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GC62970
Near The Boundary--Uncompahgre WildernessType: Multi | Size: Micro 
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| Terrain:  By: Denali41 @ | Hide Date: 08/23/2015 | Status: Available Country: United States | State: Colorado Coordinates: N38° 01.849 W107° 29.460 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0 
Wilderness -- "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain ... an area protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions." —The Wilderness Act of 1964 The United States Congress designated the Uncompahgre Wilderness in 1980, originally naming it the “Big Blue Wilderness Area”. At the time of its designation, the wilderness was completely within US Forest Service holdings. When BLM land was added in 1993, including the rolling tundra of American Flats, the name was changed. Today, the Uncompahgre Wilderness combines USFS land with the BLM land on its south side. The name Uncompahgre comes from a Ute Indian word with one of the translations being “dirty water". The wilderness now contains 102,721 acres. There are two fourteeners and at least 25 thirteen-thousand foot peaks in the wilderness. Big Blue Creek flows off Uncompahgre Peak (14,309 feet) in this rough and majestic section of the San Juan Mountains. Uncompahgre Peak's unusual broad, flat, tilted summit falls away almost vertically on three sides for as much as 1,500 feet, a landmark visible from far away. Its fourth side is relatively gentle and is inviting to 14er baggers. Below Uncompahgre Peak, the wilderness is a mountainous land of towering rock castles and spires, and sweeping ridges that some believe form the most splendid scenery in Colorado. Technical climbers find endless routes to challenge their skills. Wetterhorn Peak (14,015 feet) stands not far southwest of Uncompahgre Peak. Snowmelt off Wildhorse Peak near the wilderness area's southwest corner combines to create the turbulent and deep Cow Creek Canyon, which is sufficiently rugged and densely forested to preclude trails in its depths. American Flats lies south of Wildhorse Peak. Numerous forks of the Cimarron River rush out of the central section of this wilderness, flowing north to eventually form the single river. About 110 miles of trails reach up numerous waterways into this beautiful wilderness. The trail up Matterhorn Creek provides access to Matterhorn Peak as well as to Wetterhorn Peak. Most climbers approach Uncompahgre Peak on 3 miles of trail beginning at the Nellie Creek Trailhead. This two-stage multi-cache has its first stage located in rocks above the 4-wheel drive parking area along the Matterhorn Creek Trail. It’s a normal-sized medicine pill vial, well-hidden in a cavity between rocks that are identifiable in the GZ area because of low branches of a small spruce tree that sweep over these particular rocks. Look on the downhill side of the tree to find the special spot, and re-hide this container exactly where you found it to keep it from migrating downhill. Read the instructions that are in the stage 1 container very carefully, and understand Map Datums. After noting the instructions, take a hike. The round trip distance from the first to final stages and back is approximately 3 miles, all on a good trail that will take you through some beautiful backcountry. When you reach GZ for the final, look along the uphill side of the large rock. Enjoy your experiences in the Uncompahgre Wilderness Area! Additional Waypoints
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5 Logs:
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5 
. At the final, I saw another signature on the log from just a few days ago...expect another Found It soon! TFTC!