Yule log hunt set for Morton Arboretum

If there's a place you need to go, he's the one you need to know, he's Thomas Von Hoppe.

If the Yule log's what you'll get, he can get you there I bet. He's Tom Von Hoppe.

He's Tom Von Hoppe. He's Tom Von Hoppe. He's Tom Von Hoppe.

OK, the 32nd annual quest Sunday, Jan. 3, for the storied Yule log at Lisle's Morton Arboretum will be slightly more difficult than a mission on Dora the Explorer ("Do-do-do-do Dora"), and the clues are a little more intricate than those spelled out by "the map" ("I'm the map, I'm the map, I'm the map"), but the concept is the same: follow the clues to the ultimate destination.

And the man in charge - the one who knows well in advance where that special log adorned with a bright ribbon, pine boughs and a rope will rest - is Lombard resident Tom Von Hoppe, an arboretum volunteer.

It's a yearlong process for Von Hoppe to find just the right location to hide the log. He takes notes. He studies the terrain. And he picks a place that leads hunters along an educational journey.

"I try not only to find a new location, but also an area that maybe most visitors haven't been in before so I can expand their knowledge of the arboretum," he said.

Colossal Cookie Caper. Arbor Court. Yule Log.

That's the order of events on Sunday. Before the hunt, you can practice tossing your cookies (in a good way) at 1 p.m. at the Colossal Cookie Caper event, a series of games involving tree cookies - small circular slices of wood.

"We really wanted to call it tossing your cookies," said Diana Fischer-Woods, special events coordinator at the arboretum. "It's all very humorous. We have rewards for each event."

Toss your cookies, lob them, throw them overhand or underhand or behind your head - it doesn't matter what style you use.

Win a prize for tossing your cookies most accurately, tossing your cookies the farthest and catching cookies in a net.

Winners of the Cookie Caper get a packet of real cookies made by Butter Bella Gourmet Cookies.

Afterward, gather in Arbor Court to get a clue sheet to begin your hunt for the Yule log. Each of the eight clues must be punched along the way to authenticate the journey and ensure no one skips ahead to the last couple of clues.

Clues typically start off easy and get much more difficult as hunters go along.

"The clues are as much fun as finding the log," Von Hoppe said. "We have them rhyme and try to make them somewhat challenging."

An example of a stanza from the past: "Many more steps to gully leads, where into the river it feeds, cross over three trunks now hide, what gives your quest pride."

Here's a fun fact: the log isn't hidden on the morning of the hunt, so searchers can't rely on tracks in the snow to lead them to the prize.

Von Hoppe accompanies a work crew out to hide it a few days in advance, leaving it with the hope a snowfall will disguise it.

"That's good, actually," Von Hoppe said. "The location will be the same. They're going to have to figure out that it's not sitting on top of the snow. Even if we got four or five feet of snow, we'd leave it as is."

So what if people try to cheat and look for it ahead of time?

"People could do that but the arboretum is 1,700 acres," Von Hoppe said. "You couldn't go over those acres in one day walking, so I guess people could do that, but there's a lot of forested areas. There's a lot of trees down. Which log would it be?"

Although frequent visitors would seem to have somewhat of an advantage, Von Hoppe said he goes to great lengths to keep the clues visual and not related to a particular landmark that arboretum experts may be familiar with.

He also introduced a metal tagging system that he includes in the clues so people can use them to know they're going in the right direction - as well as learn something.

"A couple of years ago, I used a miyabe maple tree. I made a clue that said "if you find this then miyabe you might be in the right direction. They found the clue and then they'd say 'oh look at this. It's a very unusual maple tree.'"

Once the log is found, it's hauled back to Arbor Court where it's cut and burned. A chunk is saved for next year. Hunters toast with wassail, a spiced ale drank with a toast of good health, and sing carols and celebrate.

And Von Hoppe begins taking notes yet again for next year's quest.

"This is a very unusual and fun event and a great way to spend a winter day, get out and get some fresh air especially after the holidays," Fischer-Woods said.

The arboretum is located on 1,700 acres with more than 4,000 species of trees, shrubs and plants.

For more information, call (630) 968-0074 or visit mortonarb.org.

Yule Log HuntWhen: 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3Where: Visitors Center at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, LisleCost: FreeInfo: (630) 968-0074 or mortonarb.org