New member. Any tips?

[christhecrayon]

Hello,

 

I recently found out about GeoCaching. Looks amazingly FUN!

 

Have you guys tried doing it with a group of people? Or is it more fun doing it alone?

 

How about day and night time? I've seen some really creepy places. Might be a bit scary doing it at night.

 

What do you think?

 

And does any of you have any tips for a beginner?

 

Thank you!

[+cerberus1]

Some very good info and tips can be found in Geocaching 101 and the Help Center.

[+Team DEMP]

The answer to your questions would be yes :-) It's fun alone or in groups, during the day or at night.

 

If you are looking to do it as a group, check your area for a local geocaching group that might organize some group hunts/events or have a forum where you can ask local questions.

 

There are some caches that are designed to be found specifically at night. Many caches of all types can be found at night but I suggest, if possible, you experiencing caching during daylight hours to learn the various hiding techniques. Caches have attributes that the person placing the cache can use to tag the hide, 2 of which are relevant to night caching - Recommended at night & Night Cache. See https://www.geocaching.com/about/icons.aspx

 

But go out and have some fun, don't get frustrated, and ask away on any questions you have.

[+niraD]

Have you guys tried doing it with a group of people? Or is it more fun doing it alone?

Yes.

 

I do most of my geocaching alone, but I enjoy going geocaching with others as well.

 

My only suggestion if you go geocaching in a group is to sort out how the group is going to function ahead of time. The two most basic approaches are huckle buckle beanstalk, where each person gets a chance to spot the hide independently before others give it away, and three musketeers, where the entire group declares victory as soon as anyone in the group has spotted the hide.

 

How about day and night time? I've seen some really creepy places. Might be a bit scary doing it at night.

 

What do you think?

I've found a few caches at supposedly haunted locations, or at cemeteries, or places like that. And I've done some geocaching at night, both night caches that are designed to be done at night, and other caches that I happened to do at night.

 

One thing to pay attention to is the closing time of parks and other locations. Around here, a lot of parks and open spaces close at sunset, or at half an hour after sunset, or sometime like that. So they aren't really available for geocaching at night.

 

And does any of you have any tips for a beginner?

A common recommendation for beginners is to stick with small size, regular size, and large size caches. Until you're more experienced, avoid micro size caches, some of which are smaller than most beginners can imagine (sometimes called "nanos"). Save those for later, after you have some experience.

 

Also, stick with caches that have a difficulty rating of no more than 2 stars . Save the more difficult ones for later. You may also want to choose caches with easy terrain ratings. (The difficulty rating tells you how hard it is to find the cache once you get there. The terrain rating tells you how hard it is to get there.) And it is often best to start with traditional caches, which will be at the published coordinates. Multi-caches or mystery/puzzle caches or other cache types can require more work just to figure out where the container is located.

 

Under ideal conditions, a consumer GPSr will be accurate to about 3m (10ft). That applies both to your device, and to the cache owner’s device, so you may find the container 5-6m (16-20ft) from ground zero under ideal conditions. Under less than ideal conditions, both GPSr readings can be much less accurate. Once you get within that distance of ground zero, put your device away and look around for places where a container could be hidden.

 

Where would you hide something? Do you notice anything unusual? Is anything too new, too old, too organized (e.g., UPS: an Unnatural Pile of Sticks/Stones), too symmetrical, not quite the right color or shape, etc.? Don’t look only on the ground; the cache may be knee-level, waist-level, eye-level, or overhead. How might the container be secured in place? With magnets? With a hook? With string? With fishing line? With something else? Does anything move when you touch it? (Be careful when touching things though.)

 

Go ahead and read the cache's additional hints (if provided), and read the past logs and look at any photos in the cache's image gallery. They may help you understand what you're looking for, and how/where it may be hidden. It may also help to look at some of the cache containers available online. For example, check out the cache containers sold by Groundspeak. Also, take a look at the Pictures - Cool Cache Containers (CCC's) thread in the forums, and check out some geocaching videos on YouTube.

[+Justin Of Terrytown]

And does any of you have any tips for a beginner?

 

The one thing that helped me get into Geocaching is going to YouTube and watching different Geocaching videos.

 

Geocaching official videos

[christhecrayon]

Have you guys tried doing it with a group of people? Or is it more fun doing it alone?

Yes.

 

I do most of my geocaching alone, but I enjoy going geocaching with others as well.

 

My only suggestion if you go geocaching in a group is to sort out how the group is going to function ahead of time. The two most basic approaches are huckle buckle beanstalk, where each person gets a chance to spot the hide independently before others give it away, and three musketeers, where the entire group declares victory as soon as anyone in the group has spotted the hide.

 

How about day and night time? I've seen some really creepy places. Might be a bit scary doing it at night.

