ROAD RULES
Girl Scouts - North Carolina Coastal Pines offers many opportunities for you to experience the outdoors and take road trips with your fellow Girl Scouts. From whitewater rafting to rock climbing and from Camp Mu-Sha-Ni to “The Rock”, take to the road on one of our adventures!
Destinations
Do you want to travel and meet other Girl Scouts? You are invited to apply to attend a national or international Destination. These special events are publicized on the STUDIO 2B Web site in September.
- National Destinations - These events are held on college campuses or in other special locations in many states across the country and are hosted by other Girl Scout councils or the Outward Bound program.
- Girl Scouts of the USA Destinations - These events are held at the Juliette Gordon Low Girl Scout National Center in Georgia, the Edith Macy Conference Center in New York, or other special locations across the country and are hosted by Girl Scouts of the USA.
- International Destinations - Hosted by Girl Guide and Girl Scout associations world wide, these events give you the chance to travel with groups of girls, have fun, and learn about Girl Scouting around the world.
Pines High Adventures
Do you love to challenge yourself and have wild adventures? Then Pines High Adventures are the events for you! Pines High Adventures are designed to serve Teen Girl Scouts who are interested in pushing their limits while having fun.
Adventures this year include caving in the Virginia and Tennessee mountains, biking along the New River Trail in Virginia, rock climbing at Pilot Mountain State Park, hiking at Raven Rock State Park, backpacking along the Appalachian Trail, and camping in the Outer Banks. There are also more local opportunities for camping, sailing, and hiking.
Designed for individual groups of girls, Pines High Adventures are listed in the GO! magazine. If you have any questions, call the Director of Program at 919.782.3021.
Camporee
Each fall, teen Girl Scouts experience the fun, friendship, and power of girls together at the annual Camporee at Camp Mu-Sha-Ni. Enjoy camping with your troop while participating in workshops, games, and challenges with Girl Scouts from around North Carolina Coastal Pines. The weekend is topped off with a camp-wide cook-around, a campfire, and the Legend of Mu-Sha-Ni. Camporee is planned and directed by a group of your fellow Girl Scouts, so it is sure to be loads of fun.
More information on Camporee
Savannah Adventure
Each spring 5th-8th grade Girl Scouts travel by bus to Savannah, Georgia and explore the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low. Come with us and experience her life through program activities presented by the staff at this Girl Scout National Center. Other trip highlights include a tour of historic Savannah and a Militia Program at Fort Jackson.
Hi Tech Hide & Seek - Letterboxing at Camp Mu-Sha-Ni
What is this all about?
Letterboxing is an intriguing pastime combining map-reading skills and artistic ability with delightful “treasure-hunts" in beautiful, scenic places.
How can I participate?
- Take a copy of this info sheet and check out the references listed.
- If you are intrigued, get yourself a personalized rubber stamp, either hand-carved or commercially made, with something of importance to you in the image. You will use this to sign in to the guestbook contained in each box you find. (This is optional; some just write their details in the book with a pen.)
- Obtain a small journal (such as an artist's sketch book) and an inked stamp pad. Each letterbox contains a rubber stamp for you to print into your personal book as proof of your visit.
- Now, all you need to begin your search are clues. Many clues are available from Internet sites. Some of the letterboxes you find will contain clues to others locations. Eventually, you will meet other Letterboxers and learn of their experiences. Likely, many of the clues you come across will require a compass to follow. If you want to visit Great Britain, a book of clues is available for Dartmoor, the birthplace of letterboxing. (See references.)
How did it get started?
According to legend, in 1854 a Victorian gentlemen hiker put his calling card in a bottle and stuck it into a bank at Cranmere Pool, in a remote part of Dartmoor in southwestern England. Over the years, the hobby developed; current reports indicate that as many as 10,000 letterboxes are presently hidden in Dartmoor, now a National Park. Visitors from around the globe prowl the heath at Dartmoor in search of the elusive boxes and the artful stamps inside.
How did the hobby get started in the United States?
In April of 1998, Smithsonian magazine published an article on the Dartmoor letterboxes. Within a very short time, a loose alliance of adventurers and rubber stamp enthusiasts pioneered the introduction of the hobby to the US. With the Internet as a primary means of communication, the idea soon spread around the country. Web-sites and a discussion group were established. Letterboxes began to be placed in inconspicuous but interesting locations throughout the US.
