Getting Started

Most participants start out by looking for letterboxes and work into planting them, although it is really up to you -- some people prefer to plant boxes, others prefer to hunt them and may never even place any themselves.  It is generally a good idea to begin by looking for a few boxes in your area to get a feel for how it all works.

• Clues to boxes in your area or an area you will be traveling to
• A rubber stamp to be used as your "signature stamp"
• A stamping ink pad
• A personal log book
• Pen

• Compass
• Paper towel or something to clean the stamp with
• Extra box supplies
• A small first aid kit
• Gloves
• Bug spray

• Mystery Boxes
• Hitch Hikers
• Cuckoo Clues
• Easter Eggs
• Personal Travellers
• Virtual Boxes
• Postal Boxes

• What are those P & F numbers all about?
• Do I notify anyone if I find a box?
• What if I look for a box and think it may be missing?

The primary source for letterbox clues is the Letterboxing North America website.  Go to the home page, click on the CLUES link and you will be taken to a page showing a map of the United States.  From here you can click on a state or region and you will be directed to the appropriate page listing letterboxes for that area.  Click on the link for any letterbox listed to access the clues, sometimes on the LbNA site, other times on a member's personal web site.

Take some time to read through a few sets of clues and get a feel for what you are getting into.  Clues are very diverse from one box to the next and if one sounds too difficult, try another.  Many clues require use of a compass so if you do not have one, you will either want to find one to use or choose another letterbox.   Sometimes boxes are reported missing, and whenever possible this will be noted in the box listing or clues so other people don't spend their time looking for a box that has disappeared.

An popular alternate database of letterbox clues can be found at AtlasQuest, a site developed and maintained by a veteran West Coast letterboxers. You may also want to peruse the messages at the Letterboxing Yahoo! Group, as there is often useful discussion as to events, clues and boxes that have been reported as missing.

Not all letterboxes are listed on the LbNA site.  Some people participate in the hobby independently and others as part of groups such as Scouts or organized outdoor clubs.  Although clues to their boxes are not always published, the public is often welcome to search for them.  Finding the source of clues for these boxes can be part of the fun!  Check with your local Scouting groups or at area outdoor and sporting goods stores (i.e. Cabela's, Gander Mountain, etc.) to see if they are aware of any additional letterboxes in your region.

You will want to either purchase or carve a rubber stamp to use when stamping in at the letterboxes you find.  Your stamp can be anything you wish -- a picture, a quote, your name...  it is totally a matter of personal preference.  Many letterboxers start out with a purchased stamp and later carve their own stamp.  Although there are no limitations as to stamp size, keep in mind that most letterboxes will have log books that are maximum size of 3" x 5", often smaller.  In the event that your stamp is too large for the log book, you can just stamp a portion of it. Another option is to carry a smaller stamp to use for micro and mini letterboxes.

If you are anxious to get going and haven't had a chance to carve or buy a stamp yet, don't worry about it.  You can just sign into the log books of the boxes you find until you are able to get a stamp.

Thinking you want to try your hand at carving, but not sure where to start? Ruthann Zaroff, a very skilled carver and veteran Michigan letterboxer, has a wonderful, easy-to-follow carving tutorial online here. You can also download a copy of my stamp carving workshop from previous letterbox gatherings here.

You will want to carry at least one ink pad with you.  Ink pads are available in a variety of colors and color combinations.  Again, this is a matter of personal preference.  Just keep in mind that many letterboxes, particularly those exposed to the weather extremes of Michigan, do not contain ink pads, so you will be using your pad to ink your signature stamp and also possibly the stamp contained in the letterbox.  While neon pink & purple colors may look terrific for your signature stamp, they may not necessarily suit the stamp contained in the box.  In this case, you may find it useful to carry more than one ink pad.  One for your signature stamp, and another, more generic color, to be used with the box stamp.

