Flyfisher's Letterboxes
Whispering Pines
(Stamp Missing, geocache is there)

Whispering Pines
Yellow Springs, OH  Greene County
Difficulty 3 - 2.5 miles round trip
Hybrid Geocache/Letterbox
Placed 27 Nov 2001 by
Flyfisher ([email protected])

The east wind was playing on my cheek and every forest sound was hushed in the grove of tall pines.  Footfalls quieted by inches of pine needles lay as a carpet on the forest floor.  Standing in the center of the glade I wondered where to hide the box.

The quest begins at a small parking lot nearly a mile from the pines.  Just north of Yellow Springs take 343 where it begins at US 68.  Shortly after the right turn is a turn off for parking at the reserve given by her father in honor of Helen.  Take the gravel road all the way back to the parking lot, potholes and all.  GPS backup gives N 39 48.244 W 83 52.939 at the trailhead. 

Take the trail to the east, down a hill and over the bridge at the falls.  This November afternoon, the falls could be heard for more than 100 yards, but in the summer they make little more than a cool mist in the rocky gorge. 

From the far end of the bridge take the trail that heads out at 140° for 44 paces.  (One pace = two steps = about 5 feet.)  You will reach a gravel double track and a sign telling you not to go further.  Never fear, you will violate no rule. 

Turn to 180° and proceed to a Y in the road with the right track blocked by an orange marker.  Continue at 200° past the orange marker.  Stay on the wide path for a pleasant 15-minute walk through the woods.  Look at the birds and the trees.  I saw a beautiful Red Tailed Hawk. 

You will come to another Y in the trail, where this trail and another merge into a single track.  Head 100° up the trail and you will begin to see the pines in the forest ahead.  Smell the pine aroma. 

You enter the glen from a path that is guarded by a 9 trunked tree.   From this tree it is 48 paces to the roots of a large fallen pine on the path and at the high point of the path in the pines.  If you wish to check, the coordinates here are N 39 47.511 W 83 52.428.  But you
are not yet done. 

Smell the air.  Enjoy the quiet and the solitude.  I first saw this spot from cross-country skis years ago and was mesmerized from the start.

Take a heading from the mass of roots toward where the wind was coming from when I hid the box.  Step off 39 paces and you will arrive at a smaller fallen tree with 3 parallel sticks that cross it mid length.  The upturned roots are to your right.  On the far side of the trunk just above those roots is the treasure you seek, covered with several rotted logs and pine needles. 

Please take care to leave the 3 sticks where they are and to cover the box well.  If you wish to take a different and more challenging route back, keep to the left at the last Y and follow the path to the creek.  Keep the creek on your left until you return to the bridge.  There are some nice fishing holes down here to explore.   You might want a topo of the area before trying this last, or use a GPS to keep you on track back to the car. 

Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.

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