Soda Fountain

09/17/2017 By RPieperCO
Wow!!! Just WOW!!! What an adventure!!! This cache has been on my list for so long it seems! Earlier in the year I began plans to tackle this one with the help of Kerewin0430. She was all to willing to accompany me on the adventure of this cache!

We got up super early and headed down this way. Parking was quick and we loaded our gear and started the hike. Adrenalin flowing we made quick work of the 2 mile trail. We stopped once at a group of guys watching some big horn sheep on the opposite side of the canyon. They were nice enough to share their binoculars to let us get a peek! I love seeing wildlife while on hikes!

From the 2 mile mark we still had 1.75 miles to go. Well... Quick picture opportunity and we started singing the "Breaking the Law" song! ha ha ha! Now the adrenaline really kicked in. We had been jogging and fast walking but still managed to cover the distance really quickly!

Standing on the bank of the river and looking across surveying the route and water conditions made me a bit nervous. Water flow was 470CFS, so it was pretty low but not as low as other pictures in the gallery. I had checked the water temps that morning too. 60 degrees. The air temp said 45!! Brrr...

Kerewin stepped in first and I could tell it was cold! She took a few seconds to acclimate, tie the rope around her waste and jumped in. She made it across just fine but I was still shocked at how strong the current grabbed her and pushed her down stream. But her target was dead on and perfectly executed.

My turn... Holy moley!!! COLD!!!! It took a lot of effort to breathe! That cold just bites! My nerves were out of control! I half debated to call it! Tied the rope on and Kerewin took up the slack. "Just go!" she yelled! with that I dove into the water. Not sure if I even took one breath! Like her I hit the target dead on! Yes!!!

Out of the water we managed pretty well! We took a few minutes to get acclimated and set off to find the cache. Found the plaque the River Jedi and a minute later the cache. Woo hoo!!!! Signed the log and checked out the contents. A RED JEEP!?!? Nice!!! Replaced as found, all is well!

I had looked up the train schedule and we had about 30 minutes before the first departure. We didn't want to risk walking head long into the train so we decided to kill time by exploring the area. Love finding old ruins of history! We even found a nice sandy beach! To bad there was no sun! It would have been even nicer! (Warm at least)

About then we heard the sound of an engine down stream. That was our queue to prepare for the return swim. Did the water get 20 degrees cooler!? As bad as the first crossing was, this seemed worse! Also we were started in the fast water! Inching our way around the cliff holding on tight we found the best spot we could to push off from. Well we decided to both go for it and we each had one end of the rope. We made it through the fast current pretty quick but the water had grabbed the loose part of the rope and we both ended up a bit tangled. Back on solid ground we danced around in celebration! OK not really... I was shaking so bad I could hardly stand! We had left towels back on the dry side and dried off best we could. Now... we raced down the 1.75 miles of tracks making excellent time again! A few more pictures and high fives! What an adventure.

Absolutely a favorite! Probably the most fun, scary, adrenaline inducing cache I've ever done! Thanks to Kerewin for sharing the adventure with me! Not sure I would have done it without the encouragement!

09/17/2017 By Kerewin0430
What an epic adventure!!! This was the first cache of many today with RPieperCO. He had been trying to get out here for this cache for a few years, but struggled to find a companion for the journey, which worked out VERY well for me, a latecomer to this caching group! Thank you to everyone who turned him down - this was one of my favorite caching excursions of all time! HOLY COW, this was SO FUN! I would give out tons of favorite points for this one if I could!!

We had an early morning start out of Colorado Springs. We arrived at the trailhead and the adrenaline began pumping like crazy as we ran to the river crossing location and surveyed the currents. Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE to swim, so I was beyond thrilled with the approach we took to get to this cache!! (2 Favorite Points - one for the sprint to the cache, and one for the swim!) Once across, we divided up and soon found the cache, tucked safely in its spot. I was happy to see it filled with books, thoughtful handwritten logs, and a RED JEEP TRAVEL BUG (!!!), which RPieperCO graciously let me keep as finder's spoils. (Favorite Point!) We had done some research about the train schedule, which it decided to not follow today(?!) and ended up waiting about an hour for it to pass...an hour of precious time that we could have used to get back and continue our adventures, but we decided to err on the side of caution and explore the area instead. I was glad I had decided to cross wearing shoes, as the terrain would have been very uncomfortable barefoot. Found some really cool remnants of a wooden water pipeline, a funny plaque dedicated to a river guide (Favorite Point!), and even a little beach. A helicopter passed overhead, and we finally heard the rumble of the 10-car Royal Gorge train, signaling that it was time for us to cross back. While the second swim seemed chillier, it was just as rejuvenating (another Favorite Point!), and our hearts were pumping with adrenaline as we ran back, ready to take on a full day of more caching adventures.

