I have down-rated this cache to keep it free and accessible to all cachers. The actual difficulty level is more like 1.5/2.
This is the third in my "Art in the Woods" series. (Find others in Prospect Park, Wheat Ridge, and North Table Mesa.) This camo 8" x 6" x 5" container has plenty of room, and used to contain some Dr. Seuss art.
After you've found the cache, if the area is open, take a few minutes to explore the rock quarry directly to the north. Notice several long drill bits still embedded in the rock? How much dynamite do you think went into holes like these? (See photo gallery for more pics.)
Local History Trivia: Harald Drewes, a retired geologist who wrote a booklet about North and South Table Mesas, told me that this quarry was used for testing drilling equipment, which explains the multitude of drill holes. Normally, holes would be spaced farther apart, packed with explosive, then detonated.
Access:
* From the east: There is a trail head at the end of Foothills Circle Drive, which can be approached via 32nd Ave, south on Eldridge at the turning circle, then west on Foothills Circle and south on Old Quarry Lane.
* From the south: The top of the mountain is also accessible via Quaker Street north of South Golden Road.
* From the south: A gentle, sunny trail begins just east of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, but don't use the NREL visitor parking. Instead, go east a bit to find a parking spot.
* From the west: A trail rises from the intersection of 18th and Belvedere St. near old-town Golden. (This access point is farthest
from the cache.)