GC8AFHK The Gift of Friendship
Type: Traditional | Size: Small | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: Kerewin0430 @ | Hide Date: 07/07/2019 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N38° 52.560 W104° 55.097 | Last updated: 06/19/2022 | Fav points: 0
   

---

I'm grateful for the wonderful friends in my life - past and present - who have shared laughs and hikes! This geocache was a gift from a friend (COpackrat) and was placed a few feet away from the "Temple of Isis" while on a hike with a muggle friend! This area is quite the hidden gem!

***Coordinate bounce in the canyon is significant, so please reference the spoiler photos!***

At waypoint 1, there is a branch of the trail that climbs up to a spot just south of the lookout area, then it's a very short lateral scramble to the cache & arch.

 

Hike vigilantly!  While admiring the views from up here, we saw 2 bears walk past - about 150' away! There is a short portion of this trail that has posted "no trespassing" signs (Cave of the Winds and south), but trail access is open from the north.

 

Congratulations to WingsAndTales (a friend indeed!) for FTF!!!

Additional Waypoints

018AFHK - WP1
N 38° 52.514 W 104° 55.142
Approximate point where the trail branches east. Climb up!

11/20/2019 By gampa&gamma
We are blessed with the gift of this CO’s friendship, so we were happy to finally have an opportunity to hike up to this cache. The views from the Isis lookout were amazing! Bushwacked more than necessary on the climb up, and then wisely stayed on the side trail all the way down to Williams Canyon Trail. Thanks to the CO for bringing us up here. Fave point for sure!

08/04/2019 By ernie66
We had a little trouble with the trail departure waypoint but eventually got onto the trail. I didn’t get the coords of our junction, but on the return, it was about 100 feet south of the CO’s waypoint.

The path between the trail and the cache has a half-decent trail but is steep and rubbly. Certainly deserving of the 4-star terrain rating.

This side of Williams Canyon has a few routes that can be followed to reach the Ridgetop. Estes01 and I have found several caches up here and it never gets any easier.

Thanks for the challenge! TFTC!

08/04/2019 By estes01
When ernie66 mentioned doing this cache I said "really? Up there again?" But I love Williams' Canyon and was hoping that things had changed since Rich_life had placed a cache in this same area. You rated this a 4 terrain and that tells me we took the wrong route. This is not unusual. The reception in this canyon is not good, so I can't comment on the waypoint offered to head uphill, but a photo would help to verify it. Or as a last resort, I should have contacted WingsAndTales! I know the CO's ability to tackle just about anything and everything and this is just a walk in the park for her. Easy for ernie66 as well, but I'm not fond of scrambles over loose steep rock with some significant drop-offs. If Ernie is looking for a break from me, would you be willing to drag me up to these places as well.

07/08/2019 By Kerewin0430
N38° 52.560 W104° 55.097
Coordinates changed from:
N 38° 52.558 W 104° 55.094

Coordinates changed to:
N 38° 52.560 W 104° 55.097

Distance from original: 18.6 feet or 5.7 meters.

Updated coord suggestion - thanks, WingsAndTales!

07/08/2019 By WingsAndTales
Got the FTF but by far friendships have been my greatest rewards from geocaching. The only sign of bears was one rather large pile of scat. This is a really cool location and turn point for where to leave the main trail was quite helpful. Thanks for showing me something new so close to home. TFTC

{*FTF*}