Are there any rules?
Letterboxes should be hidden on land to which the public has access. They should be placed so that a casual find by a "non-letterboxer" is unlikely, yet they must be accessible without impacting the natural surroundings. They are not to be buried in the earth, but placed under rocks or in existing natural holes, crevices or cavities. They should not interfere with native wildlife or habitats. They should not be placed close to one another (to avoid damage from over-intensive use of an area), nor should they be located in any potentially dangerous situation. A contact number/address should be provided so that information pertaining to the box can be passed to the owner.
When hunting for letterboxes, please respect the land upon which they are hidden. Do not disturb any historical landmark or private property. Do not break sod, remove native vegetation, disturb natural rock formations, or interfere with animals or their habitats. Leave the site better than you find it; you are encouraged to remove any litter left behind by people who care less for the land than you.
Also, please respect the contents of each letterbox and the effort put into it by its sponsor. Replace the box carefully and leave it as you would hope to find it: hidden from view, with contents intact. If a box is damaged, please notify its owner.
Finally, you may wish to create some boxes of your own and hide them in interesting places. There are no rules as to size or format; helpful suggestions can be found at the sources below… ENJOY!!!
Reference Sources
United States
Dartmoor
- “They Live and Breathe Letterboxing,” Smithsonian magazine, April 1998.
- Dartmoor Letterboxes, and More Dartmoor Letterboxes, by Anne Swinscow, Kirkford Publications (Totnes, Devon, U.K.)
- 101 Dartmoor Letterboxes, by John Hayward with Anne Swinscow, Kirkford Publicat.
- Catalogue of Dartmoor Letterboxes, by A. R. Moore, 100 Club, 25 Sanderspool Cross, South Brent, Devon, TQ10 9LR, U.K.
Camp Mu-Sha-Ni Letterboxing Adventure
- Placed by: Girl Scout Troop 1466
- Placement date: December 3, 2005
- Location: Camp Mu-Sha-Ni
- Difficulty: Easy walk
- Number of boxes: 5
- You’ll Need: Your journal, your stamp and ink pad, pen
Clues
Box 1
- Start at the Troop House door facing the parking lot. Walk towards the birdbath.
- Walk down the trail.
- Pass the amphitheater.
- Turn 90 degrees to your right.
- Cross the road.
- Go past the roped off box.
- You will pass a birdhouse.
- Continue in the same direction towards the 4 trashcans.
- Pass the blue logs on your right as you head towards the bathhouse in the same direction.
- Once you reach the bathhouse, walk around to the right side. Look for the gas tanks in the back. “Little Tick” awaits you.
- Enjoy the contents and re-hide it in the same place for the next explorer.
- Now head towards box 2.
Box 2
- Head to the flagpole in the center of the open field.
- Stop at the flagpole. Say the Girl Scout Promise.
- Head toward the multi-trunked tree at the shelter.
- Turn 90 degrees to the right and head toward the white IDELL NEAL building.
- Go around the right side to the back of the building.
- “Fire Leaf” is waiting under the building near the corner.
- Make sure you re-hide it before heading to box 3.
Box 3
- Head toward the edge of the dam.
- Go between the two posts and skip to next post.
- Frolic towards the bridge singing “Make New Friends”.
- Walk across the bridge.
- “Rosie” is waiting with a troll under the bridge.
- Don’t forget to re-hide “Rosie” before heading to box 4.
Box 4
- Walk toward the fire pit. Pass it on your left and the Chalfant Shelter will be on your right, as you head towards the road.
- Once you reach the road, turn left and follow the road until you see the little building on your right.
- Sing the Brownie Smile Song along the way.
- Turn to your right and walk towards the little building.
- Head to the back.
- “Evergreen” is waiting under a rock.
- Be sure to re-hide it before going to box 5.
Box 5
- Go back to the road.
- Turn right. Head down the grassy path past the pond.
- Head toward the troop house.
- Come out to the clearing by the Troop House.
- Turn right.
- “Little Miss Mushroom” is waiting under the off-white, metal mushroom cap.
- You have reached the end of your adventure. Please put Little Miss Mushroom back in her hiding place.
We hope you had fun letterboxing!
To learn more about letterboxing and the Hi-Tech Hide & Seek Interest Project visit www.studio2b.org.