Family Camping BASECAMP | LITTLE EXPLORERS | BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW | GET-AWAY | BUBBLE STREET WILDERNESS SLEUTH: Look for over


8.000 EarthCaches worldwide. PHOTO: KATHLEEN WILKER


[ little exPlorers ]


Geocaching Gone Green T


UNEARTHING NATURE’S BEST KEPT SECRETS ONE WAYPOINT AT A TIME BY KATHLEEN WILKER


he last time our family went geocaching was on a camping trip. Following our GPS


coordinates, we paddled to an island in search of buried treasure. Our GPS led us over a patch of grey lichen, around a giant white pine and through a thicket of poison ivy before we finally uncovered a plastic sandwich container. Open- ing the lid, my daughter was disappointed by what she unearthed—a box of batteries. As useful as batteries might be to geocach-


ing campers, they could leach heavy metals and corrosives into the environment. Then again, the small plastic trinket that we left be- hind wasn’t exactly eco-friendly either. And really, why are we searching for small plastic toys when we could be listening to birds sing, watching chipmunks chase each other up trees and throwing pebbles into still lakes.? So instead, our family has discovered


EarthCaching—geocaching’s environmentally friendly cousin. You still get to hunt for trea-


28 SUMMER/FALL 2010


sures and develop your navigational skills with a GPS, but with EarthCaching, you’re searching for natural treasures—nature’s best kept se- crets and most beautiful spots. Fossils, mineral deposits, volcanic formations, glacial features, rare wildflowers, hot springs, caves and histori- cal landmarks are all EarthCaching treasures.


Materials


n Computer with Internet access to locate EarthCaches.


n Free membership account on www.geocaching.com.


n GPS (global positioning system) unit to find EarthCaches.


n Latitude and longitude coordinates, including details of the cache.


n Camera to take a picture at the EarthCache.


n Proper clothing and equipment for outdoor travel.


Directions


n Search for caches at www.EarthCache. org. Choose an EarthCache in your area or place you will be travelling to.


n Login and create an account on www. geocaching.com to access the GPS coordinates of an EarthCache.


n Enter the latitude and longitude coordinates of the EarthCache in your GPS to create a waypoint.


n Using your GPS, navigate toward the EarthCache.


n When you find the EarthCache, take a picture of you and your family, with your GPS, in front of the cache.


n Back home, upload your pictures to www. EarthCache.org and add comments about your find.


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