Colorado Spirit Quest #392

Colorado Spirit Quest Series

Irwin Cemetery

Take a historical walking tour on this quick five stage multi-cache (see details) all within the cemetery. Look and step carefully as these graves are not organized in rows, but scattered. Many are marked by rocks only and placed near the base of trees. Do NOT disturb or deface any grave markers.

History:

Established in 1879 Ruby and Irwin were both silver mining camps located about a half mile apart and a mile northeast of the cemetery. In the late 1800's, the population was over 1,500 residents. An epidemic of scarlet fever swept the town in the summer of 1881. Many were struck down by the dreaded disease. Visitors to Ruby and Irwin included several presidents & congressmen as well as Buffalo Bill. For the rest of the story, see the picture on the right:

Irwin 1880 Note the four men on the roof of the Forest King Mine in the forefront.		Ruby Camp 1882 by George E. Mellen Showing Presbyterian Church with steeple and Windsor House.

Men at Irwin stores dated 1880		Hotel Belmont in Ruby dated 1882 by Swan Brothers

Irwin Town Board dated 1881		"Snow Shoe Brigrade" at Irwin dated 1883 by William Henry Jackson

Owens Home in Irwin dated 1885 by Frank E. Dean Showing Tom Owens & wife on the porch. Last house left when Irwin was abandoned in 1885.		Irwin Cemetery dated 1964 by Muriel Sibell Wolle It looks the same today!

Please take some time to reflect back on the lives of these pioneers and the effort it took to make Colorado such a great state!! The only guarantee in life is death. Where will you be?

Stage 1: Miss Mary

Find Miss Mary (who succombed to the 1881 scarlet fever) and her message to you:
"Prepare [word 1] [word 2] [word 3] [word 4]".
Calculate:
t = # of letters in [word 1]
u = # of letters in [word 2]
v = # of letters in [word 3]
w = # of letters in [word 4]
A = w - u
B = t - v - 3
C = v - B

Stage 2: Now Where Did I Leave My _____ This Time?

Coordinates:
N38 51.ACB W107 06.ABB
Find the object left behind with the associated message:
"I'd walk right [word 1] [word 2] [word 3]".
Calculate:
x = # of letters in [word 1]
y = # of letters in [word 2]
z = # of letters in [word 3]
D = u + w + x + y + B
E = z + A

Stage 3: Little John

Coordinates:
N38 51.AED W107 AC.DDD
Find Little John and Calculate:
F = [Month Listed] - D
G = [Day Listed] - [Month Listed] + B

Stage 4: Shady Lady

Coordinates:
N38 51.AEC W107 06.ABF
Find the Shady Lady and Calculate:
H = ([Death Year] - [Birth Year] - x) / t
I = [Birth Year] - 1920

Stage 5: The Cache

Coordinates:
N38 CB.BIH W107 AE.AGF

Please make sure container is closed securely and re-hidden as well or better than you found it. Maintaining the difficulty rating depends on you.

Colorado Spirit Quest Information:
The Colorado Spirit Quest (CSQ) is a series of caches placed by many individuals, near cemeteries and historic sites in hopes of paying respect to the many pioneer ancestors that have "walked" before us. There are hundreds of cemeteries in the rural and mountain communities across Colorado. This series will provide a history tour of these cemeteries. If you are apprehensive about cemeteries, avoid this series.

The CSQ endeavor is an enormous and relentless task. It will only flourish if there is a multitude of volunteer cachers willing to place these caches. Each person that places a CSQ cache is responsible for its maintenance.

New volunteers are always Welcome!! If you are interested in being a part of this project, email the owner of Colorado Spirit Quest #1 – Golden Mountain Passage.

Thanks to the current volunteers: Greasepot, Taylorgeotracker, Ivy Dog Parents, Team Boogity3, Grand High Pobah, Boborr 80909, Imusttravel2000, Buzz Lightyear I, Sandhill 49er, MrVolkswagen, Isisfan, Rockymtn8iv, Fork-L-Man, Outdrlvr201, Condor1, 2Cachedivers, arthurat, smilz787, Kyotmoon, Mountain Roamer, SugarPug, Team Tiger Pride, ernie66, drnetwork, Team w-bar-v, Dynamite Rabbit, DustyKat, mtnbirders, RustyBeerCan & Marma, grymreaper, nteclpr, Moose1 & Mama Moose, Joe Friday, 3cacheteers, 3cacheteers, Dasha Aussies, KB0UMW, hiking_fool, tripping, res71cue and 1Mrs1Ogre, and nickgatt, kingbee, The misgnoners, rbradu, shashyaz&foxy, Bugranger, Lyonden ut., Any Direction, Sewnssew, and The Meandering Monkeys.

Additional Waypoints

S1318T1 - GC318T1 Stage 1: Miss Mary
N 38° 51.024 W 107° 06.001