GC9P5HG Georgetown Bighorn Sheep
Type: Virtual | Size: Virtual | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: OneKindWord @ | Hide Date: 03/03/2022 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N39° 43.879 W105° 41.478 | Last updated: 06/19/2022 | Fav points: 0
                             

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Welcome to Georgetown Bighorn Sheep Viewing Area! 

 

This is a Virtual cache. There is no physical container to find.

IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE: This cache cannot be accessed from I-70.  You must exit I-70 at Exit 228 and use Argentine Street (frontage road) to approach the cache location.

Requirements to log this Virtual:

Take a picture of:

Yourself, or Your GPSr, or Your Smartphone, or Your Thumbs Up, or Your Signature Item

with the Viewing Telescopes in the background and post it with your log.

Your face does not need to be visible in the photo.

You must visit after this Virtual was published to claim a find.

OPTIONAL! 

 Not required, but I would love to see any photos of Bighorn Sheep you see!

 

Official State Animal of Colorado

 

The magnificent Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep was designated official state  animal of Colorado in 1961. 

Named for their massive, curling horns (which can grow to 50 inches in length) and known for their agility and perfect balance, Rocky Mountain bighorns (Ovis canadensis) are found only in the Rockies (usually above the timberline) in extremely rugged terrain. Their horns are not shed annually like the antlers of deer and elk, but grow in length and circumference throughout the sheep's life (a pair can weigh nearly 30 pounds).

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are very social animals, generally separated into two groups. Mature rams stay in one group while the ewes, lambs, and young rams congregate separately (rams stay with the "nursery group" until 2- 3 years of age). The groups join during the rut (mid November through late December) and sometimes for a short period in the spring. Ram bands have a social hierarchy established by body and horn size. Dramatic head- butting occurs between mature rams to determine leadership and dominance, but once the hierarchy is established, rams live in the same group with little further conflict (normal life span is 10 to 12 years).

 

 Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023

This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.

03/08/2022 By Bhob
Out and about on a sunny late winter day with "animjason" and "BearAdair" - we made a point of targeting this geocache - sadly, no sheep sighted, but plenty of snow-covered trees to be seen along the way - picture of the three of us posted on the log by "BearAdair". Thanks for showing us this place !

03/08/2022 By animjason
Saw this sit for too long, and we had to remedy that. Literally decided to go for this on our way to pick up BearAdair from school, and went straight here after getting her. Thanks for pointing this out. We didn't see any Bighorn, but will try again. We took a group photo, it is on BearAdair's log so you don't get cluttered with same image. [FTF] with BearAdair and Bhob.

Thanks OneKindWord! animjason logged Georgetown Bighorn Sheep from a twentieth galaxy using c:geo!

~ Geocache Find # 12190 ~

03/08/2022 By BearAdair
I was planning on getting a cheeseburger after school, but instead we went on a impromptu adventure here! Yay for adventure! Thanks for the new virtual! CO-[FTF] with daddy, and Bhob. Didn't see any Bighorn but I got cold fast! Fave!

Thanks OneKindWord! BearAdair logged Georgetown Bighorn Sheep from a twentieth galaxy using c:geo!

~ Geocache Find # 2113 ~

03/03/2022 By IgnotusPeverell
Published on 303 Day.