Bar-SR-Bar LbNA #30514 (ARCHIVED)
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Apr 30, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Alpine |
| County: | Brewster |
| State: | Texas |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Astro D |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Nov 17, 2007 |
| Status: | FFa |
| Last edited: | Apr 30, 2007 |
Bar-SR-Bar is the Sul Ross State University cattle brand. The brand was registered in 1922 and is the most iconic image used to represent the school (even more so than the lobo which is the school mascot). The image is most visible in the white rock formation on the face of Hancock Hill located on the SRSU campus.
Clues:
The city of Alpine is located in far West Texas, in the heart of Beg Bend country. This area is often called “the last frontier” and if you’ve ever been to Alpine or Big Bend National Park, it isn’t difficult to figure why folks say things like that. Upon their first visit many people are often surprised to find a University nestled in the foothills of the Davis Mountains. In fact some of those foothills are part of the campus of Sul Ross State University (SRSU), and one of those hills is now home to the “Bar-SR-Bar” letterbox. The SRSU campus is located on the east side of Alpine along Hwy 90/67. Enter the campus at Entrance 2 and turn right. If you look uphill you should notice a large white rock formation in the shape of “Bar-SR-Bar”. That rock formation is on Hancock Hill, and that’s where you’re headed. Follow the slightly winding campus road to the top of the hill and turn right as you are passing Lobo Village 2 (these are student residences and the only signs are small silver letters on the side of the brick buildings. ** Incidentally, I made those silver letters at a sign shop in Houston prior to moving to Alpine to attend SRSU, no joke … now back to the clues). If you reach the stop sign you’ve gone too far. Assuming you made the right turn in the correct place Lobo Village 3 should be on your right and some satellite dishes should be uphill to your left. Continue driving past all 7 Lobo Villages until you reach a circle drive with a single lamp post in the middle. Park, and walk to the lamp post.
***Note*** I’ve include compass bearings, but they are not necessary to find this box. I added them mostly so I could practice giving compass clues in a non-critical situation, and so those of you who would like to practice orienteering can do so without affecting your ability to find the box.
The trail: When the new student housing was built (lobo village 1-7) the old trailhead was destroyed and a new one has yet to be designated, so the beginning of this hike is less defined than the middle and end portions. From the lamppost, stand with your back to Hwy 90 and face uphill. The top of a light green water tank with the SRSU seal on it should be visible at 280 degrees. Keep this tank in mind as you make your way to the other side of it soon, but in an indirect fashion. Now, from the lamppost walk 20 paces east (to your right) and cross a cement drainage ditch. Now turn left and begin walking uphill. You are not exactly on a path, but it appears as if it was used as a road during the recent construction, but it is faint. At any rate, follow along the artificial ridge road roughly 150 steps (a rock cairn should be there to mark the new unofficial trailhead, I live close by so I’ll check the cairn frequently). At this point turn, once again, with your back to hwy 90 and look uphill. You should notice 2 faint trails heading uphill. The one heading uphill to your right at has many small light colored stones, this is the path you want. Soon enough the trail will appear more defined and maintained. Follow the trail along for a while (300 of my steps, but I am tall so possibly as many as 400 average steps) until you pass between 2 old fence posts covered in barbed wire. From the fence posts continue along the trail 40 paces the same way you were headed until you come to a junction (once again, a cairn should clearly mark this spot). With the water towers at your back, look uphill towards the white rocks. There will be a trail at bearing 30 that practically goes straight uphill between the S and the R (crossing straight over the “bars”). Take this trail all the way to the top bar. From here continue uphill 15 steps to a small boulder half covered in white paint. The box is behind this small boulder under a flat rock. This boulder makes a nice place to sit, stamp in, rest and take in the view. Please re-hide exactly as you found it. Enjoy!
P.S. Not only is this my first planted box, but I made it as an aid to short presentation on letterboxing I did as part of a speech class. I was torn at first because I know many feel (as I do) that letterboxing is a somewhat secretive activity, but allow me to put things in perspective. Brewster County Texas where SRSU is located is larger than the entire state of Connecticut. Connecticut alone has well over 2000 letterboxes. As of this posting Brewster County has 2 (this one, and a box located in Big Bend over 100 miles away from campus).there are no boxes within 25 miles of SRSU (not counting this one) and only 7 within 50 miles. West Texas is beautiful and could certainly use more letterboxes (and letterboxers).
