GC4JDVG A Jewel on Jones Mountain!
Type: Traditional | Size: Small | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: Denali41 @ | Hide Date: 08/09/2013 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N37° 53.791 W107° 31.581 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
                 

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CONGRATULATIONS TO RDAD FOR THE FTF!!

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This cache is placed adjacent to a faint use trail just northeast of the summit of Jones Mountain, one of Colorado’s Centennial Peaks.  Centennials are mountains that are amongst the highest 100 peaks in our state.  As more hikers and climbers complete the 54 14ers, some of them redirect their focus to the 46 Centennial 13ers, such as this one. Jones has a summit elevation of 13,860 feet, and is the 78th highest mountain in Colorado.

 Several options are available to approach this interesting and nicely-positioned peak.  On the date of the cache placement we approached from the American Basin Trailhead, an approach that is not identified in the Roach’s book on the Centennial 13ers.  We “cobbled” together route descriptions for “American Peak” and Jones Mountain, and followed our mountaineering instincts.  There are certainly much easier ways to gain the summit of this nice mountain, but from our camping location this was decidedly the best way in for us.  Weather was unpleasant, and wet rock necessitated careful traverses and route finding in some steep, sloppy  terrain.  Consider options available to you, and take the one best suited to your risk aversion portrait.  You can find a moderately easy route that will keep you on lightly used mountaineering paths, or a route similar to the one we used that will involve you in some Class 4 climbing.  The choice is yours!  That’s one of the neat considerations about reaching the summit of Jones Mountain: choose your risk tolerance--from modest to fairly significant.  Depending on your choice, and your availability of a 4-wheel drive vehicle, your round trip distance can be as short as 2.6  miles (2,200 feet of vertical gain), or as much as 17.5 miles (4,300 feet vertical).  So study options carefully, and then go for the summit and the cache! It's your reward, this special jewel, for making the effort to reach such a superb destination!

The cache container is a plastic peanut butter jar wrapped in duct tape.  It has a medicine pill vial inside that contains the log sheet.  Space is available in the main container for trackable items. The cache is located in the ONLY larger rocks in the GZ vicinity.  It’s tucked into a nook on the southern aspect of the larger rocks, and covered by smaller rocks for concealment and to keep small mammals from displacing it.  Please re-hide it carefully.  Then, weather permitting, find a soft rock to sit on and appreciate the remarkable views from this wonderful mountain top. These vistas are added treasures for your hiking efforts. You'll remember them!

Be watchful for possible lightning storms in the area.  Jones Mountain is not a place you should be in the event of electrical storms.  Be prepared to “bail” if necessary!!  Have a fun hike or climb, and come prepared.  You will need a pen or pencil for the log sign-in.

08/29/2015 By WingsAndTales
We drove most of the way up Burns Gulch before we decided the distance to be gained wasn't worth more bouncing through the rocks. As the CO says there are numerous ways to tackle this peak. We opted for the shorter, steeper route and it worked out for us. Looking up from the end of the road we ascended through the grassy area left of the peak and gained the ridge NW of the summit. From there it was a relatively short scramble but it was loose in spots and required care. I think this might be an alternate route from the Roach book. This was a nice spot to contemplate the hike for Half Peak which we hope to do next year.

Another hiker came up through the saddle between Jones and Niagara. We saw him on top and again on the valley on the way down. He said the trail was difficult to find on the way up but easy to locate on the way down and in good shape while he was on it. TFTC

08/29/2015 By COpackrat
Had a nice hike up here with WingsAndTales - the weather was good and the hide was straightforward. Cache is in good condition and there were great views in all directions - TFTH.

07/26/2015 By dawnandgary
I thought it would be really cool to attempt and perhaps log a Denali41 cache. As it were, we chose the wrong trail to start, the weather turned poor, we headed back down, the weather cleared up a bit, we got on the right trail, made it to 12500 ft and we were pooped! We called it a disappointing DNEGC (even get close) but a wonderful trail ride in the Jeep and a beautiful hike that about killed us flatlanders! Someday we'll try again...

Dawn & Gary
Iowa Falls

08/05/2014 By ernie66
The second half of Day 2 started with a relatively easy Jeep ride up Burns Gulch to the end of the road. Driving that far left only 2100 feet left to ascend. The weather let loose on the drive up but stopped as we began the hike and held off for the rest of the day. There is a rough trail to the top of Jones Peak from the parking area - just need to be watchful not to lose it. Otherwise, you end up in Class 3 territory . As always, the last mile back to the car was brutal. Thanks for another favorite in the San Juans!

08/05/2014 By estes01
I know my risk limits, but someone keeps pushing them. The line of least resistance was to drive to Burns Gulch and hike from there. Why on earth don’t we keep things simple? Several options existed from that point, but for one reason or the other we made it more difficult than necessary. This hike became a Class 3 (for me) for a short bit, reminiscent of Tea Kettle. No moose, lots of wildflowers (my eyes are almost swollen shut) and only a mile longer than Roach estimated. It was exciting to be able to see Potosi, Coffee Pot and Tea Kettle. So for now we have finished Denali’s caches for this area. I am confident that he isn’t finished placing them.

Note that this hike was approximately 4.3 miles roundtrip and 2,142' of elevation gain. Easy peasy. Thanks for bringing us up there. We didn't bother summiting Niagra or American because we're confident there will soon be caches there :-)