Hat City Series #5 LbNA #8172 (ARCHIVED)
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | N/A |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | May 3, 2004 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Ridgefield |
| County: | Fairfield |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 3 |
| Planted by: | Louise
  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | astrii |
| Last found: | Apr 20, 2008 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | May 3, 2004 |
Location:Hemlock Hills Open Space
All letterboxes contain stamp and logbook.
All boxes REMOVED 9/23/09
Allow up to 1 1/2 hours for a round trip to find the PARADE BONNET, PARTY HAT, and CROOKED WITCH. A BONUS letterbox will add 15 min.
Difficulty: rolling with a few steep hills
1 pace = 2 steps = 5 ft.
Hemlock Hills Open Space is contiguous with both Pine Mountain Open Space and Bennett’s Pond State Park. These hold other letterboxes in the HAT CITY SERIES.
A map of the Bennett's Pond, Hemlock Hills and Pine Mountain area is available at www.rosaopenspace.org/catalog/index.html.
-----------------------------------------------------------
The HAT CITY SERIES reflects nearby Danbury’s serving as the center of the hat industry from 1790 until the 1950s.
DIRECTIONS:
From the staggered intersection of Pine Mtn Rd, Miry Brook Rd, George Washington Hwy, and Briar Ridge on the Ridgefield/Danbury town line, drive 0.7 mile on Pine Mtn Rd to “Private Property Beyond …”. Parking area has room for about 6 cars.
Parking area coordinates: N 41 deg 21’ 13”, W 73 deg 30' 05”
CLUES:
From the parking area follow a (Yellow) roadbed toward a bearing of 250 deg.
At 51 paces note a fire circle on the E side of the trail.
In 19 more paces take a White blazed trail toward the W and the rock outcropping.
In 10 paces enter an extended area of mountain laurel.
In 9 paces enjoy the seasonal view down into a gorge.
Pass thru mountain laurel, a (short) wet area, then more mountain laurel before reaching an intersection.
Continue on the White trail, ignoring a roadbed which bears toward 65 deg.
For those interested in geology, HAT CITY SERIES #5 includes the Fordham gneiss, marble and Manhattan schist discussed below:
Beneath the Pine Mountain Open Space and the northwestern portion of Hemlock Hills Open Space is very hard metamorphic rock, now called Fordham gneiss. (It’s also in the Bronx.) This gneiss is well over one billion years old and the oldest exposed rock in Connecticut.
When the leading edge of the European and African continents collided with the North American continent, 450-400 million years ago, the deeply buried rocks were folded. Since the North American continent was then near the equator, the warm climate led to the build up of extensive carbonate deposits on the continental shelf and on top of the Precambrian gneiss. Both the carbonate shelf deposits and the oceanic crust were metamorphosed under great heat and pressure and later exposed as overlying rock was eroded away. The carbonate deposits were metamorphosed to marble and can be found in Hemlock Hills in the ravine directly west of Pine Mountain Rd. The old oceanic crust (called Manhattan schist and which is exposed on Manhattan) underlies most of Hemlock Hills.
In 8 paces your trail drops down to cross a wooden bridge just below a loose rock dam.
From the S end of the bridge take the White trail 28 paces uphill to the point at which trail becomes level (a "local max"). You'll quickly notice a White blaze on a low rock on the trail. Standing on that rock, look 265 deg toward a tree with diameter 6" about 5 paces away.
While still standing on the rock, but looking in another direction, the PARADE BONNET is slightly above your head, nested in rocks. (Rocks on top of letterboxes help discourage small varmints from absconding with the boxes.)
After stamping in please repackage the contents of the letterbox, seal all plastic bags, secure the lid and replace the box exactly as found.
Continue walking N on White trail.
In 240 yards reach an old roadbed, a never-completed extension of the existing Bear Mtn Rd.
Continue on the White trail to reach potentially mucky areas, stepping from rock to rock, and heading almost due S.
Be alert. When past most of the swampy area the White trail turns to bear 300 deg.
Cross a wooden bridge below which is a small dam/waterfall on the NW side. Walk S with stream on the E side, gradually climbing above the stream(s).
At an intersection where the White trail heads toward a bearing of 255 deg, continue due S on a Blue trail.
Reach and cross another wooden bridge from NW to SE
Pass a large fire circle on the right of the trail.
In 26 paces you pass a 2nd fire circle.
Walk 18 paces to another roadway in the original development plan.
Follow the Blue roadbed uphill to the E.
Continue on Blue trail when it turns toward bearing 150 deg and continues to climb gradually uphill. Walk 120 more paces to pass thru a stone wall.
