Valley Quest depends on a corps of over 40 volunteers who “monitor” the treasure boxes that are placed at the end of each Quest. Emma Cottage has served as a box monitor for the Gile Mountain Quest for several years, placing the box at the start of the season in mid-May and bringing it back in for the winter at the end of the program season in mid-November.
“Exactly 1 year after placing the Valley Quest box back in the tree, it’s where it now lives for the summer.” Emma wrote this entry in the logbook, one of the items found in each Quest box, on May 12 of this year. On a beautiful weekend in early November, she collected the box and shared the data from the entries with Vital Communities Special Projects Manager, Gabrielle Ratte Smith.
“Box monitors are essential to the experience of Questing,” notes Smith. “These treasure boxes are a key part of the experience of taking a Valley Quest, especially for families with young children, who love collecting stamp impressions” (each box also contains a stamp and ink).
Valley Quest is a unique experience in the Upper Valley. Created by Vital Communities’ staff 30 years ago, Quests are created by residents to tell a story that invites participants to explore a trail, downtown, park, forest, or other special places in the region. Valley Quests are designed to be inclusive, welcoming, and accessible exploratory journeys, self-guided by clues and directions, in the built, natural, working, and wild landscapes of the region.
Taking Quests, especially multiple ones, deepen participants’ understanding of and connection to the places where they live, work, play, shop, and visit in the Upper Valley. Quests help people to see landscapes and communities through different lenses and perspectives.
Like Emma, many participants leave entries in the logbooks. They are a valuable source of information and feedback for staff, and they often capture the impact of the experience: “This is such a cool idea! I love it.”
“I came here as a kid in the 80s and 90s. It’s so nice to be back! Just beautiful.”
One newly married couple from Florida enjoyed the fall weather and gorgeous scenery and decided to share their experience in a rhyme (much like many of the clues): “The river gushin’, makes me a blushin’. Up this trail we go, with friends no foe. The autumn leaves fall quick, makes sure to take plenty of pics.”
Still other participants write meaningful reflections that capture the power of Questing as they explore, discover, and deepen their connection to our beautiful part of the world: “Remember there is always something interesting nearby. Go and find it! These mountains and hikes have been in our family for decades.”
Another person wrote these words of advice: “Try staying still and quiet for 10 minutes and learn from nature. You won’t be disappointed, guaranteed!”