GC13FVY The Cache at Bandit Hideout
Type: Traditional | Size: Small | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: mcgyver111 @ | Hide Date: 06/01/2007 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N38° 30.150 W105° 55.371 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 3
                   

---

A Wellsville starting point, this hike can be reletively challenging or moderately easy, depending upon your approach. Your trek involves about a 300 foot climb in altitude.

---

There are a multitude of ways to get to this cache, depending on what type of challenge you like:

Since half the fun is in researching your cache and mapping out a plan, I won't give away too much - sorry :-)

Challenging - We took this route to hide the cache and needed about 3 hours round trip. Suggested parking would be at the turnout on Hwy 50 at: 38°29'36.06"N, 105°55'4.80"W. With some moderately steep climbs up loose shale I would strongly suggest a pair of light gloves and a hiking pole: This route involves a nice 1 ½-ish) mile 'railroad hike' along the Arkansas River and some challenging climbing up the washes to the old mining road which leads to the cache. You could go a bit further down the tracks and avoid some of the washes but where's the fun in that? :-). This route will take you past an old miners furnace to investigate (about 100 yards off the East side of the tracks - opposite the river)

Less Challenging - Explore the local county roads (hint-drive across the bridge and find your way to 38 30.146N by 105 54.821W. Park near here and start up the old mine road to the WNW) Your trek will then be along an old snaking mining road with downhill grade approaching the cache, but an uphill one leaving. If you enjoy a good pace in your hikes, this route should take you about an hour and a half round trip.

Each route holds some spectacular views and the cave at the end is really a find in and of itself. Local legend has it that this is where a fugitive held out for quite awhile while evading the local authorities and the evidence in the caves seems to back that up quite well.

CAUTIONS:
1. When exploring the caves - if you dare, note that there have been large sections of rock which have fallen from the ceiling of the cave; mostly where the 'bandit' was burning his fire so enter at your own risk.
2. When hiking to the cache a second time to remove an "unallowable" item I inadvertently placed in the cache, we encountered a rattle snake on the railroad tracks. I STRONGLY suggest the use of a walking stick to make sure your path is clear as there undoubtedly be more off trail.

PLEASE - leave the caves unspoiled.

After the find: off to the right of the cache, the trial narrows and continues around the mountains offering additional views and unknown finds.

Original cache contents (Something for everyone):
Aluminum pack clip, Colorado eagle key fob, ceramic slippers, mini bud vase, bell bottle, hand warmer pack, guitar pick and a nice1947 fifty-cent piece for the FTF.

P.S. Please rehide the cache well!

Happy caching!

07/06/2016 By ibgpin
We had quite an adventure going for this one. We parked at the locked gate and walked up the old mining road. About 3-400 hundred feet before the cache the road forks and I went left. Bad choice, when I got parallel to the cache it pointed up a steep very loose hill. I had forgotten about the fork in the road so I tried climbing the hill, got withing 100 feet of cache and decided there was no way I could get any higher. Slid back down and luckily arrived back on the road in one piece. Decided this was going to be a DNF and started back to the Jeep. When I got back to the fork in the road it became clear I took the wrong turn so this time I went right and arrived at the cache location. Then I had to think about the hint for a bit before I understood it. Found the container out in the open with the log book beside it. The log was dry and someone had made an entry on 3/13/16 saying they found it by accident, how do you find this by accident?? They must not be cachers as there is no log entry on the website. I signed log put it back in the container and hid the cache as described in the hint. Thanks for a memorable smiley.

04/01/2015 By chilijunkie
Quite challenging yet much easier if you decode the the hint. AWESOME views and a great location. We jeeped to the lower parking area and walked the the rest of the way. The contents need an definite upgrade - geocache etiquette hasn't been followed here - trade across or up! Worth the the trip though.
IMG_3296

10/28/2014 By RiverVibe
My dogs and I love exploring all this old mining history right in our backyard. Thanks for getting to a new place!

09/04/2014 By AdventureJunkies
Climbed to cache from railroad tracks at stone smelter/oven! Steep in places but enjoyed the challenge for a 66 year old! TFTC! :)

10/09/2013 By Denise#1
This was a great hike! We enjoyed the view and myth about the cave.

09/20/2013 By Dyn-O-Mite
Out caching with my friend CW Scout. We decided to get a few of the far flung caches that we have been putting off. This one was great. The gate was open so one could drive all the way to the cache site. The road is not for the faint of heart. The cache is in good condition, except the lid won't last too much longer. Took a gambling chip and left one of my Pathtags. Visited several of my travelers.
This one gets a favorite point from me.
Thanks for this cache at a cool place. Signed the log.
On the high road to the cache.

09/20/2013 By CW Scout
T. Quartz crystal. TFTC

03/04/2013 By 64 Special
This was an awesome hike. Beautiful scenery! Cache is in good shape but the lid is getting brittle after the winter.
Need a break after that hike!

04/29/2012 By ndaugherty987
Awesome area and the cave is interesting. The hike out is mostly uphill so be prepared. Took small flashlight, left Spiderman ring.

05/29/2011 By KatrinaIsis
Even though we didn't find it this was an awesome geocache. I wish we had the hint when we were looking for it because it would have made this even better. But no matter, just being shown to a place like this was amazing, the view was gorgeous, the walk was gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.