The Official FTF Rules

Although First To Finds aren't recognised by GC HQ, you can't really escape them. Beside bragging about found numbers people brag about their latest FTF. For some strange reason nobody recalls their total number of FTFs at the same time. Anyway. Since there seem to be a lot of arguments around the validity of FTFs, let's settle this once and for all:

1. It's a valid find on geocaching.com
   These are the obvious things like you can't find your own cache, you've been to the cache and put your name in the logbook and other fundamental stuff. Basically you didn't cheat*.
    
2. You dated your find
   and of course it's the first one.
    
3. Only physical caches count
   Claiming an FTF on a virtual, earth-cache or event is as normal as putting a favourite point on a micro cache and a clear indication that you lost the plot. Please hand in your GPS and proceed to the next psych-ward.
    
4. Joined FTF only if cache is still open
   When you arrive at scene and the cache is still open, it counts as a joint FTF. If the box is already closed, you're out of luck. Close the lid asap, if you don't want to share your FTF.
    
5. Challenge caches require a qualifying list
   Whoever signs the logbook AND shows they're qualifying for the challenge first, gets the FTF.
    
6. The physical log counts
   Feel free to log in a timely manner ... or not. Your FTF still counts even if you log with significant delay except if rule 5 applies. On the other hand if the owner says your name is not in the logbook, your name is not in the logbook.
    
7. Finds before the cache gets published count
   It's called FTF and not FTFATCGPAEHAFCTLFI  (First to find after the cache got published and everyone had a fair chance to look for it). If you use information publicly available to hunt down the cache or you are simply lucky, you get the point.
   That said you can ask for the FTF to be reserved for a certain person (e.g. milestone or birthday), however don't expect anyone to play along.
    
8. Hides don't count
   If you're out with the cache owner hiding the cache, you hid the cache. You didn't find it. If the CO shares information to find the cache privately, the FTF doesn't count.
    
9. Don't wreck the cache
   If you destroy the cache, parts of the cache or any other property around the location in the process of a find, your find and therefore the FTF is invalid.
    
10. Feel free to sabotage
    Sabotaging other cache teams WITHOUT conflicting with rule 8 is acceptable. E.g. texting them wrong coordinates of a puzzle, meeting locations, posting a LTF note and spreading any other false information is ok.
     

Now if you think this is ridiculous and believe there aren't any official FTF rules, you might be on to something. I totally made this up 😃 but that doesn't mean it's completely wrong.

Cheers 🍻😆

Philipp

* Hacking a wherigo cartridge or brute-forcing the solution of a puzzle is not cheating in this context.