GC54EF Quartz (Mica) Mine Cache
Type: Traditional | Size: Regular | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: Adopted by CJantzer 7/2011 @ | Hide Date: 05/05/2002 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N38° 58.708 W108° 37.903 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 2
     

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This is about 1.4 miles of walking one way. Mostly level easy walking on good trail with a little climbing at the end to find the cache.

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This one starts just off Little Park Road at the Bangs Canyon Staging Area. The coordinates for the parking area: N38.59.314, W108.37.043. From there follow your GPS into the canyon.

You will walk down into a small canyon and follow it for about 1.2 miles until just before you get to an old quartz (mica) mine. Not dangerous, mine is just a big hole in the side of the canyon. It used to be possible to climb up to the geocache from the mine but erosion has made that dangerous. Trail rises about 100 ft from the parking lot over the length of the trail until the last 1/4 mile. The walk is fine for kids, although little ones may get tired. Short climb at the end may be a bit much for some. To find the trail, take a left when the trail becomes covered with quartz. You'll see an old road going up the side of the hill. Bring water if it's warm out. Have fun!

It's a beautiful walk, especially when there's water in the creek. There wasn't much when I placed this. If there is water in the creek, there's a nice waterfall about a hundred yards past the mine.

I had good reception all the way in, so your GPS should lead you right to the cache. It's in a Tupperware container.

06/01/2019 By sewing22
This was a fun one. Went hiking with my uncle. Added paper since the log was full.

06/01/2019 By slade2029
Been to the mine more times than I ca count, decided to finally make the trip here.
T4TC

05/05/2017 By Ashyr
Found it, but didn't log it because the contents were wet. Cool cache though, I hiked right past it with some friends a few days ago and never thought there could be a cache there.

10/23/2016 By mrsaws+2
Great day for a family hike! Tftc

08/15/2016 By csj
Everything A-OK now. Come find me!

08/13/2016 By csj
After two reports of not finding the cache, I found it today and updated description to prevent confusion.
Happy Geocaching!

08/05/2016 By csj
I've been muggled. Owner will replace box ASAP. Sorry for the inconvenience.

07/13/2016 By nukeworker
While visiting the area for a week, this hike was highly recommended to us when we played some pickleball with a group in Grand Junction. Being from Arkansas we were worried about dehydration, altitude, and the forecasted 100 degree temperatures, but the idea of a Mica/Quartz mine fascinated us. We were the only vehicle in the parking lot when we hit the trail early in the morning hoping we were carrying enough water. The canyon is stunning and the quartz along the trail in places was abundant. Wow, the mine is AMAZING. We took time to cool off, drink more water, and take some pictures. NW headed to GZ, since RBG has medical restrictions, and found GZ after the difficult climb. He searched, searched, hunted, and searched some more. Remembering previous pictures from the cache page he knows he was in the right location. We're afraid this one might have been muggled again. What a disappointment to not be able to locate the cache, although we loved the mine. We appreciate the CO bringing us to this location and would give it a favorite point except we can't on a DNF. We have pictures to show that we were at GZ, if that helps(?) We made our way out of the canyon, beat by this cache, HOT, sweaty, and tired....but what a sense of accomplishment. Never saw another human being the entire adventure. The A/C in the truck felt sooooooo good. Thanks for the adventure, Nukeworker and Racquetball Girl

NW's walking stick @ Quartz (Mica) Mine Cache

Missing cache at GZ
Hiking to Quartz (Mica) Mine, CO
Mica in Quartz @ Mine, CO
NW @ Quartz/Mica Mine, CO
Hiking the trail to Quartz/Mica Mine, CO

05/28/2016 By ColoradoPaul
Nice hike - cache in good shape.

03/14/2016 By csj
Replaced Tupperware box which had been apparently muggled.

03/13/2016 By tgb123
DNF. Business card and what looks like it may be bits of swag around flat red sandstone boulder.

02/27/2016 By ActionJackson's
Found on top of mine. Definitely go to the right to access!