordinates by mistake.

Geocaching.com currently supports Garmin, DeLorme and Magellin GPS units for direct loading.

To start with, you’ll need to find the USB port on the back of your GPS. Then, you’ll need a USB cable that interfaces with that port. It’s very likely that this cable was provided with your GPS.

My GPS, a Garmin eTrex, takes a USB 2 connection. I don’t even use a special cable, I just use the same cable from my camera card reader!

You’ll need to plug your GPS into your computer and turn it on. At that point, your computer SHOULD automatically find your GPS through Plug-and-Play software. But if it doesn’t, go to the website of your GPS and you should be able to get instructions.

Here are the steps to load the cache directly into the GPS:

1. Navigate to the cache page. I’m showing my cache ‘No Cows Here’ as an illustration. Then click on the button that says ‘Send to my GPS’

1a. If it’s the first time you’ve done this, you’ll need to load the software that allows geocaching.com to “talk” directly to your GPS.

1b. Then, you’ll either need to click on ‘Find Devices’ OR turn on your GPS. In my case, all I needed to do was power up the GPS.

2. Click on the ‘Write’ button.

3. Look for the confirmation screen.

That’s it! Just 3 easy steps and you’ll be able to load the caches to your GPS. I still print the cache sheet, with 5 logs, so I can get the hint and cache size, etc.

Readers Weigh In:

• Do you have a different way you load the coordinates to your GPS?
• What are some of the disadvantages to loading coordinates directly into the GPS?
• Any other tips, hints, or tricks to share with newbies? (Or the technologically challenged!)

Don’t you just hate it when you KNOW that Geocaching.com does FILL IN THE BLANK but you can’t remember where you saw the link? That happened to me the first time I was hiding a geocache; I wanted to print out that cool sheet that appears in the caches. You know the one I’m talking about, right? The printout that says “Congratulations, You’ve Found It!” and then goes on to explain what geocaching is.

I knew that printout had to exist. Somewhere. After all, I’d seen it in caches around Northern Arizona. I just didn’t know how to navigate the geocaching.com website in order to find what I was looking for!

This article is actually a reader’s request and addresses just that issue: What ARE the parts of geocaching.com?

Since this website is HUGE and offers a ton of information, I’m giving my top three pages you need to know the anatomy of! If you have a section of geocaching.com that you feel everybody should know about, then let me know!

The Home Page

We all know the homepage of geocaching.com — that’s where you can log into your account!

Well, have you ever scrolled DOWN the page a bit? There’s a ton of really neat links hidden towards the bottom of the page.

So, starting on the top left and heading down the page:

1. You can search for a geocache from this page using a zip code or a GC code
2. A section for interesting products and services
3. Upcoming geocaching events around the world

From the right side and heading down the page:

1. A link to follow geocaching.com on Twitter
2. Information about CITO
3. Geocaching in the news

Hide & Seek a Geocache Page

To me, this page has a wealth of information that is hidden! Even though the title clearly says HIDE a cache, I never remember that this page has all the links I need to do that!

Left Side of Page – Seeking a Cache

This is where you can search for a cache. It starts with an area where you can enter different parts of an address to find a cache. It includes address, postal code (zip code) and state.

Below the first section, you can enter in lat and long in either a WGS84 Datum or a decimal format, depending on how your GPS is configured. The standard for the USA on new GPS units is the WGS84 Datum.

And, then a really exciting section! This is where you can search by keyword (I want to find a cache with “yellow” in the name. You can also search by a telephone area code. If you know the exact GC code of the cache, you can enter that as well.

(I use the GC code search function when I am returning after a day of caching and need to log my finds.)

And, my favorite part: Found by Username and Placed by Username. This lets me see what my favorite geocaching buddies have found lately AND I can also search for my favorite cache hiders.

Right Side of Page – Hiding a Cache

The right side of the page is always the part that gives me the most trouble. Since I am usually looking for a cache, I forget that all the links I need to place a cache are on this page as well!

From the top down:
The cache placement requirements. I review these every time I place a cache just to remind myself of all the little particulars of the game.

Right below the requirements is actually the form you use to tell geocaching.com that there is a new cache. It took me placing about 5 caches before I remembered where this link was!

And the cache note is next. Not only is this the “Congratulations You’ve Found It!” note, but it also has a log sheet that you can print out and include with your cache. Below this section, the cache note has been translated into a myriad of different languages to help cachers around the world.

Trackable Items Page

This page has all the links to Frequently Asked Questions regarding all things trackable. But, below that section is where you can enter a tracking number of an item you have (or discovered), you can activate your trackable, or search for a trackable item by name.

The first time I activated an EatStayPlay.com geocoin, I had no idea what I needed to do. I didn’t even realize that below the three boxes on this page were the forms that I needed!

If you’re confused about trackables, I’ve got two articles that might help you out: The Truth About Trackables and 5 Tips About Trackables

To all you experienced cachers out there:

What are the most useful pages/sections on geocaching.com for a new cacher?

What have you discovered about the website that would have made life easier for you if you had known it when you had just gotten started caching?