GC5VW4J Symbol Rock
Type: Traditional | Size: Small | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: Denali41 @ | Hide Date: 05/19/2015 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N40° 49.832 W105° 21.386 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
                       

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The Elliott ranch house and buildings were erected along Middle Rabbit Creek in 1910; the house was occupied for 42 years by John and Ida Elliott and by Miss Josephine Lamb, the area’s school marm who lived for this entire period with the Elliotts.  On the north side of the ranch buildings and creek is a striking granite monolith that became John Elliott’s “symbol”.  This peak has never been given a registered name by the USGS, but is now generally referred to as “Symbol Rock”. It’s an inspiring landscape feature that through the decades served as a stunning backdrop to the ranch and its activities.  And today, long after the ranch’s abandonment, it provides an exciting scene for hikers and hunters who occasionally get to the Middle Rabbit Creek area.

SYMBOL ROCK FROM ELLIOTT RANCH

The cache is hidden at the top of Symbol Rock.  The cache container is a jar that’s wrapped in silver duct tape.  It might take some searching to find, so don’t give up.  Most portions of Symbol Rock cannot be climbed safely without climbing equipment, but there are scrambling routes that can be safely ascended and descended if care is taken.  The trick is finding the correct “easy” way up and back down–so study the terrain and choose correctly. If you make the right choice, the scramble is an easy one.  Once on top find the cache and sign its treasure–the cache log.  Bring a writing utensil.  After your log-signing ceremony find a soft rock to sit on; then relax and admire the wonderful views from this “symbol”.  Look down at the badly-deteriorated ranch house.  Look east from the ranch ruins and see if you can discern the old school house where Jo Lamb taught kids from the few scattered ranches that occupied the Rabbit Creek drainages.  Look south past the ranch structures to the “Twin Peaks”, as John and Ida and Jo called them. You’ll know which ones they are as soon as you see them!

Enjoy your hike.  Enjoy your rock scramble.  Enjoy the enchanting scenery.  Enjoy your new cache find.  Be careful on your climb and the descent.

Note: the cache is legally located in a State Wildlife Area that has seasonal access restrictions. The area is open to public uses (hiking, climbing, camping, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, geocache hunting, etc.) from May 2nd through August 31st each year. Between September 1st and May 1st each year, individuals entering the area are to be either hunting (deer, elk, rabbits, doves, dusky grouse) or fishing. So if you plan to find this cache during the period that’s restricted to hunting or fishing, be certain that you have an appropriate license and that you are also hunting or fishing. Hunting just for a geocache is probably not enough!

08/29/2015 By icezebra11
Tomorrow is the last day to enter this area as a non-hunter/fisher so because I plan to hike to Horsetooth Rock tomorrow, I decided to get up to the Rabbit Creek area and make the hike to this cache. I arrived at the parking area just before 9 am. After locking the GPSr on this cache I headed down the trail to the base of the Symbol. At first I thought I'd climb up to the saddle directly north and then go up the north face from there. But after studying the terrain a little more, I decided to scramble up the east ridge. It was a nice scramble indeed. Once I was on top the container was found quickly and I signed in the STF position. Then I went to the south edge and looked down upon the old Elliott ranch. It definitely is quite the view from atop Symbol Rock. As I looked down on the ranch I wondered if John ever did climb to the top. He was such a driven "cowman" did he ever take the time to actually climb his symbol? Looking down a person can almost see the vision of John, Ida, Jo, and Buck working their cattle down below a century ago!

Thanks Denali41 for luring me to this wonderful location with such rich history!!!

05/23/2015 By Pixel Magic
Who wants to hike under a threat of rain? Not many of us. But, after a week of gray skies, Peter and Renee were anxious to get outdoors and find a cache.

At 1:00 pm today we made it to the secret hiding spot and sat on a rock for a while basking in the honor of being the first to find this cache. Along the trail we were treated to the company of grazing steer enjoying the greenery in a quite different way than we. This is a beautiful spot for hiking. We had previously driven past on this road, but never had occasion to stop and hike. I'm glad we did.

Today was bonus day. On the way to this cache we meandered a bit and got another cache not far away.

Thanks, Denali41, for this pleasant adventure under threatening gray and black skies. In addition to the cattle, we were treated to the sights and sounds of several little waterfalls and many little creatures hopping and flying nearby. Stop on by and see what you can see.

05/19/2015 By HighCountryAdmin
Published