The Geocaching Lingo- All you need to know!

The Geocaching Lingo - All you need to know!

Ever since I started to write on this blog my main focus has been Geocaching, It's my new favourite hobby I picked up a little over a year ago and fell in love with all aspects of this hobby, game or sport, whatever you want to call it it's awesome! I am so glad to have stumble on this entire another world by accident. Want to read more about how we found our very first Geocache? Click Here! I noticed that on the Geocaching side of things there is an entire vocabulary of words that may be new or strange to those like myself who had never heard of such terms before playing the game. I wanted to make this blog post to break down each of those words and give the meaning to each one. If I do forget any word please leave me a comment below as I am sure depending which part of the world you're in you may have your own version of Geo- Lingo. Feel free to share them with us as the Geo-Lingo is always changing. 😊 

Over the years the Geo-Lingo has developed quite a bit. I'll go over the more common words and term that you will see on your day to day Geocaching adventures. If you play the game for a good length of time the first words you may learn and will say very often are "Muggle" and "FTF", we will talk about those two words during this blog post. I'm going to list the most common ones I have encountered during my Geocaching adventures. 

• ALR - "additional logging requirement" There may be some extra logging required beyond finding the logbook. These are optional to the Geocacher.

• Ammo Can - These would be ammunition containers originally used for safe transport and storage of ammunition. These are a popular container for regular large Geocaches. 

• Bison - These can also be known as a Bison Tube. It's a small, metal, water-tight cylindrical container that can be used for micro caches. There are several different Bison Tubes on the market for cache owners to chose from.

• Bookmark List - This feature is only available for premium members and is one of my favourites. It allows you to group geocache listings in whatever way you like. I like this because I can save certain Geocaches I want to find a Geocaching adventure or keep a list of all my favourite Geocaches. 

• Bug - This can also be known as a Travel Bug. A trackable tag with a unique code that can be attached to an item. Once you find a Trackable it can travel with you from cache to cache, you can track its progress on Geocaching.com. Remember to never keep your Bug it must keep travelling into the hands of another Geocacher.

• BYOP - Bring your own pencil, This is very useful for the cache owners to communicate with other Geocachers to advise you that you will need to bring your own pencil to sign the cache logbook.

• Cache - the Shortened version of the word Geocache.

• Cacher - Knows as a Geocacher. One who participates in Geocaching.

• Challenge Caches - This is the type of Geocache that requires the Geocacher to meet a geocaching-related qualification or series of tasks before the challenge cache can be logged online.

• CITO - Cache In Trash Out - Click Here to read our story. 

• Collectible - This would be a status that is assigned to any trackable item that people can keep in their possession, and do not have to physically move it to another Geocache. 

• Collection - This would be a list of collectible trackable items that can be seen only by the owner. Trackables in a collection can only be discovered, they cannot be grabbed, dropped or discovered.

• Coordinates - Latitude and Longitude numbers that pinpoint an exact position on Earth.

• Dipping - When logging a trackable into a Geocache, and immediately logging it back into one's possession. Miles travelled by the trackable are registered. 

• DNF - "Did not find" This is used by Geocachers when a Geocache cannot be found.

• Geocache - A hidden container that usually includes a logbook for Geocachers to sign.

• D/T - This would stand for the difficulty of the terrain, each geocache is designated on a 5-point scale. Difficulty relates to the mental challenge of finding a Geocache, while terrain describes the physical environment. For example, a D1-T1 would be very easy compared to a D-5 T-5.

• EarthCache - This is a special place that people can visit to learn about a unique geoscience feature of our Earth.

• Event Cache - This would be when Geocachers gather together for a Geocaching organization. Check the event page on Geocaching.com to find out when the next Event cache is taking place in your area. 

• Find count - This would be the numbers of Geocaches a player has found.

• FTF - First to Find, This stands for the first person to log a particular geocache as found. Sometimes cache owners will hide am FTF prizes inside the Geocache container for the FTF Geocacher who finds the Geocache first. The special items do not require an equal trade.

• Geocacher - One who participates in Geocaching. 

• Geocaching - A real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Geocachers navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the Geocache hidden at that location.

• Geocaching HQ - World headquarters of Geocaching.com and Groundspeak. The HQ is located in Seattle, Washington, USA.

• Geocoin - A small minted coin with Track at Geocaching.com on one side and a customized impression on the other side. Just like travel bugs these can be tracked on Geocaching.com.

• GPS - Global positioning system that determines a person's location on Earth. 

• GZ - Ground Zero, the point where your GPS device shows that you have reached the Geocache location. At Ground Zero, you are zero feet or zero meters away from your destination.

• Inventory - This would be a list of non-collectible trackable items that can be seen by other Geocachers.

• Letterbox - Letterbox is another form of treasure hunting using instead of coordinates. Sometimes, the letterbox owner has made their container both a letterbox and a Geocache and posted its coordinates on Geocaching.com. If there is a stamp inside a Letterbox Hybrid, it is not an item intended for trade; the stamp is meant in the box so other Geocachers can use it to record their visit. 

