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Scouting around for treasure

By Raiza Canelon / Staff Writer / rcanelon@syvnews.com

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Justin Jepson, scoutmaster of Troop 46 in Solvang, and his son Ethan use their GPS device to find hidden treasures called “caches,” as part of the new geocaching program the Boy Scouts of America have started.//Raiza Canelon/Staff

Equipped with modern-day devices and old-fashioned map-and-compass skills, local Boy Scouts are taking up the hobby of geocaching to seek out treasures hidden throughout the Santa Ynez Valley.

“It’s really a high-tech treasure hunt of sorts,” said Justin Jepson, scoutmaster of Troop 46 in Solvang.

The hobby elevates traditional map-and-compass skills as Boy Scout troops across the nation try to reach out to tech-savvy youth.

For geocaching, people hide a container, or cache, typically in somewhat difficult places so a passer-by wouldn’t accidentally discover it. Other geocachers, armed with Global Positioning System devices, use the satellite-based navigation tool to seek out the items.

“Geocaching is a fun little hobby anyone can do as a family, a troop or individually to get you outside to explore,” Jepson said.

When players find the cache, they go online to report both what they found and their experiences during the search, Jepson added.

The Boy Scouts of America’s nationwide geocaching program “Get in the Game!,” launched in the fall as part of the organization’s 100th anniversary celebration.

“These global, high-tech scavenger hunts are perfect for 21st century Scouting, as the organization continues to embrace and anticipate the trends of its increasingly tech-savvy young members,” said Scout Executive/CEO Rebecca Fields.

Anyone can also place a cache, according to Jepson, as long as they log onto www .geocaching.com, and type in “Los Padres Council” to find out where they’re stashed.

“We have found caches in Altoid cans, army tins or ammo boxes. You put three or four trinkets in boxes and log your nickname, and if you find the treasure you replace it with something,” Jepson said.

Lessons such as leadership, problem solving, cooperation, teamwork, respect for nature and — in true Scouting form — orienteering are part of the process when finding the caches, Scouting officials said.

To learn more about Get in the Game! and all of the programs of the Boy Scouts of America 100th anniversary celebration, visit www.Scouting.org/100years.

About one local geocache:

100 Years of BSA- Los Padres Council Cache

— 34.77455,-120.487217 GPS coordinates

“This is a tribute cache. For nearly 100 years, Boy Scouts of America has been serving youth and communities through building character, modeling good citizenship, and providing service.

The cache is an ammo container which holds lots and lots of BSA goodies. Please feel free to take what you want- no need to trade as the cache is easily replentished.

To qualify for the official FTF, you must either be a boy scout, be with a boy scout, be a boy scout volunteer, or have been a boy scout or cub scout once upon a time. If you are not, you can still claim FTF and your log will not be deleted. Since BSA has reached out to millions of young men over the last 100 years, it would be of interest to other cachers and watchers of this listing to know what your most memorable scouting experience was.”

February 9, 2010