Potatoe Hill

This is the first of two caches that I hid today on Outlaw Mesa near the now defunct Climax Camp where Radium, Uranium, and Vanadium were mined. This one is called Potatoe Hill, because that's what the peak is called on the USGS Quad. I have no idea why the Potato naming theme was used for both this hill and Potato Mountain to the West. Maybe some homesick Irish miner was in charge of naming things one day while everybody else went to town. The mystery is deepened by the fact that one is spelled with an "e" on the end and the other is not. The cache is placed near the top of the hill and is hidden under a Suspicious Pile of Rocks. At the top of the hill, you will find the Potatoe Survey Benchmark with a mysterious wood and wire structure built over it. The benchmark does not seem to be dated, but has a stamped elevation of 7095.

Prospecting began in the area around 1910, and mining went through several booms and busts from then through the 70's. A handful of buildings and foundations still exist in the area. Enjoy the beautiful view from the cache, respect the area, and whatever you do - don't fall into any mines!

By and large, taking Uranium Road from Divide Road, or coming up the Notch Road from 141 is pretty uneventful as they are mostly good roads and a good 4WD Pickup or Jeep is fine. But as we got closer, we came up BLM Roads 890 and 889 along the South Side. Let's just say that those roads are "less good" and you should attempt them at your own risk and discretion. They can best be described as the roads less travelled, and Mother Nature is doing a pretty good job of reclaiming them. We came in directly off of 19.5 Road from the East on ATVs and did fine. A UTV would also be a good choice. But I don't necessarily recommend anything else. A more direct approach from the NE may be the best approach.