Stop after walking 12 more paces. Bushwhack due E for 6 paces. Look 4 ft off the ground in the crotch of a 4-trunk tree for the PARTY HAT. Look for a surprise in the box.
When you stamp in, be careful if there are hikers or other letterboxers about, etc.
After stamping in please repackage the contents of the letterbox, seal all plastic bags, secure the lid and replace the box exactly as found.
[When this land was first cleared for wood and grazing, the abundant rocks presented a danger to livestock and made plowing impossible. The rocks were laboriously dug out and piled into walls that confined livestock and defined property boundaries. Most of the stone walls in Hemlock HIlls date back to this period.
The Hemlock Hills property was eventually acquired by Otto Lippolt, a local well-digger. He planned to build a residential community and had development roads cut through the forest, but died in 1965 before his project was completed. His widow sold the property to the town of Ridgefield.
Although much of the area was cleared at one time, some good old trees remain.]
Return to the Blue trail and walk gradually uphill to the S.
In 105 paces stop in a gateway of a stone wall at a major junction.
Find 4 wooden signs with arrows: one on the ground “Campground” and 3 on a tree “Campground”,” Pine & Bear Mtn Rd”, “Lake Windwing”.
Follow Yellow toward the E and “Pine & Bear Mtn Rd”
In 2 minutes a swamp is to your right and a major rock outcropping (cliff) is to your left
The Yellow trail scrambles over and around debris from the rock face, clears briefly and again reaches a 2nd fallen-rock area before curving counterclockwise and uphill to pass thru a mountain laurel thicket.
Step over a very rotting log, which lies directly across the trail.
Walk 8 paces beyond the log.
Stand on the trail and look at bearing 350 deg thru a “V” formed by 2 unequal trunks of a double tree just 3 paces away.
The CROOKED WITCH is 3 paces directly behind the smaller of the 2 trunks, under a horizontal rock and level with the top of your head.
After stamping in, please repackage the contents of the letterbox, secure the lid and replace the box as found.
The Yellow trail now drops (very) downhill into a glorious gorge. [Note the start of a Blue trail that ends in Bennett's Pond State Park, but which doesn't appear on most maps just yet.]
After crossing the wooden bridge at the bottom, continue uphill to your car on a Yellow roadbed. (When the White trail turns sharply W, you've completed a loop.) Continue straight and N to the parking area.
Are all the boxes alive and well? Is there environmental damage? I’d appreciate hearing from you.
All letterboxes contain stamp and logbook.
All boxes REMOVED 9/23/09
Allow up to 1 1/2 hours for a round trip to find the PARADE BONNET, PARTY HAT, and CROOKED WITCH. A BONUS letterbox will add 15 min.
Difficulty: rolling with a few steep hills
1 pace = 2 steps = 5 ft.
Hemlock Hills Open Space is contiguous with both Pine Mountain Open Space and Bennett’s Pond State Park. These hold other letterboxes in the HAT CITY SERIES.
A map of the Bennett's Pond, Hemlock Hills and Pine Mountain area is available at www.rosaopenspace.org/catalog/index.html.
-----------------------------------------------------------
The HAT CITY SERIES reflects nearby Danbury’s serving as the center of the hat industry from 1790 until the 1950s.
DIRECTIONS:
From the staggered intersection of Pine Mtn Rd, Miry Brook Rd, George Washington Hwy, and Briar Ridge on the Ridgefield/Danbury town line, drive 0.7 mile on Pine Mtn Rd to “Private Property Beyond …”. Parking area has room for about 6 cars.
Parking area coordinates: N 41 deg 21’ 13”, W 73 deg 30' 05”
CLUES:
From the parking area follow a (Yellow) roadbed toward a bearing of 250 deg.
At 51 paces note a fire circle on the E side of the trail.
In 19 more paces take a White blazed trail toward the W and the rock outcropping.
In 10 paces enter an extended area of mountain laurel.
In 9 paces enjoy the seasonal view down into a gorge.
Pass thru mountain laurel, a (short) wet area, then more mountain laurel before reaching an intersection.
Continue on the White trail, ignoring a roadbed which bears toward 65 deg.
For those interested in geology, HAT CITY SERIES #5 includes the Fordham gneiss, marble and Manhattan schist discussed below:
Beneath the Pine Mountain Open Space and the northwestern portion of Hemlock Hills Open Space is very hard metamorphic rock, now called Fordham gneiss. (It’s also in the Bronx.) This gneiss is well over one billion years old and the oldest exposed rock in Connecticut.
