Call the Auto Club? Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

HighCountryAdmin: I am archiving this defunct geocache to keep it from continually showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements. If you wish to repair or replace the cache sometime in the future, please contact me via my profile, and assuming it still meets the guidelines, I will be happy to unarchive it.

Thank you,
HighCountryAdmin
Volunteer Cache Reviewer

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More
Hidden : 7/3/2011
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


The Pine Valley area is rich in history, and there are some artifacts in Pine Valley Park that should not be missed. They include visiting the spot where the Denver Ice Company loaded ice on the train bound for Denver, hiking up to the observatory, evidence of the Narrow Gauge line, and more!

This cache is located very close to where the park ends and private property starts. Mobile Molly located the remnants of a neat old car (or Truck) just on the "Private property" side of the fence, so I thought a cache nearby would be fun. Mobile Molly's family dates back several generations in the Denver Area, and I believe her Grandmother worked at the Denver Ice Company. She also recalls having to gather quartz from near the river (off of what is now the Narrow Gauge trail) for her family's cabin as a little girl.

I hid this with the help of MCF 2000 on a nice hike with our family.

More about the area history:

Gold seekers followed dreams of riches up Pine Valley on their way to Leadville, first on foot or mule, and later on the narrow gauge railroad. In the early 1860s ranchers began homesteading in the area, while other settlers quickly turned to cutting timber and building sawmills. The timber industry, although not as glamorous as discovering gold and silver, was a significant force in Colorado’s frontier development.

By 1870 the Pine Valley area had 11 sawmills and eagerly supplied Denver’s growing demand for lumber and railroad ties. A town was established in August 1866. The Denver, South Park & Pacific, a 3-foot narrow gauge line, first arrived in Pine Grove from Denver in 1878. That summer, both passenger and freight service began and continued for 59 years, after which the right-ofway reverted to ranches along the line. Pine Grove was the first fueling station west of Denver, and was the base of operations for several helper engines and their crews.

Helper engines were attached to heavily laden trains to help push them up the steep mountains and over the passes. Upon reaching the pass, the helper engine was uncoupled and returned to its base to await the next train.

The 42-mile trip from Denver to Pine Grove took 2 ½ hours and cost each passenger $1.50. After delivering all the picnickers and fishermen to local resorts like Pine Grove and Crystal Lake, the train veered off onto a temporary spur for an occasional stop at Pine Valley Ranch.

It is about 3 miles round-trip from parking to this cache, and the trail is very flat. Please hide well when you are done.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

jbbqrq ybbx ybj

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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