Hello From Vermont!

Date Placed: June 2, 2010
Letterbox: Traditional
Carver: greenmountainhiker
Logbook: greenmountainhiker
Planter: GreenJello
Location: Mill B South Trailhead, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake, Utah
Distance: About a 1/2 mile round trip
Status: Active

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is part of the "Hello From The United States!" series of boxes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Directions: Trailhead is to the right of the road, about 4.5 miles up the canyon. If you drive through the S curve, you've gone too far! Take the paved trail headed away from the bathrooms.Just before the first bridge, the trail that leads to Lake Blanche will go up to your right. Head up that trail a minute or so, until you see the short gravel trail to your left that leads to the small cascading waterfalls. Turn around and take 5.5 GrizzyGirl steps (or about 7-8 steps on my count) and notice a large boulder to your right. There is a fallen log behind the boulder-- follow it to its end. About two feet away or so is a big coniferous tree with exposed roots. Rocks hide what is underneath (move the left hand ones).

Please rehide very well! This is a spot people like to climb down to, and we wouldn't want a curious child finding the box and tossing it in the water, no?

Hello From New Zealand!

Date Placed: June 2, 2010
Letterbox: Traditional
Carver: 55 Steps
Logbook: GreenJello
Planter: GreenJello
Location: Big Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake, Utah

Status: Active

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is part of the "Hello From The United States!" series of boxes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This stamp is very Kiwi, but may require some explanation for us Americans. :)

The overall shape is a classic Maori fish hook shape. Many New Zealanders wear such fish hooks, carved of bone or greenstone (nephrite jade) as a symbol of strength.

The spine of the fish hook is a silver fern (Ponga or New Zealand fern). Silver fern leaves are dark green on the upper side and silver underneath -- hence the two-tone effect. They are another common New Zealand symbol (Our national netball team is the Silver Ferns, and both one of the television stations and the New Zealand Tourist bureau use silver ferns as their symbol).

The spirals are a common motif in Maori art. They are called Koru, and represent the curl of an unfolding fern. They symbolize life and peace.


Directions: As you're heading up the canyon, the road will very briefly split into two lanes. Stay to the right, and drive straight into the pullout at the end of the split. You should see a "Remnants Of An Ancient Sea" info sign. Looking back down the road from the sign, spot some whitish boulders next to a multi-colored one. Look behind the big whitish boulder, under purple shale.

Notes: If you hit the big S curve, you've driven too far!

Hello From Utah!

Date Placed: June 1, 2010
Letterbox: Traditional
Carver: GreenJello

Planter: GreenJello
Location: Memory Grove Park, 300 North Canyon Road, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
Distance:  About 1.5 miles round trip
Status: Active

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is part of the "Hello From The United States!" series of boxes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are so many amazing things about Utah, I had a difficult time figuring out what stamp to carve to welcome people to our wonderful state. Utah was first settled by Mormon pioneers, who built an impressive temple in the center of Salt Lake City. We are known as the Beehive State, because of our hard-working people. There's plenty of history here-- the first Transcontinental Railroad across the United States was completed at Promontory Summit in 1869 with a celebratory golden spike being driven home. But the pioneer settlers weren't the first ones in our state-- there is a rich supply of Native American artifacts and ruins that include incredible petroglyphs, found statewide. Even more ancient items are found here...Utah has been a huge discovery place for dinosaur bones.

We certainly can't forget the natural beauty that abounds in Utah. From the state flower, the sego lily, to the breathtaking Rocky Mountains (I love having Mt. Timpanogos in my backyard!), to amazing sandstone features such as Delicate Arch, there's no shortage of variety. There's also wide assortment of wildlife, including free-range buffalo on Antelope Island. All this beauty affords many recreation outlets-- Utah has "The Greatest Snow On Earth", and hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. Off-roaders love the many sand dunes found in southern Utah. Hikers have no shortage of scenic hikes, with trails covering the state.

So the quandary remains... what to carve???

Directions: Find a place to park your car, and start wandering northward in the lovely Memory Grove Park.

Bridge.
Non-paved path begins.
Bench and semi-circular wall.
Stairs and an altar of sorts.
Off leash area begins.
Rock walls and a lamp post.
Three green poles in a row.
Small wooden footbridge.
Cement bridge.
Another cement bridge.
Benches.
Rock walls.
Black columns.
Pipe.

Go up right side of pipe, past the second cement holder. Look to your right and find the moss covered bumpy slab cement looking flat rocks. Move the smallest one off the top to find the box.

Notes: Please replace the box vertically so that the handle is on the top. This will help keep the contents dry!

Hello From The United States!

