My First Find !

[+basquehiker]

I am very new here and wanted to say hello to everyone on this great site!!!!

 

**This turned into a long post. Bottom line is that I need to learn how to better use my new Garmin. Any tips, websites, videos, are appreciated.**

 

I am a "weekend warrior" type of hiker and try to do a 10+ mile hike every week. I never felt the need for a GPS until I started planning a 3 day, 2 night backpacking / camping trip for me and a couple of buddies. Since I am the most experienced hiker in the bunch, I figured I should spring for a GPS and get familiar with it. I have also been interested in geocaching for a long time, so the GPS could serve two purposes. I recently bought a Garmin Oregon 450T and spent a few minutes reading the very brief instructions and watching some beginner Garmin videos.

 

I joined this site and learned how to download a few cache spots into my GPS.

 

My first attempt at my hiking spot was a complete fail. The first cache I had downloaded was only .4 mile (as the crow flies) away from the parking lot and looked simple enough. Trying to navigate to that cache took me about 1.5 miles and had me switching trails several times. I would start getting closer and then find myself getting further away. I did eventually find the spot, but I hadn't written down the hint and there were too many people around to spend a lot of time looking. It turns out that if I had just followed my regular route I would have passed the site, like I do on all my hikes at the park.

 

Then I looked at my tracks or route and noticed that it was all messed up. Even though I had turned off my GPS after initially checking it out at home, it had added the distance from home to the park (16 miles in a car) to my current track. I never could figure out how to clear it. I also found myself unfamiliar with just how to use a GPS.....was getting frustrating, but I plugged along.

 

I knew I had downloaded another cache in an area with a lone trail so I tried again. My GPS did get me to this one, where I discovered a great little hidden pasture. I had walked the trail numerous times and never seen it on the other side of the brush. Of course I didn't find the nice little deer trail until my way out and ended up bushwhacking (exaggerating a little) my way into the pasture. The feeling of finding my first cache was great! I felt proud to sign in.

 

I am sure I will continue geocaching, sort of adds some spice to my normal hikes. Just need to learn how to use this GPS!!!!!

[+mom2sage]

Welcome! I spent many hours bushwhacking my way to caches, trying to get them as the crow flies, not realizing that trails eventually get you there. It is an addicting hobby and you will get the hang of it the more you do. You might try a few local drive-bys first to get used to the gpsr. Have fun!

[+msrubble]

Even though I had turned off my GPS after initially checking it out at home, it had added the distance from home to the park (16 miles in a car) to my current track.

 

You must have accidentally left the GPS on while traveling to or from the park.

 

I never could figure out how to clear it.

 

When you first turn on the GPS, on the main menu, page through, using the arrows at the bottom until you see an icon "Track Manager." It has two gray shoe prints. Press on that. Press on "Current Track." Scroll down to the bottom. Press "Clear Current Track." It will ask whether you really want to clear the track log. Say yes. Hit the red x at lower left to get back to the menu.

 

I recommend the Garmin Oregon GPS Wiki. It answers many questions that the user manual from Garmin does not.

 

Welcome to geocaching.

Edited October 8, 2013 by msrubble

[+Chief301]

I have the Oregon 550, which operates essentially the same as the 450. There is a bit of a learning curve involved, as you have discovered. But don't get discouraged! I think you'll like the unit once you get the hang of it.

 

Trying to learn the ropes of Geocaching and learning how to use your new toy effectively, all at the same time, will keep you busy for awhile 😊. Also, the Oregon 450, with its many profiles, menus, settings, and dashboards, is EXTREMELY versatile and EXTREMELY customizable, which of course makes it EXTREMELY confusing. Even once you come to grips with the basic operation of it, you'll still want to tweak the settings and layout until you have it set up just how you want it. I've been using the 550 for almost 2 years now and I'm still fine-tuning the setup to my liking.

 

Is hiking a pretty popular pastime in your area? Are there a lot of public hiking trails? If so you may want to check to see if there are any trail maps for your area. There are many excellent free maps available for download from sites like gpsfiledepot.com and openstreetmap.org. You can intlstall them to the Oregon to complement your existing topo maps.

 

I have also done my fair share of bushwhacking, and ending up on the wrong side of fences and ditches and stuff, due to approaching from the wrong direction or not seeing that there was a road or trail that went straight there. Happens to everybody. If you find yourself wondering "What kind of idiot would put a cache in this thicket / up this sheer cliff / in this swamp?", stop, get your bearings, and investigate if there might be a better way.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Chief301

[+ngrrfan]

The first cache I had downloaded was only .4 mile (as the crow flies) away from the parking lot and looked simple enough. Trying to navigate to that cache took me about 1.5 miles and had me switching trails several times. I would start getting closer and then find myself getting further away.

The running joke in the group I cache with is "My numbers are going up." usually said by one particular person.

 

You have to remember that the GPS shows the straight line distance, as you said "as the crow flies", while you traverse the various trails you may move toward the cache and then away from it simply because the trails take an easier route. Maps showing trails are one of the best things to add to the GPS as they can show where the closest trail to the cache is, and the cache location in relation to the trail or topography.

[+basquehiker]

Thanks for the replies !!!

 

Msrubble.....I am working on that wiki now. Thats exactly what I was looking for.

[+KazumiSun]

Welcome have fun geocaching

[+kd0bik]

Congrats on the first find. It will get easier. Learn to trust your instinct and your GPS. :-)

 

Jerry

[+wmpastor]

The first cache I had downloaded was only .4 mile (as the crow flies) away from the parking lot and looked simple enough. Trying to navigate to that cache took me about 1.5 miles and had me switching trails several times. I would start getting closer and then find myself getting further away.

The running joke in the group I cache with is "My numbers are going up." usually said by one particular person.

 

You have to remember that the GPS shows the straight line distance, as you said "as the crow flies", while you traverse the various trails you may move toward the cache and then away from it simply because the trails take an easier route. Maps showing trails are one of the best things to add to the GPS as they can show where the closest trail to the cache is, and the cache location in relation to the trail or topography.

Yes - straightlining =bushwhacking - so work smarter, not harder. Satellite view can also help you understand the terrain in advance. Unlike the maps or topo maps, the satellite view tells you what's forest & what's field.