Hunting the wilderness for hidden treasure is not a new pasttime - no matter what your latest-model-GPS-sporting friends might tell you.

The 150-year-old sport of letterboxing may not be as popular as the geocaching craze currently is, but it has a lot going for it, including a low start-up investment, hunts in or near cities, and the Web site Letterboxing North America.

A recent press release by Erica Stone of Travelers Delight outlines the sport:

To play the game someone hides a waterproof container in a natural setting. It could be a park, recreation area, historic area or anyplace accessible to the public. Inside the container is a log book and rubber stamp with an ink pad, a letter explaining what letterboxing is about, and other goodies. They then write clues or riddles to the location of the box and post them on the LBNA Web site. The hider can write the clues in cryptic or (they may be) clear-cut and may put in compass points and landmarks.

Letterboxers, or 'boxers' as they refer to themselves, set out to find the hidden boxes with the clues in hand. Also in their possession should be a compass, maps, pen or pencil, logbook, and a personal rubber stamp with an inkpad. Once the letterbox is found, they then stamp the logbook inside the box with their personal stamp and then stamp their personal logbook with the stamp found within the box. This keeps a record of anyone who found the box. The hider will occasionally go back to the box to replace the logbook when it fills up or just to check on it and make sure it's still there. The rules are simple: Rewrap the log and the box exactly the way you found it or better and replace it in the same hiding spot.

Letterboxing can be addictive, and will likely develop into a case of "geocache itch." It's a great starting point for those of us who haven't invested in a GPS device yet because we're not sure if we'd use it. If letterboxing turns out to be fun for you - you're a future geocacher. (And that's a good thing.)

Above all, remember that a respect for the environment is paramount in both sports. Leave the area as you found it - or pack out anything a inconsiderate fool may have left before you arrived. Bring the family and enjoy the hunt!