Dying Sentinel at the Big Cut Traditional Cache

This cache is hidden near a dead, but not fallen, sentinel that watches over the Big Cut. There is parking at the waypoint below and you will have to cross the highway to access this cache, or for fun, you could park at the Cowboy Trail parking just to the west and walk to this cache.

When the railroad came here in the fall of 1882, it only came as far west as Thacher. It was realized that the railroad would benefit from coming all the way to Valentine, though, and in the early spring and summer of 1882 a construction crew had assembled on the east side of the river, not far from where the wooden rail bridge crosses the Niobrara. Their task was to cut through a very large hill in order to make an approach to the point where the bridge would be built to cross the river.

This trench through the hill was called the "big cut". Look northwest along the old rail line and you can see the hill that these two crews had to cut through, with hand tools, in 1882. The construction camp was divided into two portions, with Broom taking the spot on the north side (mentioned above), and Brown taking the south side of the hill. To support the workers, a small town of sprang up, and there were eating shacks, several saloons, and the railroad maintained a store. The workers completed their work in quick fashion, and the railroad came to Valentine in late March of 1883. The first train to the area came just days before April 04, 1883, the date that Cherry County was organized.

This sentinel got to view most of that activity, and it would be interesting to note the other things it has witnessed (and what it thinks of people and our hurried existence).

There can be frequent traffic, so use caution in crossing the highway and practice good highway etiquette. Watch for muggles, respect the area, CITO if needed, and rehide as you find it for the next cacher. Thank you and good luck.