• LN - This stands for Left Nothing. A common term used when a Geocacher leaves nothing in the Geocache and simply signs the logbook. 

• Locationless Cache - This is a grandfathered Geocache type that considered the opposite of a traditional cache. Geocachers needed to find a hidden container by locating a specific object and log its coordinates. 

• Log / Logbook- This would be the physical record of every Geocacher that has signed the geocache, this is also the online record of every Geocacher that has interacted with the Geocache. 

• Lock & Lock - Lock & locks are a type of container that uses four snaps on the lid to create a seal. This is used a lot as a Geocache container. 

• Micro - This would be the smallest Geocache size.

• Muggle / Muggled - When a non-Geocacher find a Geocache. When a Geocacher uses this term often it means the Geocache has been dismantled or removed by an unsuspecting non-player.

• Muggle - Each time I hear this word and say it when I'm out hunting for a Geocache I automatically think of Harry Potter, Does anyone else? Muggles are non-Geocachers, sorta like non-wizards in the Harry Potter world. Someone who is not in on the big secret of all the treasure hidden around them, those are who we like to call Muggles.

• Multi-Cache - Multi-caches usually involve two or more locations before the final location has been found which usually holds the Geocache container.

• Mystery Cache - This would be a non-traditional Geocache type that doesn't fit into any other category. Coordinates listed on the cache page are often incorrect, the final coordinates must be solved for through a series of steps or instructions. This is also known as a puzzle cache. Click Here for other Geocaching Types. 

• Nano - The tiniest of all Micos - The smallest Geocache you will ever be searching for. 

• Non-collectible - This would be a trackable item that can be easily grabbed, dropped, discovered etc. 

• Premium members - Geocachers with a paid premium membership. Premium members have more features available to them.

• Power Trail - This would be a path with a large number of caches placed within close proximity to each other. Helps Geocachers increase the find count. 

• Puzzle cache - This would be a type of mystery cache involving a puzzle that needs to be solved to determine the final coordinates. The puzzle should be able to be solved with the information provided by the cache owner.

• STF - Second to find the Geocache. 

• SL - Signed log.

• Signal - Signal the frog is the official mascot of Geocaching.

• Spoiler - This is important, often when you see this word on a Geocache there will be lots of details about the Cache location to come. If you do not want to ruin the Cache hide then stop reading, if you do not care and want to see where the cache is hidden then keep reading. 

• SWAG - This stands for "Stuff we all get" This would include the trade items left in caches by geocachers. 

• Travel Bug - This would be a trackable tag that you attach to an item. We recently found a cool one attached to the Car key of a Honda civic it holds a really neat story we will share in a later blog post. This item becomes a hitchhiker that is carried from cache to cache or person to person. You can follow it's progress on Geocaching.com, I enjoy reading the story behind the trackable and all the places it's travelled to before reaching my hands. It's always something that really fascinates me. 

• TB - This stands for Travel bug. It's a tag with a unique code that can be attached to an item. The trackable is then carried from cache to cache in the real world. You can follow your TB's journey on Geocaching.com.

• TB Hotel - Travel bug hotel. This geocaches's sole purpose is to act as an exchange point for Travel Bugs. These are normally medium to large size containers. 

• TFTC - Thanks for the cache, You will see this word often when reading the stories and experience of other Geocachers.

• TFTH - Thanks for the hide. Can only be written T4TH.

• TNLN - Took nothing left nothing, This is usually written in the cache logbook by geocachers who do not trade for material in the cache they simply find the cache and sign the logbook.

• TOTT - This stands for a tool of the trade. Another word used for any of the tools that might be used to search for/ retrieve/ find or log a Geocache. 

• Virtual Cache - This another one of the grandfathered Geocaches where Geocachers discovered locations rather than a container. The way to log a Virtual depends on the rule of the cache owner. 

• Waymarking - Waymarking.com offers another way to mark unique locations on the planet and gives them a voice. While GPS allows us to pinpoint any location on the planet, mark the location, and share it with others, Waymarking is the toolset for categorizing and adding unique information for that location.

• Waypoint - This would be a reference point to a physical place on earth. These are defined by a set of coordinates that typically include longitude, latitude and sometimes altitude. Every Geocache listed on Geocaching.com is a waypoint.

• Webcam Cache - These are grandfathered Geocaches using existing web cameras placed by individuals or agencies that monitor various areas such as parks or business complexes. To log this type of Geocache you will need to set yourself in front of the camera.Then use your smartphone or ask a friend to access the camera from the website displaying the camera shot that has you in it. 

• Wherigo Cache - Wherigo.com is a toolset for creating and playing GPS-enabled adventures in the real world. By adding a Wherigo cartridge, with find a cache, the geocaching hunt can be an even richer experience. 

There are so many terms and word in the Geocaching world, these are the ones I see the most while out there searching for treasure. If there is a term not listed here feel free to leave me a comment as Geo lingo always changes. 😊

Thank you so much for reading! 

* Happy Caching *