2016 Coon Rapids Snowflake Days Hunt

Marquis Bruce is the one to lead our celebration this year,
He grew up a ranger so of the cold there’s no fear:
On the ice no infraction from his eye does escape,
There is a rumor this year that he will referee in a cape.

Clues available here.

Community strength in Coon Rapids we bring out when it’s cold,
Celebrating our Minnesota winters for the young and the old:
Fifty two years of tradition, and still going strong,
Snowflake Days is upon us for 17 wonderful days long.

You are looking for a medallion, it is shiny and gold,
Some 5 inches around maybe covered or out bold;
It can be found on city property, not county, not state,
To find it is not easy, optimistic thoughts would be great.

It’s an El Nino pattern this winter or so we are told,
But that does not mean some days won’t be cold:
So dig out the sorels, the scarfs and choppers in case,
You may just need them sometime in your chase.

Clues to your search may deal with the current, some the past,
Whatever the time frame, some slow and some fast:
A Snowflake Days button you will need if the prize is your goal,
A great looking button featuring Rocky , a puck, and a hole.

Far from the area of draft animal lore,
Up from the mighty and east of the shore:
Down from the summit and west of the city of peat,
To navigate this puzzle could be quite a feat.

Our Snowflake mascot Rocky helped in hiding the prize,
He wishes everyone luck, use your heart and your eyes:
When he decided on the place he reacted with a jump, 
“Just call me Robert” he yelled from his stump.

The search may take you north of a place where few people roam,
The challenge is your companion when you are far from your home:
Rocky keeps expressing a desire to keep you on track, 
Up from this place of compassion of which we are sure there’s no lack.

Don’t give up your quest and become a horizontal bore,
Stay off the road and keep safe is your chore:
From three different directions to this place have been mined,
Take any one to the location you all want to find:

A land full of grass and burly trees though just few,
A great place for kids and a shelter is there too;
It’s the last week of our celebration of events full of fun.
Strive for new heights up the trail you should run.

Staying on the grid will be one of your keys,
About three clicks left from where the bird changes trees;
Choose the correct lane and hit the gas with pizzaz,
Then find the vertices number that 7 cube has.

Down from the tower and up from the pond,
Take a few corners and a little beyond;
Parallel lines can sure make you think,
So do strange traditions like a yard full of pink.

When he made the big jump the crowd watched in awe,
And Robert would tell you that was no Yamaha;
From the highest point in the County down the trail you should race,
Or through the paths in the tunnels that lead to this place.

From under the road and out in the light, 
Look up to your left, a wall is to your right, 
A small clump of trees is what you should see;
Somewhere in the cluster the medallion should be.

This clue was going to describe the dead stump in this clump, the direction and distance to the medallion and the fact it was taped on the back of a Poplar (looks like Birch) split long. I hope you enjoyed your search, I admire all those our searching in the cold weather this week. That is kind of what our Snowflake Days celebration is all about. To bring the community together and get them out to embrace our Minnesota winters. Thank you for being a part. Tim