Winter Wonderland Letterbox Series (4) LbNA #6896 (ARCHIVED)
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Dec 25, 2003 |
| Location: | |
| City: | New Castle |
| County: | Henry |
| State: | Indiana |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Planted by: | 2 bentriders  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | carsandgav |
| Last found: | Jun 30, 2007 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFr |
| Last edited: | Dec 25, 2003 |
Winter Wonderland Letterbox Series
Placed on Christmas Day, 2003
STATUS - Up for adoption - we are moving to NY - contact us if you are interested in adopting this terrific and popular box.
Level of terrain: Suitable for small children. (Terrain is generally along marked trails, there are no steep elevation changes or heavy overgrowth. Less than a 2 mile round-trip hike required.)
Level of difficulty: Average. The average letterboxer would be able to find each letterbox in the series in less than 30 minutes of hunting each.
IMPORTANT NOTE: WE PLANTED THIS LETTERBOX SERIES IN THE WINTER. DURING THE LATE SPRING AND SUMMER MOST OF THIS AREA IS COVERED WITH HEAVY UNDERGROWTH - PARTICULARLY STINGING NETTLE AND POISON IVY. THE WOODS ALSO HARBOR MORE THAN THEIR SHARE OF INDIANA'S MOSQUITOS AND GNATS. WEARING LONG PANTS AND INSECT REPELLANT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED - OR WAIT LIKE US FOR WINTER - AND YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR HUNT SO MUCH MORE. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT MAY BE LIKE IN THE FALL.
WE VISITED THESE BOXES ON JUNE 19, 2004 AND ONLY TWO LETTERBOXERS HAD FOUND THEM - ONE IN FEBRUARY AND ONE ON APRIL 1. (SOUNDS LIKE OTHER LETTERBOXERS KNOW THIS PARK BETTER THAN WE DO AND ARE WAITING FOR THE STARK WINTER BEAUTY OF THE PARK FOR THESE HUNTS.)
Season of Peace Letterbox - alive and well April 30, 2006
Go to Summit Lake State Park (5993 N. Messick Road, New Castle, IN). Shortly after going through the main entrance, the road will come to a “T”. Turn right and proceed to the beach area parking lot, which is left of the main road. Park in the first sections of the lot, and look for the trail head that is marked with signs “foot traffic only” and “3”. The trail begins just off the parking lot at a small bridge. Walk 70 steps from the end of the bridge and look for a tree shaped as an archer’s bow on the right side of the trail. From this tree take a compass reading of 40 degrees and walk 23 steps to a tree with a cancerous growth about 4 feet from the ground. Take a compass reading of 330, and walk 40 steps to twin leaning towers. Step back on the trail at this point and go north about 28 steps to find a broken off hollow stump about six feet high just off the trail on the right. Take a compass reading of 10 and go 56 steps to a tree with seven feet firmly planted in the soil. Take a compass reading of 280 and go 38 steps. You will find the Season of Peace Letterbox resting in the remains of a tree that has mostly returned to the earth, but keeps one finger pointed skyward.
Frosty Letterbox - Discovered Missing April 30, 2006
Go to Summit Lake State Park (5993 N. Messick Road, New Castle, IN). Shortly after going through the main entrance, the road will come to a “T”. Turn right and proceed to trail head #1 marked with signs “foot traffic only” and “1”. (You will find it after the beach area on the left, after the water treatment facility on the right and before you reach the boat launch area at the end of the road. Look on the right side of the main road for about 6 paved parking spots off a short paved spur.) Begin walking on the trail that starts with a large rock in the middle of the trail. After a short walk, the trail splits. Take the right fork into the woods. In 30 steps the trail splits again, and once again take the right fork. The trail makes a few bends. Stay on the trail, and look on the right for a large tree trunk who is laying on the ground along an axis of 230 degrees. From this point on the trail, continue to walk for another 70 steps. The trail will make a small rise to a ridge that splits two low areas that hold water when it’s wet. Take a compass reading of 220 degrees. Walk 28 steps in this direction. Stop and look toward 120 degrees for four fingers reaching for the sky. Go to the base of this tree. Walk 35 steps in the direction of 270 degrees and you will find Frosty tucked away off the ground.
Evergreen Letterbox - relocating to NY - Area has become overgrown and this box has not had a visitor in 18 months.
