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Ancient Indian Lookout Traditional Cache

Hidden : 11/22/2001
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

North of Ft. Bayard, the hike of 2.7 miles (1-way) from 6450' elevation to 7000', combines cross country, game trails, and old historic wood-haul roads, to a marvelous ancient lookout point.

The cache site seems to be an ancient lookout, with big rocks placed to form a concealment or fortification for 2 or 3 people. Wear sturdy shoes, take plenty of water, and plan on at least 3 hours round trip. Part of the Elk Trail is very steep. Start hiking from the Parking Lot Past the old nursery or "horse training center" about 4 miles north of the Fort Bayard Medical Center, which is immediately north of the town of Santa Clara (Renamed town of "Central").

The cache is contained in a 1/2 gallon Igloo thermos. Hidden under the rocks at the west end of the fortificaton, and easily seen from floor level, it contains matches, a AA flashlight, Butterfield Trial information on Floppy Disk, & stars & stripes shirt pin.

The following waypoints are given as N32--- and W108--- pairs (only the minutes given below). Start at 50.51-08.66 at the parking lot, and find a trail going north at 50.79-08.529, take a left on a smaller trail at 50.96-08.403 and follow it north to an old wood-haul road. Turn left on the road and if you wish, stop at my Ft Bayard Ledge Cache on the way. Continue to road junction at 51.65-08.923 and take a short side trip to see deep wagon ruts in solid rock at 51.71-08.877. From the road junction, continue to a gate and road junction at 51.635-9.05. (If you return this way, take the road to the left to complete a loop back to your rig. This is also a good point of departure to follow the ridge top down to Castle Knob at 51.33-09.093 for a great view.) To continue to the cache, turn right and follow this road to 52.00-09.07. Follow road up a canyon to the left to a big dirt dam. Let me know if you find a trail from here to 51.991-09.20 where the Elk Trail becomes distinct. Follow this trail through points 52.00-09.237 and 52.03-09.263 to the Cache site at 52.069-09.297. On your return you may want to go down the west side of Cameron Creek and see Eaton Place and the old water lines suspended high above the canyon at 51.615-09.375 and the biggest juniper tree in NM near 51.27-09.60. From the big tree follow roads and trails south and east back to your rig.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)