GC5ZKAP Earthcache CO - RRPT - Anvil Mountain Gossans
Type: Earth | Size: Other Other | Difficulty: 1.5 out of 5 | Terrain: 1 out of 5
By: PathfinderMark @ | Hide Date: 07/18/2015 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N37° 48.612 W107° 39.851 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
Recommended for kids  Takes less than an hour  Scenic view  Not Available at all times  Not Available during winter  Wheelchair accessible  Park and Grab 

This earthcache is part of a series of earthcaches available between Durango and Silverton, primarily accessible via the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.   This earthcache however, is available by standing on a street corner in Silverton, CO, which is accessible by both the train and by car and trail. 

Suggested tools:  Notepad, camera (to help record information to help you complete ALRs).

Logging Requirement:
1.  Look at Anvil Mountain, the mountain visible directly north from GZ.  COUNT how many gossans you see.  Further, from that amount, how many seem to be a result of mining?  Did you see yellow or orange stains in addition to the red?


Geology:
Gossans appear at veins or outcrops.  "West of Silverton, the Mineral Creek drainage and the iron-stained flanks of Anvil Mountain are visible.  Many mountainsides around Silverton are coated with red, yellow and orange minerals.  These coatings (called gossans) were created by the ineraction of water and oxygen with iron-rich minerals in the rocks such as pyrite.  This process was happening long before mines arrived in the region." (Matthews).  Each stain color is the result of complex interactions between ores and their various forms.  Each indicates that an ore is breaking down thanks to exposure and/or forces of erosion.  See the references below for more information.



History:
During the 19th and 20th centuries, they were important indicators to prospectors who were looking for metal ores.  Many practiced prospectors could view a gossan and tell what types of metal were available below the iron cap that was "bleeding" the color.
Historically, the term Gossan is a Cornish derivative meaning "blood hat."  In the America's other terms were "iron cap" or "iron hat" from the german "eisenhut."


References:
Chronic, Halka. <i>Roadside Geology of Colorado</i>. 2nd ed. Missoula, MT: Mountain Pub., 2002. Print.

Matthews, Vince. Geology of the Durango-Silverton Train ROute. N.p.: D&SNGRR & Fort Lewis College, n.d. Print.

Wikipedia "Gossans."  6 July 2015.
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Driving Directions

 Logs

15 Logs: Found it 15  

Found it 07/02/2019 By Paperballpark
#4754. Having taken a trip on the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad today, I had an hour and a half in Silverton to look around, get lunch, and find a few caches. This was the first one and I spent a little time working out what I could see. Answers sent to the CO. TFTC!

Found it 07/02/2019 By HoundOfMontezuma
We are shopping and hanging around the wonderful town of Silverton! Answers sent. Thank you for another wonderful cache!

Found it 06/06/2019 By capevips
My wife and i took the train up here with our step son, his new wife and new grand son. What a wonderful trip.

Found it 05/27/2019 By Loruler
So beautiful.

Found it 05/19/2019 By BendCacheCollectors
We enjoyed the train ride to Silverton and were greeted with snow flurries when we got here! Picked up a couple of caches including this interesting earthcache. What a fun town to visit. Answers have been sent. Thanks!

Found it 10/13/2018 By ABQ34
Found while enjoying Avalanche Brewery. Thank you for the fun. Visiting from Albuquerque

Found it 10/10/2018 By wesser26
Did this just before the train left, nice place for a earthcache thanks for placing.

Found it 10/04/2018 By EstesLynne
I usually overthink EarthCaches, and this is no exception I'm sure. I counted, took pictures, and went to some resources on-line to try to make sense of it all--oh heck, the purpose is to learn a little, not to score 100% on everything.

Anyway, it was a gray rainy day in Silverton; I'd given my husband a ride in the cab of the Durango Silverton RR for his birthday, and today was his day to hobnob with the engineer and fireman. He had a great time! Meantime, I did the regular ride, and looked for this EC during the lunch break. Even though I'm not sure I know what gossans really are, I'm going to look for them again in other places. So, thanks for the geology lesson!

Found it 09/23/2018 By rklmbl
Always wanted to come to Silverton and today was the perfect day to drive the Alpine Loop from Mesa Verde to Dolores to Telluride to Ridgway to Ouray to Silverton to Durango. The aspen took our breaths away....awesome. When we arrived in Silverton, we first went to do this earthcache before we toured the town. We should come stay here a couple of days. Thanks for this earthcache.

Found it 08/22/2018 By travelinduo
Spent the day jeeping and getting some FTF's and decided to grab this one! We have sent an email with the answers! TFTC!

Found it 08/21/2018 By fam2go
Only had time for a couple caches. The grand twins wanted to go caching so we went over the pass. This was one we wanted to do. Great little town!

Found it 08/15/2018 By sassafraswoof
Beautiful day in Silverton!

Found it 08/04/2018 By itsme2382
Nice old town visited as part of our trip. TFTC

Found it 08/01/2018 By haleb16
Beautiful view. Loved the drive out here to Silverton.

Found it 09/03/2017 By dustyriver
(Answers sent by BriGuy) A good find with Liquidelle, BriGuy on our Labor day weekend grabbing caches trip. We covered over 20 counties over the three day weekend and even got to dip into Utah. Good traveling as one of the SWAC crew, Best Wishes, DustyRiver