Roseburg geocaching kick-off on Feb. 1

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Roseburg will launch its next geocaching series on Saturday, Feb. 1 – offering a perfect chance for treasure-hunting adventurers to celebrate the sport’s 25^th anniversary in its home state of Oregon.

Hosted by Roseburg Parks and Recreation, the Discover Roseburg 14 Land of Umpqua Geocache Series kick-off is a free, family-friendly event designed to draw people of all ages outside to experience more of the city and its businesses. The kick-off will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Stewart Park’s Large Pavilion, where Parks staff will give out verbal instructions and coordinate-containing “passports” for a geocaching treasure hunt.

The event will be held rain or shine – or, more accurately for an Oregon winter, despite a possible thick fog.

“Historically, we’ve held this event in the winter to try to encourage people to get out and explore our parks and the city outside of the summertime,” said Roseburg Recreation Coordinator Tracy David.

An Oregon resident reportedly stashed the first documented GPS-located cache near Beavercreek, Ore., in 2000. The popularity of the sport, which is a high-tech spinoff from orienteering, quickly grew. Roseburg Parks and Rec has been sponsoring the “Discover Roseburg” geocache series for nearly 15 years.

Participants are asked to bring a smart phone or other device equipped with a Global Positioning System, or satellite-based radio navigation system. Using a GPS to follow coordinates printed on the passports, they will hunt for five real-world geocaches, or small containers, hidden around town, plus 15 virtual geocaches at special locations. Geocachers will navigate to all the spots and fill out their passports along the way. Bring a pen or pencil to sign geocache logs.

This year’s special bonus: The kick-off event will feature an “Ask the Expert” table staffed by Mike Baker, the former Roseburg City Councilor and Parks and Recreation Commission chairperson who first suggested a geocaching event be started here as a way to attract visitors.

Baker and his wife, Janice, have been geocaching for about 20 years. They’ve also been instrumental in Roseburg’s geocache series by volunteering to test each year’s new course before its release on kick-off day. Mike Baker will volunteer on Saturday, Feb. 1, to help troubleshoot participants’ geocaching apps or learn how to use their GPS devices to locate geocaches at an “Ask the Expert” table.

People who find all 20 geocaches in the Discover Roseburg 14 challenge can redeem their passports for a limited-edition collector’s geocoin, or metal token, with a trackable ID number that will commemorate the sport’s 25^th anniversary. Only 200 geocoins will be available. This geocache challenge will continue until all the geocoins have been awarded. Participants can share experiences searching for caches online at geocaching.com.

Last year, 255 people attended the kick-off event. About 75%, or 191 people, came from Douglas County; 23%, or 58 people, came from other parts of Oregon, including Eugene, Albany, Portland, Medford and Ashland; and five people came from Washington or Naperville, Ill. Participation grew from 212 the year before.

“We are happy to see how much our event has grown in popularity over the years and are especially excited to celebrate this milestone for such a unique activity,” David said.

Participants who attend the kick-off don’t have to turn in their passports on the same day. They can finish the hunt and complete their passports on their own time. However, the first 25 people to submit passports will win a small prize.

After the kick-off event, passports can be picked up or dropped off at Roseburg City Hall’s front lobby at 900 S.E. Douglas Ave. from 8 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. An alternative, after-hours pickup/drop-off spot is Hampton Inn and Suites, 1620 N.W. Mulholland Drive in Roseburg.

For more information, check out the City’s Facebook page, or Parks and Recreation’s “events” webpage or Facebook page, or contact Roseburg Parks and Recreation at 541-492-6899 or tDavid@cityofroseburg.org.

David encourages local residents to join the Feb. 1 kick-off to experience the thrill of a geocaching hunt plus the beauty of Roseburg parks in winter.

“We encourage you to come out and give geocaching a try. You’ll get hooked on it,” she said.