GC4C4NZ Traditional Cache What A Lulu!
Type: Traditional | Size: Small Small | Difficulty: 2 out of 5 | Terrain: 5 out of 5
By: Denali41 @ | Hide Date: 05/12/2013 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N40° 28.827 W105° 51.767 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
Not Recommended for kids  Takes more than an hour  Scenic view  Significant hike  Long Hike (+10km) 
CONGRATULATIONS TO icezebra11 FOR FTF!!
Today I co-led nine members of the Colorado Mountain Club up Lulu Mountain in the extreme northwestern corner of Rocky Mountain National Park.  Lulu Mountain reaches an elevation of 12,228 feet; in the winter or during spring snow conditions the effort to reach its summit is a significant one because the closest parking is at a distance along Colorado Highway 14.  The snow was deep on the long snowshoe approach to the base of the mountain, and the ridge above Thunder Pass, which is normally blown free of snow from the strong winter and spring winds so characteristic of this area, had lots of snow still in place.

After a major snowshoeing effort we reached the top under brilliant blue skies; the wind was atypically light.  It was a warm day, and we sat for an hour munching on our lunches while admiring the astonishing vistas that are available from this isolated mountain summit.  To our west the Never Summer Mountains were shrouded in deep white snow. They were real treasures to the eye, extending from Nokhu Crags southward to their exit from RMNP near Baker Mountain, into the Never Summer Wilderness Area.  To the east we looked down at the full reach of Long Draw Reservoir and farther eastward to the Comanche Peak Wilderness and the full extent of the spectacular Mummy Range including the highest mountain in Larimer County, Hague’s Peak.  Iron Mountain and Table Iron, in the Neota Wilderness, were close to us toward the NE.  And to our north the high mountains of the Rawah Wilderness rose in startling snow-covered whiteness, crowned by Clark Peak, the highest point in Jackson County. To the south we could see Long’s and Pagoda Peaks and the mountains of the central spine of the Park as they trended southward along the Continental Divide.  From this inspiring summit we also commented on mountains in the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness on the west side of North Park, which was closely below us.  Mountains of Indian Peaks Wilderness and of the Gore Range stood out in a fabulous array of enchanting terrain.  I can’t imagine a better place to view all of this from, than the high point of Lulu Mountain.

 The term “Lulu” is typically applied to a remarkable or wonderful object or idea or event.  Here, on this summit on this dazzling day, the expression  “WHAT A LULU”! took on even more special meaning!

One would conclude from the juxtaposition of Rocky Mountain National Park with so many Wilderness Areas and the almost-adjacent Colorado State Forest State Park, that the “turf” on Lulu would be forbidden territory for a geocache.  Not so!  The Park boundary runs east-west through the summit, and the various Wilderness Areas and the State Park don’t touch the Park’s boundary on Lulu Mountain. Immediately north of Lulu’s high point is a wedge of Routt National Forest that is outside the nearby Neota Wilderness Area.  It’s a great place for a geocache that has been placed to encourage adventurous cachers to make the commitment to reach this exquisite destination. And it’s much easier to reach this special place in the summer when the snow is gone, than it was on our snowshoe hike today! So make plans for a day you’ll never forget, and hike to the summit of Lulu Mountain.  Find the cache on USFS land a little north of the summit. Look for a small pile of rocks that appears slightly different from the surrounding assortment of rocks.  Sign the log, carefully replace the cache container to it’s present location, and perhaps even add a couple of small rocks to the down-slope side to make certain the cache won't “migrate” downhill.  That’s a concern, so please help out in keeping the cache hide secure.  Then, find a soft rock at the summit to sit on, get your maps out, and piece together the peaks that are visible in all directions from this sensational location!  You might even find yourself expressing something like “What A Lulu”! 

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3 Logs: Found it 2  Publish Listing 1  

Found it 08/05/2016 By ArkF
Thanks for this nice cache! I was a little worried about whether I would be able to find it after 3 years, but the coordinates pointed me right to it and I found it secure and dry right where icezebra left it in 2013.

My wife and a friend and I spent a couple nights camping at the American Lakes and of course I had to find this cache along the way. We saw several moose on the way up to the lakes, one bull and two cow/calf pairs, though it may have been the same pair twice. Up around the lakes we saw marmots, pika, a ptarmigan family, and lots of other birds. Plenty of cutthroat in the 3 lakes, though none of them were interested in my flies or lures. It rained off and on the whole trip, and the only sun we saw was in the far distance a couple brief times. Still, can't complain too much in such a nice area. The rain did help with the many many flowers all over the place.

We all hiked up to Thunder Pass on the second day, and then I went on alone up Lulu Mountain. It was somewhat slow going due to the steepness, but not too bad. I entered the clouds a little ways above the pass, and stayed in until I got back down, so I will have to trust the description about the nice views. After finding the cache I headed up to the summit and signed the register. Its a busy peak, with signatures almost every day. Not sure why the cache is so lonely!

Found it 07/27/2013 By icezebra11
{FTF}!! Well I only logged one cache today but what a Lulu it was! I decided to go in from the same location Denali41 did when he placed this cache. I parked at Cameron Pass, threw on my pack, grabbed my poles and headed across the highway and up the Michigan Ditch trail (road). I had never been to the area before so shortly after hitting the trail I was surprised by a pay box for the State Forest. I didn't have $3 on me so I had to turn around and go back to the car and get it. That was the only glitch of the day. After several mountain bikers passed me on the Ditch trail I thought that wouldn't be a bad idea. Next time I'm up there the bike will be along. At the point you leave the Ditch trail and turn left on a 2-track there is a sign that says Thunder Pass is 4 miles. You can shave about a mile off the distance. Head up the 2-track a short way (1/2 mi?) and there are black/orange arrows pointing left for snowmobiles and the 2-track heads straight. Take the left and that trail will take you up to the meadows south of the Michigan River and the lakes. Once in the meadows, with a good map, you should be able to head SW and intersect the Thunder Pass trail coming from the lakes. From there it's not much further. Watch for elk and moose on your hike, I saw both today. Got to Thunder Pass and headed left up the ridge. I was able to slowly pick my way up to GZ. The coords were right on and found the container in the small pile of rocks. Signed the log in the FTF position and then headed the last few feet to the peak. Signed the summit log and then enjoyed the views all around. It was mostly cloudy up there today but even though it wasn't crystal clear, the vistas definitely left me saying "what a Lulu"!! Thanks for another awesome backcountry cache Denali41!!!!

This entry was edited by icezebra11 on Saturday, 27 July 2013 at 23:33:18 UTC.

Publish Listing 05/14/2013 By Alpine Reviewer
Published