Anderson House Traditional Geocache
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Size: 
(regular)
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Start from the Crosier Mt trailhead in Glen Haven. When you get to the top of the first ridge, you'll see a sign for "Knapp's Knob 1893" to the left (Ira Knapp was an early Glen Haven resident); the trail branches off to the right to the H-G Ranch (if you continue straight ahead, you'll reach Piper Meadows). The ruins of the old cabin are up the H-G trail, on the other side of a little gate. It's roughly a mile from the Glen Haven trailhead.
Robert and Amanda Anderson homesteaded there in 1906, raising cattle, hay, and vegetables that they sold in Estes Park. The land was given to them by the original homesteaders as a wedding gift. Stories vary, but apparently they left very abruptly around 1910 for New Mexico, leaving behind their furniture and unfinished baking still on the counter. Rumor has it they had a baby girl who died suddenly.
Another rumor is about the mantle over the fireplace. It is of shaped stone and thought to be an unused tombstone, as some thought Robert was also a stone mason, although personally I don't think it is. The fireplace was probably built by Carl Piltz, a local artist of the time. I guess he did a good job; it's the only thing still standing!
If you're bringing little kids to this cache, watch out for nails in the old boards.
Deta Easterday peering into the Anderson cabin 1915
This cache is part of a geotrail of historical caches in the Glen Haven area. Retrieve the codes from the 14 physical caches and find the virtual to receive a commemorative geocoin. The cache list can be found here: Historic Glen Haven GeoTrail.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Arne gur svercynpr.