GC48ECR Near the Boundary--Bowen Gulch Protection Area
Type: Traditional | Size: Small | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: Denali41 @ | Hide Date: 03/26/2013 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N40° 17.861 W105° 55.609 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
           

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Wilderness -- "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain ... an area protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions." —The Wilderness Act of 1964

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The Bowen Gulch Protection Area borders the Never Summer Wilderness as a component of the “Never Summer Adjacent Area”. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1993 to protect the set-aside lands from mining patents, mineral and geothermal development, and timber harvest. Further, according to the Act no developed campgrounds or new roads or trails can be established in the area.

The Protection Area includes the largest contiguous area of old-growth Englemann spruce-subalpine fir forest in the entire state. It includes living centuries-old trees (some “great-grandfather trees” are more than 400 years old) and huge dead snags that provide special habitats for certain mammals, birds, and insects. A multi-layered canopy and minimum evidence of past logging or recent fire disturbance characterize this old-growth. It’s a special place!

The cache is a large camoed pill vial hidden near a lovely meadow within the forest, close to the boundary of the Protection Area. Bring a pencil or pen to sign the cache log. Enjoy your time reaching the cache vicinity. Plan to spend time exploring portions of the Protection Area that are accessible by the trails that were extant at the time of the protection set-aside.

08/31/2017 By icezebra11
The archery elk season opened on 8/28 but I hadn't had a chance to get out until today. A few days ago I wasn't sure where I wanted to go so I decided to go to a place that had some attractive caches in the area so when the hunting for elk was slow, the hunting for caches would be hot! So I picked this area near the Bowen Gulch Protection Area.

I left Loveland and headed over Trail Ridge Rd to the Grand Lake area and then headed to the North Supply Loop trailhead. When I arrived in the middle of the afternoon the lot was empty which came as some surprise with it being the holiday weekend coming up. So I changed into my hunting clothes, grabbed my gear and headed up the trail. I'd never been to this area and found it to be really good habitat for elk and moose. It is sad though to see all the dead trees in the area that were ravaged by the beetles.

The walk was a fairly short one and I was soon at GZ for this cache. The coordinates were spot on and the find was quick. Signed the log and then continued up the trail. Thanks Denali41 for placing this cache!!!

09/10/2015 By J&J Team Yukon
Found this cache easily while out on a beautiful day in Colorado with my honey. The cache was in good condition and just waiting to be found again after such a long time of being alone. This was the first of several caches we attempted today. Thanks for the hide!!!

08/10/2015 By Denali41
My puppy Orizaba and I came to the Grand Lake area for a day to complete the Across The Divide Geotour and to place a new cache near Monarch Lake. I decided to extend the trip by a day so I could hike a loop to do a maintenance check on my three caches in the area, and to also visit HONEYMOON to check on its status. So we camped at the trailhead and had a fun cache maintenance hike. I found this cache to be in its proper place and in fine condition–it’s awaiting future cache seekers!

08/15/2014 By kmdeford@yahoo.com
Just did not have the right geo-sense today. TFTC

07/23/2014 By GreencoreOutfitters
My hike today began at the North Supply trail head. I hiked up the Wolverine trial then bushed wacked my way up Porphyry Peak North East. After finding the cache there (GC41QKX) I continued across the saddle to the South West Peak. Found Cache number 2 for the day (GC32RGB.) From there I followed an avalanche path back to the wolverine trail and made a failed attempt at Honeymoon (GC23NT1.) I finished off by grabbing the cache Near the Boundary—Bowen Gulch Protection Area (GC48ECR) on my way back to the car. This route seemed very easy at first. Summiting the NE Peak was a cake walk. The SW Peak was steep and loose but the distance was not far. The Wolverine trail on the returned had me regain so much elevation that I practically re-climbed the NE Peak.

Easy find at end of my hike. Thanks Denali41 for todays adventure.