Clues:
The city of Alpine is located in far West Texas, in the heart of Beg Bend country. This area is often called “the last frontier” and if you’ve ever been to Alpine or Big Bend National Park, it isn’t difficult to figure why folks say things like that. Upon their first visit many people are often surprised to find a University nestled in the foothills of the Davis Mountains. In fact some of those foothills are part of the campus of Sul Ross State University (SRSU), and one of those hills is now home to the “Bar-SR-Bar” letterbox. The SRSU campus is located on the east side of Alpine along Hwy 90/67. Enter the campus at Entrance 2 and turn right. If you look uphill you should notice a large white rock formation in the shape of “Bar-SR-Bar”. That rock formation is on Hancock Hill, and that’s where you’re headed. Follow the slightly winding campus road to the top of the hill and turn right as you are passing Lobo Village 2 (these are student residences and the only signs are small silver letters on the side of the brick buildings. ** Incidentally, I made those silver letters at a sign shop in Houston prior to moving to Alpine to attend SRSU, no joke … now back to the clues). If you reach the stop sign you’ve gone too far. Assuming you made the right turn in the correct place Lobo Village 3 should be on your right and some satellite dishes should be uphill to your left. Continue driving past all 7 Lobo Villages until you reach a circle drive with a single lamp post in the middle. Park, and walk to the lamp post.
***Note*** I’ve include compass bearings, but they are not necessary to find this box. I added them mostly so I could practice giving compass clues in a non-critical situation, and so those of you who would like to practice orienteering can do so without affecting your ability to find the box.
The trail: When the new student housing was built (lobo village 1-7) the old trailhead was destroyed and a new one has yet to be designated, so the beginning of this hike is less defined than the middle and end portions. From the lamppost, stand with your back to Hwy 90 and face uphill. The top of a light green water tank with the SRSU seal on it should be visible at 280 degrees. Keep this tank in mind as you make your way to the other side of it soon, but in an indirect fashion. Now, from the lamppost walk 20 paces east (to your right) and cross a cement drainage ditch. Now turn left and begin walking uphill. You are not exactly on a path, but it appears as if it was used as a road during the recent construction, but it is faint. At any rate, follow along the artificial ridge road roughly 150 steps (a rock cairn should be there to mark the new unofficial trailhead, I live close by so I’ll check the cairn frequently). At this point turn, once again, with your back to hwy 90 and look uphill. You should notice 2 faint trails heading uphill. The one heading uphill to your right at has many small light colored stones, this is the path you want. Soon enough the trail will appear more defined and maintained. Follow the trail along for a while (300 of my steps, but I am tall so possibly as many as 400 average steps) until you pass between 2 old fence posts covered in barbed wire. From the fence posts continue along the trail 40 paces the same way you were headed until you come to a junction (once again, a cairn should clearly mark this spot). With the water towers at your back, look uphill towards the white rocks. There will be a trail at bearing 30 that practically goes straight uphill between the S and the R (crossing straight over the “bars”). Take this trail all the way to the top bar. From here continue uphill 15 steps to a small boulder half covered in white paint. The box is behind this small boulder under a flat rock. This boulder makes a nice place to sit, stamp in, rest and take in the view. Please re-hide exactly as you found it. Enjoy!
P.S. Not only is this my first planted box, but I made it as an aid to short presentation on letterboxing I did as part of a speech class. I was torn at first because I know many feel (as I do) that letterboxing is a somewhat secretive activity, but allow me to put things in perspective. Brewster County Texas where SRSU is located is larger than the entire state of Connecticut. Connecticut alone has well over 2000 letterboxes. As of this posting Brewster County has 2 (this one, and a box located in Big Bend over 100 miles away from campus).there are no boxes within 25 miles of SRSU (not counting this one) and only 7 within 50 miles. West Texas is beautiful and could certainly use more letterboxes (and letterboxers).