Starting in the month of June, I will be planting a series of boxes across the Wasatch Front, featuring carvers from all over the United States. Each state box will have a carved stamp from someone who lives in that state (and sometimes they sent handmade logbooks, too!). The idea is to bring many different carving styles to Utah, to inspire letterboxers to create their own stamps and plant them. :)

I hope you enjoy this series as much as I have getting everything prepared and ready for you to go find them!

Hello From Alabama!
Hello From Alaska!
Hello From Arizona!
Hello From Arkansas!
Hello From California!
Hello From Colorado!
Hello From Connecticut!
Hello From Delaware!
Hello From Florida!
Hello From Georgia!
Hello From Hawaii!
Hello From Idaho!
Hello From Illinois!
Hello From Indiana!
Hello From Iowa!
Hello From Kansas!
Hello From Kentucky!
Hello From Louisiana!
Hello From Maine!
Hello From Maryland!
Hello From Massachusetts!
Hello From Michigan!
Hello From Minnesota!
Hello From Mississippi!
Hello From Missouri!
Hello From Montana!
Hello From Nebraska!
Hello From Nevada!
Hello From New Hampshire!
Hello From New Jersey!
Hello From New Mexico!
Hello From New York!
Hello From North Carolina!
Hello From North Dakota!
Hello From Ohio!
Hello From Oklahoma!
Hello From Oregon!
Hello From Pennsylvania!
Hello From Rhode Island!
Hello From South Carolina!
Hello From South Dakota!
Hello From Tennessee!
Hello From Texas!
Hello From Utah!
Hello From Vermont!
Hello From Virginia!
Hello From Washington!
Hello From West Virginia!
Hello From Wisconsin!
Hello From Wyoming!

Bonus Stamps:

Hello From New Zealand!

Superman

Date Placed: May 30, 2010
Letterbox: Traditional
Carver: GreenJello
Planters: GreenJello and Teancum
Location: Ophir, Tooele, Utah
Status: Active


If Clark Kent needed to change into his supersuit while in Ophir, where would he go to do it?

Horse Hitchhiker #3

Date Placed: May 29, 2010
Letterbox: Hitchhiker
Carver: GreenJello
Planter: GreenJello

This proud steed is traveling between letterboxes. Maybe he'll grant yours a visit!

Known Stops:
1. Moab, Utah (started)
2. Jonesboro, Georgia

Horse Hitchhiker #2

Date Placed: May 28, 2010
Letterbox: Hitchhiker
Carver: GreenJello
Planter: GreenJello

Flaming soon to a letterbox near you!

Known Stops:
1. Federal Way, Washington (started)
2. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
3. Halifax, Pennsylvania
4. Grantville, Pennsylvania
5. Campbelltown, Pennsylvania

Horse Hitchhiker #1

Date Placed: May 27, 2010
Letterbox: Hitchhiker
Carver: GreenJello
Planter: Force of Five

Maybe he'll gallop your way someday.

Known Stops:
1. Leesburg, Virginia (started)
2. Lansdowne, Virginia
3. Ellicott City, Maryland
4. Gardner, Massachusetts
5. North Andover, Massachusetts
6. Nashua, New Hampshire
7. Boulder, Colorado
8. Denver, Colorado
9. Milan, Michigan

Chesler Park

This is a stamp carving of Chesler Park, in Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Sent to New Hampshire. Carved with a razor knife and a gouge.

Bees

Date Placed: May 23, 2010
Letterbox: Traditional
Carver: GreenJello
Planters: GreenJello and Teancum
Location: 77 West 1300 South, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
Status: Active


Looking for local baseball fun? Head over to the ballpark and watch the Salt Lake Bees, Utah's Minor League Baseball team.

Directions: 

From North of Downtown
Take I-15 South to Exit 305C (1300 South). At the end of the ramp, take a left onto 1300 South. At the intersection with West Temple, the ballpark will be on the right; parking will be on the left.
From South of Downtown
Take I-15 North to Exit 305C (1300 South). At the end of the ramp, take a right onto 1300 South. At the intersection with West Temple, the ballpark will be on the right; parking will be on the left.
From West of Downtown
Take Utah SR 201 East to I-15 North, following signs to the 1300 South exit. At the end of the ramp, take a right onto 1300 South. At the intersection with West Temple, the ballpark will be on the right; parking will be on the left.
From East of Downtown
Take I-80 East until it merges with I-15. Take I-15 North to Exit 305C (1300 South). At the end of the ramp, take a right onto 1300 South. At the intersection with West Temple, the ballpark will be on the right; parking will be on the left.

On the northwest corner of the ballpark, find the fire hydrant. Standing in front of it, facing the ballpark, take 15 steps east. Turn and take 14 steps south. To your left is a rock duo. Check underneath the smaller rock for ground bees.