Start at the Three Gun Trailhead (N 35 4.575 W 106 26.657). To
get to this trailhead head east from Albuquerque on Highway 66 and
turn left into the Monticello subdivision. Follow the road straight
up the hill until you see a small Forest Service sign directing you
to the left. Once you have made the turn stay on this road until it
starts to bear left at which point you turn right on a road which
soon becomes dirt. Go to the end of the road and park. Start up the
Three Guns Trail and stay on it for about 1/2 mile until you come
to the Hawk Watch trail that turns to the east or to your right as
you are going up the hill. Stay on this trail until you reach the
old Hawk Watch area, which is a fairly obvious flat section at
about 7500ft with a signpost that has no sign on it. This area may
be closed from late February to mid March for a hawk banding
program. You may call 255-7622 (Hawk Watch)to check status.
Think of this cache as a consolation prize if you are headed for
The Bathtub (GCHJC6) and decide maybe the Crest trail would be
easier ;) The trail up to the tub gets much harder after this
point. This is also a great place to bring a lunch-- the views are
great in every direction.
The cache is a small orange gatorade container which initially
contains six or seven travelling geocoins.
The is my first cache, and it is named for my first son, Cooper
Sandia, who in turn is named after these mountains. Here he is
within a few feet of the cache, helping me place it:
