The DEEP has begun to release the sites for this year's Sky's the Limit Challenge. Their website: http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=561864&deepNav_GID=1650

I am guessing that there may have been some complaints about last year's "drive-by" sites, as this year they're expecting us to do some hiking! As with the first two years of the challenge, they are once again expecting two photos, one at the entrance, and one at a designated location. I would encourage folks to plant their boxes somewhat near those designated locations. Stamps should be themed to the site in some way, and contain the wording "Sky 2018", ideally with the site name as well.

Since the first eight sites were released 2/14/18, these must be planted by May 1. Please do not volunteer for one of these sites if you anticipate that may be an issue! I am not reposting all of the DEEP info here, just the key points, but I strongly encourage you to read the suggestions, as they may influence route. The final sites were released 3/1/18--it would be awesome if these could be planted by May 1 as well, but if you need til Mother's Day...

1) Housatonic Meadows State Park, 90 Route 7 North, Sharon, CT
Pine Knob Loop Trail (Trailhead Tessie)
Photo Locations: Trail Sign for Pine Knob Trail (by the road) and Scenic Overlook
Degree of Difficulty: Strenuous
Approximate Length: 2.5 miles

2) Cockaponset State Forest, Guilford Land Conservation Trust, Guilford, CT (cooledcoyote)
Westwoods Trail
Photo Locations: Peddler’s Road Kiosk and Lost Lake Overlook
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 6 miles round trip

3) Naugatuck State Forest, Quillinan Reservoir Block, Ansonia
White Trail (Trailhead Tessie)
Photo Locations: Raptor Woods Sign and Paugassett Monument as identified on the map.
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate
Approximate Length: 2 miles

4) Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve, Barlow Mountain Road, Ridgefield, CT (Brandy)
White Trail, Orange/White Trail, Blue Trail, Blue/White
Photo Locations: Shield sign at the entrance and scenic overlook as seen on map.
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate
Approximate Length: 2.5 or 3 miles

5) Old Furnace State Park, Ross Rd., Killingly, CT (KitKat61)
Blue Trail
Photo Locations: Welcome sign and view from 200 feet above the valley
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate
Approximate Length: 2 miles

6) Moosup Valley State Park Trail, Route 14, Plainfield & Sterling, CT
Moosup Valley State Park Trail (Honeychyck)
Photo Locations: East Coast Greenway Sign in parking area and photo of Moosup River from bridge (as indicated on map).
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Approximate Length: 3 miles (up and back, from parking to photo location)

7) Paugussett State Forest, Lower Block, Great Quarter Road, Newtown
Zoar Trail / Blue (Rock Island)
Photo Locations: Sign at entrance and Prydden Falls as seen on map
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous.
Approximate Length: 4 miles (out and back on same trail, longer if take the loop)

8) River Highlands State Park, Field Rd., Cromwell, CT (314 a la mode)
White Trail
Photo Locations: Road closed sign and scenic view of CT River as indicated on map
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate
Approximate Length: 1 to 1.5 miles

9) Farm River State Park, East Haven (mattyfungos)
Farm River State Park Nature Trail
Photo Locations: Entrance sign and scenic view on nature trail as indicated on map
Degree of Difficulty: Easy, but some of the overviews end in a steep cliff so be careful!
Approximate Length: 1 mile

10) Machimoodus State Park, 128 Leesville Rd., Moodus (burning feet)
Upper Vista Trail & Lower Vista Trail
Photo Locations: Shield sign at entrance and at scenic view as indicated on the map.
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate
Approximate Length: 2 miles

11) Hopeville Pond State Park, 929 Hopeville Rd. (Rt. 201), Griswold
Nehantic Blue Blazed Trail (quiltjoy)
Photo Locations: Hopeville shield sign at entrance and small waterfall on trail. Waterfall is located only about 15 minutes in. Hike goes to Breakneck Hill Rd.
Degree of Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Approximate Length: 5 miles round trip

12) Sunnybrook State Park, Newfield Road, Torrington (Chocolate Mousse)
Blue & Yellow Trail
Photo Locations: Kiosk in the parking area and bridge on yellow trail.
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Approximate Length: 2 miles

13) Day Pond State Park, Day Pond Rd., Colchester (Travel’n Turtle)
Salmon River Trail (Blue to Blue/Red Spur)
Photo Locations: Shield sign and waterfall
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate
Approximate Length: 3 miles

14) George Dudley Seymour State Park, Clarkhurst Road, Haddam (Bungalow Boxer)
Trail: Road to Unblazed Trail
Photo Locations: Bridge and ruins
Degree of Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Approximate Length: 1.5 miles to scenic overlook (3 miles total), ½ mile to foundation

Please choose one site that you'd like to plant--you may identify a second choice in case more than one person chooses the same site. I'd like to give it a little time before giving people second sites. If sites have not been claimed by St. Patrick's Day, you may choose a second site!! (Yes, I would like Machimoodus or George Dudley Seymour if either are still available then!!)

I am not restricting the tracker--you may sign up even if you don't manage to get a site. However, last year we agreed to restrict the boxes to P-1.

I think that's enough to get us started...

≥KitKat≤
61

1. Kit Kat 61
2. mattyfungos
3. scx4
4. cooledcoyote
5. Honeychyck
6. DevilinDog
7. Woodland Paws
8. 314 a la mode
9. Trailhead Tessie
10. quiltjoy
11. burning feet
12. Travel'n Turtle
13. yellowzebra
14. Chocolate Mousse
15. Rock island
16. Brandy
17. gsgeek
18. smariev
19. 4us2hike!
20. shamrock mom
21. stuff303
22. Hurcher
23. Bungalow Boxer
24. WannaBees-CT

1. Sky's The Limit 2018 Machimoodus State Park
2. Day Pond: Waterfall
3. Paugussett State Forest
4. Seth Low Pierrepont State Park
5. George Dudley Seymour State Park