Tips for new cachers

February 23, 2103 UPDATE - I have been updating and editing this a bit now that I am actively caching again.

This topic comes up quite a bit on Reddit (example, another example), and since I'm relatively new at caching and have learned a great deal in the past few months, I figure I'd share what worked for me.  Feel free to use the comments section below this post to add your own input, or even better, get on the Geocaching subreddit and join some great discussions.

A little history - I officially started caching in July of 2012.  If you count my non-logged DNFs (did not find), I would estimate that I was actually finding less than half of what I was looking for.  Sometimes this was simply due to the fact that I didn't have a lot of time to cache. There were many times when I only had about 5 minutes to look before I had to get in to work.  Other times it was due to the placement of the hides. I live in a very developed area and my initial finds were a lot of LPCs (lamp post caches) and Nanos that were in busy parking lots.  Again, because I usually cache before work and on lunch break, I had a very limited time to wait around for the area to clear out.

I've since found over 170 caches, with over 150 of them being solo or with my 7 year old (so pretty much solo, ha ha!).  I now know so much more than when I first started out, it amazes me that I was ever able to find caches in the first place.  I'm also much more aware of how much I don't know.  Sure, I'm a caching machine compared to when I started out, but I have seen more than a few local cachers with thousands of finds, and the amount of experience they have is staggering.

Long story short - I have put together a list of the top things I wish I knew when I first started out, and am presenting it here.  Enjoy!

1 - Cache with an experienced cacher.  Even if it's only once.

I think the thing that helped me the most early on was a short caching trip I took with my dad and my son. My dad has been caching for a few years and I learned more in 2 hours caching with him than I did the rest of the first month. If you don't know a local cacher, check the Geocaching website for local groups - I ended up finding a group in my area (Philadelphia suburbs) and they have a Facebook page where people post questions and suggestions, and plan meetups. Very helpful.

If you don't like dealing with people face to face (believe me, I understand), look for online communities, such as Reddit.  There are plenty of conversations that are helpful for new cachers.  It doesn't beat actually getting out with someone experienced, but at least you'll have some place to turn when you have questions.

2 - Familiarize yourself with the basic kinds of hides.

The most common types of caches in your area really depend on where you live. I'm in a heavily developed area, so there are a lot of ones hidden in shopping centers and public areas. There are some parks in the area that have a lot of caches, but by and large, the easiest caches to find (and learn on) are the ones in shopping centers. They are usually hidden behind signs or underneath the skirts of light poles (more info on both below). These days, I don't really go out of my way to find that type, but they were great to learn with.

• LPC - Lamp Post Caches.  These are caches hidden underneath a lamp post skirt - the little boxy thing toward the base of the light pole.  The lamp post skirts lift up, and people hide bison tubes, magnetic keyholders, or pill bottles underneath.  I'll post an example as soon as I stage and take a picture of one (no spoilers, remember!)


• Nano Caches - Nano hides can be confusing for several reasons.  The first is that these containers are really, really tiny.  The second is that there is come confusion about how to categorize them.  Technically, nano hides are a subset of micros, so if you see a cache listed as micro it may actually be a nano.  A lot of people don't classify them as micros, though, so occasionally you'll see a cache listed as "Other" that's actually nano sized.  I'd say that it's a 50/50 chance that the cache owner bothers to note that you'll be looking for a nano anyway, so if you've checked all the obvious places for a larger hide, start thinking smaller.
  
  A common place to hide nano containers is behind street signs.  There is a little magnet in the base of the container, and a little gap between the ferrous metal of the sign pole and the sign itself.  Check in that little area for the nano.
  
  Once you find your first nano, most of the rest of them become much easier. You may occasionally run into a tricky nano, and people have been known to hide nanos in the woods, which is really just plain wrong.
  
  Here is a picture of a nano container, and where to look for them 90% of the time:

A nano on a Post-It, next to a Travel Bug.  Weird stuff for size comparison,
but it's all I had on hand when I took the picture.

Nanos are hidden in the little gap between the sign and the sign post 90% of the time.
If there is a sign near the coordinates, you should check here first.

