Is there a letterboxing patch for Alaska? Otherwise, I will just try and find a generic Alaska patch while I'm still here.

No, there isn't. There's only about five or six AK letterboxers.

I am not aware of one, but am not the best person to verify that since I don't collect them...

Still people might want them who have visited while boxing.

Well, who's going to pay for these patches?

AKHSM used to have a bunch. but she doesn't live in AK anymore.

deniserows
in Alaska

I sold my lot to someone to sell them, but now I can't remember who.

Add me as a brand new letterboxer! 😍

Do many of you go out much for letterboxing in winter? Id like to hear thoughts on keeping the hobby alive as we head into winter. I'm brand new, like I don't have a stamp yet. Just been trying to read here and start preparing from there because I truly love the idea.

We go out in winter all of the time! (I live in New York State). Every year we host a birthday hike in January. This is actually my favorite time to go out! I can't stand heat and humidity (and there are almost no bugs, too!). Depending on how cold it is we'll often schedule drive-bys or strolls so we can keep warmer (get a box, go back to the car and warm up, repeat).
I do, however, keep in mind that I may not be able to find or get to all of the boxes that I am trying for because of snow and/or ice. And if the roads are bad we don't go out (safety first!)
I hope you have fun!
-PLP

Well, where we live in Southern Indiana, the weather changes on a dime. We have had tornadoes in January followed by 2 feet of snow. In our area, letterboxing is a year round hobby. No back seats to inclement weather!

Hope this helps!!

In Arizona we do more boxing in the winter as it is TOOOOO HOT to hike during the summer days. We do box year round but the longer trails are best done around 100 degrees or less..

I love winter boxing. Everything others have mentioned is true. And, in the north you may discover a box you can see but cannot get because it is frozen in ice. Just like a wooly mammoth!!

Do many of you go out much for letterboxing in winter?

In Alaska, no, not usually. When I have tried, I tend to find boxes well frozen to the ground. In fact, I still have two I know of that I have not made a trip back to try again yet for that reason now that I am thinking about it... However the ones around Anchorage (assuming that is where you are located) are at least worth trying in winter since you don't have to spend a lot of time outside.

Id like to hear thoughts on keeping the hobby alive as we head into winter. I'm brand new, like I don't have a stamp yet. Just been trying to read here and start preparing from there because I truly love the idea.

I solve mystery clues all the time. Not just local ones; anywhere I think I MIGHT travel at some point in the quasi-near future since often times, those take more effort to figure out.

You can also work on a stamp and try some carving to see how it goes. When I first learned of letterboxing I went to the local park, followed clues, found a box, look at everything then put it back and went home. Over the next six weeks stamps were designed and carved, markers and logbooks were purchased and then finally a return trip was made to that first box to "officially" find it.

Yes, absolutely, go outside all winter, especially if you live in the north or you will get cabin fever. I do look for letterboxes if the snow isn't too deep, but just go out there with the attitude that I have a low probability of finding the box (unless it's an actual snow box, but no one seems to plant those in my parts). Getting a high quality pair of microspikes made a huge difference for me because our trails get very icy, and now I can walk on them like they are sidewalks.

I like that idea

Micro spikes are those like yack tracks and such?

While I cannot speak for an Alaskan winter, I have boxed in snowy conditions from NY to mountain passes of WY. It’s possible but certainly adds a new dimension of difficulty. I have come to impassible roads, obscured or buried clue landmarks and just many feet of snow to dig through to get a box. That’s not to mention snow getting into all the books and crannies, burrr! There is usually a more shallow ring of snow at the base of a tree so at least there’s that.

Kahtoola Microspikes: https://www.amazon.com/Kahtoola-MICROspikes-Footwear-Traction-Medium/dp/B00RXX8RCA/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1541333637&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=microspikes+kahtoola&psc=1&smid=A17U4P8R5Y7PAH

Ya those microspikes aren't messing around. Thanks. I think I'm gonna mostly go with starting my carving and coming up with items needed, planning, learning, getting prepared for spring. And maybe some indoor planting. It's just started turning here. I'd just like to put it out there that I welcome letterboxers to my area of the Kenai peninsula please. It's sparser letterboxing in alaska but it does exist and I want to help it grow. Summer here can be amazing and longer than you'd think too. Whatever I plant I'll put details about traffic times of year and weather times of year.

Hi Neoterra!

I'm on the Kenai Peninsula too! Let me know if you have any questions - I'm still a bit of a newbie as well (few years) but I've been all over Alaska letter-boxing. :)

That's amazing. I've just barely practiced my first stamp 😂.

In Alaska, no, I do not box in winter. In Hawaii, sure. In Alaska, the boxes are buried in snow and generally frozen to the ground. Plus, if you try and get the boxes off the frozen ground, you risk breaking them. That's the worst.

Try postals. They're fun. :)

Here in Maine, people do box during the winter. But the famous Mudflinginfools is again hosting her overnight boxing event at LL Bean. There is going to be about 200 letterboxes to be found. There are boxes inside and outside. Overnight temps are usually 10 degrees and lower.

At this point, there are over 200 signups for the event.

So to answer your question, yes we box in the winter.

Ray
Happydaze

Thank you, yes I've been learning to carve, in the chats and learning, and I joined secret Santa tracker. After Christmas maybe I'll come up with some indoor. Honestly I probably could have gotten some outdoor action in October, maybe even November, but I was having car trouble and what's out there is not in walking distance. I'll enjoy spring and summer.

Fair warning: October is a relatively difficult time to box for safety reasons. Bears are usually still on the hunt for that last fall/summer meal, so it's best to avoid roaming the woods that time of year. Spring is messy, but the boxes are usually unfrozen from the ground by mid May if they are in a sunnier spot. We've gone out in April and they've still been quite frozen. Again, with that time of year, the bears are waking up, so avoid the deep woods ones until mid summer. Don't know if you're new here, but as lifelong residents, just thought I would throw you a few nuggets of knowledge to get you started here.

Hi and welcome to a great hobby.
We used to go out all the time in winter but now my better half (hubby) can't take the cold due to health issuessssssss....bummer. And the boxers that live closest to me don't do cold weather either......again..bummer.
Get yourself a stamp either hand made or store bought and get going! Happy holidays.

Yes, it's wise to avoid the bears, were aware. Good to talk about though.

I have officially carved myself my first signature stamp and some others. Again I'm in Alaska. Not much outdoor boxing right now.

Honeymama and I are heading to Alaska this summer - yayyyyyyyy! After planning our route, I've just begun researching letterboxes that are near our path. From the get go (aka: Anchorage, which is our start point), it seems like a lot of them haven't been found since 2013. What are the chances of them actually being there? I live in Massachusetts, where if a box hasn't been logged in 2-3 years then it's often not there, but I know other parts of the country don't always work that way.