At a Glance

Geocaching was first coined on the internet mailing as the "GPS Stash Hunt" on May 30, 2000 and was the joining of two familiar words. The prefix geo, for Earth, was used to describe the global nature of the activity. Caching, from the word cache a French word invented in 1797, referring to a hiding place someone would use to temporarily store items. With the removal of Selective Availability for GPS units, satellite accuracy improved greatly allowing for a small container (cache) to be specifically placed and located. A typical cache contains a log book and treasures that are not high in monetary value but may hold personal value to the finder. Aside from the logbook, common cache contents are unusual coins or currency, small toys, ornamental buttons, CDs, or books. Other common objects are moved from cache to cache, such as Travel Bugs or Geocoins, whose travels may be logged and followed on geocache websites. Today, well over 480,000 geocaches are registered on various websites devoted to the sport. Geocaches are currently placed in over 100 countries around the world and on all seven continents, including Antarctica.