Dry Creek Rock Garden - Blue Mesa Reservoir Area Traditional Cache
Dry Creek Rock Garden - Blue Mesa Reservoir Area
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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The Dry Creek/Rainbow Lake Road off of HWY 50 is a rough dirt car-road. The side-roads off of this road need 4WD. You can get fairly close to the cache via a side-road, otherwise you’ll have a 1/3 mile hike uphill. The terrain is rocky and sage-covered. There is no trail, only faint game trails. Depending on which route you take, you may wind up at a State Land fence – that’s OK – it’s public land, and it’s OK to drive and hike through it. Elevation at the cache is 7887’.
This cache is in an area of geological interest, and offers a nice view of the reservoir. The cache is in a field of boulders that have tumbled down from the spectacular cliff above. The cliff is composed of black and red "welded tuff" layers, which are solidified hot ash flows from various volcanic calderas (now extinct) in the San Juan volcanic field about 40 - 50 miles to the south (near Silverton). These hot ash flows, known as “nuee ardentes” (fiery clouds), are formed from incandescent clouds of material that has been vaporized beyond the molten state. A nuee ardente is belched out of a volcano, and then flows down the side and beyond at speeds up to 100 mph, consuming everything in its path.
The black boulders in the field are especially interesting, because they contain spherical concretions which are weathering out and falling to the ground. The concretions were formed from gas bubbles in the ash flow as it cooled and solidified, and give the boulders a “pimply” look. Some of the boulders have completely weathered into piles of fine, black, glassy gravel.
This cache is one of several caches around Blue Mesa Reservoir. The cache is in a clear plastic box with a red rim.
***Hunting Season Advisory***
Hunting seasons in Colorado are in September and October. If you venture out during hunting season, be sure to wear some blaze orange and be noisy.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)