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Whomping Willow LbNA #39735 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:May 2, 2008
Location:
City:Jefferson City
County:Cole
State:Missouri
Boxes:1
Planted by:Fox-fyr
Found by: I dig toasters
Last found:Aug 4, 2012
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFaa
Last edited:May 2, 2008
11/10/2013: Confirmed in place.

The following was planted as part of the Mid-MO Letterboxing Society’s 4th Annual Spring Gathering: “Letterboxing on the Hogwarts Express” May 3-4, 2008 in Binder Park in Jefferson City. This box was planted with permission from the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Department. For more information about the park including a map, please visit: http://www.jeffcitymo.org/parks/binderpark.html.

In the Harry Potter series, the Whomping Willow is an enormous and quite aggressive willow tree that attempts to ferociously smash anyone that gets near it. If you are brave and strong of heart and mind, follow the directions below to find where the Whomping Willow hides.

Driving Directions
From the Missouri River Bridge in Jefferson City (along Highways 63 / 54 / 50) take Hwy 50 west (toward Sedalia) about five miles and exit at Apache Flats. Go about one mile and turn right on Binder Lake Road. When the road comes to a “T,” turn left on Rainbow Dive, pass the Campground Road on your right, cross over the bridge and turn right on Binder Lake Road. Follow Binder Lake Road north and then east to the handicapped parking lot near the dock on the north end of the lake. If you reach the playground parking lot you’ve gone too far.

Clue: Please note: one pace = two steps.
From between the two trees in the parking lot, go uphill 270 degrees to a break in the forest edge. One inside notice the arrows for the GREEN TRAIL pointing right. Go LEFT until you reach two benches by a truly whomping tree. Stand on NE side of tree. Go 54 degrees 14 paces to a hollow-based tree. (Update 03/16/2013: This tree may have since fallen). Crookshanks, Hermione’s ginger-haired cat, knew how access the secret door of the whomping willow. Can you figure it out?

This trail is heavily used by bicyclists, hikers and mushroom hunters so please move back to the benches when stamping in so that you do not accidentally reveal the hiding location to Muggles. Be careful not to let them see what you are doing. Please replace box back in tree so that no part of it is visible and place a few leaves in the hole to make it look as natural as possible. Please contact me with a short story about your hunt and to let me know how the box is faring.