• Guard Rail Caches - These are typically magnetic keyholders, or similar magnetic containers, that are hidden in the end of guard rails.  Guard rail hides are some of the easiest to find, as the end of the rail is usually the only hiding spot.  The only real issue is when the guard rail happens to be on a busy road and you need to dodge traffic while still looking inconspicuous.

The end of a guard rail.  Most of them have a curved metal bumper on the end, but this was easier for taking pictures.  NOTE - The cache may be hidden behind any of the support legs, not just at the end.

Almost all guard rail caches are magnetic, but only some are key holders.  It's easy enough to tape or glue magnets onto regular cache containers, so they are common as well.

This isn't a real cache - I'm just demonstrating.  No spoilers, remember?

• Tree hides - Tree hides are very common.  There are numerous places on a tree where a cache can be hidden.  The obvious spots are holes in the tree or root system, but small bison tubes are often zip tied to branches.  Trees and shrubs of all sizes are used for this, though in areas where leaves actually drop off the trees in the autumn, evergreen trees may provide more camouflage.


• Other common containers - Common containers include bison tubes, pill bottles, film canisters, lock and lock containers, and ammo cans.  Urban and suburban hides tend to be micro and small sized, while caches off the beaten path or in less populated regions can get a bit larger.  This is a rule of thumb - I've seen video of 5 gallon bucket cache hidden in plain sight right on a main street of a city.


• Geopiles - Even the best containers sometimes don't quite blend into the environment.  When that happens, it's accepted practice to make a little pile of the nearby debris to conceal the cache.  Sticks, rocks, bark, pine needles, or a combination thereof.  If you know you are in the right area and can't see the cache, start looking for little piles and then check underneath.
  
  Please note that critters sometimes take advantage of geopiles and make homes out of them. I have disturbed two snakes (both harmless) and a mouse in geopiles.  It may be a good idea to poke around with a stick first, and gloves are also very, very handy.  I don't think that's a pun, but hey, I tried.
  
  Enjoy these pictures of simulated geopiles (no spoilers!)

Rock piles I happened to find.  Not geopiles, but you get the idea. Look for artificial piles of natural material, like rocks or sticks.

A closer look.  Just a pile of rocks.  Easily ignored, but if you know what to look for you're set.

3 - Check the Difficulty and Terrain ratings before looking for a cache.

While they are not 100% accurate, Difficulty and Terrain ratings usually give you a good idea of what to expect. Look for 1 or 1.5 difficulty hides when first starting out.  There are usually a lot of them, and they shouldn't be too hard.  Search for caches with Terrain ratings that you are comfortable with.  Again, a 1 or a 2 shouldn't be all that bad.

4 - Check the logs.

Before you go looking for a cache, make sure to check the recent logs.  I can't stress this enough.  If you use a smartphone, just read the logs on your phone.  If you use a GPS with paperless caching you will have the last few logs from when you copied the GPX file to your GPS, so make sure that you update your GPS at least once a week if you want current data.  A few more tips:

• There are often more hints in the logs than in the cache description.
• If the last few people didn't find it, odds are that you won't either, and this will just be an exercise in frustration.
• While you're not supposed to post hints or spoilers, some people post pictures that give away more than they should.
• Logs also give you insight into the local caching community.  You'll soon recognize the active cachers, and will learn to add weight to the comments from the successful ones.
• There are often more hints in the logs than in the cache description.  Yes. I said it twice.  The logs are just as important as the cache description, especially if the cache has been around for a while.  It's much easier finding a cache with 40 logs than it is to get the FTF. 

5 - Expand your search radius.

Your GPS position is only as accurate as the coordinates, and it's reasonable to expect to be up to 30 feet / 9 meters off of where you think you are.  The most inaccurate coordinates I have found showed up on my GPS as being around 90 feet / 27 meters off.  This could be due to my GPS bouncing around under tree cover, or the original coordinates may be off.

If you have checked the logs as per #4 above, keep note of anyone who mentions that the cache coordinates were inaccurate.  It's not uncommon for people to post revised coordinates in their log, so jot them down and adjust your search accordingly.

It's also a good habit to use GZ as your base point and then expand your search to check likely places.  Do you see any trees with lots of knots or holes nearby?  Is there a pile of rocks with nooks and crannies where a cache may be hidden?  As you cache you'll start being able to judge distances by eye a bit better, and while 30 feet sounds like a lot, it's almost always within sight (unless you're on a high terrain difficulty cache) and you will eventually be able to find it with a little looking.

