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The Elephant's Trunk. LbNA #22454

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:May 24, 2006
Location:
City:El Paso
County:El Paso
State:Texas
Boxes:1
Planted by:Dane_Lady
Found by: foullump
Last found:Jul 29, 2012
Status:FFFFFF
Last edited:May 24, 2006
Difficulty: Clues require easy searching and observation.
Distance: Over 1.8 miles round trip.
Elevation: Over 600 feet to the Box.
Stamp: Custom-made. Black ink pad included.

This Letterbox is a LETTERBOX-HYBRID, meaning it is co-located with a Geocache. It is located in The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department - Franklin Mountains State Park - Smugglers Pass Area. Entry is $4.00 per person, children 12 & under free. Registration envelopes are at the sign-board. This letterbox-cache is approved by TPWD.

The BLACK logbook, stamp and ink pad are the letterbox portion. If you are letterboxing, stamp your stamp in the letterbox logbook, and stamp the letterbox stamp in your logbook. Write a personal note in the log if you like. It is that easy!

If you would like to hunt this as a Geocache, it is waypoint GCW7EK.

The GREEN logbook is the Geocaching logbook. If you write in this logbook, PLEASE LOG IT ON-LINE at GEOCACHING.COM TOO! DO NOT put letterbox stamps in the Geocaching logbook. The waterproof paper will not take the ink, and it will make a mess.

To find it as a letterbox, start from the junction of Trans Mountain Road and I-10 on the West Side of El Paso. Drive east on Trans Mountain Road 6.3 miles, over the summit and into the parking lot on the right side at Smuggler's Pass. Park to the right side of the parking area, and pay the fee at the pay station. The sign-board at the pay station is the trailhead.

Follow the main trail. At 0.43 you will approach a red rock out-cropping on the right. Just beyond it the main trail will turn right into a steep arroyo. Follow the main trail right. The trail will begin a series of switchbacks to reach the ridge above. At 0.70 miles you will reach the ridge. Turn left and continue up the ridgeline. At 0.95 miles you will come to a place in the trail where two large rocks placed to the left and right side of the trail form a gate with a much smaller rock in the middle. Beyond this rock gate is a section looking almost like a sidewalk. Face the large rock on the left. From the south end of that rock, sight a bearing of 73ยบ True. Follow that heading 55 feet, and look for the Letterbox under a rock. The letterbox is a well camouflaged .30 cal ammo can with both LETTERBOXING and GEOCACHING logbooks. Please do not stamp the Geocaching logbook, it is waterproof paper and it does not take ink.

NOTE: Dogs have made this hike without much difficulty. Take plenty of water.

This is my first letterbox attempt. Comments sought!