Look for non-acidic, archival quality, permanent ink pads with sturdy lids as you will be using them a lot in a variety of conditions!  I prefer the dye-based inks over pigment-based because they dry faster and tend to be less messy, but there are others who will argue the other way on that -- as with most everything else, it is really a matter of personal preference.

You will need a log book in which you will stamp the box stamps that you find.  There are a variety of books you can use for this -- journals, sketch pads, notebooks, etc.  Obviously plain pages are preferred over lined pages and a good quality paper that is thicker will prevent the ink from bleeding or soaking through onto the next page, while acid-free, archival paper will minimize fading.  Keep in mind that while glossy page surfaces look nice, the ink doesn't dry very well and you may have to wait for a bit to close the book without smudging the stamp.  I find it useful to keep a blank 4 x 6 index card inside my log book to use as a blotter over fresh images before closing my book.  You will want something with a sturdy cover as your log book will make many trips in and out of your backpack.

Size is a matter of preference, but most people tend to carry a log book a bit larger than those found in the boxes, about anywhere from 4 x 6 inches on up.  This leaves room for the box stamp and any comments you may want to make as to finding the box, area, weather, etc.

I know it seems obvious, but more than one letterboxer has found themselves at a box without a writing utensil. You will probably want to jot down a comment in the log book of the box once you stamp in, such as date, time, where you are from, comments about the location, box or stamp, etc.  Most boxes contain a pen or pencil, but some do not, particularly the smaller, "micro" boxes that are becoming popular, so it is always a good idea to have one with you.  I usually carry with me a couple of extra pens and leave one in the box if the box pen is missing or not working.

Although it is not necessary to have a compass to participate in letterboxing, many letterbox clues do contain compass readings.  In some cases, the bearings are easy enough to follow without a compass if you have a good handle on directions where you are, but in some cases, the trail will twist you back and forth and the forest is too thick to get a good reading on the sun.  Thus, having a compass is recommended and very useful.  Check here for information on compass types and basic usage. There is also a very good tutorial here on taking and setting a bearing.

As a GPS contains compass functionality, you may be wondering if you can use this instead.  Of course, it is possible to do this, but speaking from experience, here are a few things to keep in mind if you choose to use a GPS in place of a compass:  First, turn the GPS on before entering the woods!!! I can't stress this one enough -- you do not want to be 5 miles into the woods on your quest only to find that your GPS can't get a satellite reading through the cover of the dense forest ceiling.  Secondly, make sure your batteries are fresh and take a spare set...  again, having the batteries go out while in the woods and not having spares with you can mean a wasted trip, even a wasted day! Third, I have found that it is much more difficult to get an accurate compass heading with a GPS because the refresh rate doesn't always keep up with me and it is very sensitive to any movement, including the natural side to side motion of walking.

I started out using a GPS for my compass readings and didn't have any problems when finding letterboxes, but found it very difficult to be confident with my bearings when writing clues, so I ended up purchasing a compass.  I still use the GPS for marking boxes though, making user waypoints for all boxes that I place and find (for personal reference only, of course).

If you are really into using a GPS, you may want to check out Geocaching, an outdoor activity similar to Letterboxing, which uses GPS coordinates to locate hidden caches.

After you've exchanged stamps at a letterbox, it is courteous to clean off the stamp, particularly if you have used a colored ink.  The best thing to carry for cleaning stamps after you have finished with them is a damp cloth or paper towel in a baggie.  To clean the stamp, blot it gently on the damp cloth until no more ink is present.  Avoid using chemicals or soapy cleaners, as these can destroy delicate hand-carved stamps and the scent can be enticing to animals.  Never use a brush or a rubbing motion to clean the stamp.

You may find it useful to carry with you a few items that can be used to clean up boxes that have endured weather extremes or other adverse conditions.  I usually carry some extras Zip-loc baggies (sandwich size and also the larger freezer bags), pens and a small sketch book (in case the log book is full, I can stamp onto a sheet from here and leave a few blank ones in the box should the next person come along before the box owner has a chance to replace the log book).

