Catron County
This cache is part of the New Mexico Challenge. One cache is hidden in each of New Mexico's 33 counties.
Your mission, should you decide to accept it is to find and log all 33 caches with a photo of yourself at the cache site.
Catron is a ruggedly beautiful part of New Mexico, including some of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the United States, and is a home to a long history of civilization, from the northern Mogollon culture to present day Native Americans, ranchers, and new settlers.
Despite its area of 6,898 square miles, the population was estimated in 2004 to be only 3,440 people. This is due in large part to the presence of large parts of the Gila and Cibola National Forests, and makes for a very low population density of just over 1 person per km2. Opportunities for hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, and many other outdoor activities abound.
Catron County contains many attractions, including (but not limited to!):
The Gila National Forest includes the Apache and Aldo Leopold Wilderness Areas, as well as part of the Blue Range Wilderness. It comprises an area of 3.3 million acres of forest and range land.
Glenwood is a good place off of highway 180 to stay and explore the surrounding area. The Frisco hot springs, Confidence Mine, and the inestimable Catwalk up into Whitewater Creek canyon are nearby. Pinos Altos also has some very nice cabins for a sweet getaway.
Mogollon, a historic ghost town, and the eponymous ancient settlement close to the furthest Mimbres northern extension.
Pie Town, which got its name from a dried apple pie business in the 1920s, still boasts (as of this writer's last experience) of some of the best fruit pies around.
Quemado Lake, Snow Lake and Willow Creek are a few of the finest camping and fishing areas in the state.
Reserve, the county seat, is where Elfego Baca became famous (or infamous, as the case may be).
My mother tried her best to retire out here, and as a result, I have had many occasions to frequent the area. The doctors said it was too much altitude so she had to retreat to the lowlands. Despite her departure, I still frequent the area - it is after all one of my favorite parts of this state.
The NMCCCC was, for obvious reasons, rather difficult to place. Eventually, I decided to place it at its currentcoordinates. Given the attractions of the county, it may migrate around the county, affording multiple finds to those geocachers who wish to explore the county fully. For the present, it is in a secure location in an area that Geronimo and Elfego Baca called home.
The cache itself contains a few geocaching goodies, trade items and supplies; the first to find will hopefully find something nice, and to their liking. Also included is Bruce the TB, who would like to meet up with his littermate in the NMCSocCC and travel the world.
Bronco the BoulderDog nearby