Above It All series - RETIRED LbNA #1076 (ARCHIVED)
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Apr 10, 2003 |
| Location: | |
| City: | New Haven / Hamden |
| County: | New Haven |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Planted by: | sadie&russ  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | KJLighthouse (3) |
| Last found: | Jul 4, 2007 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFr |
| Last edited: | Apr 10, 2003 |
Series retired on Sept. 24, 2007
***7/3/05 We discovered box #4 missing on 7/1/05. We re-carved and re-planted it in a new location. New clue below.
Rated Moderate. One steep descent (stairs) and two fairly steep climbs (short).
Driving Directions:
Farnum Drive begins at the base of East Rock in New Haven at the end of Orange Street, and runs northward to Hamden where it turns and begins its steep ascent to the summit. It can be accessed from Davis Street in Hamden. Davis runs between Whitney Ave. at Hamden Hall Country Day School and Ridge Rd., 2 blocks up from where Ridge starts off State St., Rte. 5, across from the Hamden branch of the DMV.
MORE DIRECTIONS: I-91 exit 10 (Rt 40 connector)
Take exit 1. Turn right off exit and right at light onto State St. Rte. 5. Travel south a little over 3 miles. Just past the DMV office on the left turn right at the light onto Ridge Rd. (Gas station and Dunkin Donuts at corner)
Go 2 blocks to the light and turn left onto Davis and left into the Park.
The road to the summit is posted as being open only on weekends and holidays between Nov. 1 and April 1. It should be open daily during the warmer months.
NOTE: There are sign boards with the map of the park adjacent to all parking areas. You may want to sketch some trails, as I have yet see any paper maps to take.
Continue on Farnum Drive as it snakes its way to the summit. There is limited parking right at the summit. Continue on the loop to the larger parking lot just below the monument.
The Hike (1.5 hrs):
From the south end of the parking lot take the paved path uphill to the road and follow the guardrail to the opening where the Red Triangle Trail goes through and follow down the GIANT STEPS.
CAUTION: If the conditions are slippery or you are really afraid of heights, please do not go this way. ALTERNATE: You can go to the north end of the parking lot and just at the end of the chain link fence go down the steps and follow the path to the right. When you come out on a road go to the right and shortly you will see where the Giant Steps come down.
At the bottom of the Giant Steps, cross the road and go down the next set of stairs. On that road turn left and continue past 5 large concrete blocks. Turn right onto Yellow Trail. You will immediately come to a Y. Go right UP the hill.
Just at the top of the trail notice a small, grassy area on your left with a small “Christmas tree”. Box #1 is under that tree beneath a rock. Please be alert for hikers coming over the hill from the other direction.
After stamping in, go back up to the wide circular path and follow it to the right. The yellow trail is not marked up here on Indian Head so just stay on the main, wide path as it winds its way downhill. After a sharp U turn on the main path you will come to a wonderful lookout. Behind the lookout is a grassy area with a small cedar tree. Standing at the cedar take a bearing of 150° and take 12 steps. You should be standing on a ground level, small, flat rock. Under the south facing lip of this flat rock is Box #2.
Continue down the main path. When you again see the Yellow Triangle markers follow them around a sharp right. The path merges with a paved road over a stone bridge and a short distance later goes off on the left. Stay on the Yellow triangle trail to the T intersection with Yellow Rectangle. Turn left and follow to the END at Snake Rock.
(the painted "END" has mostly worn off the rock, but you should still be able to tell it's the end.)
Turn around and go back 50-54 steps. You will see a tree with exposed innards on your right. Sight due North to a high-waisted 2 sister tree and bushwack 20 or so steps to its northern side for Box #3.
Retrace your path back to the T and turn right on Yellow Triangle trail, right on road over stone bridge, left on Yellow. When you get to the intersection bear right (left will take you back up Indian Head). You will come back out on the road by the 5 concrete blocks. Just past them turn right onto the White trail and follow it as it merges with the paved road and then goes back into the woods again on the right. Follow White over 2 plank bridges. Follow White right at a T intersection and downhill. Follow White left at the “Lumpy tree” intersection and left again at the next intersection. Shortly thereafter at the next T intersection (the road should be in front of you) turn left uphill on the Red Triangle trail.
Continue up across the road and up the stairs. From the top step go 6 steps to a faint trail on your right. Go Up this trail about 20 steps. There should be 2 middle-aged "V" oak trees to your right and a "U" oak in front of you. From the "U" oak go leftish off the trail 12 steps, passing another "V" oak, to a larger "V" oak, where you will find Box #4 under rocks at its base.
Return down to the red triangle trail and continue to the right. When the trail meets with the road you may follow it to the summit and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument (which is presently getting a face-lift) and enjoy the marvelous view of the Elm City, harbor and surrounding towns.
