Please post these clues to another Blue Hills box.
Thanks,
Adelcoll, Cavy-lovers
The Blue Hills Birthday Letterbox
To celebrate her 11 years
Maddie invited to a hike her friends' dear
They all knew the Hills of Blue
What could be done to make this new?
So, a letterbox, carefully hid
Added a treasure hunt for all the kids.
The hill named for a great signatory
Was chosen for this special foray
A rocky trail, if they followed the clues
Would lead them to an awesome view
To duplicate their climbing feat
First by the State Police Station you should meet
Visit their horses if you like
Before you begin this pleasant hike.
And here now ends this little rhyme
To be sure you find this box this time!
This is a short hike at Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, MA. The
trip to the box may take as little as 15 minutes if you ignore the
views. However, the trail is steep in places with lots of loose rocks
and protruding tree roots. Proceed carefully and wear shoes
appropriate for hiking.
Driving directions to the start: From Route 128/Route 93, take Exit 2
toward Milton onto Route 138. Take a right onto Blue Hill River Road.
Where Blue Hill River Road turns left at a stop sign stay straight
and the road becomes Hillside Street.
Continue past the parking lot for Houghton's Pond until you come
to
the Blue Hills Reservation Headquarters and the State Police Station
on the Left. Opposite are 2 small parking lots. If these are full, go
back and park in the Houghton's Pond lot.
Hike: Enter the driveway next to the stables at the road is a
waist
high post marked for the North Skyline Trail and there is a large
sign for Reservation Headquarters. Head up the hill, past the visitor
center (which is a small house on the right). You may want to pick up
a map for $1.00 there or have with you the map posted at the Blue
Hills Letterbox Clues, http://www.whiteblazes.com/lbna/bluehills.pdf
Walk past the barrier to cars. About 70 steps further uphill, you
will see on the right a sign for the North Skyline Trail and a blue
rectangle the sign for this trail. Turn right onto this trail
and
follow those Blue rectangles up the hill. Depending on the season,
there will be places where you will see small trails crossing yours
or bearing off. When in doubt scout for the blue markers. They are
never far apart.
You will come to a spot where the trail levels out and there is a
great view to the Right. Admire the view, but then continue. Stop
where the trail starts going downhill. Stand on the blue marker in
the middle of the exposed rock area. The microwave tower on Big Blue
Hill can be seen at 260 degrees. There will be two small trails off
to the right. Take the left one that heads off at about 340 degrees.
(The middle trail, if the Skyline Trail is considered).
Continue a short distance until you come to a clearing. Stop where
the trail meets the clearing. A pretty pine tree will be to your left
at 280 degrees. Boston, if the sky is clear, is at 20 degrees. Walk
at 60 degrees (right) 10 adult steps. Face the continuing trail
80
degrees. See a jumble of rocks going slightly downhill on the left of
the trail. They might be a good place to sit and look at the Boston
view if they were smoother.* One of the larger rocks leans on
another, leaving a tilted rectangular shaped opening. Go around the
rocks to where the opening comes out. To the right, see a flat
triangular rock leaning against the big leaning rock and another
oblong one. Look in the gap under the triangle rock for your prize.
[Please replace triangle rock carefully after you put away the box.]
*If you haven't found the box, from the asterisk above, try these
alternate instructions: Notice that 2 of the larger rocks, at about
320 degrees, have points toward the sky. Go the point furthest from
you. The point is lichen covered and, if you put your compass on it,
you will see it points toward Boston and nearly true north. Go around
the rock so you are downhill from it. (Careful the smaller
rocks
are loose). A shorter oblong rock is beside you and meets the pointed
one. A flat triangle rock has been placed to mask the gap between
these two. Remove that rock and reach into the gap for your reward.
To return, retrace your steps until you meet up again with the Blue
skyline trail. To go back to Headquarters and your car, follow the
blue path toward the left. To continue onto Big Blue Hill or the
either of the Blue Hills Letterbox or City Lights Letterbox, follow
the blue trail downhill to the right see those clues for
further
directions.
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
Please read before you set out.
Letterboxing, like any outdoor sport, carries the risk of unforeseen
hazards. Letterboxing North America supports a policy of not
knowingly placing letterboxes in areas that will create undue risk to
the letterbox hunter. However, as conditions may vary, it is the
responsibility of the letterbox searcher to become thoroughly
familiar with the conditions in the area to be searched, to
adequately prepare for those conditions, and to conduct oneself
safely and responsibly with respect to those conditions and with
respect to his or her personal abilities and
limitations. "Letterboxing North America" and the individual
letterbox sponsors assume no liability for events that may occur
related directly or indirectly to one's searching for a letterbox.
Do not let children hunt for letterboxes unsupervised.
By reading and utilizing the letterbox clues posted on this web site,
you acknowledge the above conditions, and accept responsibility for
your own actions, and agree to hold non-liable the clue writers,
website authors, and letterboxing organizations and further, agree to
provide this disclaimer to any person with whom you share these
letterbox clues.
Box placed 8/21/02
Report your finds, comments to adelcoll@yahoo.com