GC3GN24Sand Gulch Fire
Type: Traditional
| Size: Regular
| Difficulty:
| Terrain:
By: chasclifton@
| Hide Date: 04/09/2012
| Status: Available
Country: United States
| State: Colorado Coordinates: N38° 11.473 W105° 06.628 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
This is a hiker's cache. You will be bushwhacking through the burned area of the Sand Gulch Fire, April 2011. Expect to get soot on your clothes. Park at the Lewis Creek Trail parking area off Colorado 96. Parking lot coordinates N 38° 11.759; W. 105° 06.599. Entrance road is rough dirt — high-clearance vehicle recommended.BACKGROUND: After a dry spring, a squall with lightning and sleet moved through this area on Tuesday, April 26, 2011. A lightning strike started a small fire on a ridge southwest of the cache that afternoon.
When the fire was spotted, the Wetmore Volunteer Fire Dept. responded. Firefighters judged that because the fire was small, high up on national forest, and not threatening structures, it did not require immediate response. In addition, the weather was foggy and drizzling — the fire was unlikely to spread.
U.S. Forest Service firefighters arrived on Wed., April 27. They built a hand line on the northeast side of the fire and “burned out” (set backfires) to reinforce this containment line. Following its policy, the Forest Service decided to let the fire continue to burn to the west to reduce fuels and to provide open grazing areas for bighorn sheep that live in the area.
At a meeting Thursday night at the Wetmore VFD fire house, Forest Service representatives assured residents that the fire would remain contained—even though high winds were forecast for Friday.
Strong wind, gusting up to 50 mph, did arrive on Friday. Early Friday afternoon the fire “blew up,” jumping in size from 20 acres to more than 500 acres. Residents in the Greenwood area across Colorado 96 were advised to evacuate.
Fire departments from Wetmore, Florence, Rye, Westcliffe, and other towns fought the fire. Federal resources included three Hot Shot crews, a number of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management engines, two heli-tankers, and one single-engine air tanker.
FTF: Hartsdale, April 28, 2012.
Additional Waypoints PK3GN24 - Parking N 38° 11.759 W 105° 06.599
05/29/2019 By chasclifton Thanks, Room1009! I had planned to make an inspection trip up there in June. I was wondering if the regrown oak brush made it too difficult to hike to the cache -- you have proven that it has not!
05/28/2019 By Room1009 It's been 981 days since this cache was last found. This one has been on my radar for at least a couple of years. I had a free afternoon, and I didn't want to wait until the weather got hot so I decided today was the day. The weather wasn't perfect--the clouds looked threatening and the wind was kicking up, but I figured it was better than waiting till summer. The wind let up long enough and the rain held off and for that I was thankful.
I probably should have studied a topo map to choose a route. I more or less just tried to go in a straight line. I did some unnecessary scrambling, ran into some obstacles like fallen trees and dense undergrowth, and ended up doing a lot of zig zagging and backtracking. It's been eight years since the fire and the gambel oak has grown very thick, almost impassable in spots.
Arriving at ground zero I spotted the hiding spot right away, but it took a couple of minutes to actually get my hands on the container. It blends in very well. I cut my hand on a sharp branch while reaching for it. I was happy to find a really cool container and upon opening it saw that everything was in pristine condition. There is some really nice swag, and I added some more plus a geocoin (Netherlands Flag Micro Geocoin-TB7GZQ6). I wonder if it will be another 981 days before it gets picked up.
I tried a different route on the way back and it was a little easier but longer. The cache is 0.33 miles from the parking waypoint, but my fitness app said I hiked over a mile. The evidence of the fire is still very prominent, but the gambel oak is really filling in. I came across a grave site for "Boss" on the way back. I presume Boss was someone's pet dog.
While definitely not a Sunday stroll this was not as difficult as I thought it would be. Most anyone could get here if they just take their time and think about the route. This cache is in perfect condition. I've now found all of the "fire" caches. Thanks for placing this great cache. Favorite added.
09/19/2016 By dkcraig Wow, get the difficulty rating. Definitely bushwhacking. But a beautiful view. Oak brush is starting to turn. Grasses are coming back, nature is renewing itself. Tftc
08/27/2016 By LeewayeDiscGolf After getting a puzzle in Florence for the souvenir we figured it was a good time to get this one off the list. There are lots of fresh burn areas all along the highway and the turn into the parking area. Not sure if they are intentional or not, but they still had plenty of heat and smell. We did like everyone else and just wandered our way out here. After just a bit shy of 2 years since the last log, the cache was in perfect shape and right where it said it was supposed to be. I really like the container. Thanks for a fun one.
09/18/2014 By coloradojeep Found it! Fire missed my place by a 1/4 mile. Didn't live here at the time but I'm sure it was no fun. TFTC!
Sand Gulch Fire
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