6 - Learn the Geocaching jargon.

In order to understand the logs, you should be very familiar with the Geocaching jargon.  I have a short guide here, though it's more focused on terms that I use on this blog.  TFTC, GZ, SL, TNLN, CO, DNF, etc... all can have meaning on a log, and if you're looking for hints you'll want to make sure that you understand what's being said.

When looking at hints, something like GR may mean "guard rail".  An LPC or LPS is a "light pole cache" or "light pole skirt".  A "cache and dash" or "park and grab" implies that you should be able to park very close by and it should only take a few minutes to find.

There are plenty of lists of terms online, and a good place start is on the official Geocaching Glossary.  As always, Google is also your friend.

7 - Double check on Google Maps

I have a whole post on using Google Maps to find Geocaches, but even if you have a GPS or a smartphone, it's a great supplement.  My post goes into a lot more detail, but the gist of it is to look for landmarks on the aerial photos to help orient yourself when you get close to GZ.

8 - Don't hesitate to log DNFs or ask for help.

The Geocaching community seems to be one of the friendlier online communities around.  I have messaged cache owners and always received responses, and I have been messaged in turn by people looking for hints. I had once made a find on a very difficult local cache, and a much more experienced cacher messaged me out of the blue looking for a hint.  It was great to be able to chat with someone who had so many finds, and now I have someone to shout out to if I get stuck.

Look for local caching groups (check Facebook), and as I've suggested before, online communities such as Reddit are great as well.  The Geocaching web site also has its built-in messaging feature, if you need to contact someone directly.

9 - Never assume that you know what you're looking for.

There's a lot to be said about not assuming stuff anyway, but it's doubly important when caching.  On more than one occasion I have made an assumption about what a hide must be, only to waste a long time looking in the wrong spot.  I once spent upwards of an hour looking for a bison tube on a tree branch, when the actual hide was a camouflaged pill bottle hidden near the roots.

Even if everything in a cache description seems well defined, there is a lot of room for interpretation.  There are no real hard and fast rules about cache sizes, just guidelines.  Some people list bison tubes as small rather than micro.  Sometimes people intentionally list the wrong size, just to throw cachers off.

A key here is to check the logs, as repeatedly mentioned above.  Sometimes people take pictures of the cache, even though it's frowned upon.  Look for logs on micro sized caches saying that people left or traded trinkets - that implies that you're looking for something at least the size of a pill bottle.

As long as you go to a cache site without many preconceived notions of what you're looking for, you'll be in decent shape.

10 - Keep trying... but know when to take a break.

Geocaching can be both an incredibly rewarding and incredibly frustrating pastime.  Many caches are intentionally very difficult to find, and as a new cacher you may be unable to find well over half of what you go looking for.  They key is to keep plugging away at it, and hopefully the tips above will give you enough of an edge to make it a bit easier for you.

As you gain experience you'll also be better able to make the judgement call on when you just need to stop looking for a cache and try again later.  Early on, it wasn't unusual for me to spend upwards of an hour looking for a cache and just getting myself more and more frustrated.  At the time, giving up was the last thing I wanted to do, but I did it to maintain my sanity.  Weeks later, after having found many more caches and gaining experience, I would retry a cache that had stumped me, and 9 times out of 10 I'd find it within minutes.

These days, if I get stuck I'm pretty likely to move on after searching for a few minutes.  That gives me time to think about it without having the pressure of actually knowing that the cache may be 3 feet in front of me staring me in the face.  Always feel free to take a break and come back to it later.

Experience only comes with time, and each cache you do find gives you knowledge that may help you find something in the future. Keep plugging away at it and look forward to getting those milestones!  I remember how excited I was when I found 20, then 50, then 100 and 150 hides.  I'm looking forward to reaching 200 relatively soon, and this hobby has given me something to keep me busy on lunch breaks, boring weekends, and when I travel.  Persistence is the key - keep at it, and you can only get better.

Hopefully you'll find these tips helpful. As mentioned above, feel free to use the comment section below to share your thoughts.

Now get out there and get caching!