If you find the items in a letterbox wet, dry them off as best as possible and place them into dry plastic baggies.  It is also a good idea to contact the box owner to report a box that is damaged, a full log book or if there are pieces missing (i.e. stamp, log book).  This can be done directly if the owner has provided their e-mail address with the clues or in the box, or to the discussion group if you are not able to locate contact information for the box owner.

Always a good idea when wandering around in the woods.  Nothing special, just the basics, unless of course you have allergies that may be invoked by being in the woods or bitten by certain types of insects.

Hopefully you have an idea of what poison ivy looks like. When you see it, wear the gloves.  And remember, touching the gloves where they have come in contact with the poison ivy will most likely result in little red bumps since it is the plant oil that causes the irritation and it spreads like wildfire onto anything that comes in contact with it!  After use, toss the gloves carefully into a plastic bag and either throw them away or wash them when you get home.

Gloves are also useful for reaching into debris filled logs and stumps, especially once the weather turns cold and they begin retaining water and ice.

Ummm, it's that smelly stuff that you spray all over your body and clothes to try and keep flies and mosquitoes away.  Although we all know there is nothing to scare away Lake Michigan black flies, you can keep the mosquito bites to a minimum.  Leave the Off and Skin-So-Soft at home...  Use Cutter!

Mystery Boxes are letterboxes with clues that are vague and unspecific as to the starting point or general location.  The information you are given can range from something as vague as, "somewhere in the world" to a specific region, state, city or county.  Mystery boxes often rely on landmarks or historical events and in many cases, require knowledge or research of the area and its history to determine where to begin the hunt.

A hitch hiker is a sort of letterbox that has no home or clues of its own, rather it is a stamp and a log book that cohabitate in another letterbox and travel from one box to another, being moved by the last person to find it.  This is similar to a "moving box" in the English version of letterboxing.  Some hitch hikers have their own container, while others are just the guts inside a plastic bag.

When you find a hitch hiker, you are supposed to take it from the box it is in and move it to another box.  Hitch hikers should be stamped into the boxes they visit, both in the hitch hiker log book (the box stamp) and the box log book (the hitch hiker stamp).  This is usually done when it is relocated into a new box, but sometimes people forget, so you should always check to make sure this stamp exchange has been done before you remove it from its present location.  You will also want to stamp the hitch hiker log book with your personal stamp and make a note of the date and location that you found the hitch hiker, as well as the date and location that you relocated it.

The idea is to keep the hitch hikers moving.  When you find one, you should try to relocate it as quickly as possible.  This generally means placing it into the next box you visit, although space restrictions may not allow this, particularly if the hitch hiker has its own box.  In that case, you would just hang onto it until you find a place large enough to accommodate it.  In some situations, particularly if you are traveling, you may want to hold onto the hitch hiker for a bit so that he can be moved to a location far away from where you found him.  There is no right or wrong place to relocate a hitch hiker!

Some people like progress reports on the hitch hikers they have placed and may provide an e-mail address inside the log book so that you can notify them.  Other times people report hitch hiker finds on the HH Yahoo list.  While it is okay to be specific about where you found a hitch hiker (unless there are instructions with the hitch hiker specifically asking you not to), most people don't like to know the exact location where you dropped off a hitch hiker, preferring it to be a surprise when they stumble across one.

There is a comprehensive hitch hiker list and log of their travels at Pete and Wanda's site. You can e-mail your updates and hitch hiker finds to them at the address provided on the web site.

A cuckoo clue is a clue to a permanent letterbox that is not published, rather the clue is located inside another letterbox and moved from box to box in the same way as a hitch hiker, by the last person to find it.  Cuckoo clues come in many varieties -- some are simply a piece of paper with a clue on, others are in the form of a log book which you would then stamp in and out of a box in the same way as a hitch hiker.  Some ask you to relocate them within another box in the same series or park, others can be relocated anywhere, even in another part of the country!

