June Monsoon LbNA #1042
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Mar 25, 2003 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Ithaca |
| County: | Tompkins |
| State: | New York |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Planted by: | TurtleMcQ  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | TurtleMcQ |
| Last found: | Jun 14, 2015 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFO |
| Last edited: | Mar 25, 2003 |
This section of the multi-part East Ithaca Recreation Way follows Upper Cascadilla Creek between Judd Falls Road and Game Farm Road along a former railroad right of way. The trail is accessible year-round, and open to dogs and horses. The trail is paved and mostly level, making it bike, stroller and wheelchair-friendly (although the box itself is a small step or two off-trail).
Driving Directions: Turn onto Pine Tree Road from Route 79 on Ithaca's east side and head uphill. At East Hill Plaza, turn right onto Ellis Hollow Road. Turn left onto Game Farm Road just before the Dryden city limits. After .6 miles, there will be a small parking area on the left and a sign for the East Ithaca Recreation Way trailhead.
Please note: A June 2009 finder reported that "two trees at the end have been cut down and are now stumps." I have not been able to verify which two particular trees the finder means, but if you're having trouble finding any of the trees in the clues, try looking for stumps instead to see if that works. Any extra details from future finders would be much appreciated...
Follow the trail to the .5 mile marker. With Cascadilla Creek on your left and a small tributary on your right, pass three trees at the trail's right edge (counting the clump of trees next to the trail marker as "one"). From the third tree, take twenty steps forward, then cross over to the left side of the trail. You should be next to a small grouping of maple trees directly after a gravelly clearing that overlooks the creek. (In summer, this clearing is covered with various wildflowers and other plants, but it's still possible to see that it's a clearing underneath it all.)
To double-check that you're near the correct maples, look for a very large fallen tree on the other side of the trail with two long limbs reaching towards the tributary in a V shape. In summer, it may be difficult to spot this fallen tree, but it's there.
Turning back to the maples, look for two separate pieces of timber also in a V shape, with the bottom tip of the V pointing to and practically touching the trail. You'll find June Monsoon inside the V, under a flat rock. Please be very discreet as you remove the box as this path is heavily traveled and you will most likely be observed unless you're there at the crack of dawn. You may want to bring along a camera, binoculars or a Sherlock Holmes-sized magnifying glass so it appears as though you're just another of the many birders or naturalists who frequent the area. You'll also want to wear gloves as you retrieve the box in the event that you encounter creepy-crawlies or, more likely, evidence of just how popular this spot is for dog walking. (All together now....ewwww!)
Discretion while stamping in shouldn't be as much of an issue. Simply retrace your steps just a few feet back and (judiciously) choose a place to sit in the small clearing overlooking the water. No one will give you a second glance if you loudly oooh and aaah over the glory of nature in front of you even if your hands are ink covered and the ground in front of you is strewn with logbooks. Alternatively, there's a picnic table another 1/4 mile or so down the trail that makes a good spot to stamp in.
Please rehide the box carefully, nestling it as high up into the bottom of the V as you can while still being able to cover it with the rock. Portions will be visible beneath the rock - please use leaves or branches to keep it hidden from accidental view.
At this point, you can turn back the way you came for a round trip of exactly one mile, or you can continue on to the end of this section of the trail before doubling back for a grand total of two miles. You'll find picnic tables and benches farther down the trail, as well as a bridge over Judd Falls Road that gives an excellent overhead view of Judd Falls (one of the smaller falls in the area, but still a lot of fun to watch).
June Monsoon is the first LB in the previously HH-only June family (June Bloom, June Gloom, June Moon and June Balloon, all currently out roaming the country). Rather than create more HH's when I don't expect to be finding anyone else's boxes for awhile, I thought I'd start to populate my own home territory with a few more boxes. Ever true to its name, June Monsoon was planted during a rather heavy rainstorm. Stay tuned for continuing June adventures...
Notes:
1 This is a stroller-friendly hike until the very end when retrieving the box.
2 There's neither inkpad nor pencil in the box, so be sure to bring your own.
3 Replace the box carefully in its hiding place after you've stamped in.
http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gBoxId=258
Driving Directions: Turn onto Pine Tree Road from Route 79 on Ithaca's east side and head uphill. At East Hill Plaza, turn right onto Ellis Hollow Road. Turn left onto Game Farm Road just before the Dryden city limits. After .6 miles, there will be a small parking area on the left and a sign for the East Ithaca Recreation Way trailhead.
Please note: A June 2009 finder reported that "two trees at the end have been cut down and are now stumps." I have not been able to verify which two particular trees the finder means, but if you're having trouble finding any of the trees in the clues, try looking for stumps instead to see if that works. Any extra details from future finders would be much appreciated...
Follow the trail to the .5 mile marker. With Cascadilla Creek on your left and a small tributary on your right, pass three trees at the trail's right edge (counting the clump of trees next to the trail marker as "one"). From the third tree, take twenty steps forward, then cross over to the left side of the trail. You should be next to a small grouping of maple trees directly after a gravelly clearing that overlooks the creek. (In summer, this clearing is covered with various wildflowers and other plants, but it's still possible to see that it's a clearing underneath it all.)
To double-check that you're near the correct maples, look for a very large fallen tree on the other side of the trail with two long limbs reaching towards the tributary in a V shape. In summer, it may be difficult to spot this fallen tree, but it's there.
Turning back to the maples, look for two separate pieces of timber also in a V shape, with the bottom tip of the V pointing to and practically touching the trail. You'll find June Monsoon inside the V, under a flat rock. Please be very discreet as you remove the box as this path is heavily traveled and you will most likely be observed unless you're there at the crack of dawn. You may want to bring along a camera, binoculars or a Sherlock Holmes-sized magnifying glass so it appears as though you're just another of the many birders or naturalists who frequent the area. You'll also want to wear gloves as you retrieve the box in the event that you encounter creepy-crawlies or, more likely, evidence of just how popular this spot is for dog walking. (All together now....ewwww!)
Discretion while stamping in shouldn't be as much of an issue. Simply retrace your steps just a few feet back and (judiciously) choose a place to sit in the small clearing overlooking the water. No one will give you a second glance if you loudly oooh and aaah over the glory of nature in front of you even if your hands are ink covered and the ground in front of you is strewn with logbooks. Alternatively, there's a picnic table another 1/4 mile or so down the trail that makes a good spot to stamp in.
Please rehide the box carefully, nestling it as high up into the bottom of the V as you can while still being able to cover it with the rock. Portions will be visible beneath the rock - please use leaves or branches to keep it hidden from accidental view.
At this point, you can turn back the way you came for a round trip of exactly one mile, or you can continue on to the end of this section of the trail before doubling back for a grand total of two miles. You'll find picnic tables and benches farther down the trail, as well as a bridge over Judd Falls Road that gives an excellent overhead view of Judd Falls (one of the smaller falls in the area, but still a lot of fun to watch).
June Monsoon is the first LB in the previously HH-only June family (June Bloom, June Gloom, June Moon and June Balloon, all currently out roaming the country). Rather than create more HH's when I don't expect to be finding anyone else's boxes for awhile, I thought I'd start to populate my own home territory with a few more boxes. Ever true to its name, June Monsoon was planted during a rather heavy rainstorm. Stay tuned for continuing June adventures...
Notes:
1 This is a stroller-friendly hike until the very end when retrieving the box.
2 There's neither inkpad nor pencil in the box, so be sure to bring your own.
3 Replace the box carefully in its hiding place after you've stamped in.
http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gBoxId=258