NOTE: The cache is NOT at the posted coordinates
The real location is N 39 1A.BCD W 106 5E.FGH.
Unless you have been around Snowmass for a long time, you will need to do some research to solve the following puzzle. The current ski lifts all have names; the main lift from Base Village being the Village Express or "VX". When Snowmass first opened, the lifts did have names but were shown on trail maps mainly by numbers. A very low resolution (nearly illegible) copy of an old trail map is located at this link. This map is not intended to be your primary clue to decode the numbers. When you have a reliable source of this information, replace the old ski lift names with their numbers. Some of these lifts may no longer exist or have been replaced by new names.
A = Alpine Springs – Assay Hill – Burlingame
B = Campground
C = Big Burn
D = Couloir
E = Assay Hill
F = Couloir – Alpine Springs – Fanny Hill
G = Big Burn – Fanny Hill
H = Couloir – Assay Hill
Checksum: A+B+C+D+E+F+G+H=30
In Winter: You can ski here directly on an intermediate level (blue) run. Do not expect to reach here without skis. Respect ski patrol closures for your own safety. Opening for this part of the mountain is sometimes delayed a few weeks after traditional opening day at Thanksgiving.
In Summer: it is possible to hike with or without assistance of a lift ride. One of the summer hiking trails will lead you directly to GZ, and it is not too far from one of the downhill mountain biking trails.
Off season: (when there is no snow) it is possible to hike up, but expect to spend a couple of hours.
When you reach GZ you may recognize it as 'something old' (relative to the age of the ski area).
If you preview the location on Google Earth or other current satellite maps, you will recognize something man-made is there.
The cache is a small waterproof storage container in an outer housing secured by a combination lock. The combination is (D+B) / (B*E+2) / (G+H). As a final check, if you add the 3 numbers of the lock combination the result should be 52.
Additional Waypoints
017W85D - Final
N/S __ ° __ . ___ W/E ___ ° __ . ___
Solve the puzzle to obtain coordinates
027W85D - Fanny Hill
N 39° 12.469 W 106° 57.013
Former base of lift
037W85D - Burlingame
N 39° 12.390 W 106° 57.069
Former base of lift
047W85D - Big Burn
N 39° 11.382 W 106° 57.730
057W85D - Campground
N 39° 12.421 W 106° 58.855
067W85D - Assay Hill
N 39° 12.615 W 106° 56.625
077W85D - Alpine Springs
N 39° 11.967 W 106° 56.750
087W85D - Couloir
N 39° 11.423 W 106° 57.374
Former base of lift
Something Old
| Difficulty: 
| Terrain: 
2 
1 
1 
1