Cuckoo clues are elusive by design and most people prefer them to stay that way.  The majority are not listed or noted anywhere and it is not common practice to talk about them or post specifics about finding or relocating one on the talk list.  When you find a cuckoo clue, it is okay to copy down the clue before relocating it, particularly if it leads to a box that is not nearby, but you should never share the clue or its specifics in a public forum.

Again the idea is to keep them moving.  If you pick one up, you should try to relocate it as soon as possible.  If you run across a cuckoo clue and do not plan on doing another letterbox hunt for a while, you may choose to just leave it in its present location rather than remove it from circulation for any length of time.

The term "Easter Egg" generally refers to any undocumented surprise or tidbit that creators have hidden in their creation for you to find and enjoy. This is most commonplace in computer software, but can also be found in movies, music, art, books, or even your watch.

Likewise in the hobby of letterboxing, this is the term I like to use for what others sometimes call a "bonus box."  It is similar to a Cuckoo Clue in that it is a clue to a permanent letterbox that is hidden inside another box, rather than being published.  The difference is that an Easter Egg clue is not intended to move from box to box, rather it stays in the box where it was planted as a surprise for the finders of that box.  It is often related in theme to the box where the clue is hiding.  For instance in a box with a murder mystery theme, you may find an Easter Egg clue to another box which contains a stamp of the weapon, etc.  Had you not found the primary box containing the Easter Egg, you would have no way of knowing the secondary box even existed.

As with a Cuckoo Clue, Easter Eggs are meant to be pleasant surprises when they are found, therefore sharing the location or specifics about an Easter Egg in a public forum is discouraged.

Often Hitch Hikers are called Travellers, because of their wandering nature.  This is not to be confused with a Personal Traveller, which is a stamp carried by a letterboxer, the image being obtained in meeting up with this individual on the trail.  The personal traveller stamp always stays with its owner, and sometimes people will switch their personal traveller from one year to the next.  This type of stamp is much more common in England than in the U.S., where most people do not carry personal travellers, rather exchange their signature stamps upon meeting on the trail or at letterboxing meets and events.

Virtual letterboxes are online hunting adventures.  Generally the clues will give you a beginning URL and then require you to travel from web site to web site using searches, information garnered from the site you are on or research on a particular topic.  In the end you will arrive at a page that supplies a piece of information necessary to complete the hunt.  Instructions are typically provided as to contacting the creator of the virtual adventure to acquire the stamps image, which is usually forwarded via .jpg file after completion of the box hunt.  There is a Yahoo! group specific to virtual letterboxing which provides links to several online quests (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/virtual_letterboxing/).

Virtual boxes are not true letterboxes, rather just a way to amuse and pass time during periods of inclement weather or disability.  They do not count into your P or F count, although many people use a separate designation of "V" for these.

Postal letterboxes are similar to a regular letterbox in that they contain a stamp and a log book. But instead of being hidden and having clues as a typical letterbox would, they are sent from one person to the next via U.S. Mail. Postal letterboxes are often used to commemorate something of significance to the creator or within the letterboxing community. Postal letterboxes have become very popular within the past year and you will find elaborate themed series and even some boxes that require figuring clues, solving puzzles or meeting some special criteria to get on the mailing list. There is a Yahoo! group specific to postal letterboxing where new boxes are announced if you are interested in getting on a mailing list for one of these (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/postal_letterboxing/).

Like virtual letterboxes, postal boxes are not considered by most letterboxers to be true boxes and are not counted in your P or F count, although many people use a separate designation of "PB" for these.

You may have noticed a string of letters and numbers following a person's name on the discussion group or a member's personal web page (or even noted in a log book signature).  The first two letters are generally P and F, with a variety of others following behind those.  Quite simply, this is a way of "keeping score" of your letterboxing experiences.  It is more for personal record than anything else, although there is a LbNA 100 Club consisting of letterboxers who have found at least 100 boxes.  There are endless combinations of letters used, all denoting something pertaining to a person's letterboxing adventures.  The most common variant is to use the letters, P, F and X.  Here is a brief explanation of the meaning of the letters I am familiar with (you ready?):

P - Denotes the number of letterboxes you have Planted.  To qualify for a "P", a letterbox must have a stamp and a log book, and in most cases, a set of clues.  The clues need not be published on the LbNA site or anywhere else for that matter (for instance it may be a box that is simply learned of by passing clues via word of mouth).  If you place a series of boxes in a park, each box containing its own stamp and log book are considered a separate plant.  The exception to this rule would be hitch hikers, which do not have their own clues, but do count as a "P" when you are the person to originally place the hitch hiker stamp and log book.

