Jacob's 1st Birthday Mini Series LbNA #21823 (ARCHIVED)
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Add Location| Owner: | Donutz716  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Apr 30, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Plainville |
| County: | Hartford |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 3 |
| Found by: | Trailhead Tessie (2) |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Jul 21, 2012 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFm |
| Last edited: | Apr 30, 2006 |
Jacob’s 1st Birthday Mini Series
Rt. 372 – 440 New Britain Avenue, Plainville, CT
Parking seems to be a problem for this stretch of the trail. I parked in the 440 New Britain Avenue parking lot – Alliance Occupational Health. Other parking lots in this area have signs about restricted parking, but this lot does not. A lot of hikers seem to park there. Please be courteous, this is a business lot.
Driving directions:
From Hartford – I-84 west, exit 33, and then exit 2 to CT 372 - New Britain Avenue – take a right at the light and go .7 miles to parking lot.
From Waterbury – I-84 east, exit 34 toward CT 372/Plainville, turn right on Crooked St., turn right on CT 372 and go .3 miles to parking lot.
Trail – Metacomet Blue Blaze
Difficulty – moderate to difficult – many uphill climbs and trap rock on trail. I don’t recommend doing it in the winter.
Distance – 3.6 miles round trip
Time – approximately 2 ½ hours for hike and stamping
History:
I planted this mini-series in honor of my first nephew’s first birthday. (It only took oodles of years to finally become an Auntie!) Last year he was born prematurely weighing 2 lbs., 5 oz, 16 ¼ inches long. After one miraculous year of normal development, he is a perfectly beautiful little boy! (Of course, I’m not prejudice!) Our family refers to him as the miracle baby. Moose and Zee are his favorite cartoon characters and the third box is in celebration of his first birthday. The 2 sister tree landmarks symbolize the strong bond between my 2 sisters and me.
Clues: You will see the Metacomet Trail sign on New Britain Avenue, Plainville, CT. From the parking lot, cross the road, walk over the railroad tracks and follow the fence north from the double blaze on the utility pole. You will always stay on the blue blaze trail unless otherwise instructed. Continue on trail past the first opening that gives you a clear view of the highway. At this point keep hiking until you come to the first 2 sister tree on the left side of the trail with a blue blaze on it. Take a reading of 95 degrees degrees, take 12 paces to another 2 sister tree. Check out the left side of the left sister to find Moose.
Go back to the 2 sister tree on the trail that you took the reading from and start counting blazed 2 sister trees going forward – not including this one or any on the right hand side of the trail. Pass the first one on the left and then one in the middle of the trail. (This one has a nice strong blaze and one very faded blaze.) Now another one on the left – this blaze is barely visible. Walk through the rock outcropping and continue until you reach the next mature 2 sister on the left. Stop! Go to the huge solitary boulder, which is due north. Walk up to the 2 sister tree that’s about 7 feet in front of it. Take a reading or 315 degrees – 4 paces and scramble up the 4 ½ foot obstacle – on top of “it”, wedged between boulder and obstacle, is Zee.
The blue blaze trail resumes on the northeast side of this boulder. Now you will continue to Pinnacle Rock Summit (elevation 600 ft). Along the way you will pass by a 20 to 25 ft hollowed out tree stump abutting the right side of the trail, then further on, a lookout on the left side with an unusual 4 sister tree. It looks like they’re making a pot of stew. There is also a fire pit in front of them for cooking it! Keep following the blue blaze passing a cement structure on your left. You will know you are approaching Pinnacle Rock Summit when you walk over a cemented stone wall. Check out the views in all directions.
You are now going to go back the way you came. As you climb back over that stone wall and descend down the hill, you will see an unmarked trail to the left. A utility pole is lying on the ground and the 4 ½ foot stump is still standing there within a few feet on that trail. Follow this unmarked trail for a bit – rock outcropping is to your left. Walk under the splintered obstacle. The trail is fairly soft, but you will come upon a pile of broken rocks that you would need to walk up and over if you were to continue. Don’t go any further. Look for a chiseled looking rock about 2 ½ feet high abutting the right side of the trail at this point and find Jacob’s 1st Birthday Letterbox under its base.
