X Marks The Spot...

Or is it N 46° 59.156, W 123° 44.609? For geocachers, it’s the latter.

Yes, fellow muggles (non-geocachers), there is a modern day treasure hunt taking place all around us and the treasure is surprisingly…ordinary. There’s no commandeering ships or scouring secluded tropical islands for chests full of booty. No, definitely not. But if you watched a geocacher on the hunt successfully locate the cache they were seeking, you’d think it was full of gold doubloons instead of the typical log book and possible trinket. It’s the thrill of the hunt, the game of hide and seek, the sense of adventure that is making geocaching the hippest new pastime. And it’s free! You can’t beat that.

the "treasure" geocachers seek

For those of you who are bemused by the idea of a modern day treasure hunt with no actual treasure, you aren’t alone. Geocaching is a relatively new past time just celebrating its 12^th birthday last month. The game is simple and mirrors the childhood game of hide and seek: someone hides a container (of varying size) with a log book and optional trinkets inside. They post the GPS coordinates, such as on geocaching.com, for others to find, and voila – you have a new treasure to seek! Did you know this was happening in Grays Harbor? In fact, according to geocaching.com there are 2,293 different Geo Caches within a 25 mile radius of Aberdeen. That’s a lot of adventure!

My first geocache at Lake Aberdeen

If you were wondering how to make your summer economical yet fun this might be your solution. It’s a largely family-friendly activity, remotely inexpensive and very outdoors, plus it gives a taste of adventure even in familiar territory. In fact, it might even get you to explore parts of Grays Harbor you’ve never bothered to visit before. Or you don’t have to go far from home. Just look at the map below and you’ll see a plethora of caches right here in the Aberdeen city limits. Did you have any idea our neighbors were playing scavenger hunt all around the community? How much fun is that!

To get started, you need GPS technology. These days, most SMART phones have some sort of navigation program you can punch coordinates into, and apps that you can download (I recommend the free C:Geo app that links to your geocaching.com account). If you don’t have a SMART phone, there are handheld GPS units for sale at places like Cabela’s and Wholesale Sports in Lacey. Next, you’ll need to sign up for an account on geocaching.com- a basic account is free- as this is the only way to get coordinates for the difference caches. Now, go caching! Make sure you wear appropriate gear for whatever type of cache you're seeking - hiking clothes, water bottles, snacks, etc. And don’t forget to Log your Visit on geocaching.com after you’ve found a cache.

c:geo app screenshot

There’s quite a culture in the world of Geocache. I recommend you explore these additional resources to get the most out of your Geocaching adventure:

Geocaching 101

Glossary of Geocaching Terms

Here's a quick video for anyone new to Geocaching:

Lastly, keep an eye out because Go Go Grays Harbor will soon be setting out 5 brand new geocaches in the Grays Harbor area to help you get in the spirit!