F - Denotes the number of letterboxes you have Found.  A letterbox is considered to be a find if you find it and exchange stamps with it.  You may not have necessarily followed clues to the box, rather may have just stumbled on it, but it is still an "F", provided you exchange stamps.  If you find a series of boxes, even if they are very close to one another or one leads you to the next, each is considered a find as long as it contains its own stamp and log book.  If you find a letterbox in which the stamp is missing, it is not technically a find even though you may leave your signature stamp image in the log book, as the stamp exchange cannot be completed without the box stamp.  Finding a hitch hiker also qualifies as an "F" if you do not track HH separately.

X - Denotes the number of stamp eXchanges you have made with other letterboxers while on the trail or at a letterbox gathering (formal or informal).  In England, where it is customary to keep the design of your signature stamp a secret, many letterboxers carry with them a "personal traveller" stamp, which they exchange with fellow boxers upon meeting.  In the U.S. personal travellers are less common and most people just exchange their signature stamps when meeting up with other boxers.  Either way, if you run across another letterboxer on the trail and exchange stamps with them, it is an "X" for each stamp you receive.  If it is an entire family all using one stamp, it is a single "X"; if each member of the family has their own stamp, it is an "X" for each stamp.  The big question on the discussion group has been, "how do I identify another letterboxer?"  Since letterboxers tend to be a bit covert in their activity, it is not always easy to spot another boxer.  But generally speaking, anyone using a compass to walk from tree to tree, who is holding a sheet of clues between ink-stained fingers is a good bet. Alternately, you could just ask them.

E - Denotes the number of Event stamps you have acquired, or alternately, the number of letterboxing Events you have attended. What is the difference? Sometimes an event will have more than one official event stamp. From time to time letterboxing events are held in various parts of the country.  For each of these events there are one or more special stamps created commemorating the event and all participants take a copy of the stamp(s) into their log books.  An event is generally defined an organized gathering of letterboxers that is held in a public place and is open to anyone interested in or participating in the hobby.  Typically the informal meeting of a few participants in a coffee shop or bar would not be considered an event for these purposes.

H - Some people keep a separate count of the number of Hitch Hikers they have found since it is less common and a bit of a thrill to find one.  In this case, the "H" is used. It is also common to simply include hitch hiker finds in the "F" count.

C - Some people use this to keep track of how many of the letterboxes they've planted have been Confiscated.  This is particularly common in National Parks, as it is against policy to place a letterbox in a National Park. Personally I don't think that having boxes confiscated is anything to gloat about.  Finding good hiding spots, while respecting various land use rules, can be a very challenging part of the hobby.

R - Is used by a few to denote Rescues while letterboxing.  Apparently letterboxing is the first venture out into the great outdoors for some folks, and the cuts and scrapes and twisted ankles and other unfortunate mishaps that may render one injured and require their rescue (things that most of us just accept as a part of the game when hiking and walking around in the woods), rate as near-death experiences and merit their own designation.

T - Is used to keep track of Travellers, not to be confused with Hitch Hikers, although the words are sometimes erroneously used interchangeably. Personal travellers are stamps that some letterboxers carry on their person and are obtained only upon a meeting with them. Often just the fact that a person has a traveller is relatively unknown, or there may be a secret word or gesture involved with requesting it. This differs from an exchange in that in an exchange, you are getting the stamp a letterboxer uses to log into boxes -- their signature stamp, whereas a traveller is a special stamp used only upon meeting. Alternately travellers can be counted in the "X" count, as in many cases this is the stamp a letterboxer uses for exchanges with other 'boxers. I have also heard of some people counting travellers in their "P" count, but I have no idea how that justification is made.

