Adventures in Letterboxing: Tales of a Secret Hobby

"As we rounded a bend in the trail looking for a location to place my letterbox, I saw three grizzly bears in a field about 100 yards away. As I reached for my camera the larger bear stood up on its hind legs and looked at me, and in that instant, I knew it was a mother bear with her two cubs and she was not happy to see us. I literally went from thinking “Wow!” to “Oh no!” in less than a second."A lot can happen when a person is letterboxing, though usually it is more enjoyable than dangerous. The hobby has been around for over 165 years, but it is still like a secret club that only a small number of people know about and even fewer choose to join. Those few can be a bit quirky, using trail names and searching for artistic treasures. They are a diverse group of artists and hikers, with a clown and even a ghost or two, who all share a love of the outdoors.In my twenty-years of letterboxing, I’ve had more than my share of adventures and discovered many scenic places. So, whether you are an experienced letterboxer or a curious onlooker, I think you will enjoy peering over my shoulder as I crack open the box and give a glimpse into the world of letterboxing! Read more