Treasure Hunting 2.0

Everyone loves a treasure hunt. The excitement and anticipation of the search combined with the thrill of the hunt is something right out of fairytales and pirate stories of days gone by. We know you might be planning a hunt around the house this weekend, and that’s great. But sometimes you need a little bit more adventure. That’s why we love geocaching.

Geocaching is an outdoor activity in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) to hide and seek containers called “geocaches” or “caches”. The co-ordinates of each cache are posted on a website so that anyone with a GPS can try to find it. It’s a great activity to try out over a long weekend if you’ve been cooped up for too long (like, all winter).

There’s a general misconception that geocaching is about tromping though swamps and forests, over hill and dale. This is not necessarily the case. Many caches are hidden in urban areas. It’s likely there are some embedded in your neighborhood already, but are so well hidden that you didn’t know they were there.

With the proliferation of smart phones and inexpensive handheld GPS devices, geocaching has become an activity that anyone can enjoy—and many do! There is a huge geocaching subculture out there, and it’s ours to tap into.

Are you game to try? First, you need to get your hands on a GPS. Traditional handhelds are great. An iPhone does the job too, but sometimes has issues zeroing in on the precise location (this means that the final stretch might require a bit more effort).

Once you’ve got the technology figured out, sign up for a free account at Geocaching.com in order to search the database and access maps. If you have an iPhone, there’s a handy app you can buy to go with it. It’s one of the priciest we’ve bought (a splurge at $9.99) but totally worth it. We love being able to access all the information so easily.

Start by finding a suitable cache to search. If you have the app, you can search for nearby caches no matter where you are (they’re everywhere). Each cache is rated for difficulty,  so choose something easy to keep frustration down to a minimum (the first time we found a cache was around the corner from our child’s school).

Each cache entry lists a few handy things: the last time it was logged (if it’s a recent date you know it hasn’t been misplaced or lost), a description of what you’re looking for (is it a small canister or a Tupperware container?) and sometimes even hints.

Look at the map that accompanies your chosen cache. You can choose topographic or street view using the app. Be mindful of the environment. Will you be trekking through isolated woods? Busy streets? By water?

Dress accordingly. We’ve been caught in scruffy bushes wearing shorts, open-toe sandals and T-shirts.

Geocaching is a great excuse to go outdoors, and is a lot of fun for kids of all ages (especially Dad). Even though no one is hiding gold bullion anymore, there certainly are other little treasures to be found. Caches generally contain coins and small toys, which really adds to the excitement factor here. What’s more, you’re allowed to take one as long as you leave one (so fill your pockets). Caches also contain log books and it’s considered good form to ‘sign in’ and show you’ve been there.

It’s a hike, it’s a treasure hunt, it’s a great activity for the whole family. It really should have a better name.

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