When the leading edge of the European and African continents collided with the North American continent, 450-400 million years ago, the deeply buried rocks were folded. Since the North American continent was then near the equator, the warm climate led to the build up of extensive carbonate deposits on the continental shelf and on top of the Precambrian gneiss. Both the carbonate shelf deposits and the oceanic crust were metamorphosed under great heat and pressure and later exposed as overlying rock was eroded away. The carbonate deposits were metamorphosed to marble and can be found in Hemlock Hills in the ravine directly west of Pine Mountain Rd. The old oceanic crust (called Manhattan schist and which is exposed on Manhattan) underlies most of Hemlock Hills.
In 8 paces your trail drops down to cross a wooden bridge just below a loose rock dam.
From the S end of the bridge take the White trail 28 paces uphill to the point at which trail becomes level (a "local max"). You'll quickly notice a White blaze on a low rock on the trail. Standing on that rock, look 265 deg toward a tree with diameter 6" about 5 paces away.
While still standing on the rock, but looking in another direction, the PARADE BONNET is slightly above your head, nested in rocks. (Rocks on top of letterboxes help discourage small varmints from absconding with the boxes.)
After stamping in please repackage the contents of the letterbox, seal all plastic bags, secure the lid and replace the box exactly as found.
Continue walking N on White trail.
In 240 yards reach an old roadbed, a never-completed extension of the existing Bear Mtn Rd.
Continue on the White trail to reach potentially mucky areas, stepping from rock to rock, and heading almost due S.
Be alert. When past most of the swampy area the White trail turns to bear 300 deg.
Cross a wooden bridge below which is a small dam/waterfall on the NW side. Walk S with stream on the E side, gradually climbing above the stream(s).
At an intersection where the White trail heads toward a bearing of 255 deg, continue due S on a Blue trail.
Reach and cross another wooden bridge from NW to SE
Pass a large fire circle on the right of the trail.
In 26 paces you pass a 2nd fire circle.
Walk 18 paces to another roadway in the original development plan.
Follow the Blue roadbed uphill to the E.
Continue on Blue trail when it turns toward bearing 150 deg and continues to climb gradually uphill. Walk 120 more paces to pass thru a stone wall.
Stop after walking 12 more paces. Bushwhack due E for 6 paces. Look 4 ft off the ground in the crotch of a 4-trunk tree for the PARTY HAT. Look for a surprise in the box.
When you stamp in, be careful if there are hikers or other letterboxers about, etc.
After stamping in please repackage the contents of the letterbox, seal all plastic bags, secure the lid and replace the box exactly as found.
[When this land was first cleared for wood and grazing, the abundant rocks presented a danger to livestock and made plowing impossible. The rocks were laboriously dug out and piled into walls that confined livestock and defined property boundaries. Most of the stone walls in Hemlock HIlls date back to this period.
The Hemlock Hills property was eventually acquired by Otto Lippolt, a local well-digger. He planned to build a residential community and had development roads cut through the forest, but died in 1965 before his project was completed. His widow sold the property to the town of Ridgefield.
Although much of the area was cleared at one time, some good old trees remain.]
Return to the Blue trail and walk gradually uphill to the S.
In 105 paces stop in a gateway of a stone wall at a major junction.
Find 4 wooden signs with arrows: one on the ground “Campground” and 3 on a tree “Campground”,” Pine & Bear Mtn Rd”, “Lake Windwing”.
Follow Yellow toward the E and “Pine & Bear Mtn Rd”
In 2 minutes a swamp is to your right and a major rock outcropping (cliff) is to your left
The Yellow trail scrambles over and around debris from the rock face, clears briefly and again reaches a 2nd fallen-rock area before curving counterclockwise and uphill to pass thru a mountain laurel thicket.
Step over a very rotting log, which lies directly across the trail.
Walk 8 paces beyond the log.
Stand on the trail and look at bearing 350 deg thru a “V” formed by 2 unequal trunks of a double tree just 3 paces away.
The CROOKED WITCH is 3 paces directly behind the smaller of the 2 trunks, under a horizontal rock and level with the top of your head.
After stamping in, please repackage the contents of the letterbox, secure the lid and replace the box as found.
The Yellow trail now drops (very) downhill into a glorious gorge. [Note the start of a Blue trail that ends in Bennett's Pond State Park, but which doesn't appear on most maps just yet.]
After crossing the wooden bridge at the bottom, continue uphill to your car on a Yellow roadbed. (When the White trail turns sharply W, you've completed a loop.) Continue straight and N to the parking area.
Are all the boxes alive and well? Is there environmental damage? I’d appreciate hearing from you.