A - Refers to the number of boxes a person has Adopted. Occasionally a box will become orphaned because the individual who planted it no longer participates in the hobby or has moved away from the box area. In this case, it is common for another letterboxer to "adopt" the box and maintain it. Since they did not actually place the box, it does not count as a "P", thus the "A".

V - Refers to Virtual letterboxes.  Virtual letterboxes are online letterbox hunts.  Generally there are clues that require a person to go from web site to web site and find something in the end, at which time they contact the person who created the virtual adventure and a stamp image is sent to them.  Virtual boxes are not true letterboxes, rather just something to amuse during inclement weather or periods of disability.  They do not technically count toward your official "P" or "F" count, thus the "V" count.

FF -- Is used to designate First Finds, which is simply being the first person to find a newly planted letterbox. Some boxes contain first-finder certificates or prizes as an added bonus to the first one to get there. To some folks being the first finder of a box is a big deal and they will sneak out of the house at midnight in a blinding snowstorm just to be the first one to a new box. Personally I prefer finding a letterbox after a few others have already been there because I like seeing the stamps and reading the comments left by those who came before me.

GC - Refers to Geocaches found. As some people enjoy both letterboxing and geocaching, they keep individual counts for each hobby.

PB or PLB - Refers to Postal Letterboxes a person has received in the mail and stamped into. Some people do not keep a separate count of these, rather just include them in with their "F" count, although they are not technically a true letterbox.

L and S - Are used by a few to keep track of Lizards and Snakes that have crossed their path while letterboxing.

TS - This one is Top Secret.  The individual who uses this has chosen not to share the meaning of it with the group.  To find out what it means, you can e-mail them.  Personally I think it should denote the number of Telephone Solicitors one avoids by getting of the house to letterbox.

SS - This is one I see every now and again and I have absolutely no idea what it means.

This is a matter of personal preference.  Many times the individual who placed the box will include their e-mail address either with the clues or in the box and will ask to be notified when the box is found.  In this case it is courteous to drop them a note when you have found their box, although it is really up to you.  Often people will post a summary of their finds to the discussion group, particularly when they have done several boxes in a day, weekend or trip.  If you find a box in need of repair it is customary to contact the box owner or post a condition report to the discussion group.  As a person who has planted many boxes, I enjoy hearing from people who have found them. Not only is it rewarding to know somebody enjoyed your efforts, it is also a great help in trying to maintain the status of your letterboxes. In return, I generally contact the box owner when I find a letterbox, just to let them know the condition of their box and that I enjoyed their effort.  It is a nice way to get to know some of the other letterboxers. As an additional way of contacting an individual who has placed a letterbox, clues that are listed on the LbNA web site have a "Contact the Placer" option, in which you can send an e-mail to the person who placed a box without knowing their e-mail address.

It can be very frustrating to spend several hours hiking to a letterbox and following the clues only to be unable to locate the box in the end.  Most of the time, this is simply that the box has eluded you -- perhaps a clue was missed or interpreted incorrectly, perhaps the obvious was not so obvious, or perhaps it is just a tough find.  On occasion boxes do come up missing and you are positive you've followed the clue correctly and can almost "see"' the spot, but there is no box.  In this case you should definitely contact the box owner to let them know the box may be missing.  If you have an e-mail address, it is best to contact them directly so you can provide specifics of where you looked and how you interpreted the clues.  If you must use the discussion group to make contact because there is no e-mail address available, try to avoid giving specifics of your hunt in the public forum as this may spoil it for other people.  Boxes are only noted as missing on the LbNA clues if reported as such by the box owner, therefore it is important that the owner be notified so they can verify the box status and avoid other individuals looking for a box that is not there.

For additional information, see the Letterboxing North America FAQ's.