The smell of fresh sage assaults our nostrils and thrills our senses, waking us to the beauty all around. It’s a cool, clear spring morning in the Santa Monica Mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Southern California. We’ve come to Charmlee Park in Malibu to go geocaching. If you’ve never heard of this outdoor activity, it is part treasure hunt, part hike.
Overview of Geocaching
Geocaching requires hikers (known as geocachers) to use a handheld GPS (global positioning system) to navigate an outdoor, public area – which could be urban or rural – to find hidden containers, called geocaches. These geocaches come in all shapes and sizes and are planted and maintained by other geocachers. Inside the geocache container is a log that geocachers sign and date to show they have found the hidden container. Later, we will log our finds at the official geocache website as well.
Though you may not be aware of them, geocaches can be found all over most cities, hidden in shopping center bushes, tucked into the crevices of abandoned buildings, slipped into trees or sequestered into any place hidden from prying eyes. To find them you must sign up with Geocaching.com and download the informaiton about the caches you would like to include in your search. One important aspect of geocaching is to choose a search that fits with your physical skills and abilities. Details about the terrain and the search difficulty of each geocache are posted on the website.
Geocaching in the Mountains of Santa Monica
Today’s hike in Charmlee Park is only 3.5 miles long and contains 13 geocaches. However, the hike is over rugged terrain that will take us up and down through scrub brush and rocks. My friends joke with me because while we have found geocaches before – like on vacation in Las Vegas – I have never joined them hiking along dirt trails and climbing through bushes. They worry I’m not up for the challenge.
I am excited about the day ahead and the beauty of the area, not to mention our perfect weather. I immediately start taking photos which slows the pace a bit; and I think secretly irritates my friends, though they are too kind to tell me. But once we get into the swing of hiking it is just a matter of following the pre-set coordinates on the GPS to find each geocache.
The first one is considered a micro because of its size. Micros are usually the size of film containers or small, plastic pill bottles, while larger caches are like the ammo box with the two gargoyles that we found further along our route. There are also nanos which are about the size of a fingernail, tough to find and even tougher to log.
A geocache is just an everyday container that someone has camouflaged to blend with the environment. Some geocache containers are so clever it is difficult to tell they are not part of the scenery, like one from a past search which was disguised to look like a tree leaf.
Though we began our day around 11 a.m., we did not finish until after 3 p.m. I am surprised that it has taken us this long. Then my friends remind me how much time we took to search for each geocache. And wait for me to take photos, they joke.
In the end we find and log all 13 caches making it worth the ache in my legs and feet. And though I wasn’t able to get all the photos I wanted – like one of the cute little cottontail bunny or beautiful tiger swallowtail butterfly – I am already looking forward to our next geocache hike.
How to Prepare for Geocaching
Hiking, like any physical activity, requires preparation. So as you select a geocache route consider the difficulty, the terrain and the distance, wear good walking shoes, and be sure to bring:
- Geocache GPS with extra batteries.
- Hiking stick to poke in holes, push back brush and aid you in walking steep terrain.
- Hydration pack or bottled water in a backpack, though a hydration pack offers the pockets of a backpack plus a built-in hydration reservoir so you can drink through a hose while walking. That means no stopping to sip from your water bottle or canteen.
- Sun block, hat, gloves and extra clothing to protect against the elements.
- Snacks like energy bars and fruit.
Before you go, make sure to tell someone where you are going and take along an experienced geocacher. Once you arrive at your hike site, but before you leave your car, make sure to save the location as a GPS waypoint. That way you can find your way back. As you hike, be sure to pay attention to your surroundings and look where you are walking. There may be dangerous plants, bugs or animals in the area.
Good luck and good geocaching!
Deborah S. Hildebrand - Deborah S. Hildebrand is a freelance writer & HR consultant with 20+ years in human resources & a Bachelor's degree in Business.
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