One of the 11 geocaches located on Mid-State Technical College’s Wisconsin Rapids Campus. The College maintains 27 total geocaches across its four campuses and is hosting an “event geocache” on Aug. 29. (Courtesy Mid-State)

Mid-State marks International Geocaching Day with on-campus event

August 21, 2023

By Patrick Lynn

After the observance of International Geocaching Day, Mid-State Technical College will host an “event geocache” for geocachers and individuals interested in acquiring knowledge from local geocaching enthusiasts.

The event is scheduled for Tuesday, August 29, from 6-7 p.m. and will occur at the Wisconsin Rapids Campus.

Geocaching, an outdoor pursuit involving treasure hunting, originated in the early 2000s. It employs Global Positioning System (GPS) devices or smartphone applications to locate concealed containers referred to as geocaches.

Presently, the global community boasts over three million geocaches, engaging millions of active geocachers. These participants access information about geocaches and related events through geocaching.com, where they also document their experiences. User accounts are available at no cost.

Mid-State maintains a total of 27 geocaches spread across its four campuses and the surrounding localities of Adams, Marshfield, Stevens Point, and Wisconsin Rapids. Since the debut of the first geocache in December 2019, these caches have been discovered 1,240 times by 534 geocachers. Notably, the Wisconsin Geocaching Association (WGA) has acknowledged three of Mid-State’s geocaches, with distinctions such as the Cache of the Month Award and two WGA Quarterly Cache Spotlight Awards.

The geocaching.com account for Mid-State is under the ownership of “MaroonCougar,” yet the development of the geocaches involves the collaborative efforts of nearly 30 faculty and staff members from various departments across the college.

According to Greg Webster, an instructor specializing in Mid-State Civil Engineering Technology-Highway Technician instruction, as well as geocaching continuing education courses, this collective endeavor includes crafting descriptions, puzzles, and containers that showcase select degree programs available at the institution.

The MaroonCougar geocaches encompass a range of difficulty levels, catering to quick and simple discoveries as well as more intricate challenges that might necessitate research or the negotiation of uneven terrain or water bodies. Various types of geocaches are available, including traditional, multi-cache, letterbox hybrid, mystery caches, and even an earthcache positioned alongside the river in Stevens Point.

Established to foster collaboration and a sense of community among local geocachers, the “Make a Bollard Buddy” geocaching event on August 29 also addresses a monthly challenge proposed by geocaching.com. Participants have the option to engage in an additional challenge involving the capture and sharing of images from Mid-State’s four campuses.

Players are encouraged to locate all four Junior Bollard geocaches situated on the campuses either individually or in teams. Each of these caches offers a clue contributing to the ultimate bonus cache located on the Wisconsin Rapids Campus.

Webster remarked, “Geocaching serves as an excellent individual or group pursuit that encourages outdoor exploration, the utilization of technology, and often the acquisition of new knowledge. The event presents a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow geocachers and even meet Grit, Mid-State’s cougar mascot.”