The Geocaching Glossary

Technical Term

Also called GCID# or GCXXXX. The GCID is the unique alphanumeric code that represents each geocache. It always begins with the letters "GC" (to designate "GeoCache" and ends with a sequentially generated series of numbers and letters.

Geocaching/Forum Term

When a frustrated cacher quits the game with a loud, tantrum-filled departure. This will usually consist of a long forum post rant and the archival of all their hides. Sometimes the geocidal cacher will even delete all of his or her finds.

More often than not geocides are temporary. 

Geocaching Term

Coins or other minted items that are usually produced by individual cachers or groups of cachers. These items are often trackable like travel bugs and have their own identifying number and icon available on Geocaching.com.

Many GeoCoins are highly collectable.  

Geocaching Term/Slang

Also, "Muggle."

Derived from “non-magic folk” in the Harry Potter series, a muggle is a non-cacher.

See also, “muggled.”

Geocaching Term

That trusted combination of instinct and experience that tells you exactly where to look for the cache.

It's also sometimes called, "The Force." 

Geocaching/Hiking Term

Another term for a "Social Trail." An unofficial trail that diverges from an existing trail, as a shortcut to the destination. A social trail usually cuts through a vegetative barrier, such as woods, scrubs, and grass fields (from Wikipedia).

They tend to spring up quickly in areas where there is a lot of vegetation and the caches are hidden far off the main trail. For better or for worse, social trails will often lead you directly to the cache. 

Geocaching/Slang Term

A cache that has fallen into horrible disrepair. Also used for junk items found inside a geocache.

Geocaching Term/Abbreviation

"Green Jeep Travel Bug." These are small die cast yellow jeeps that were released as part of a Jeep promotion in 2006.

See also "Travel Bug," "YJTB," "WJTB," and "RJTB."

Technical Term

“General Mobile Radio Service.” A short-range two-way radio system that requires a valid FCC license.

Technical Term/Abbreviation

 "Global Positioning System." The generic term for the system itself and a common term for a handheld (or any) GPS device. Some people distinguish the system from the device with the abbreviation GPSr (with the "r" standing for "receiver").

Exhibit/Geocache Type

The GPS Adventure Maze is a traveling educational exhibit that teaches people about the inner workings of the GPS system and its uses. The exhibit can be logged as a type of event cache on Geocaching.com.

Check out www.gpsmaze.com to learn more and to see if the maze will be appearing near you! 

Technical Term/Abbreviation

 "Global Positioning System receiver." This term specifically designates a handheld (or any) GPS receiver from the other components in the Global Positioning System.

While the distinction is important it’s not normally necessary. GPS is by far the more common term for the device.

Geocaching Term

GPX files are geocaching databases available to premium members of Geocaching.com in the form of Pocket Queries. GPX files contain all the data an actual cache page would contain including the previous five logs.

Geocaching Term

Also called "GZ." It is the point when your GPS says you have arrived at the cache.

Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean the cache hider's GPS said that was Ground Zero.

Corporate Name

The parent company of Geocaching.com, Waymarking.com and Wherigo.com.  

Groundspeak is a privately-owned corporation headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Geocaching Application

Abbreviation for Geocaching Swiss Army Knife. A very powerful and useful application that allows you to edit and combine GPX files and load them to your GPS and PDA.

GSAK can be found at www.gsak.net . 

Geocaching Term

The Geocache Listing Requirements found at www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx. It's often pointed out that these are guidelines rather than hard and fast rules that most be followed to the letter. The reviewers use the guidelines along with their own experience and common sense to determine whether or not a geocache is publishable on the website.

There is a check box at the bottom of every cache submission page that says, "Yes. I have read and understand the guidelines for listing a cache." Hopefully people actually do read them. 

Geocaching Term

The "Gx Logo" is a public domain geocaching logo designed to represent the game. Since the more familiar "4 Square" Geocaching.com logo is a copyrighted image, it was determined that a generic, royalty-free logo should be developed for use by anyone.

Several cachers worked through several designs in the Geocaching.com forums before the Gx logo was adopted. It's instantly recognizable and easily reproduced.

You can find several variations of it (including a TrueType Font and several animated gifs) at http://bytethebullet.com/geologo/leatherman_variants.htm

Abbreviation/Geocaching Term

Abbreviation for "Ground Zero" It is the point when your GPS says you have arrived at the cache.

Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean the cache hider's GPS said that was Ground Zero.