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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