GC30M2P Traditional Cache Old 100 Boarding House
Type: Traditional | Size: Regular Regular | Difficulty: 4 out of 5 | Terrain: 5 out of 5
By: GemmaAZ @ | Hide Date: 07/21/2011 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N37° 49.751 W107° 34.626 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0

Very challenging geacache location requiring 4x4 high clearance vehicle to hiking trailhead. Trail requires good hiking skills and no fear of heights, skree, or scrambling.
This geocache is an easy find if you have a 4x4 high clearance vehicle and are an experienced hiker.

For the avid off roader and hiker, we placed this geocache in the Old 100 Boarding House. The drive to the Old 100 Mine is easy and pleasant on County Road 2 towards Howardsville. At Howardsville, turn right and follow the signs to the mine. Again, this is an easy and scenic (albeit short) drive. Continue on this road until you get to the Stony Pass turn off. This is where you’ll need your 4x4 to make it to the trailhead. Take Stony Pass approximately 4 miles to County Road 3B (which comes in behind you from the left; also known as Buffalo Boy Tram Road). Contine on this rough but incredibly scenic road approximatley 1 ½ - 2 miles to a little parking area on the right just big enough for about two jeeps (right before the small creek).

From here, you will see a trail leading up the hill towards the north across the creek. This is where you’ll begin your 3 mile (one way) awe inspiring upward climb of approximately 1,000 feet. (Okay, we forgot to measure the elevation at the trailhead. We’re guessing here on total elevation gain.) The hike is filled with amazing views of the Buffalo Boy Mine, Stony Pass, and Cunningham Creek drainage area. Once you get closer to the boarding house, you’ll see Silverton spread out below you towards the west. Stop by Rynhardt Neigold’s tombstone and revel in the views of Silverton and the Boarding House before contining on.

You’ll climb up a little more until you come to a gully that will lead you directly down to the boarding house. Don’t take the heavily used trail to the right because it ends in a big talas field! You can get to the boarding house this way but it is extremely difficult and we don’t recommend it. Instead, if you work your way down the gully, you’ll find there is a trail of sorts that works the rock outcroppings as stepping stones. This is not for the faint of heart since the trail leads straight down about 100 feet.

The first building you come to is NOT the boarding house. It is the upper tram terminal and mine portal. Take some time to savor the history here before going into the boarding house that will be towards your lower right. Once you make your way to the boarding house, we have provided you with a reward...the geocache.

In the cache you’ll find a deck of cards from VeeQuiva Casino in Phoenix, AZ, a carabiner with light, a wet wipe from TGIF, a small US flag, and a book entitled Ghosts & Gold donated by the author Scott Fetchenhier. Feel free to peruse the book, but please don’t remove it! Leave it for others to enjoy, as well. Finally, add your name to the log book (there is a yellow legal pad and a couple pens) before working your way back into the 21st century.

We hope you enjoy this drive and hike as much as we did.
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 Logs

5 Logs: Found it 5  

Found it 08/26/2016 By D-evinx
TFTC! Amazing hike with amazing views. Don't let the terrain scare you away, it's so worth it! We started hiking at about 5:30 PM and it took about 2 hours to get to the boarding house.. the sunset was absolutely beautiful! As soon as you reach the rock field you climb down, leave something on the big rock next to it. When you're climbing back up it's impossible to see exactly where the trail starts. Other than that, incredible hike and very worth it. Didn't find much in the cache other than some random bits and a honey stinger gel from 2015.

Found it 08/24/2013 By Old Jeeper
I've been wanting to hike to the boarding house for years but didn't know where the trail was. Thanks to you I finally got to do it. And it was great! That last scramble is a killer, but with your excellent directions we made it. Signed the log, left and took nothing.

Found it 07/06/2013 By J!--!-J
Thanks. The log was in another room. Put it back in can.

Found it 07/06/2013 By Tucson Coyote
More challenging than expected. The drop down and up from the old boarding house was treacherous. We found the cache easily as it is sitting on a shelf in the open. Definitely a caching favorite.

Found it 07/06/2013 By Wichita Bogey
Went to it the hard way. Should have read the description a few more times. Found with Tucson Coyotes and J!--!-J.Tftc.