If any one ask what you are doing. You are "Chasing the Rails" of The Rio Grande Southern Railroad of course.
Standing at the cache you are on the old rail bed, looking downhill to the East toward Hesperus Station you can see to bed, if you walk downhill you can zero out on Benchmark HM0050. From where you are the tracks climbed the hill to the top just West of you and then went in above Montoya's place, back into the hills from there, holding the same elevation almost to the top of Mancos Hill. From Mancos Hill you can drive the old bed almost back to here.
Some YouTube Clips I Found.. From the Cab of the Gallaping Goose and the Galloping Goose Running the Track Near Durango, Co
The Rio Grande Southern was one of the most spectacular narrow gauge railroads in the world. It provided heavy transportation service for the west side of the San Juan mountains and traveled through spectacular scenery that, prior to the railroad, was only accessible by the most determined traveler using horses, wagons, or even basic foot power.
The Rio Grande Southern Railroad (RGS) ran from Durango to Ridgway in the western part of the US state of Colorado. Its right of way can be traced by going west from Durango to Mancos, then to Dolores, north across Lizard Head Pass (10,222') to Placerville, with the final leg to Ridgway.
The route passed over Dallas Divide west of Ridgway and over Lizard Head Pass north of Rico. The most famous structure on the route was the Ophir Loop near Ophir. At this point the railroad was built up a narrow mountain valley and looped back up the other side to gain elevation over several tall trestles.
The RGS filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission for abandonment on 24 April 1952.
Details for Benchmark near this location: Benchmark HM0050
Next Stop, Mancos Hill.... ALL Aboarrrrrrd!!!!!.....
or Hesperus Station.... ALL Aboarrrrrrd!!!!!.....
Be sure and check out the WILDCAT RGS VIEW and A Funny Way to Ride the Rails #2 while chasing the rails.
FTF was Br_Eyez