General theme

Geocaching, hiking, backpacking and other outdoor activities involve risk to both persons and property. There are many variables including, but not limited to, weather, fitness level, terrain features and outdoor experience, that must be considered prior to seeking or placing a Cache. Be prepared for your journey and be sure to check the current weather conditions before heading outdoors. Always exercise common sense and caution.

Supervision

• Be sure to tell someone—a friend, partner, or family member—where you are going, how to get in touch, and about what time you expect to return. Set a turnaround time and make sure you check back in upon your return so they don’t worry!
• In-the-area supervision is recommended following initial skill instruction and after all safety concerns have been emphasized.
• Safety Considerations
  • Getting lost: Disorientation and safety when exploring outdoors
  • Offsite trips: It is recommended that you have a safety and emergency action plan created and in place. To use Geocaching Edmonton and Area Association website: visit https://www.GEAA.ca
• Identify and address any hazards, such as poisonous plants, wildlife risk, or water hazards before getting started.
• Geocaching alone is fun however geocaching in groups or with a partner is always safer.
• With younger participants, only use areas which can be overseen by supervisors.
• Check the weather forecast before going out and dress with appropriate clothing.
• Ensure you don’t disturb any wildlife and leave the space as you found it.

Instructional Considerations

• Geocachers must understand the terrain and difficulty level of the cache they are seeking, new cachers should try and avoid difficulty or terrain ratings above 3.0.
• Prior to initial use of a geocache route, a cacher should check the cache page online as cache pages often identify dangers along the route, be prepared for those and try to identify potential hazards beforehand.
• In more advanced difficulty and terrain rated caches participants must understand what to do in case of getting lost or injured:
  • Stop, try to track back to the last point that you were certain about your location.
  • Choose a safer route to return. If you are lost or hurt stay still and ask your partner to get help or blow the distress call (three whistle blasts) until help arrives.
• In new areas always work in groups or partners: ask participants to tell the leader if they can’t see their partner or someone from their group.
• Emphasize safe map reading practice: to avoid tripping and falling, look up from the phone or GPSr and familiarize yourself with the terrain before you start. The most direct path is not always the best path, use the satellite image map to see if there is a smarter way to the cache.

Equipment/Facilities

• GPSr and phones are the major tools of geocachers, however they both run on batteries be prepared with back-up charging devices and batteries.
• Experienced geocachers always carry a geocaching maintenance kit, this should include standard survival tools that a day hiker would have, along with extra pencils and paper for geocache maintenance.
• All geocaches are to be placed with land owner permission, however two things to consider are: 1. the actual permission may not have been sought given that the hider assumed the land was public, or 2. The shortest or easiest path to the geocache may be on private property, so that path must be avoided.
• In forested areas geocachers should carry safety equipment such as a whistle and be instructed in its use, e.g., three loud blasts indicate that they require assistance.
• Be sure to leave the cache location as found, do not litter or cause public alarm or damage the site.