This long straight stretch of Routt County Road 33 is known to the locals as "Appel Straights" or "Appel Flats" (even though it's far from flat!) -- That's because the Appel family has been ranching/farming here for over 100 years! This is one of only a handful of ranches that is a "Centennial Ranch" in Routt County! A Routt County Centennial Ranch is an active ranch which has been farmed or ranched by the same family, continiously, for at least 100 years! For many parts of the country, that doesn't seem like a long time, but considering Colorado didn't even become a state until 1876, we're pretty young out here in the west!
The Appel family is decended from one of the very first "white" babies born on Routt County - meaning before that there were only the Ute Indians being born and raised in this area! Effie Gray was born in Egeria Park near present day Yampa, in South Routt County in the late 1800's. Prior to this time, many white men came in and out of the area, for mining and such, but only during the summer months -- none stayed year round. At some point their wives insisted on making the trip and families began braving the winters here.
Anyhow, the Appel family eventually moved to this part of Routt County and homesteaded in the area of this cache. Many decendents of the family still have homes along both RCR 33 and RCR 43 -- thus the reason for this cache being here!
Cache should be a quick park and grab -- and is part of several I've placed that would make for a nice afternoon loop out of Steamboat! Cache should be available year-round - depending on how high the snowbanks get - or how much you're willing to wade through the snow bank!
Appel doesn't fall far from it's Roots
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