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Pacific Crest Trail Letterbox LbNA #8030 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:The Northerner
Plant date:Apr 22, 2004
Location: Lake Morena County Park
City:Campo
County:San Diego
State:California
Boxes:1
Found by: PeterK
Last found:Apr 27, 2008
Status:aFFam
Last edited:Apr 22, 2004
THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL LETTERBOX
PLACED BY: The Northerner (canuck013@yahoo.com)
PLACED: April 22, 2004
ROUTE: Approximately 3 miles round-trip and about 500 feet of elevation gain.
CLUES: Pretty Easy

STATUS (5/22/11): This box has been reported missing again. This has happened a couple of times before and then it has been found at a later date so I'm still holding out hope, but as I live in New Jersey I cannot check it myself so I just want to give everyone fair warning. It is a nice hike regardless so if you go up there I would greatly appreciate it if you let me know whether your hunt has been successful or not. Thank you!

During the two years since I became a letterboxer, I have discovered some beautiful places that I would never have discovered otherwise. I also had the opportunity in the summer of 2003 to thru-hike the amazing and majestic Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from Mexico to Canada, through California, Oregon, and Washington, over 2650 miles. Both activities have helped me to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors even more than I did previously, so I wanted to place a letterbox that would introduce letterboxers to the PCT and PCT hikers to the wonderful world of letterboxing. The natural location for such a box seemed to be Lake Morena Campground, home to the Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kickoff Party, during the last weekend of every April. At this festival the current year's hikers are wished off on their journey by past hikers, potential future hikers, trail angels (individuals who help hikers along the way), and others just interested in the PCT. This festival is a great place to see what the PCT community is all about and Lake Morena gives a great introduction to the many amazing vistas that live all along the trail. Enjoy!

DIRECTIONS:
Take the Buckman Springs Road exit off of I-8. This is located about 40 miles east of San Diego, and just east of the Laguna Mountain Summit. Go right (south) on Buckman Springs Road for 5.6 miles. Turn right onto Oak Drive for 1.6 miles. Turn right on Lake Morena Drive and go to the entrance of Lake Morena County Park at the junction of Lake Shore Drive and Lake Morena Drive. There is a small dirt lot on your left here. Park there to begin your hunt.

NOTES:
1. Please stay on trail or (at the end) on the area of bare rock. A lot of the plant life around here is fragile and should be left alone. In order to follow the clues to this box, you do not need to stray from either of these surfaces.
2. This trail is often hot and shadeless. It is also a steady climb with a couple of short, steeper sections to the letterbox. Be sure to protect yourself from the sun and bring plenty of water.
3. Though sightings are infrequent, rattlesnakes can be found in the area, take proper precautions. Please poke around with a stick before reaching your hands under any rocks.
4. I consider ONE pace to equal TWO steps. You will need a compass, your own stamp pad, and a pen/pencil.
5. HAVE FUN!!!

CLUES:
At the west end of the parking lot will be a sign for the Pacific Crest Trail informing you that the Mexican Border is 19.5 miles away, heading south on this trail. Facing the sign, the PCT is the prominent trail on your right. Begin hiking up it. After a short climb you will come to a junction. A PCT marker will be on your left and a sign will be on your right with some information on the PCT. Note the last word on the second to last line of the first column of this sign. Write that word in space (a) below. Continue 22 paces along the PCT to another small path, leading through some shrubs off to the right of the PCT. From the junction you should be able to spot another sign along this smaller path. Proceed to this sign about Lake Morena Reservoir which you can now view in front of you. The sign mentions a certain number of varieties of fish that can be found in Lake Morena. Multiply this number by 7 and write the answer in space (b). Now return to the PCT and continue climbing, enjoying more views of the reservior and the Laguna Mountains beyond (a range which the PCT also traverses on its journey north). A bit further along the trail you will turn south with views of pink colored Morena Butte to the west. Shortly after this, the trail will make a sharp turn to the left and soon will start heading in an easterly direction. Now on a more level section of trail an act of faith will soon appear ahead. Soon the trail will climb a couple of short switchbacks and approach a large area of bare rock on your right. Here you will veer off the PCT, walking (b)________ paces at 188 degrees until you come to a break in the rock. If the act of faith is visible at 42 degrees from this point you are on the right track. Now proceed (a)__________ 15 paces to where you can walk no further (at least without a machete!). From here turn north and walk 4 paces. The Pacific Crest Trail Letterbox is hidden under a small rock on your right. Stamp in and enjoy the view! After returning the box to its hiding place either return the way you came or continue up the PCT a short ways further for a view to the south. From here you can see into Mexico!

Hope you enjoyed the hunt. As I live in New Jersey, I will not be able to check on the box very often at all, so please let me know how its doing when you get a chance. For more information on the Pacific Crest Trail go to www.pcta.org.

The Northerner

ADDITIONAL NOTE (7/8/04): It was reported to me by a letterboxer that the "act of faith" (which was a cross at the top of the hill) no longer exists. As I live 3000 miles away I will not be able to change the clues anytime soon, but if you use the top of the hill as your guide you should be fine. Sorry for the confusion.