North Country Trail Run LbNA #55399
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Add Location| Owner: | pjynx  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Aug 28, 2010 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Manistee / Wellston |
| County: | Manistee |
| State: | Michigan |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | LaLaBirds |
|---|---|
| Last found: | May 15, 2020 |
| Status: | FFFFFOFFaF |
| Last edited: | Aug 28, 2010 |
My husband is an avid runner and we tend to travel out of town quite often so he can compete in races. Since my daughter and I are usually left to wander around town while the race is going on, I thought this would be a great opportunity to plant some letterboxes. I decided to start a running theme and plant a letterbox in each town we travel to for my husband’s races.
The 2010 North Country Trail Run started and finished at the Big M Trailhead in the Manistee National Forest. The Big M area has more than 10 miles of well-marked trails that can be used for hiking, as well as several more miles of trails used for skiing, snowshoeing and biking. You can download a trail map here
I believe there is a small fee for parking, collected via a drop-box honor system. I don’t know how much it is because we had to park further away and walk in due to the overflow on race-day.
Directions
(This is the easiest way) From Manistee, take M-55 about 14 miles east to Udell Hills Road. South on Udell Hills for 3.5 miles. Entrance is on right.
From Ludington, go east on US-10 to Scottville. Go North on US-31 for 10.5 miles to Freesoil Road. East on Freesoil Rd about 7 miles to Campbell Road. Campbell is a dirt road. North on Campbell for 5.5 miles to Udell Hills Road. East on Udell Hills 2.5 miles to entrance on left.
Ugly stamp disclaimer:
Usually, my stamps for the running series are either of a running shoe or the logo of the race. I thought I was well-prepared to carve while we were there. Brought the box, baggies, good carving material, mounting foam, super-glue, etc. But upon attempting to carve, realized that my carving tools were at home. The trails and forest were too nice to skip planting a box on this trip. So I made due with the only carving utensil I could find…..the metal ring around a pencil eraser, squished to form a V to make a gouge. Can’t do much detail with that, and it doesn’t work well with the good pink stuff, so the stamp is a very simple etching in softer material, yet still appropriate for the box location. My daughter (Louie, age 11) also added a similar carving. Both are ugly (LOL) but to us, the fun of letterboxing is the hunt & find, without as much focus on the quality of the stamp. So we hope you enjoy finding the box anyway.
Clues:
Consult the trailhead map and choose the “easiest” trail that heads SW from the parking lot. Follow that trail. Once on the trail, you’ll step down off a cement pad, then pass a sign for the parking lot. But you don’t want to return to your car so soon. Continue on the trail. Be sure to abide by the “Do Not Enter” sign. You’ll pass many jagged stumps that would easily hide a letterbox. But that would be too easy. Keep going. Pass the trunk of a fallen sentinel, with it’s legs sprawled in all directions. Pass the woodpecker’s likely home. The trail makes a u-turn and you should too. At the intersection, there are 3 numbered posts. Stand next to the post with the largest number. Walk off trail toward 320°. Step over a fallen skinny one, and continue in that same direction approx 28 steps past the shredded bent-over stump. If you have headed straight at 320° from the trail, you should be approaching a fallen tree resting against a skinny standing one. V marks the spot.
Please take the box away from it’s hiding place to do your stamping so passers-by don’t see anything. When re-hiding, make sure the box is closed at all 4 corners and is tucked in well so it's not visible from any direction. Thanks!
The 2010 North Country Trail Run started and finished at the Big M Trailhead in the Manistee National Forest. The Big M area has more than 10 miles of well-marked trails that can be used for hiking, as well as several more miles of trails used for skiing, snowshoeing and biking. You can download a trail map here
I believe there is a small fee for parking, collected via a drop-box honor system. I don’t know how much it is because we had to park further away and walk in due to the overflow on race-day.
Directions
(This is the easiest way) From Manistee, take M-55 about 14 miles east to Udell Hills Road. South on Udell Hills for 3.5 miles. Entrance is on right.
From Ludington, go east on US-10 to Scottville. Go North on US-31 for 10.5 miles to Freesoil Road. East on Freesoil Rd about 7 miles to Campbell Road. Campbell is a dirt road. North on Campbell for 5.5 miles to Udell Hills Road. East on Udell Hills 2.5 miles to entrance on left.
Ugly stamp disclaimer:
Usually, my stamps for the running series are either of a running shoe or the logo of the race. I thought I was well-prepared to carve while we were there. Brought the box, baggies, good carving material, mounting foam, super-glue, etc. But upon attempting to carve, realized that my carving tools were at home. The trails and forest were too nice to skip planting a box on this trip. So I made due with the only carving utensil I could find…..the metal ring around a pencil eraser, squished to form a V to make a gouge. Can’t do much detail with that, and it doesn’t work well with the good pink stuff, so the stamp is a very simple etching in softer material, yet still appropriate for the box location. My daughter (Louie, age 11) also added a similar carving. Both are ugly (LOL) but to us, the fun of letterboxing is the hunt & find, without as much focus on the quality of the stamp. So we hope you enjoy finding the box anyway.
Clues:
Consult the trailhead map and choose the “easiest” trail that heads SW from the parking lot. Follow that trail. Once on the trail, you’ll step down off a cement pad, then pass a sign for the parking lot. But you don’t want to return to your car so soon. Continue on the trail. Be sure to abide by the “Do Not Enter” sign. You’ll pass many jagged stumps that would easily hide a letterbox. But that would be too easy. Keep going. Pass the trunk of a fallen sentinel, with it’s legs sprawled in all directions. Pass the woodpecker’s likely home. The trail makes a u-turn and you should too. At the intersection, there are 3 numbered posts. Stand next to the post with the largest number. Walk off trail toward 320°. Step over a fallen skinny one, and continue in that same direction approx 28 steps past the shredded bent-over stump. If you have headed straight at 320° from the trail, you should be approaching a fallen tree resting against a skinny standing one. V marks the spot.
Please take the box away from it’s hiding place to do your stamping so passers-by don’t see anything. When re-hiding, make sure the box is closed at all 4 corners and is tucked in well so it's not visible from any direction. Thanks!