Now go back the way you came, following the blue blaze trail back to your car. After planting Jacob’s 1st Birthday box, I swear that I could hear the pitter, patter of little feet all the way back to my car.
Enjoy!
d
Rt. 372 – 440 New Britain Avenue, Plainville, CT
Parking seems to be a problem for this stretch of the trail. I parked in the 440 New Britain Avenue parking lot – Alliance Occupational Health. Other parking lots in this area have signs about restricted parking, but this lot does not. A lot of hikers seem to park there. Please be courteous, this is a business lot.
Driving directions:
From Hartford – I-84 west, exit 33, and then exit 2 to CT 372 - New Britain Avenue – take a right at the light and go .7 miles to parking lot.
From Waterbury – I-84 east, exit 34 toward CT 372/Plainville, turn right on Crooked St., turn right on CT 372 and go .3 miles to parking lot.
Trail – Metacomet Blue Blaze
Difficulty – moderate to difficult – many uphill climbs and trap rock on trail. I don’t recommend doing it in the winter.
Distance – 3.6 miles round trip
Time – approximately 2 ½ hours for hike and stamping
History:
I planted this mini-series in honor of my first nephew’s first birthday. (It only took oodles of years to finally become an Auntie!) Last year he was born prematurely weighing 2 lbs., 5 oz, 16 ¼ inches long. After one miraculous year of normal development, he is a perfectly beautiful little boy! (Of course, I’m not prejudice!) Our family refers to him as the miracle baby. Moose and Zee are his favorite cartoon characters and the third box is in celebration of his first birthday. The 2 sister tree landmarks symbolize the strong bond between my 2 sisters and me.
Clues: You will see the Metacomet Trail sign on New Britain Avenue, Plainville, CT. From the parking lot, cross the road, walk over the railroad tracks and follow the fence north from the double blaze on the utility pole. You will always stay on the blue blaze trail unless otherwise instructed. Continue on trail past the first opening that gives you a clear view of the highway. At this point keep hiking until you come to the first 2 sister tree on the left side of the trail with a blue blaze on it. Take a reading of 95 degrees degrees, take 12 paces to another 2 sister tree. Check out the left side of the left sister to find Moose.
Go back to the 2 sister tree on the trail that you took the reading from and start counting blazed 2 sister trees going forward – not including this one or any on the right hand side of the trail. Pass the first one on the left and then one in the middle of the trail. (This one has a nice strong blaze and one very faded blaze.) Now another one on the left – this blaze is barely visible. Walk through the rock outcropping and continue until you reach the next mature 2 sister on the left. Stop! Go to the huge solitary boulder, which is due north. Walk up to the 2 sister tree that’s about 7 feet in front of it. Take a reading or 315 degrees – 4 paces and scramble up the 4 ½ foot obstacle – on top of “it”, wedged between boulder and obstacle, is Zee.
The blue blaze trail resumes on the northeast side of this boulder. Now you will continue to Pinnacle Rock Summit (elevation 600 ft). Along the way you will pass by a 20 to 25 ft hollowed out tree stump abutting the right side of the trail, then further on, a lookout on the left side with an unusual 4 sister tree. It looks like they’re making a pot of stew. There is also a fire pit in front of them for cooking it! Keep following the blue blaze passing a cement structure on your left. You will know you are approaching Pinnacle Rock Summit when you walk over a cemented stone wall. Check out the views in all directions.
You are now going to go back the way you came. As you climb back over that stone wall and descend down the hill, you will see an unmarked trail to the left. A utility pole is lying on the ground and the 4 ½ foot stump is still standing there within a few feet on that trail. Follow this unmarked trail for a bit – rock outcropping is to your left. Walk under the splintered obstacle. The trail is fairly soft, but you will come upon a pile of broken rocks that you would need to walk up and over if you were to continue. Don’t go any further. Look for a chiseled looking rock about 2 ½ feet high abutting the right side of the trail at this point and find Jacob’s 1st Birthday Letterbox under its base.
Now go back the way you came, following the blue blaze trail back to your car. After planting Jacob’s 1st Birthday box, I swear that I could hear the pitter, patter of little feet all the way back to my car.
Enjoy!
d