Category Archives: Educational

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The Hardest 5/5s You’ll Probably Never Log

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The Hardest 5/5s You’ll Probably Never Log While you may never find or log these unique geocaches, you may have fun exploring their cache pages. 1. GC1BE91 A unique geocache that is on the move. At its closest, this geocache is a mere 250 miles away from you. It is traveling at 17,000 MPH. How can this be possible? Published with special permission from Groundspeak in 2008, there is a small locker in the Russian section of the International Space Station which has been designated as a geocache by anyone with the special talents required to reach it. In fact, only one astronaut has ever logged the geocache, but many trackables have visited. 2. GC95P88 This cache is deep, deep, deep under the water. 10,925 meters below the surface, in fact. Captain Nemo himself would be proud to find this one. Placed with special permission from Groundspeak in 2021, the … Continue reading →


25th anniversary Locationless cache available!

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25th anniversary Locationless cache available! @mcgmarauders, NoVAGO feature article writer Did you know that there are “Locationless” caches to be found? Here is the latest one which is available throughout this year. About 16,000 cachers have logged it so far! You just have to find the number 25 on display (anywhere!), advise where it is, and snap a photo of you and that “25” for your log. Have fun! Find “25” and celebrate the 25th anniversary with a new Locationless Cache!  … Continue reading →

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How Far Will You Go for a Trackable?

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Trackables are fun to find in a geocache, or trade at events. But, did you know that there is a trackable on the surface of Mars? NASA scientists came up with the idea for including a trackable on the Mars Perseverance Rover. Printed on a glass disk, it is a calibration target for the rover’s WATSON camera to focus on. When you log the trackable, you’ll earn a souvenir. Lucky for us, we don’t need to leave home to get a glimpse of this trackable.

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Are pathtags works of art?

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It’s true—Pathtags are tiny, tangible masterpieces that merge personal stories with artistic flair, adding another element to the geocaching hobby. Geocachers often use pathtags as personal signature items, leaving them as swag in favorite caches or trading them with fellow cachers. Unlike geocoins or travel bugs, pathtags do not travel; instead, their imaginative designs make them an enjoyable side-activity. Pathtags, roughly the size of a U.S. nickel, feature custom-designed artwork reflecting the cacher’s interests or personality. Pathtags include a serial number on the back, allowing them to be logged, traded, and tracked on the online platform [pathtags.com]. Additionally, at no extra charge, you can include a NoVAGO logo on the back of your pathtag. They are especially popular at large events, where they often commemorate the gathering. These events typically have pathtags available for purchase or include them in event packages. Sometimes, pathtags are earned by finding a series of … Continue reading →

The origins of Geocaching.

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@mcgmarauders, NoVAGO feature article writer Most of us know that modern-day geocaching started on May 2, 2000, when the great blue switch was activated. Twenty-four satellites around the globe were suddenly accessible, making GPS technology available to the general public. However, did you know that the origins of geocaching actual date back to 1854 when the “game” of letterboxing was invented? It all began in Dartmoor, Devon, England when a well-known Dartmoor guide (James Perrott) placed a container for visiting cards at Cranmere Pool on the northern moor in 1854. Hikers on the moors began to leave a letter or postcard inside a box along the trail (sometimes addressed to themselves, sometimes a friend or relative)—hence the name “letterboxing”. Interest in letterboxing in the US is generally considered to have started with a feature article in the Smithsonian magazine in April 1998. Geocaching.com added Letterbox Hybrid caches on May 7, … Continue reading →

Geocaching 101 Class in Winchester, September 28, 2024

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Want to learn more about geocaching? Join NoVAGO at the Handley Regional Library in Winchester on Saturday, September 28, 2024. There will be a “Geocaching 101” presentation at 12 noon hosted by NoVAGO’s president, Gina Thompson. There will be a scavenger hunt inside the library to get you in the mood. Local geocachers will be on hand from 11am-3pm to answer questions. All geocachers are invited to attend the event, whether this is your first “find” or you have thousands under your belt. We look forward to meeting you! Visit the Handley Regional Library website for more info. … Continue reading →

Geocaching 101, Alexandria, June 17th

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Geocaching 101, Alexandria, June 17th If you are just getting started with geocaching and want to learn more, please join us at the Martha Washington Library two weeks from today on June 17th. This Geocaching 101 class is perfect for beginners but open for all. It is also a geocache event, so you may log it as ‘attended’ when you come. The library’s page: https://librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov/event/11900028 The geocache event page: https://coord.info/GCAR0C7 … Continue reading →

Virtual Rewards 4.0

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Virtual Rewards 4.0 Virtual caches do not have a physical container and are designated on the Geocaching.com maps as ghosts.  mcgmaraudersNoVAGO feature article writerTrevor has over 12,000 geocache finds from all around the globe. He also owns more than 140 hides, mostly in the Northern Virginia area. His favorite virtual find is the Lion Gate in Mycenae, Greece (pictured) “There was very little shade and it was 107 deg F, but the Lion Gate, erected in 1250 BC, was most definitely my favorite.” Coordinates are given for an interesting or unique location, typically with a described object such as an art sculpture, historical landmark or a scenic lookout. Validation for finding a virtual cache generally requires emailing information to the cache owner, and/or to post a picture of yourself with your log.  From 2005 to 2017, the geocaching website no longer permitted the placement of new caches without a physical container, … Continue reading →

Spotlighting DC Boundary Stones in Virginia

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Spotlighting DC Boundary Stones in Virginia International Day For Monuments and Sites (April 18, 2024) #spotlightcache Today we are spotlighting geocaches placed along the DC Boundary Stones in Virginia. They are listed in this article from north to south. The country’s first federal monuments were stone markers placed in 1791 on the original boundary of the new capital city. These boundary stones were the brainchild of George Washington to mark out the border. There were originally 40 markers, one for each mile of the 10 x 10-mile diamond plat of land. As you go through these geocache pages, you’ll learn a little more about the unique history of these federal markers, as many of these cache owners have really done their homework. DC Cornerstone (GC6781) The most northern of Virginia’s boundary stones that is accessible to the public, “DC Cornerstone” is one of the four cornerstones. When you are in … Continue reading →

DNF versus Needs Maintenance

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(Originally published August 13, 2013) So what do you do when you are out in the field and cannot find a cache ?? Well, if you are out on your own or with others who have not found the cache, you should be logging the attempt as a DNF (Did not Find). The DNF is a tool that is used by the cache owner (CO) to help them to maintain their caches. Several DNFs in a row are a strong indicator that there is something amiss with a cache. Of course, the other possibility is that the cache is very well hidden and is just not being found. In either case, it is the cache owner’s responsibility to check on it and verify it is in place or fix it if it is not. So how does a Needs Maintenance Log fit into the picture ?? The requirement for a … Continue reading →