Go to Summit Lake State Park (5993 N. Messick Road, New Castle, IN). Shortly after going through the main entrance, the road will come to a “T”. Turn right and proceed to trail head #1 marked with signs “foot traffic only” and “1”. (You will find it after the beach area on the left, after the water treatment facility on the right and before you reach the boat launch area at the end of the road. Look on the right side of the main road for about 6 paved parking spots off a short paved spur.) Begin walking on the trail that starts with a large rock in the middle of the trail. After a short walk, the trail splits. Take the left fork that stays in the meadow. Enjoy the walk through the meadow, and look for a fine view of the lake on the left. There will be a small rise in the trail, and then after the peak of this rise you will see a small evergreen cedar about seven steps on the left of the trail. Continue on the trail through a straight section that runs NNE. Soon you will come to a series of bends in the trail. Look for a short grass covered road on the right of the trail at about 130 degrees. Then the trail will begin to rise, fall away for a short section, and rise again. You’ll start to see a few young trees on the right. At the top of this last rise, the trail comes to a spot where it crosses a property line of old that runs N – S. (Although this property line is not necessarily marked, you will notice it by some old fencing, a pile of rocks, the younger field ahead, the tell tale tree line, the difference in the age of the trees, and other signs of a former property line.) Standing on this property line, and about 4 steps to the left of the trail you will find the Evergreen Letterbox at the base of a multi-trunk tree. (At this point you are about one-quarter of the way around a 2-mile loop trail…you may either proceed for a healthy walk or turn around back to the starting point)
Winter Solstice Letterbox relocating to NY - Area has become overgrown and this box has not had a visitor in 18 months.
Go to Summit Lake State Park (5993 N. Messick Road, New Castle, IN). Shortly after going through the main entrance, the road will come to a “T”. Turn left and proceed to the camping area. (You will find trail #2 on the left side of the main road after a sign for “campground A”. The trail head is indicated by the signs “foot traffic only” and “2”. During the camping season, you might have to parking in the visitor parking area for the campgrounds and walk a few hundred feet down the main road to the trail head.) Start down the trail. After a short walk, the trail it will pass through a fallen tree and around two island trees. Then the trail will begin down a slight grade and transition from older growth trees to an area densely packed with young growth. The trail will take a series of slight bends, and then open up with a view of the lake to the left. Continue down the trail, and it will take a hairpin turn to the right, and then straighten out with a small rise. The trail will veer to the left and come to a small bridge. At the end of this bridge, continue to walk 50 steps to the crown of a small rise. Take a compass reading of due North and walk 25 steps off of the trail to find the Winter Solstice Letterbox at the base of a dense growth of many slender branches. (At this point you are about one-half way around a 1 ¼ mile loop trail…you may either proceed or turn around back to the starting point)
Placed on Christmas Day, 2003
STATUS - Up for adoption - we are moving to NY - contact us if you are interested in adopting this terrific and popular box.
Level of terrain: Suitable for small children. (Terrain is generally along marked trails, there are no steep elevation changes or heavy overgrowth. Less than a 2 mile round-trip hike required.)
Level of difficulty: Average. The average letterboxer would be able to find each letterbox in the series in less than 30 minutes of hunting each.
IMPORTANT NOTE: WE PLANTED THIS LETTERBOX SERIES IN THE WINTER. DURING THE LATE SPRING AND SUMMER MOST OF THIS AREA IS COVERED WITH HEAVY UNDERGROWTH - PARTICULARLY STINGING NETTLE AND POISON IVY. THE WOODS ALSO HARBOR MORE THAN THEIR SHARE OF INDIANA'S MOSQUITOS AND GNATS. WEARING LONG PANTS AND INSECT REPELLANT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED - OR WAIT LIKE US FOR WINTER - AND YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR HUNT SO MUCH MORE. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT MAY BE LIKE IN THE FALL.
WE VISITED THESE BOXES ON JUNE 19, 2004 AND ONLY TWO LETTERBOXERS HAD FOUND THEM - ONE IN FEBRUARY AND ONE ON APRIL 1. (SOUNDS LIKE OTHER LETTERBOXERS KNOW THIS PARK BETTER THAN WE DO AND ARE WAITING FOR THE STARK WINTER BEAUTY OF THE PARK FOR THESE HUNTS.)
Season of Peace Letterbox - alive and well April 30, 2006
Go to Summit Lake State Park (5993 N. Messick Road, New Castle, IN). Shortly after going through the main entrance, the road will come to a “T”. Turn right and proceed to the beach area parking lot, which is left of the main road. Park in the first sections of the lot, and look for the trail head that is marked with signs “foot traffic only” and “3”. The trail begins just off the parking lot at a small bridge. Walk 70 steps from the end of the bridge and look for a tree shaped as an archer’s bow on the right side of the trail. From this tree take a compass reading of 40 degrees and walk 23 steps to a tree with a cancerous growth about 4 feet from the ground. Take a compass reading of 330, and walk 40 steps to twin leaning towers. Step back on the trail at this point and go north about 28 steps to find a broken off hollow stump about six feet high just off the trail on the right. Take a compass reading of 10 and go 56 steps to a tree with seven feet firmly planted in the soil. Take a compass reading of 280 and go 38 steps. You will find the Season of Peace Letterbox resting in the remains of a tree that has mostly returned to the earth, but keeps one finger pointed skyward.
