Welcome one and all to the
Letchworth Fall Gathering XXIII
The Letchworth Fall Gathering XXIII will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2024! This year we are back at Trailside Lodge by popular demand. Trailside is located near the Humphrey Nature Center and the recently completed Autism Nature Trail! The gathering will be a great opportunity for cachers to meet, greet, and cache with one another during the great colors of the autumn season in Letchworth! We have a full day of fun activities planned, so read on to learn more!
Here is an overview of our schedule of events:
| Times |
Event |
| 6am |
Park Opens |
| 7:30am |
4th Annual Brogan Memorial Breakfast |
| 7:30am-6pm |
LFG23 Event Caches AND 2 Snag the Tags Available |
| 12 noon |
Lunch |
| 1pm |
Raffle Drawing |
| 2pm |
Group Picture Taken |
| 2:30 - 3:30 pm |
GeoBlitz NEW!! |
| 6pm |
Dinner and Event Caches Drawing |
| 11pm |
Park Closes |
Information About Letchworth Park’s Facilities:
Letchworth State Park opens at 6am and closes at 11pm. Please note that between 9am and 5pm there is an entrance fee per car to enter the park. If you are looking for information on camping or cabin rental, you can call the park at 1-800-456-2267, or the Highbanks Tent and Trailer (camping) at 1-800-237-3303. Reservations for both camping and cabins are done through ReserveAmerica.com. There are campgrounds and motels outside the park also. If you are interested in staying at the park, log onto ReserveAmerica ASAP to ensure you get a site, if they are still available! Letchworth is a popular camping park and sites go fast. Pets are permitted in the park but are prohibited from all Park buildings including pavilions, most cabins (except Cabin Area C), and recreational facilities.
About Trailside Lodge:
As mentioned above, the location of the event is the Trailside Lodge near the Humphrey Nature Center (just south of the Castile Entrance). The pavilion can accommodate nearly 200 people and is furnished with tables, charcoal grills, running water and electric outlets as well as restrooms and a playground nearby for the kiddies. There is also a fireplace inside the pavilion, so please mention in your log if you will be donating local firewood!
15 or more NEW caches PLUS 2 5 stage Adventure Labs PLUS 2 Snag the tags to be published in or around Letchworth State Park!
Breakfast:
In years past, we've had a great breakfast provided by Brogan. LSP Geocachers have decided to carry on his tradition and hold the 4th Annual Brogan Memorial Breakfast. So for those "early birds" who arrive to the event at the crack of dawn, there will be breakfast refreshments available (coffee, pastries, etc.) while supplies last. Please mention in your will attend if you plan on arriving for breakfast so we can have an approximate count. We found out what the secret ingredient was so we will make an attempt to replicate Brogan's sausage gravy, but we are making no promises ;)
LFG23 Event Caches:
As in the past, we will have 3 to 5 great and challenging event only caches hidden for the gathering. Event caches will not be available for logging online, BUT will be tied to a special raffle at dinner and will only be awarded to those that find the event caches! Coordinates for the event caches will be provided at the pavilion the day of the event. Event caches will be available from 7:30am-6pm.
Poker Run: BACK BY POPLAR DEMAND!!!
Cost will be $10. Find the 5 Poker Run caches and pick an envelope from each cache. Turn your unopened envelopes in by 5:30 PM, and then open your envelopes while staff records your hand. The best hand wins the prize - (anticipated) one year geocaching membership, gift certificate to Letchworth Gift shop, gift certificate to local eatery, etc.
Lunch and Food Donations:
Lunch will be potluck and will begin around 12 noon. LSP Geocachers will supply burgers and hotdogs. Everybody should bring a dish to share (such as other meats you may want, beverages, salads, desserts, rolls, charcoal/charcoal starter, etc.) Please post what items you intend on bringing in your "will attend" note so we can keep track.
Raffle Donations and Drawing:
Raffle Donations - Those wishing to donate raffle prizes, please contact us via the message center or email and let us know so we can help coordinate who would like to contribute what. Put this event on your watchlist so you can keep an eye out for a list of the awesome donated prizes that we will have available!
Raffle Drawing - Will be held at approximately 1pm (following lunch). As always someone of infinite awesomeness will preside as the Master of Ceremonies to award all kinds of goodies!
Group Picture:
Sometime around 2 pm we would like to gather everyone together to take a group picture. Please stick around after lunch and the raffle so you can be memorialized as a Letchworth Fall Gathering XXIII attendee.
Geo Blitz! NEW THIS YEAR! Will you or your pair be this year's Geo Blitz winner(s)!
This unique event was formerly held at the 4H Camp Bash. With that CO's permission (Boots...), we will be holding this event at Letchworth.
- Individuals or duos, cost - $5 per team. Sign-up at Event Table.
- Tacks at waypoints will have a letter on them. Teams will need to match the WP number to the list and record the letter.
- Terrain - 2.5/3. Difficulty - 1 to 3.5
- This is a sprint style event where each teams will have one hour to program into their GPS unit a list of about 20 waypoints AND collect the data.
- Event is 1 hour. If you are back late, you are disqualified.
- Correct answers: 2 points each
- Wrong answers: -1 point each (penalty for guessing)
- If there is a tie, the individual or team back the quickest will be awarded the win.
- Prize: 2/3 of the money collected for this event to be awarded after cards tabulated by event staff.
Dinner and Event Cache Drawing:
LSP Geocachers will have a dinner available at 6pm this year for a $5 donation per 3 pieces of pizza plus drinks. Please mention in your will attend if you will be planning on attending dinner so we can have an approximate count. While enjoying dinner, the event cache prizes will be drawn. Dinner donations can be given at the Event desk.
Garbage - Letchworth State Park is a carry in, carry out park, so any garbage etc. that we bring in we must clean up and remove. As visitors to the Park we are responsible for this clean up, so we will have many large black plastic bags on hand for this purpose.
Alcohol- We will allow some alcohol in moderation for adults as with previous events. Keep in mind the Park Trooper Barracks isn't that far away, so please behave!
Travel Bugs - There will not be a formal table for travel bugs. If you do bring them to the event, please do not leave them lying around. Trade amongst one another so none of them go missing!
Pre-Gathering Events
Post-Gathering Events