Don’t forget clues for the Alchemist's Series: Mercury box on Whitney Peak, another somewhat mystery box, and the Waterfalls Three series (listed in Hamden).
***7/3/05 We discovered box #4 missing on 7/1/05. We re-carved and re-planted it in a new location. New clue below.
Rated Moderate. One steep descent (stairs) and two fairly steep climbs (short).
Driving Directions:
Farnum Drive begins at the base of East Rock in New Haven at the end of Orange Street, and runs northward to Hamden where it turns and begins its steep ascent to the summit. It can be accessed from Davis Street in Hamden. Davis runs between Whitney Ave. at Hamden Hall Country Day School and Ridge Rd., 2 blocks up from where Ridge starts off State St., Rte. 5, across from the Hamden branch of the DMV.
MORE DIRECTIONS: I-91 exit 10 (Rt 40 connector)
Take exit 1. Turn right off exit and right at light onto State St. Rte. 5. Travel south a little over 3 miles. Just past the DMV office on the left turn right at the light onto Ridge Rd. (Gas station and Dunkin Donuts at corner)
Go 2 blocks to the light and turn left onto Davis and left into the Park.
The road to the summit is posted as being open only on weekends and holidays between Nov. 1 and April 1. It should be open daily during the warmer months.
NOTE: There are sign boards with the map of the park adjacent to all parking areas. You may want to sketch some trails, as I have yet see any paper maps to take.
Continue on Farnum Drive as it snakes its way to the summit. There is limited parking right at the summit. Continue on the loop to the larger parking lot just below the monument.
The Hike (1.5 hrs):
From the south end of the parking lot take the paved path uphill to the road and follow the guardrail to the opening where the Red Triangle Trail goes through and follow down the GIANT STEPS.
CAUTION: If the conditions are slippery or you are really afraid of heights, please do not go this way. ALTERNATE: You can go to the north end of the parking lot and just at the end of the chain link fence go down the steps and follow the path to the right. When you come out on a road go to the right and shortly you will see where the Giant Steps come down.
At the bottom of the Giant Steps, cross the road and go down the next set of stairs. On that road turn left and continue past 5 large concrete blocks. Turn right onto Yellow Trail. You will immediately come to a Y. Go right UP the hill.
Just at the top of the trail notice a small, grassy area on your left with a small “Christmas tree”. Box #1 is under that tree beneath a rock. Please be alert for hikers coming over the hill from the other direction.
After stamping in, go back up to the wide circular path and follow it to the right. The yellow trail is not marked up here on Indian Head so just stay on the main, wide path as it winds its way downhill. After a sharp U turn on the main path you will come to a wonderful lookout. Behind the lookout is a grassy area with a small cedar tree. Standing at the cedar take a bearing of 150° and take 12 steps. You should be standing on a ground level, small, flat rock. Under the south facing lip of this flat rock is Box #2.
Continue down the main path. When you again see the Yellow Triangle markers follow them around a sharp right. The path merges with a paved road over a stone bridge and a short distance later goes off on the left. Stay on the Yellow triangle trail to the T intersection with Yellow Rectangle. Turn left and follow to the END at Snake Rock.
(the painted "END" has mostly worn off the rock, but you should still be able to tell it's the end.)
Turn around and go back 50-54 steps. You will see a tree with exposed innards on your right. Sight due North to a high-waisted 2 sister tree and bushwack 20 or so steps to its northern side for Box #3.
Retrace your path back to the T and turn right on Yellow Triangle trail, right on road over stone bridge, left on Yellow. When you get to the intersection bear right (left will take you back up Indian Head). You will come back out on the road by the 5 concrete blocks. Just past them turn right onto the White trail and follow it as it merges with the paved road and then goes back into the woods again on the right. Follow White over 2 plank bridges. Follow White right at a T intersection and downhill. Follow White left at the “Lumpy tree” intersection and left again at the next intersection. Shortly thereafter at the next T intersection (the road should be in front of you) turn left uphill on the Red Triangle trail.
Continue up across the road and up the stairs. From the top step go 6 steps to a faint trail on your right. Go Up this trail about 20 steps. There should be 2 middle-aged "V" oak trees to your right and a "U" oak in front of you. From the "U" oak go leftish off the trail 12 steps, passing another "V" oak, to a larger "V" oak, where you will find Box #4 under rocks at its base.
Return down to the red triangle trail and continue to the right. When the trail meets with the road you may follow it to the summit and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument (which is presently getting a face-lift) and enjoy the marvelous view of the Elm City, harbor and surrounding towns.
Don’t forget clues for the Alchemist's Series: Mercury box on Whitney Peak, another somewhat mystery box, and the Waterfalls Three series (listed in Hamden).