This is one in a series of caches placed near the summits of or on the approaches to the highpoints of Wyoming’s 23 counties.
MOUNT NATRONA
The cache is a larger-sized Rx vial, hidden very close to the top of the highest point in Natrona County. This peak, with an elevation of 9,121 feet, has often been referred to as “Mine Benchmark”, but the summit register lists it as Mount Natrona, an appropriate name. A Benchmark is also near the highest point, so you have opportunity for triple dipping with your effort to reach these coordinates: signing the summit register, recording the Benchmark, and most importantly, logging this nice mountain cache! The cache is located in a gap between a flat, capping boulder and a larger slab below it. This description applies to many rock features in the summit vicinity, so chose the correct one! A foot-long small rock has been placed over the cache container to complete the hide, and this gives an element of artificiality in appearance to the immediate cache vicinity.
Mount Natrona owns a number of special distinctions:
1) It is the highest point of the Southern Bighorn Mountains
2) It is the highest point in Natrona County
3) It is the highest point for 50 miles in any direction
4) It is the second most prominent peak in the entire Bighorn Mountain Range (Cloud Peak has the greatest prominence)
Views from the summit are exceptional and take in the sweep of vast meadows intermixed with coniferous forests and aspen glades that are characteristic of this area. If you do careful map work, the approach and length of hike should be relatively modest efforts.
Have fun experiences with this cache!