GCXDDH 4x4 13-Empire Hilton
Type: Traditional | Size: Regular | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: n0wae @ | Hide Date: 07/30/2006 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N39° 48.133 W105° 39.600 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 2
         

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This is the thirteenth in a series of 4x4 caches that offer the unusual, a challenge and/or scenic vistas. This one gives you a 4WD challenge to an interesting and historic destination.

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The Empire Hilton Cabin is a fully stocked 'emergency cabin' that is open to the public. Owned by the Forest Service and adopted by Patrol#2 of the Mile High 4x4 club and a local woman named 'Woman of Many Seasons' (Lianne). The rules are similar to Geocaching... Sign the guest logbook and if you take or consume anything then replace it with something of equal value. CITO greatly appreciated.

The first 3/4 of the way in to the Empire Hilton Cabin is an easy 2 to 2.5 star terrain rating. (Easy 4-wheeling) Go North on Main Street in Empire. Continue North on FDR171.2 and then take FDR171.3 East. If you're not driving a lifted jeep or ATV I would highly recommend parking at N39°47.576 W105°39.911 before the road earns the 4.5 terrain rating. (Make it a 3.5 star hike). My guess would be that the 'Mill Creek' segment of the jeep trail would have a CA4WDCI road rating of 7. (Bill Moore lake road is rated 6) An alternate harder route to the Mill Creek road is via the 'Red Elephant Hill' 4x4 road. The Traildamage 4x4 club has a lot of information on the cabin and 4x4 roads here: Mill Creek

Some tidbits from the Empire Hilton Logbook:
"Gladys the widow squirrel now lives in walls of cabin. She's noisy but harmless." (We heard her chatter at us and she is so cute!) Another log: Johnny a frequent caretaker wrote "Laid to rest a part of Chucky and released this chapter of a novel life that I knew and loved" (Grave in woods behind cabin?) There are several logbooks covering many years of visits to the cabin.

My 4x4 club enjoyed a trip to the cabin via the tough Red Elephant Hill road in 2007.

Additional Waypoints

PKXDDH - Rough road downhill from here!
N 39° 47.576 W 105° 39.911
Only lifted, narrow wheel-based 4x4s with experienced drivers should drive downhill from here. (Jeeps rule!!!)

09/04/2016 By B5Colorado
Tftf

08/15/2015 By Mountain Roamer
Team Red Rubicon and some additional friends went jeeping to Bill Moore Lake and then on Mill Creek. We had nine vehicles today! The trail was fun but Mill Creek was a bit of a challenge for some of us. And it was a long day--we got off the trail around 7:30pm!

We explored the cabin before heading to the cache. I'm not sure I'd want to stay here but it was fun reading the entries in the book from previous visitors.

Thanks!
The Empire Hilton

the sign above the door
Jeep lineup at Empire Hilton

08/15/2015 By Takes the Hard Way
Another fun day of jeeping and caching with Team Red Rubicon. What an interesting spot....and the swing was fun too! I'm still a kid at heart and couldn't pass up a chance to play on the swing.
SL

08/15/2015 By KingJR
found while out wheeling with TRR on a beautiful August day. Never been on these trails before so it was a great time! The empire hilton is kinda gross.... lots of trash in there lol!

08/15/2015 By Team Laxson
Out caching and Jeeping along Mill Creek and Bill Moore Lake. We stopped by Empire Hilton and checked it out. Pretty neat to rummage through, but I don't think I'd stay there. Was entertained by someones note; " Don't smoke my weed, I'll be back for it in a little while." There was no weed that we found there so I have to assume he came back for it ;-) Ah, gotta love Colorado sometimes.

After the cabin we took the exhausting walk uphill to find the cache while some of team checked out the nearby swing. We found the cache in great shape and well stocked. Took a TB that spent more than a year here at the Hilton.

SL
(2831)

10/15/2014 By Team Red Rubicon
4x4 13-Empire Hilton was transferred from n0wae to user Team Red Rubicon

07/19/2014 By ExplorerTomCO
Good hide. Make sure to swing on the swing near the road while you're there!

07/19/2014 By RoverTrex
Nice hike!

07/21/2013 By COpackrat
Finally got out here - this one has been on my list for a long time and it's good to see this area at last. The road was as described, pretty rocky, but there was always a decent line through the boulders. Thanks for the cache!

07/06/2013 By TandemCachers
Came up Red Elephant hill with MontyPyFly2 and Mile High Jeep Club Patrol 2. Stopped at the Hilton for lunch, always a good spot. Last time I was here, I ran out of time because the other Jeepers were not cachers. This time I had company. TNLN TFTC