Smelter Mountain cache Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

IgnotusPeverell: Greetings. I'm IgnotusPeverell, one of the volunteer reviewers for geocaches submitted to Geocaching.com.

This geocache is located on SWA or STL property. Notices were posted by Geocaching HQ on August 5, and September 2 to add the required text to educate players about permit requirements. The deadline was September 30, and that date has passed. Unfortunately, this geocache is now being archived. This geocache cannot be unarchived.

Thanks for your understanding,
IgnotusPeverell
Volunteer Reviewer for Colorado and New Mexico
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Hidden : 5/10/2003
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3.5 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Hike to the top of Smelter Mountain for great views of Durango.

From Rte 550/160, exit the highway at Centennial Center strip mall (where Office Depot is). If you're coming from downtown Durango that's the next exit south of the Visitor Center exit. Take the dirt road north of the mall (CR 211) and immediately turn right on a gravel road and park in the dirt parking area at N37 15.165 W107 52.738, at the sign that says "Public Parking". Walk over to the trailhead at 37 15.257 W107 52.739. Don't worry about the no admittance signs on the construction site, the trail is not within the construction zone.

This trail is quite steep in places so don't try this route unless you are a moderately strong hiker. The cache is near the top of Smelter Mountain. If you're strong enough to make it up the first 500 feet, you should be able to do the round-trip to the cache and back within 3 hours. If you're a very strong and fast hiker, you could do it in half that time.

If you want some variety on the return, bushwack down the mountain rather than taking the trail. I suggest that you get yourself into one of the several north-south slickrock washes and follow it south until it empties into the east-west canyon. Follow this trail east, until it comes out where you left your car. This route is pretty, and cooler.

An alternative route to the cache is to drive up the 4WD road to the top of Smelter Mountain. See map below. Take CR 211 1.7 miles to where the road (for the present) is blocked off for the Animas-La Plata Project, at N 37 14.513 W 107 54.185. Turn right (north) onto the gravel road. (Unfortuntely, this route may be blocked off at any time due to the A-LP, cutting off this access option.) Assuming the road is open, drive on up. At N 37 15.118 W 107 54.960, bear right (northeast) at the Y. The road gets really, really bad after this, with deep ruts. Continue up, then along the top of the mountain, heading east toward the cache, past all the radio towers. Park at the repeater station at N37 15.761 W107 53.348. The cache is an easy, almost flat 5 minute walk from there. This road is suitable for 4WD, high-clearance vehicles only. If you get partway up the road and decide it's too gnarly, you could always pull off and park, it is also a pleasant walk the rest of the way to the cache via the road.

Original cache contents: plastic purse, shirt, tie-dyed handkerchief, plastic dog, shoelace pack, postcard, trivia game, monster roller, bead necklace, pink earrings, kids' video, paperback book.

ADOPTED BY SHASHYAZ&FOXY

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Pnpur vf va n bnx guvpxrg whfg fbhgu bs gur genvy.

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)


Attributes

No attributes available

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