 

What do you think?

I've found a few caches at supposedly haunted locations, or at cemeteries, or places like that. And I've done some geocaching at night, both night caches that are designed to be done at night, and other caches that I happened to do at night.

 

One thing to pay attention to is the closing time of parks and other locations. Around here, a lot of parks and open spaces close at sunset, or at half an hour after sunset, or sometime like that. So they aren't really available for geocaching at night.

 

And does any of you have any tips for a beginner?

A common recommendation for beginners is to stick with small size, regular size, and large size caches. Until you're more experienced, avoid micro size caches, some of which are smaller than most beginners can imagine (sometimes called "nanos"). Save those for later, after you have some experience.

 

Also, stick with caches that have a difficulty rating of no more than 2 stars . Save the more difficult ones for later. You may also want to choose caches with easy terrain ratings. (The difficulty rating tells you how hard it is to find the cache once you get there. The terrain rating tells you how hard it is to get there.) And it is often best to start with traditional caches, which will be at the published coordinates. Multi-caches or mystery/puzzle caches or other cache types can require more work just to figure out where the container is located.

 

Under ideal conditions, a consumer GPSr will be accurate to about 3m (10ft). That applies both to your device, and to the cache owner’s device, so you may find the container 5-6m (16-20ft) from ground zero under ideal conditions. Under less than ideal conditions, both GPSr readings can be much less accurate. Once you get within that distance of ground zero, put your device away and look around for places where a container could be hidden.

 

Where would you hide something? Do you notice anything unusual? Is anything too new, too old, too organized (e.g., UPS: an Unnatural Pile of Sticks/Stones), too symmetrical, not quite the right color or shape, etc.? Don’t look only on the ground; the cache may be knee-level, waist-level, eye-level, or overhead. How might the container be secured in place? With magnets? With a hook? With string? With fishing line? With something else? Does anything move when you touch it? (Be careful when touching things though.)

 

Go ahead and read the cache's additional hints (if provided), and read the past logs and look at any photos in the cache's image gallery. They may help you understand what you're looking for, and how/where it may be hidden. It may also help to look at some of the cache containers available online. For example, check out the cache containers sold by Groundspeak. Also, take a look at the Pictures - Cool Cache Containers (CCC's) thread in the forums, and check out some geocaching videos on YouTube.

 

Thanks a lot for a really detailed answer!

 

I'm curious though. When you mentioned that I should be careful when touching things. Did you have any particular in mind? Have you ever touched anything "interesting"?

[+kunarion]

I'm curious though. When you mentioned that I should be careful when touching things. Did you have any particular in mind? Have you ever touched anything "interesting"?

On one of my first cache hunts, I was looking for a container at a large electrical box. I immediately noticed a pill bottle stuck underneath with a magnet, out of place on that box. Blended in, nice camo, but it really stuck out, so I grabbed it and it would not come off. Turns out, nope, it's not a pill bottle, it is in fact a part of the electrical box. The actual match tube was in a crevice of the curb behind the electrical box. Now if I see a "very realistic snake" on the cache, a convincingly realistic electrical box (wires and all! Nice camo!), or a cool sprinkler head in the ground, I don't immediately touch it, nor try to disassemble anything. Pause and reconsider the possibilities. And check the logs. Don't break anything, and don't grab a live snake. Just sayin.

Edited November 13, 2016 by kunarion

[+Manville Possum]

Have you ever touched anything "interesting"?

 

The name of the cache was "That looks real" and it was at a dog park.....

 

Turned out to be a fake rock and not a fake turd cache.

Edited November 13, 2016 by Manville Possum

[+niraD]

I'm curious though. When you mentioned that I should be careful when touching things. Did you have any particular in mind? Have you ever touched anything "interesting"?

I was thinking mostly about things you might break and things that are dangerous. I've seen (but not touched) a nest of baby rattlesnakes. That was a DNF.

 

And I've seen sprinklers that had been disassembled because someone was looking for a sprinkler cache. My personal rule for sprinkler caches is that I have to have the thing in my hand before I open it.

[DirtCruiser]

 

I'm curious though. When you mentioned that I should be careful when touching things. Did you have any particular in mind? Have you ever touched anything "interesting"?

 

 

I am also relatively new at this hobby, but as somebody who lives in a foresty area I've already had a few run-in's with thorns and various plants of the distictly non-touchy variety. So in my limited experience wearing gloves when searching the underbrush for hidden treasure is a very good idea that can prevent you from making any "rash" ( ) movements...

[+briansnat]

I've cached in groups, alone and with my partner. I think they are all fun.

 

As far as tips.

If going off the beaten path, mark the location of your car with your GPS.

Don't expect the GPS to put you right on the cache. I can be 30 or more feet from where the GPS says it is.

A hiking stick or trekking pole is nice for probing around dark places.

Find the sort of caches you enjoy. Don't fall for the myth that numbers are the most important thing.

Go to events and meet other cachers. You may make some new friends.

Before you hide a cache, find some of a variety of types, sizes and locations.

[christhecrayon]

Have you ever touched anything "interesting"?

 

The name of the cache was "That looks real" and it was at a dog park.....

 

Turned out to be a fake rock and not a fake turd cache.

 

Uhhhhhh.... Sorry... But that's a funny story to tell!

[christhecrayon]

I'm curious though. When you mentioned that I should be careful when touching things. Did you have any particular in mind? Have you ever touched anything "interesting"?

I was thinking mostly about things you might break and things that are dangerous. I've seen (but not touched) a nest of baby rattlesnakes. That was a DNF.

 

And I've seen sprinklers that had been disassembled because someone was looking for a sprinkler cache. My personal rule for sprinkler caches is that I have to have the thing in my hand before I open it.

 

what do you mean exactly when you say 'sprinkler'?

[christhecrayon]

 

I'm curious though. When you mentioned that I should be careful when touching things. Did you have any particular in mind? Have you ever touched anything "interesting"?

 

 

I am also relatively new at this hobby, but as somebody who lives in a foresty area I've already had a few run-in's with thorns and various plants of the distictly non-touchy variety. So in my limited experience wearing gloves when searching the underbrush for hidden treasure is a very good idea that can prevent you from making any "rash" ( ) movements...

 

That's a very good tip! Thanks

[christhecrayon]

I've cached in groups, alone and with my partner. I think they are all fun.

 

As far as tips.

If going off the beaten path, mark the location of your car with your GPS.

Don't expect the GPS to put you right on the cache. I can be 30 or more feet from where the GPS says it is.

A hiking stick or trekking pole is nice for probing around dark places.

Find the sort of caches you enjoy. Don't fall for the myth that numbers are the most important thing.

Go to events and meet other cachers. You may make some new friends.

Before you hide a cache, find some of a variety of types, sizes and locations.

 

Thank you!

 

By saying numbers, do you mean the ratings or popularity?

[+niraD]

And I've seen sprinklers that had been disassembled because someone was looking for a sprinkler cache. My personal rule for sprinkler caches is that I have to have the thing in my hand before I open it.

what do you mean exactly when you say 'sprinkler'?

I mean irrigation sprinklers, and caches that are designed to look like them, for example:

http://www.cachingcontainers.com/sfp/Sprinkler_Geocache_Container

[+briansnat]

I've cached in groups, alone and with my partner. I think they are all fun.

 

As far as tips.

If going off the beaten path, mark the location of your car with your GPS.

Don't expect the GPS to put you right on the cache. I can be 30 or more feet from where the GPS says it is.

A hiking stick or trekking pole is nice for probing around dark places.

Find the sort of caches you enjoy. Don't fall for the myth that numbers are the most important thing.

Go to events and meet other cachers. You may make some new friends.

Before you hide a cache, find some of a variety of types, sizes and locations.

 

Thank you!

 

By saying numbers, do you mean the ratings or popularity?

 

Neither. I mean the idea that the most important thing is adding to your find count, whether or not it is the sort of cache you enjoy.

Edited November 15, 2016 by briansnat

[christhecrayon]

And I've seen sprinklers that had been disassembled because someone was looking for a sprinkler cache. My personal rule for sprinkler caches is that I have to have the thing in my hand before I open it.

what do you mean exactly when you say 'sprinkler'?

I mean irrigation sprinklers, and caches that are designed to look like them, for example:

http://www.cachingcontainers.com/sfp/Sprinkler_Geocache_Container

 

Oh, okay. I got it.

 

I don't know why, but I thought that sprinklers were some kind of spiders!

[christhecrayon]

I've cached in groups, alone and with my partner. I think they are all fun.

 

As far as tips.

If going off the beaten path, mark the location of your car with your GPS.

Don't expect the GPS to put you right on the cache. I can be 30 or more feet from where the GPS says it is.

A hiking stick or trekking pole is nice for probing around dark places.

Find the sort of caches you enjoy. Don't fall for the myth that numbers are the most important thing.

Go to events and meet other cachers. You may make some new friends.

Before you hide a cache, find some of a variety of types, sizes and locations.

 

Thank you!

 

By saying numbers, do you mean the ratings or popularity?

 

Neither. I mean the idea that the most important thing is adding to your find count, whether or not it is the sort of cache you enjoy.

 

Then I think this applies to everything. For example, these days, it would be a waste of time to start university just because you need a PAPER they give you in the end.

[+SeattleWayne]

Tips for beginners: don't get frustrated when you aren't finding caches. Just email someone for a hint.