For future finders' planning purposes, we left the car at approximately 7:30, got this cache and 5 along the way back, and returned to the car just after noon (including the 1 hr delay waiting for the train to pass). Thank you for placing this cache - this is the true epitome of bringing people to a place they may never find on their own.

Survived & found the cache!

Waiting for the train!

09/28/2016 By COpackrat
Well, that certainly was a fine adventure... I couldn’t have asked for better companions for this interesting excursion – KLedecky and MPhelps (better known locally as WingsAndTales and Kenyansherpa) and I had a beautiful day with warm temperatures to challenge the depths of The Gorge. Our research guru ensured that we had all our ducks in a row (although we never actually saw any ducks, they would not have dared to step out of line) and our day progressed well. We all reached the cache site, no one got hypothermia, and no unfortunate circumstances required that we play Marco Polo in the rapids, so it was a successful endeavor. It’s caches like this that keep my interest in this past time – thanks for placing this fun hide!

09/28/2016 By kenyansherpa
It was a real pleasure to seek this Golden Oldie with Karen and Susan today! I've been considering doing this one for several years. When Karen asked if I wished to accompany them, I rearranged my schedule immediately as I knew they would have the logistics dialed. Sure enough they did. Doing your research as well as proper timing are critical with this cache. Everything worked like a charm and I am proud to have checked this off my list!
Success ! Wings and Tales and COpackrat

09/28/2016 By WingsAndTales
Well, I have been looking at this cache for many years and over time considered many different ways to get there. In the end we took the route that most others have used. I was glad to have COpackrat and kenyansherpa along for the adventure today. We were fortunate to hit a good combination of low water and high temperatures. The water was COLD but as soon as we were out we were able to warm up in the sun. Read the logs. At the cache my GPS was bouncing between 150-200 feet to the cache. I picked up the Diabetes coin and left a red jeep TB for the next brave soul. Timing is everything on this one but if you do it right it's not too bad. TFTC

08/28/2015 By K Trackers
I've been planning to go after this cache for about a year. Considering this is a Colorado cache, it offers some unique challenges not common in these parts...very fun. I think the cache's reputation has been exaggerated over the years, I found it easier than expected. It deserves to be found sooner than the three years between Ernie 66 and myself.

Ernie66 provided some great intel for route selection, confirming Tunnel Drive as the best approach. WingsAndTales provided a estimated schedule of the tourist trains. My plan was to approach in darkness to avoid them. I stepped off onto the trailhead at 2:08 AM. The moon illum was 96%, I didn't even bother bringing a flashlight. The tunnels were fun at 0% illum...one of the few times you can't see your hand in front of your face. Moon shadows made for some awesome sights during the hike. Because of the extra equipment (clothes, Personal Flotation Device [PFD]) I decided to go light...sneakers instead of hiking boots, shorts instead of long pants, no climbing gloves, no multi tool, etc. The night hike was super cool despite the August heat and one of the easiest I can remember due to the relatively low elevation change. Despite my leisurely pace and picture taking, I was surprised to find myself on the far side of the GZ by 3:30AM...way ahead of schedule. I wanted to do the water crossing at dawn, but still had a two hour wait. Like any good Ranger, I set up a patrol base and promptly went to sleep. Not the first time I napped near a GZ. I was awakened at about 4:15 AM by a roaring freight train that shook the canyon walls...talk about the midnight train to Georgia! While at first I thought this was pretty cool, I had no plan for freight trains being on the tracks.

