Hopewell Hill Traditional Cache
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Located in an Aspen glade on top of a hill West of Hopewell Lake at an elevation of 9934 ft.
To get to the cache take US 64 west from Tres Piedras or east from Tierra Amarilla, NM to the Hopewell Lake turn off. Drive down to the lake and out to the south end where the dam is. The cache is only .26 mile from the east end of the dam as the crow flies.
The hike goes across the dam and up the trail you can see on the opposite hillside to the Northwest. When the trail starts to head south across the hill leave it and go straight up through the small aspens until you get to the top where it levels out. Once up there head SW into the aspens.
The cache is in a Gladware container with a blue lid and I slipped it inside a Freezer bag to help keep out the elements. It's located at the base of a large aspen tree on the west side of the trunk under some Krumholtz bushes and leaves.
This cache would be a good reason to get out and stretch your legs when driving across northern NM. It might only take 20 - 30 minutes round trip if you can find it easily. This is also a popular fishing spot; bring your gear if you've got a license and try your luck. I did.
It is not too far from the Cruces Basin Cache (visit link) if you wanted to grab two in a day. In the Fall when the leaves are turning this will be a spectacular setting. It's not too shabby now either.
The original contents are:
4 AA batteries
hackey sack
key ring on a strap
Peppermint lip balm (still factory sealed)
small locking carabiner
stegasaurous
sunglasses
bag of srike anywhere matches
extra pens
Check out the photos for a look at what you're in for.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
N frg bs gjva nfcraf evfr sebz pbzzba ebbgf. Bar oebgure unf oebxra ng gur xarrf naq yvrf snyyra arkg gb uvf yvivat xva.
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures