Apps/websites for waypoints??

juz10lew15

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 3, 2016
Messages
3
Im trying to firgure out how to use my Garmin (GPSmap 62s) for geocaching. I downloaded the Geocach app but they want money (of course). Does anyone here know where to get free waypoints and/or geocaches? Any good apps or websites? I am VERY new to this. Any pointers?
Thank you!
 

vadimax

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
2,269
Location
Vilnius, Lithuania
I've got Garmin GPSMAP 64. The first thing I've done -- removed all unnecessary preloaded information and geocaching points among them.
 

KITROBASKIN

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 28, 2013
Messages
5,387
Location
New Mexico, USA
Im trying to firgure out how to use my Garmin (GPSmap 62s) for geocaching. I downloaded the Geocach app but they want money (of course). Does anyone here know where to get free waypoints and/or geocaches? Any good apps or websites? I am VERY new to this. Any pointers?
Thank you!

Welcome to CandlePowerForums!

Hey don't mind him when he says rude things. He has good, useful information sometimes too. But then again, I sometimes say rude things here as well. You do not deserve any rudeness.

Anyways, have you tried any local folks (outdoor stores, internet search for local enthusiasts, talked to people out in the field) who can steer you to what is around you? I've seen people, usually with kids, who are looking for geocaches out in the forest or near our community center. More than once, while traveling at night, glittering things can be seen dangling in tree branches or even on the ground behind a tree. Turns out they are little capsules with rolled up paper in them. My son has gone twice to the same cache a friend showed him and exchanged items. It is fun and a good way to learn GPS skills.

One time I lost a dog leash in mostly untracked forest. Since I was recording the route, the next weekend, son and I retraced the track and actually found the leash! The error spread on my GPS can be substantial (maybe 20 feet or so) but one of our dogs found it first and paused to smell it, giving me the clue. It was fun and took about 45 minutes to find.

Good Luck on your Quest!
 

KITROBASKIN

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 28, 2013
Messages
5,387
Location
New Mexico, USA
Sadly, the person who started this thread has not logged in since the first day he registered. Hopefully others can benefit from the link, or the Original Post Author checks in...
 

Booga

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jan 2, 2018
Messages
35
Location
United Kingdom
If anyone else is worried about the official geocaching app wanting your money there is an alternative free app called c:geo which I use and is very popular. You can sign up for a free account on the geocaching.com website then use c:geo on your phone to access all the caches that are available to basic members.

There is such a thing as premium membership which has extra features and access to more caches but it isn't a necessity. I found loads of caches with no issues before someone bought me premium membership as a gift.
 

nbp

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
10,970
Location
Wisconsin
I bought the old Geocaching.com app a while back for $10 to get full features. Fast forward, I hadn't gone caching in quite a while, and decided it was time so I pulled up the app. Behold, the app is dead and you need to download a new one. OK, I do that, only to find out that you need to pay $30 per year to get the full features on the new app...even though I had paid for the old app!! I am really not happy about that. You can access many caches for "free" but the more difficult ones you need to pay for. Supposedly you can still see them all on the website but it is more of a pain to hunt and log w/o the app functionality. I guess when I find all the free caches in my area maybe I'll buy the membership for a year and look for the other ones. It sucks because the app really is a nice way to hunt. When I first geocached some 15 years ago, I had to log on at home, print out sheets for the caches I wanted to do, plug them into my GPS, go hunting, come home, get on the PC and log the visits... Now you can do it all in moments from your phone!
 

dave1066

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 29, 2017
Messages
3
Location
Hastings, UK
I bought the old Geocaching.com app a while back for $10 to get full features. Fast forward, I hadn't gone caching in quite a while, and decided it was time so I pulled up the app. Behold, the app is dead and you need to download a new one. OK, I do that, only to find out that you need to pay $30 per year to get the full features on the new app...even though I had paid for the old app!! I am really not happy about that. You can access many caches for "free" but the more difficult ones you need to pay for. Supposedly you can still see them all on the website but it is more of a pain to hunt and log w/o the app functionality. I guess when I find all the free caches in my area maybe I'll buy the membership for a year and look for the other ones. It sucks because the app really is a nice way to hunt. When I first geocached some 15 years ago, I had to log on at home, print out sheets for the caches I wanted to do, plug them into my GPS, go hunting, come home, get on the PC and log the visits... Now you can do it all in moments from your phone!

You've been caching a little longer than me. I started in 2009. Like you, I started with a free membership, looking at caches on a map, printing the co-ordinates and other info onto paper, then out 'in the field' having to enter the co-ordinates into my GPS receiver. It's all changed since then!

I'm now a geocaching.com 'premium' member, which does mean I pay each year (£25). Just to clarify a few things - you don't pay for "more difficult ones". There are indeed geocache hides that are for premium members only, but they tend to be no easier or harder than 'standard' ones. The reason some are made 'premium' only is to try and stop those who spoil the game by signing up with a free account then stealing/vandalising/spoiling some caches that are perhaps more elaborate, that have taken a long time to make/place and/or cost a fair bit in materials.

I use something called c:geo (Android only) on my phone (there's a free one for Apple too). c:geo is free, and is fully functional for non-premium and premium members alike. It is a brilliant app, especially as it's free! However, having a premium membership means that c:geo can 'access more info' and perform in 'better ways' (here's not the place to discuss that though!).

What I can say is if you're into you're torches (or flashlights!) then you'll probably really enjoy 'night caching'. Night caching is simply geocaching but intended to be carried out in the dark. Often the caches will involve reflective material that blends in during daylight but when picked out with a torch at night light up like a beacon - all good fun! I've found the brighter the torch and the greater the throw the better, floody stuff isn't quite as useful for picking up reflective material at great distances. I'll usually use two torches, a floody one to see where I'm going and a long throw to pick out the markers.
 
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