State: California
County: Los Angeles
Nearest City: Glendale
Status: Tenuously Awaiting Its First Finder
Distance: 1 mile RT
Difficulty:: Moderately strenuous
Clues: Easy

Here's the story behind this letterbox. "The Transformed Man" was an album =
recorded in
1968 by none other than Captain Kirk, aka William Shatner. Although the so=
ngs
themselves, including a particularly disturbing version of Lucy in the Sky =
with Diamonds,
have caused many to shudder over the years, the cover art (a half-silhouett=
e of the man
himself) literally begged out to be a rubber stamp.

Unfortunately, a slip of the knife unintentionally shaved 20 years or more =
from Mr. Shatner
and the image began to take the countenance of another transformed man, Ame=
rica's own
Geek-turned-Idol, Clay Aiken. This stamp captures Clay in a moment of clar=
ity about his
new situation: the heartthrob of millions of middle-aged women across the l=
and. I decided
to plant this stamp where it largely all began, in Glendale, home of the Al=
ex Theatre, also
known as "Hollywood" as in the gleeful contestants cry "I'm going to"

This hike will afford you great views of downtown and the San Fernando Val=
ley, if that's
your thing. I have hiked this hike a zillion times since I was a kid.

The box is located in Brand Park, which can be reached by exiting the 134 f=
reeway at
Brand Boulevard and heading east towards the Verdugo Mountains. Follow the=
blue signs
to the park and library until you reach a Morrocan-inspired white gate labe=
led "Miradero."
Go through the gate towards the library and keep to the left. Park in the =
uppermost
parking area.

Start up the steep dirt trail that begins at the "Miss America of the Green=
Cross" sculpture.
When you reach a water tank, you want to take the trail leading off to the=
left. This trail
leads to a large covered reservoir and a paved service road. Turn left at =
this reservoir and
continue along the service road until you reach a convergence of three road=
s and a set of
stairs leading up to an overgrown terrace.

Take the trail at the farthest left that follows a stone-lined flood channe=
l. Cross the flood
channel and be sure to look right towards a set of stairs leading to a fenc=
ed in pyramid--
presumably the final resting place of old man Brand.

Stay on the dirt trail with the flood channel on your right. You will pass=
two sets of ruins
from the former Brand estate on your left, including a green cinder block b=
uilding.

You will eventually reach a dam and a set of stairs crossing the flood chan=
nel which is now
on your left. Cross the flood channel using these steps and continue up th=
e trail to a level
area at the top of the dam.

There are six burned palm trees in the general vicinity. Follow the trail =
and position
yourself where the trail leads between two of the blackened palms.

Take a bearing of 180 degrees and walk 20 paces across the mouth of the dam=
to a flat
rock propped against its lip. The box is under this rock, weighted down by=
another rock
and buried in sand.

Please rehide and rebury well. This hiding spot is almost too perfect that=
I worry it's a
drug dealers' drop off. I'm fretting as much as if I actually had left Cla=
y Aiken in this spot.
I am perfectly okay with someone taking this box to a new location (perhaps=
further up the
trail) as long as you let me know so I can modify the clues.

Finally, I will not be able to check on this box often, so updates are appr=
eciated.