Frosty Letterbox - Discovered Missing April 30, 2006
Go to Summit Lake State Park (5993 N. Messick Road, New Castle, IN). Shortly after going through the main entrance, the road will come to a “T”. Turn right and proceed to trail head #1 marked with signs “foot traffic only” and “1”. (You will find it after the beach area on the left, after the water treatment facility on the right and before you reach the boat launch area at the end of the road. Look on the right side of the main road for about 6 paved parking spots off a short paved spur.) Begin walking on the trail that starts with a large rock in the middle of the trail. After a short walk, the trail splits. Take the right fork into the woods. In 30 steps the trail splits again, and once again take the right fork. The trail makes a few bends. Stay on the trail, and look on the right for a large tree trunk who is laying on the ground along an axis of 230 degrees. From this point on the trail, continue to walk for another 70 steps. The trail will make a small rise to a ridge that splits two low areas that hold water when it’s wet. Take a compass reading of 220 degrees. Walk 28 steps in this direction. Stop and look toward 120 degrees for four fingers reaching for the sky. Go to the base of this tree. Walk 35 steps in the direction of 270 degrees and you will find Frosty tucked away off the ground.
Evergreen Letterbox - relocating to NY - Area has become overgrown and this box has not had a visitor in 18 months.
Go to Summit Lake State Park (5993 N. Messick Road, New Castle, IN). Shortly after going through the main entrance, the road will come to a “T”. Turn right and proceed to trail head #1 marked with signs “foot traffic only” and “1”. (You will find it after the beach area on the left, after the water treatment facility on the right and before you reach the boat launch area at the end of the road. Look on the right side of the main road for about 6 paved parking spots off a short paved spur.) Begin walking on the trail that starts with a large rock in the middle of the trail. After a short walk, the trail splits. Take the left fork that stays in the meadow. Enjoy the walk through the meadow, and look for a fine view of the lake on the left. There will be a small rise in the trail, and then after the peak of this rise you will see a small evergreen cedar about seven steps on the left of the trail. Continue on the trail through a straight section that runs NNE. Soon you will come to a series of bends in the trail. Look for a short grass covered road on the right of the trail at about 130 degrees. Then the trail will begin to rise, fall away for a short section, and rise again. You’ll start to see a few young trees on the right. At the top of this last rise, the trail comes to a spot where it crosses a property line of old that runs N – S. (Although this property line is not necessarily marked, you will notice it by some old fencing, a pile of rocks, the younger field ahead, the tell tale tree line, the difference in the age of the trees, and other signs of a former property line.) Standing on this property line, and about 4 steps to the left of the trail you will find the Evergreen Letterbox at the base of a multi-trunk tree. (At this point you are about one-quarter of the way around a 2-mile loop trail…you may either proceed for a healthy walk or turn around back to the starting point)
Winter Solstice Letterbox relocating to NY - Area has become overgrown and this box has not had a visitor in 18 months.
Go to Summit Lake State Park (5993 N. Messick Road, New Castle, IN). Shortly after going through the main entrance, the road will come to a “T”. Turn left and proceed to the camping area. (You will find trail #2 on the left side of the main road after a sign for “campground A”. The trail head is indicated by the signs “foot traffic only” and “2”. During the camping season, you might have to parking in the visitor parking area for the campgrounds and walk a few hundred feet down the main road to the trail head.) Start down the trail. After a short walk, the trail it will pass through a fallen tree and around two island trees. Then the trail will begin down a slight grade and transition from older growth trees to an area densely packed with young growth. The trail will take a series of slight bends, and then open up with a view of the lake to the left. Continue down the trail, and it will take a hairpin turn to the right, and then straighten out with a small rise. The trail will veer to the left and come to a small bridge. At the end of this bridge, continue to walk 50 steps to the crown of a small rise. Take a compass reading of due North and walk 25 steps off of the trail to find the Winter Solstice Letterbox at the base of a dense growth of many slender branches. (At this point you are about one-half way around a 1 ¼ mile loop trail…you may either proceed or turn around back to the starting point)