More Hide and Seek:  Letterboxes

There are two new letterboxes hidden in the North side of Camp Crowell/Hilaka.  Whoops!  Now there's three!

What is a letterbox? It's a small, hidden container that can be found by certain clues.

Do you get a prize for finding one? You get the thrill of victory for having figured out the clues. It's more like Hide & Seek than a treasure hunt.

What's inside the container? A notebook, pen, a rubber stamp, and an ink pad. In order to PROVE to other letterbox hunters that you were really there, you can write your name & the date in the notebook. If you have your OWN personal rubber stamp, you may use it to stamp a page in the notebook. The rubber stamp in the letterbox is used to stamp your notebook ( if you have one) or a little index card, book mark, or even a piece of paper. This proves to NON-FINDERS that you found the letterbox.

What if you don't have a notebook or index card?  That's OK, you can still have the fun of looking for the letterbox. Later on , if you decide you want to get a notebook, you are allowed to go back to the letterboxes you have already found, and use the stamps.

Do I have to put the rubber stamps back? Yes, so that other people can use them.

What if I find a letterbox, and somebody else sees me? Try not to reveal the location of a letterbox to non-players ( known as "muggles" ) . After finishing a letterbox hide it back EXACTLY the way you found it. Don't leave it out in the open for some muggle to find accidently. If other people are in the area when you are hunting, you must wait for them to leave. If, in spite of your stealthiest efforts, a muggle catches you, you must explain the rules to them.

Can I hunt letterboxes with my whole troop? Yes, but if you have a large troop, it might be more fun to split up and look for different ones at different times.

Do we need a compass? It depends on the clue.

What's a letterbox trail? That's where one letterbox holds a clue to another letterbox. Some letterbox trails are VERY long and may take YEARS. Sometimes the distance may not be very long, but the clue may be hard to figure out. It's OK to stop and take a break from a letterbox trail. You can always go back and pick it up again.

Can we make up our own letterboxes? Yes! Make sure the container is pretty waterproof, and hide it in an interesting location. You can post clues on line or just write them out and post on a campsite bulletin board.

What are the two new letterboxes at Crowell Hilaka like? They are in quart-size plastic containers. They don't need a compass. One of them will eventually be the start of a letterbox trail, but right now they are just "stand alone" letterboxes. One of them is VERY easy to find right now because I left footprints in the snow. The other is foot-print free.

Here are the clues:

Letterbox #1:

Milton R. Freeman owned this large farm.
His wife Ruth was filled with charm.

In 1867, on Broadview Road,
They built their comfortable abode.

At their driveway, great blocks of stone
Carved with his initials to mark his own.

But years pass by - the stones were moved
And fit into another groove.

Proud initials wax and wane.
His are gone, but HERS remain!

In this fair place, if you should find it,
Our letterbox is right behind it!

Letterbox # 2:

 This is your Last Chance
So do not fail.
Find the Sentinal Spruce
At the end of the trail.

Letterbox #3 (actually, a geocache/letterbox hybrid):