By dawn (6:30 AM), I could now ID a crossing spot. I selected a cove on the far side (GZ side) with access over the far side embankment. I hid my ruck on the opposite side of the tracks and changed clothes. I chose to use my PFD because it offered convenient attachment points for the kit I would need on the far side (GPS, camera, waterproof case with coin and pen) to keep my hands free. I took the plunge at 7:00AM. I underestimated the current and almost missed the cove. I made a good grab and the current did the rest. After scrambling up, I began the hunt in earnest. GPS didn't help much. Although Ernie's log was very helpful, I eventually found the container in a place I didn't expect. The ammo can was filled with books, two titles striking me as particularly ironic. After a offset victory photo, I made my return crossing. By hugging the north side rock wall in the cove, I got a good push off that propelled me over half the distance to the other bank...much easier. If you know how to swim and take the time to plan your route to avoid the rapids, the crossing can be made without a PFD. I returned to my ruck at about 7:42 AM and started the return hike at 7:58 AM. I was now worried about the returning freight train and kept looking over my shoulder. I timed my hike from the GZ back to the trail...only about 22 minutes on the track part. The track section looks much longer on the map, no wonder I got so far ahead of schedule. While stopping to search for GC1556W Can I Get A "YES!"?, the returning freight train passed that location at about 8:40 AM...a 4 hour turn around. After a leisurely return hike, trail snack and repacking my gear into the Xterra, I was driving away by 9:50 AM. Not counting driving time, it was a 5 hour cache trip (Soda Fountain and Yes!) with a 2 hour nap. I was surprised I never saw the tourist trains, it remains a unknown variable.

This cache is super fun, great scenery, and well worth the time. It easier than the map and its reputation suggests, just take the time to plan your trip. I can't figure out why more cachers don't come here. Thanks to the CO for the awesome placement!

Night March 1

Night March 2

Midnight train to Georgia

North Canyon

South Canyon

Soda Fountain Crossing

Soda Fountain

11/22/2012 By ernie66
Great cache & dash - TFTC! ..... NOT!

I've been watching this cache for at least 5 years. I attempted an approach from a side canyon on the south rim in 2008, but was turned back less than 1/4 mile from the cache by a vertical drop. Today things came together and I got a second chance.

I've done plenty of 5-star terrain caches and am well-acquainted with the typical hazards of caching - falling off cliffs, getting stuck in underground tunnels, etc. I have to say, though, that the river crossing required for this cache is the single scariest moment in my caching career.

I came prepared - life jacket, waterproof containers, helmet - but didn't use any of that. Just above Soda Fountain, there is a relatively calm section of river, not swift, and not wide. However, even in low water conditions, it's deeper than my head and that water can't be above 40 degrees. I waded in to my neck level and then swam for it. I drifted downstream, but managed to make it to the eddy landing without getting swept into the rapids.

Ok, soaking wet, I blindly headed to the listed coordinates. Silly me. I wasted a half hour up there before realizing the cache wasn't at the coordinates. It's much closer to the river. If you're more than 20 feet from water, you're too far. Don't go above the aquaduct. After returning to the first shelf above river level, I found the cache within 5 minutes.

Then came the return trip across the river. The geometry of that calmer area didn't look good for a crossing from the south side. Instead, I found a wooden pole and a broken oar from one of the many summer raft trips through the gorge. My idea was to steady myself with those and wade across a wider, shallower section slightly upriver. I got about 3/4 of the way across but the last section was above waist deep and very swift. I eventually jettisoned the oar and pole and swam the last bit. The words of Rod, a river guide from a raft trip I took last summer, came back to me -- "keep your feet downstream and work your way to the shore." Yup, that worked.

But the time in the cold water trying to wade across was surprisingly debilitating. My legs just weren't working right. I gathered my pack and just started walking. I finally hit the sun about a mile down the tracks (at the North Pole, oddly enough) and stopped to change and try to warm up. It helped, but I drove all the way home with the heat turned to MAX and went straight from the car to a hot shower. I was still back in plenty of time for Thanksgiving dinner.

This is one of the most memorable caches I've ever done. What a cache! This type of experience is what caching is all about. Thank you!

Wow, that was a long hike...

Soda Fountain found at last!

08/25/2011 By CW Scout
Could not swim the river due to high current.

07/11/2010 By Adrenalin Junkie
2 miles on a dirt road, 1.8 miles on a railroad tracks (shhhh), a quick hard swim across the river, 35 min of searching on a down pour with thunder and lightning, satellite bounce up to .11 miles, found the cache and then reversed the process and grabbed 4 more on the way back to the car . What a great 4 hour adventure.

I found it

08/09/2009 By toyotatechman
Found this one while rafting with Jessi Skip and Ben. Coordinates were way, way off. Four pairs of eyes really helped. Ben located it while I was following my GPS to my potential demise. Fun Cache. My Vista was claiming 9 ft accuracy.