Finding, Planting and Maintaining Boxes

Since we are having an event on September 20 (Letterboxing with Altitude) we have decided to try and check on all the boxes off of Hyde Park Road. I have done a few but I decided to head up today and do some more checking, planting and finding.

The first stop was at a pullout between mile markers 5 & 6. There is a trailhead across from this pullout which is the start of the Little Tesuque Trail and the Burn/Juan Trail. Unfortunately there are no signs anywhere on the trail to mark this, but there is a wooden post at the start of the trail. Not far down the trail I checked on a box I had found quite a while ago - Heroes on the Line - which is still there. Then I went a little further and found a box - Gnome Day 2014: Amelie's Gnome by ArnoldZiffel. I easily found the box and sat down to stamp in. It is a great little stamp and I enjoyed finding this box. After replacing it I was ready to plant some new boxes. At first I thought I was going to take the Burn/Juan Trail off of the Little Tesuque Trail and plant the boxes there. But after walking the trail for five minutes I realized that the trail was nothing but uphill and decided to return to the Little Tesuque Trail. I spent about a half hour to forty-five minutes walking the trail looking for hiding spots for a couple of boxes. I had an idea of what I was looking for but finding just the right spot was a little harder than I thought. Eventually I found a spot for the main box and I got it hidden and the clues written down. Then I continued along the trail to look for another area for a few more boxes - this is where it took me a while. Finally I made a decision and got the rest of the series hidden - this box is called Southwest Charm. Now that I had the boxes in place and the clues jotted down I could return to the car and continue on with my plans.


Driving along Hyde Park Road I stopped in at the Hyde Park Visitor Center. I picked up some brochures and paid my $5 fee. Then I drove a little further up the road and stopped at a pullout with a fence and a bridge. Here I looked for Wronghat's WrongHyde box. I only had to walk a short distance before I found the box. There was no one around so I found a nearby spot to sit and stamp in. I always love his carvings and I loved the play on locations that he used on the stamp. After stamping in and replacing the box I walked back to my car and headed up the road. My next stop was at Aspen Vista Picnic Area to plant another box - Trembling Poplar. For this box I took the side trail right near the gate - this is the Alamos Vista Trail. About a week ago I had hiked this trail and I had scoped out hiding spots so this time around it didn't take me long to get this box hidden. Once the box was in place I found a spot to sit and write out the clues. While in this area I decided to check on a box on the Aspen Vista Trail. So I took the short walk up the trail and then the side trail to find Astro D's Aspen Vista box - I am happy to report that it is alive and well. Now it was time to head back down the trail and make my way home. It was a good day . . . I found two boxes, planted some boxes and checked on a couple of boxes . . . I loved my time driving and hiking along Hyde Park Road.