Geocaching &
Benchmark Hunting




What do you get when you combine a Global
Positioning System (GPS) receiver with a
treasure hunt? A fun new hobby that's a great
way to explore the outdoors and learn some
of your area's history!


I currently own three geocaches. One is a puzzle cache not far from my home, one is a multistage virtual cache about the geology of Yosemite Valley, and one (co-owned with a friend) is an easy two-stage cache about San Francisco's Hetch Hetchy water system. I also invite you to read an article I wrote for the Yosemite Association's quarterly journal about geocaching in Yosemite.

I've actually been spending more time lately on a spinoff of geocaching known as benchmark hunting. My fellow geeks and I look for old survey markers; some of us even perform a public service by reporting our results to the National Geodetic Survey. I've been focusing my efforts on finding old marks in Yosemite National Park.

Then there are the Disneymarks. Mickey ears on a disk, anyone? With the help of a few close friends and a bunch of other helpful contributors, I've collected photos of and coordinates for more than 100 marks at the Disney parks and hotels in California and Florida.


Related links

Geocaching.com
Geocaching.com is the place to go for information on this fun hobby. They also have an excellent introduction to Benchmark Hunting. You can click here to see a list of all the caches I own.

Disney Benchmarks
Comprehensive information about and photos of the survey marks at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Caching Now
I'm the contributing editor for this online magazine about geocaching and benchmark hunting. It's got articles of interest to professional surveyors as well as hobbyists.




Professional Work | Off Hours


patty@wintertime.com





Text and photos (c) 1997-2008 Patricia F. Winter, except as noted.
Last updated 7/25/08


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